How to consistently win as The Ironclad?

[YouWin]

So I manage to win consistently using The Silent (by draw power and playing defensive while using poison or shiv as main source of damage).

However, I cannot think of a strategy using The Ironclad. Not enough draw power, not enough energy to do anything. Can someone please share how they win consistently with The Ironclad? I search this forum, and there are some suggestion, however it doesn't seem to work for me because I hardly can find the cards they are using.

[loneknight]

The builds you mention are good, but I've beaten both without barricade/demon form/limit break (I think I have literally never beat it with limit break actually). My favorite build is clashes+dual wield+card draw, but had a few exhaust-based decks too. Then there's things like just using really efficient cards, like Perfect Strike and filling your deck with value.

Relics and events can carry you almost as hard as well, had a healing+self damage based deck with Bites, Reapers, and theat relic that gives you +50% heal.

[Neonivek]

I will say a letsplayer probably stumbled upon the major reason why the Ironclad is far easier than The Silent.

There is a lot of Synergy with the Ironclad, even if you go for one strategy a good card is a good card. There are also cards that bridge the gap between builds so you can have a bit of one or the other.

While The Silent's major builds are antagonistic towards one another and the strategies do not work with eachother. There is no clear bridge between poison and shiv decks.

"There are really only two viable builds for ironclad."

Ohh there are more. Yet those are just builds that work without artifacts (plus some others).

For example Sneko Eye leads to an amazing build for the Ironclad.

[YouWin]

Originally posted by Handbanana:

Originally posted by YouWin:

Thank you for all the suggestion, I will try it out on my next run. Really appreciate it.



I understand this game is full of RNG. However even with the RNG there is a way where you can consistently reach to the end 7-8 times out of 10 (When I play Silent I am able to do that). For me I kept losing at the 2nd level when using Ironclad, probably I don't understand his strength and weakness, which is why I am asking for suggestion.

The problem with that is even card picks up are RNG. I have done complete runs without seeing certain required cards.

There are really only two viable builds for ironclad. The barricade/metaicize/body slam build. And the Demon form/limit break+ build. Those two builds scale exponentially. Without them you won't beat the final boss let alone even the second boss.

I like the RNG in a way, because it forces you to try out new build that you never thought would work. I tried a limit break/flex/headbutt build. Pretty crazy actually.

But my main problem here is that I I need to learn how to value other block cards, currently trying other blocks and sometimes it works, some times they don't.

Originally posted by NinjaX:

Originally posted by YouWin:

I realized my problem here. If I can't get Shrug it off, I basically has little to no block, and the damage I deal is just not fast enough, any suggestion to this?

I value Flame Barrier highly. I often upgrade that card as well. 16 block for 2 energy, plus 6 counter attack damage. Very good vs. multiple attacks. Super effective vs the Flying Birds that deals like 1x5 damage.

Disarm is also another high pick. 1 Energy to -2 Strength is a tiny investment to the amount of damage you save over a fight.

Yeah I just tried Flame Barrier and it is pretty good, will try disarm next time, it is a card that I always choose not to pick/buy.

[YouWin]

Originally posted by Neonivek:

I will say a letsplayer probably stumbled upon the major reason why the Ironclad is far easier than The Silent.

There is a lot of Synergy with the Ironclad, even if you go for one strategy a good card is a good card. There are also cards that bridge the gap between builds so you can have a bit of one or the other.

While The Silent's major builds are antagonistic towards one another and the strategies do not work with eachother. There is no clear bridge between poison and shiv decks.

"There are really only two viable builds for ironclad."

Ohh there are more. Yet those are just builds that work without artifacts (plus some others).

For example Sneko Eye leads to an amazing build for the Ironclad.

The problem I have with Ironclad is the block. Without certain card, I just can't seem to defend properly.

I disagree with your point on Silent though, i made a shiv/poison deck, and it work, with the card with allow you to increase poison stack whenever you hit the enemy.

[Neonivek]

Originally posted by YouWin:

the problem I have with Ironclad is the block. Without certain card, I just can't seem to defend properly.

From what I understand the strategy of Ironclad, if you aren't going for a defense build, is trying to outdamage.

"with the card with allow you to increase poison stack whenever you hit the enemy"

I forgot about that. Though, the Ironclad still has it beat.

[YouWin]

Originally posted by Neonivek:

Originally posted by YouWin:

the problem I have with Ironclad is the block. Without certain card, I just can't seem to defend properly.

From what I understand the strategy of Ironclad, if you aren't going for a defense build, is trying to outdamage.

"with the card with allow you to increase poison stack whenever you hit the enemy"

I forgot about that. Though, the Ironclad still has it beat.

Yeah, but the problem is that, when I reached the boss, my hp left like 1/3, and I can't win with that.

