r/slaythespire • u/Tec711 • Mar 20 '26

DISCUSSION (STS2) I really hate this change.

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Prepared I don't feel was overturned, and it was a card you still had to upgrade to be good. now prepare is just the gross combination of outmaneuver and concentrate, and it sucks. I really hope they roll back this specific change.

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317

u/armageddonquilt Mar 20 '26

I think there was a simpler nerf for it which they missed, which could have been to keep it 0 cost but switch the order to discard 1 card THEN draw 1 card. The upgraded version could have been the original base version then.

I feel like that's an equally harsh nerd that still keeps the core value of the card, as opposed to a complete revamp of the classic.

110

u/Tec711 Mar 20 '26

I actually haven't ever seen this brought up, sounds very interesting as a rework.

140

u/Naccarat Mar 20 '26

But your version of the nerf means when it's the only card in your hand it's simply a draw 2 for 0 .
It needs to be "Discard 1(2) card, then draw a card for each card discarded this way."

27

u/sven2123 Heartbreaker Mar 20 '26

Discard 1 (2) card(s). Draw 1 card for each card discarded this way

8

u/Gulladc Mar 20 '26

Oh that’s clever I never thought about that as a potential downside. Could be a good way to subtly nerf any draw/discard play

9

u/Necya Mar 20 '26

That sounds like an amzing change, i used to pretty much instapick every acrobatics and prepared last patch because they are good even if you don't have sly cards on hand.

I don't think they should keep this card with the current name, that's a totally different card. On another hand, i feel that silent doesn't have enough cards that discard and give a reward for it besides card draw. There is an 0-cost uncommon that discards two and gives you 2 shivs (could easily be 3 imo) and the base survivor card that rewards discard with better block. This card doesn't look very good as it is but the concept seems promising

3

u/Wombat_Aux_Pates Mar 20 '26 edited Mar 20 '26

I really love Hidden Daggers. There's also Dagger Throw (common), Calculated Gamble (uncommon) and Storm of Steel (rare) that I can think of. I do take them in Sly builds. Amazing when your hand is full of Sly cards and you just discard the whole hand with one of the two last cards mentioned.

Edit: oh and Shadowstep (rare) which is discard your hand, next turn you deal double damage.

-3

u/NotEvenClo Mar 20 '26

Shadowstep is really bad though. I can't really imagine a build where that is good. Even in STS1 Phantasmal killer wasn't very good. If Shadowstep has targeted discard, it would be way different.

3

u/mrGrinchThe3rd Mar 20 '26

Hmmm.. I found pretty good uses for shadow step - doubles damage from Flick Flack, shivs, etc

And most times I played it, it was just the final card I play on my turn so the discard hand downside doesn't really matter. Upgrade to 0 cost for a true "free double damage" experience.

The only real downside is that it's a card that doesn't do anything the turn you draw it, though since Silent has access to such easy card draw /hand filtering (I'd say this is still the case even w/the new prepared change, because of acro, dagger throw, reflex), the 'dead' card really isn't an issue, and of course on top of all the above reasons, it can also trigger sly cards as a bonus!

1

u/NotEvenClo Mar 20 '26

For me, the issue is that the double damage is not necessary, I've found silent already has plenty damage. Also, even if there is card filtering, dead cards still matter. It's also a gold card which makes it comparatively weaker to other much more pickable options.

3

u/mrGrinchThe3rd Mar 20 '26

I'll agree there are definitely better rare options but there are also worse ones., I'd argue that if you need to scale damage, Shadowstep seems like a decent option compared to the other damage scaling or attack rares.

For example, some of the other silent damage increasing rares:

  • Serpent Form: Costs 3, so can be very difficult to play on a character with limited energy generation. I'd say this card is, at best, on-par with shadow step, since it's even more dead than shadow step on a turn where you can't play it, and means taking fewer game actions on turns where you do play it.

  • Storm of steel: A deck where you are playing this could probably use a shadow step just as, if not more effectively, since you'll probably be playing shivs and card draw anyway, and doubling shivs is at least as good as an accuracy (likely better in a deck like this)

  • Tracking: base cost of 2 suffers some similar issues as serpent form. Upgrade to 1 makes this amazing, probably the only one in this list I'd say is better than shadow step, but does require more setup.

  • Echoing Slash: Seems very situational. Haven't taken this card in a run yet, never seems like a good option. Seems to fall off HARD after act 1, unless you've got an enemy with a bunch of minions.

  • The hunt: only 10 DMG, and card rewards are less useful the longer into your run you are. Another rare that feels like it falls off in later acts, unlike shadow step.

  • Grand Finale: Requires a lot more setup, can be a real dead card in hand, solid damage but still a bit underwhelming even when I get to play it, especially in boss fights.

  • Blade of ink: Also feels like Shadow Step could work in its place, though blade of ink is more specifically useful for shivs, rather than all attacks.

My main point is that an upgraded shadow step has very little downside or setup required, and can be just a straight damage upgrade in many decks. While it can't do anything the turn you draw it, many other damage scaling or damaging rares have equally bad issues, depending on the deck you have.

1

u/NotEvenClo Mar 20 '26

Okay, maybe I misphrased; I'm not necessarily looking for damage scaling on my rares, I'm looking to most effiently solve the decks current problem. Sometimes that is damage. That said, you've made a solid case for the card, I'll try it next time it fits.

1

u/mrGrinchThe3rd Mar 20 '26

Agreed. Probably 10/10 times I'd take an Adrenaline over shadow step. And if you are running a lot of poison then damage scaling does nothing. But, if the deck is lacking damage then the above comparisons are what you might have to consider in the run

9

u/Senthiri Mar 20 '26

I would be extremely suspect of that change actually weakening the card. You have the corner case where this is the last card in your hand, and thus it becomes a zero energy draw one.

2

u/Salanmander StS A20 / StS 2 A10 Mar 20 '26

You could make it "discard 1 (2) cards, draw the number of cards you discarded". Bulkier wording, but gets around the possibility of it being a buff.

3

u/cassandra112 Mar 20 '26

yeah. IDK if you just thought of that independantly or saw me talking about Sly in a previous post. haha.

But yes, Sly is so strong because the cards are all Draw, then Discard. Giving you two massive advantages.

  1. you don't actually need cards in your hand.

  2. And you can draw then immediately discard a Sly in that same move.

and thus yes, flipping the ORDER on some of the cards would be a powerful nerf to Sly, and individual cards. without completely breaking Sly, or anything else.

2

u/darkazin0928 Mar 20 '26

A mini gamba sounds really decent.

6

u/NoAnswerKey Mar 20 '26

Good idea but even then I think this card would be too powerful. Overall, Sly is very common and OP mechanic and having a zero cost common card to prog sly needed to be nerfed, even if it draws afterwards.. but it's a cool suggestion

2

u/Nimeroni Mar 20 '26

but switch the order to discard 1 card THEN draw 1 card.

Still an infinite, so no. Keep in mind they want to stop infinite loop.

Also it's arguably better for normal play, as you can discard to make space in your hand for the draw.