What do you think is the worst card in StS?

[Cowsep]

Of course, with the exception of curse, status cards as well as strikes and defends, because these cards are supposed to make your deck suffer.

In my opinion, after beating A20 heart several times, watcher's "Alpha" card is the worst.

I mean, it is basically a "slimed" status card, except it takes away 3 draws and 6 costs. 50 damage per turn may sound nice, but watcher can easily deal more than 50 damage each turn just by taking advantage of wrath and calm stances.

The thing that I don't understand is, why is this not a silent card? Silent has better draw and infinite deck cycle potentials than watcher, and unlike watcher, other than Grand Finale and double Catalyst+, Silent hardly has a card that can deal tons of damage each turn.

So what are your opinions?

[Zu]

Distraction. Just doesn't work out the way infernal blade and white noise do because of all these duds and gimmick skills.

[fractal9091]

Depends upon context, but when I play a Daily Challenge that gives me all the rares, Grand Finale is pretty much always the first card I remove. Of course, it can be good in other contexts.

The Silent has a lot of really situational cards, probably more than any other class. They're all decent contenders for "worst". Making cards cost 0 and sticking them back into your deck isn't great either.

[Gentlest Giant]

I don't think I've ever been in a situation where Clash was the best option offered.
Most cards I think are bad at least tingles my imagination and incites some nuanced thought.
For some reason I don't have that kind of relationship with Clash.

[Spawnling]

Silent's Distraction seems bad. The issue is that half of the time it'll give you a skill that wont defend you when you need it.

[Niccolo']

my first a20 win with watcher was with a defensive deck + alpha, so i dunno.

[Berik Xardas]

Alpha is definitely not the worst card to me. I had more than enough succesful runs where this was the main damage source. With this setup, you can always stay in Calm which makes Like Water a stronger Metallicize. If damage must be dealt quickly, Signature Move can be utilized - Pressure Points are also good. Also: You can use Omniscience to play either 2 Betas or 2 Omegas without "waiting" for them to be drawn.

For me, it is hard to decide - but either of these two will take the gold medal:

Distraction: Very unreliable
Grand Finale: Requires too much Setup.

Some "honorable" mentions:
Forethought: Cards which provide energy to play selected card NOW are superior. Since there are also some situations where you want the card later, it doesn't make it for first place to me.
Purity: it CAN be a pretty awesome card - either purging Strikes, Statuses, Curses - or helping to get rid of some non-0-cost-cards in order to go infinite. But most times, you're happy if you have this in the hand with more than one unwanted card to exhaust.
Meteor Strike: You either need Snecko Eye, or be lucky enough to have it on you hand at the same time you have TURBO / Double Energy / Plasma Orbs + Enough spare energy to block.
Conjure Blade: Yes - you can summon an awesome Expunger, and on Boss Battles you are also able to use it. But most times one of these is gonna happen:
1) You draw the Expunger "too late" - it massively overkills the enemy
2) You take massive damage since blocking off the enemy's attack in order to summon a good Expunger won't be possible at the same time.
3) You can't / don't want to take the enemy's danage, so you either wait until you draw it again, or you just summon a 2-Hit-Expunger
It often takes too much time to set up a strong Expunger while blocking the attack (utilizing Collect/Deva Form/Ice Cream).

[HAWAIIANpikachu]

Going to do one for each character + Colorless.

Ironclad: I would say all of ironclad's cards are fine TBH. I guess Carnage because it's just... kinda there? I don't really find myself grabbing it and even barricade can be good with support cards.

Silent: Sneaky Strike Tossup between Concentrate(Works with Ice Cream? It's kinda eh tbh even with high energy decks) and Endless Agony (Renamed Shiv) for me.

Defect: Sunder. It's just really weird to try and use because it's got limited use and kinda just exhausts itself of use too early and too late.

Watcher: Conjure Blade. As much as I like the concept... it follows Sunder's case for me and follows Berik's statement.

Colorless: Transmutation. It's just there.

[Spawnling]

@HAWAIIANpikachu
Imo Concentrate+ is fine if you have Runic Pyramid as act1 reward.
Carnage and Sunder help against act1 elites and boss (on low ascension these cards can 'solo' act 1), afterwards they become rather useless.

[Jimmy Hunter]

Originally posted by Spawnling:

@HAWAIIANpikachu
Imo Concentrate+ is fine if you have Runic Pyramid as act1 reward.