Just checked, the card is called "Envenom". Well anyway, I think I Silent playstyle suits me more which is why I favor it so much. When I switch back to Ironclad, the mindset I had on Silent just cannot work on Ironclad, which is why I started this. I wanted to know how the card synergy work for Ironclad.

[aclockworkgreg]

Originally posted by YouWin:

However, I cannot think of a strategy using The Ironclad.

I have three words for you...infinite drop kicks.

[Jackal]

My consistency build for ironclad is the "kill them before they kill you strategy". The point of the class is dishing a lot of damage and staying mid health, you don't need to be at full to be strong. The item that heals for 12 if you are bellow 50% is amazing, as you can go even more aggresive. One of my favorite runs I killed all 3 bosses in their killing blow for me (if I didn't kill them, I would die).

Build your strengh, defend when possible and do a lot of damage.

The other strategy is the infinite defense, but depends a lot on the cards (getting a lot of metallize , flame barrier and one barricade). I only managed to win twice.

[Sealer]

Originally posted by Handbanana:

Originally posted by YouWin:

Thank you for all the suggestion, I will try it out on my next run. Really appreciate it.



I understand this game is full of RNG. However even with the RNG there is a way where you can consistently reach to the end 7-8 times out of 10 (When I play Silent I am able to do that). For me I kept losing at the 2nd level when using Ironclad, probably I don't understand his strength and weakness, which is why I am asking for suggestion.

The problem with that is even card picks up are RNG. I have done complete runs without seeing certain required cards.

There are really only two viable builds for ironclad. The barricade/metaicize/body slam build. And the Demon form/limit break+ build. Those two builds scale exponentially. Without them you won't beat the final boss let alone even the second boss.

Just won second time with iron clad without baricade/body slam or demon form. I would never pick up demon form unless you have some crazy energy gen or a really good relic/plan to go with it. The tempo hit of a 3 energy card is useless for me, I win most fights on stage 3 in like 5 turns, I got some terrible block cards but feel no pain and the relic which deals 3 dmg for every exhausted card allowed me to go really heavy on the offense. I still got to like 60 str at the end boss (Time Eater, super easy fight with 6 cards played every turn, didnt even chug all the potions).

This deck had plenty of cards, as most of decks I played, but key pieces were The Offering, Limit Break+ (had JAXX , super good for exhaust str build, a shuriken which kept giving me str every 3 attacks and some starting relic str), 2 Pommel strikes, 2x Burning Hands (exhaust to draw), 2 or 3 warcries, Feel No Pain and a headbutt. Everything else was filler, including metalicize which i barely used, evolve because I got the mark and wanted more card draw, some weakenings (which I think is a terrible card, but worked really nicely in this deck), armaments and random attack cards. The run was stupidly easy by the end.

If I have one advice to doing ironclad - don't get too hung up on Demon Form and/or Barricade. Unless you have some sexy energy gen these two are a huge tempo hit that barely does anything for a few turns. In particular, 3 energy demon form feels so bad in comparison to for example spot weakness + limit break+. There are so many fights where you don't need more than 8 strength that demon form feels like a huge waste unless you have Reaper and will heal everything anyway, but that interaction is kinda broken with any str booster, not only demon form.

Also, warcry/headbutt -> pommel strike is one of the best comboes in game. Pick any card you played already. Get it in your hand. Enjoy.

[lowkey]

Strenght buffing can be insane. There's a card that stacks x3 with strenght that i've dealt 60-90 damage with. And Clash is really nice too.

[ezerferrefin]

There are many ways that you can beat the game with Ironclad, you don't really need the perfect deck and it takes a hell of a lot less to work than silent. Just started running ascension mode and currently finished A2 without dropping a game.

Double Tap + Rampage + headbutt Package
In any deck that keeps a small card pool (generally full of power/exahust card)

Fiend fire decks
Pick up exhaust support power when you can, and draws. Battle trance / Offering are your best friend. And priorities for at least one or two 0/1 cost vulnerable cards. Some strength up helps but you won't need much as the STR bonus apply to every card you burn, which should always be max hand size with the amount of draws you have

Block/slam or Demonform/STR
Done to death deck, don't need to talk about it really.

Wound deck
a bit more complicated to run, but can be good if you pick up multiple immolate, work in fiend fire with it and avoid clash. Pick up the eahust packages and cards that eahust "non-something" cards works very well here too.

True that a lot of this game's RNG, but you have to learn to not flood your deck to increase your odds. I've even skipped first card pick at times because they are "too average", I rather pick up nothing and deal with what to come later than flood it with average cards early on. The "I'll take it because it's better than starting card" mind set is what kills a lot of runs I watch.

Also, skipping elites on some runs isn't the worst idea , one relic less might mean you hit one more campfire for that upgrade or taking less risk to ensure you have enough hp to face the final boss.

[Arrow]

just go ahead