Slay the Spire 2 Update and Developer Response
Developers Mega Crit have rolled back some elements of last week’s significant Slay the Spire 2 balancing update. This patch initially nerfed multiple cards in an effort to make “infinites”—strategic combos allowing endless turns—more challenging to execute.
Though this patch isn’t officially part of the game yet, requiring players to join a Steam beta branch, it has nevertheless sparked considerable debate within the community. Some players have even attempted to review bomb the game, despite Mega Crit assuring fans that Slay the Spire 2 is still in early access development.
Reverted Nerfs and Buffs
In a recent beta patch, Mega Crit has restored some controversial nerfs and made improvements to various cards. For instance, the Prepared card used by the Silent character will still allow players to draw and discard cards, while Serpent Form’s damage has been increased. Similarly, Necrobinder’s Capture Spirit and Borrowed Time cards have also been enhanced.
According to lead designer Anthony Giovannetti in the full changelog, although he believes Sly synergies are too powerful, he acknowledges Prepared’s crucial role in the Silent’s identity and aims to address balance differently in the future. Regarding Borrowed Time, he suggests a complete rework will happen later, but prefers to keep it enjoyable for now.
Character and Enemy Adjustments
The Ironclad character has received buffs that enhance Exhaust-based strategies, while the previously disliked Regent character has undergone several improvements. His Arsenal card can now be innate with upgrades and grants 1 Strength when creating a card instead of only when playing a colorless card. Many of Regent’s other cards now deal increased damage or offer more block.
Players concerned about the Doormaker boss will find that it has become more predictable, with each visual phase now carrying its own ability that disrupts gameplay, as mentioned by Giovannetti. Additionally, the Skulking Colony enemy has been significantly nerfed, dealing less damage and no longer applying Dazed status cards.
Gameplay and Feedback Changes
Changes to monster distribution have been made, such as elite monsters no longer appearing on the first level, since Neow now counts as the first floor. The Gloom Ascension modifier also no longer affects surprise rooms, as it detracted from game enjoyment. Giovannetti has plans to completely rework Gloom in the future.
Overall, despite some upheaval around the infinites, Slay the Spire 2 remains a popular title on Steam. To improve player interaction, developers have increased the feedback tool’s character limit from 500 to 8000. Players can share their thoughts more extensively, which Mega Crit encourages as the best way to enhance the game.
If you’re frustrated with Spire 2’s balancing, consider taking it out on friends using this Slay the Spire 2 PvP mod for some friendly competition.