Unceasing Top would be far better with it since Runic Pyramid still requires you to sack out 2 cards. Also works well with Ice Cream for using it at the end of your turn for 2 extra energy next turn.

Carnage and Sunder help against act1 elites and boss (on low ascension these cards can 'solo' act 1), afterwards they become rather useless.

Sunder+ with applying Vulnerability makes it hit for 48, which is still fine against hallway fights and even elites/bosses with summons. It's also excellent front loaded damage against Reptomancer and can outright destroy one of her daggers for free.

Carnage has synergy with Dark Embrace, Feel No Pain, and Exhume, so it's not completely worthless past Act 1. Dead Branch + Runic Pyramid also works with it too.

[Spawnling]

Originally posted by Jimmy Hunter:

Unceasing Top would be far better with it since Runic Pyramid still requires you to sack out 2 cards.

I didn't specify it, but that's the upside of Concentrate. Clear handspace into Predator/Backflip. I couldn't clear my hand fast enough with 3 energy a turn, but still wanted to cycle through my deck.

[Zadavaka]

Ok, my entry to this interesting subject. I want to point out cards, what is weak on average measure and do not perform well enough.

Ironclad

Flex can be decent. But usually it is a low value buff, that is struggles to perform acceptable. And it is not good early - Gremlin and also every thing what throwing statuses to your deck is punishing you.
Rupture is weakest of Ironclads powers. I call it "Demon Form for bums". It is very slow and only great with Pain curse, which is ridiculous.

Silent

Slice is slightly better Strike, which is sad. But in context it is even worse - Silent already have five, which you want to get rid of. Why you want to pick one more? And she does not have anything what makes strikes better. Also look at zero-cost attacks of other classes - considering context, difference in value is huge.
Prepared is not totally useless, but usually it is weakest card in StS and has extremely low value. Even in upgraded form it is worsened analogue of Calculated Gamble. You need stuff like Tough Bandages with Toxic Egg or Pyramide to make it pickable.

Defect

Aggregate - you never want make your deck fat becouse of entropy. Aggregate must be in your first hand to produce good amount of energy, but that will often prove to be excessive and you will need things like Ice Cream or Unceasing Top to actually make use of it. Only for meme and wonky playstyle.

Watcher

Unupgraded Study is trash. It is expensive, slow and clunky. There is many enemies what punishing skills or low value cards or card spam. And even upgraded and in combination with Master Reality it is nothing flashy or impressive.

[Zu]

Originally posted by Zadavaka:

Even in upgraded form it is worsened analogue of Calculated Gamble.

You might wanna think about that one some more.

[HAWAIIANpikachu]

Good points about Concentrate. Endless Agony is my pick for worst Silent card (Which i was leaning towards)

Carnage is still kinda eh. Every other 2 cost still feels kinda better for me. It still has its uses (as I mentioned I don't feel like any Ironclad card is outstandingly bad). Ironclad generally doesn't care about elites anyways as he isn't as punished against some elites like Silent and Defect.

Sunder has uses against early fights, but Defect usually mills through most fights with orbs anyways. I guess its more useful in the anti-focus builds but Don't normally have problems with reptomancer anyways.

[fractal9091]

Originally posted by Zadavaka:

Defect

Aggregate - you never want make your deck fat becouse of entropy. Aggregate must be in your first hand to produce good amount of energy, but that will often prove to be excessive and you will need things like Ice Cream or Unceasing Top to actually make use of it. Only for meme and wonky playstyle.

Ouch, poor Aggregate. I love it so much in the Daily Challenges that give you a big deck that I can't picture ever putting it on a list like this, although I agree it's pretty underpowered in most normal runs.

Still, in a deck that's adding a bunch (reasonable if you have discard recursion), you can easily have 30-35 cards, and Aggregate could be... okay there (or good if you Bottle it or something).

[fractal9091]

Originally posted by HAWAIIANpikachu:

Good points about Concentrate. Endless Agony is my pick for worst Silent card (Which i was leaning towards)

Why do you like Slice better than Endless Agony? Endless Agony deals more damage and gives you two attacks for one card (good for Shuriken/Kunai).

Carnage is still kinda eh. Every other 2 cost still feels kinda better for me. It still has its uses (as I mentioned I don't feel like any Ironclad card is outstandingly bad). Ironclad generally doesn't care about elites anyways as he isn't as punished against some elites like Silent and Defect.

How often do you get better value out of Sever Soul than from Carnage?