Favorite starting boon? Can only pick one.

[Compliant]

"take a curse to choose a rare card"

[Anxarcule]

Lose all gold -> remove 2 cards.
Sometimes lose all gold -> get a rare relic... the other day I got old coin which was a net gain of 200 :)

[Compliant]

Originally posted by Anxarcule:

Lose all gold -> remove 2 cards.
Sometimes lose all gold -> get a rare relic... the other day I got old coin which was a net gain of 200 :)

I never mind losing gold for anything. It's always worth the gold and then some. The only boon that I've really lost faith in is transmuting. It's just too random. The draw back of max hp is one I won't pay. Then again gaining gold is almost always worth it, given that 250 is a free relic.

When I try the one you do and remove two defends I end up regretting it a bit. I had given up on that particular boon. Think I'll try it again and try to remove one strike and one defend see if that speeds the deck up. Usually my goal as Ironclad is to get rid of all defends.

Probably the most interesting starting pick I'll take is the simple upgrade of one card with no drawbacks - you might be surprised at just how useful for how long an upgraded Bash+ is. Then you don't have to lose your money, or lose your money paying for a curse, it's just a nice simple start with an upgraded hammer :).

[Anxarcule]

Removing 2 cards is the best option available as you purge your deck of 2 of the meh starter cards. I also always remove 2 strikes instead of defend

[Xiarn]

Interesting. I usually get rid of mostly strikes when I play, as I'm generally picking up better attacks earlier on anyway. Later on it depends on the archetype I'm building.

I'm not much of a risk taker so I never spend health or maxHP, and am happy to just remove a card or upgrade one.

[burningmime]

Ironclad -- Random rare card (or choose a rare card)
Silent -- Random rare relic
Defect -- Trade your starting relic for a random boss relic (his starting relic is only relevant in Act 1; almost all the boss relics are upgrades)

[Zu]

Unless a shop is in that awkward spot in the middle of act 1 on a path I know I'll be taking, pay 99 remove 2.

[paolo.bera]

remove 2 card lose 8 max hp

[HooBoo]

If theres a elite in the reach and some ? fields, I like that the next 3 enemies have 1hp thing.

[Anxarcule]

Originally posted by Juiven:

If theres a elite in the reach and some ? fields, I like that the next 3 enemies have 1hp thing.

Yeah that is a clear first priority as there is no downside, but it's pretty rare to be able to walk through shops/questions and not have them spawn enemies to reach an elite.

[Romain672]

I don't like anymore Remove 2 card. Yes, it's more easy to create a combo deck just after, but they are still really hard to create. And after act 1, this remove have really few effect.
-
Upgrade is my main priority actually.
Second best is +250g for -maxhp. And third for curse (if early shop).
(Rare relic, Common relic, Choose a Rare, and Neow's Lament keep a high value for me)

edit: And yes, upgrade become way less usefull after act 1, but while remove 2 card have no effect early on (because all your card are strike and defend), upgrading the neutralize/defend will have a great effect.

[Khor]

Transform 2, funniest option

[Anxarcule]

If you get a remove 2 and get a good card (like find weakness) for example, it will cycle that much faster, allowing you to build power faster. It could be my personal playstyle, but I like having smallish decks (15-20 is what I usually end up with unless I'm forced to take madness), and I try to keep a few of those cards as exhaustible. Throw in an upgraded battle trance and you can quickly cycle through your entire deck quickly.

[pop pop]

Get a random boss relic
Satisfaction and disapointment in one option. I like to gamble in games so i dont have to do it in life.

[Shovel Priest]

I do like the third cost-benefit option a lot. I prefer giving up gold, but will also take the -10% Max HP. Removing or Transforming 2 cards, or a random rare relic are all worth both of those costs. I generally won't take a curse, and I usually won't spend anything to get a choice of a rare card.

After that, free Removal or Transform is an easy go-to. I'll also take the 100 gold, and I *might* take the common relic.

If my options are Gain Max HP, Gain Random Rare Card, and Obtain Curse for X, I'll usually gamble off my starting relic. I play the Silent way more often than the Ironclad, so I don't feel as dependent on the starting relic.

If I could have one option every run, it would be the 99 gold for a random rare relic, despite the fact that I think that 99 gold for Removing 2 is better. I like starting off with a good random relic to try to build around.

[Compliant]

I'm the only one that takes curses I guess. I always take curses for benefits - I think dealing with curses is an interesting, fun downside. Often you get rid of them for free, too, so they are both the best and worst downside.

Originally posted by Xiarn:

Interesting. I usually get rid of mostly strikes when I play, as I'm generally picking up better attacks earlier on anyway. Later on it depends on the archetype I'm building.

I'm not much of a risk taker so I never spend health or maxHP, and am happy to just remove a card or upgrade one.

I agree, very interesting that we can do it differently. Removing defends and leaving strikes till later works just fine for me. It's really cool how different play styles and priorities work in this wonderful game.

I prioritize getting power throughs, metallicizes, rage, and they replace those defends for me. I find the strikes add damage to perfected strike, and still do decent damage for cheap endgame if I pump up strength, although I'll happily replace them and transmute them as opportunity comes later on. I would just rather that 1 energy do 12-17 damage with a reckless strike than block 5 damage - recklessly offensive is such a fun, manly way to play ironclad. That's a playstyle of his the other two don't get to do.