Making the right calls is crucial in the Spire

Tried my best but there were some jumping off points where I maybe should have jumped the other way.
Live from my Twitch: / primepalindrome
Website: www.primepalindrome.net/

[@kinnikillerkiwi]

First of all, just gonna warn you that the very beginning of the run was cut off. Second, a fun fact: Did you know that Orrerry used to be a boss relic? It was a pretty bad one. Girya is quite good, the only character that struggles somewhat with making good use of it is the Defect. Everyone else loves it.
Rage is indeed one way you can use to combo with Juggernaut, but it's a bit difficult, since Ironclad is more about doing single big hits than multiple small hits. You can do it using upgraded Body Slams/Angers along with a bunch of card draw but it's an uphill struggle. A more reliable method is Feel no Pain, which turns each exhausted card into block. This makes mass exhaust cards like Fiend Fire and specially Second Wind (which already gives block per exhausted card, so Feel no Pain makes it double dip) into huge block and damage. Add some status creating cards like Power Through so you always have fuel and it becomes reliable even on bosses. I have beaten Ascension 20 with a deck like that.

[@primepalindrome5768]

Your deck sounds like the answers to what mine was missing, definitely made some major questionable decisions😅
I just noticed the cut-off, must be because Twitch started recording too late, which is where I get my video from. Might start recording it myself, which seems safer.
Thanks again, this was super helpful ☺️

[@enericm]

@@primepalindrome5768 I was going to make a comment like the one above. Juggernaut + Feel no Pain are 2 parts of a potentially winning combo. Even though you didn't have exhaust at the time, Ironclad has enough different exhaust cards that it was probably worth grabbing a feel no pain and being willing to pick up whatever exhausting cards come your way to build into that combo. One other thing, once juggernaut is down, you can be a lot more willing to full block and not attack because you're getting 5 damage per defensive card played. Especially if one of the defensive cards is Flame Barrier.

[@primepalindrome5768]

@@enericm thank you, should have grabbed that Feel no pain, and I'm going to play with exhaust mechanics next to try that out for a change.
It seems so obvious to rely more on block once it's part of the strategy, oh well, lesson learned, I hope!
Thanks again!

[@enericm]

@@primepalindrome5768 Body slam, especially an upgraded one so it's zero cost is another way you can be more agressive going for full blocks since you can spend all your energy blocking, and then unload some pretty serious punishment with Body Slam. Knowing when you can get away with full blocking and when you need to take some damage now to avoid taking more damage later is really tricky. One of the things that consistently amazes me watching Balorlord's runs is that I often don't even notice him accumulating block as he plays cards. He'll end a turn with me thinking he's going to take a ton of damage only to realize he's actually full blocking!

[@primepalindrome5768]

@@enericm true, that guy is a block wizard at times! Armaments upgraded it once or twice, (body slam), and it was great :)