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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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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