Fix or remove dead branch please, or at least make it toggleable

[Protocol; Wired (She/Her)]

Dead branch really makes my current deck worse. I got searing blow early and it is really doing work, but now dead branch is spamming my deck with trash cards. Please provide some kind of fix for this!

[Aeternalis the Abyssal Alchemist]

Then don't pick it up.

[Paranoia]

Originally posted by Abyssal Alchemist:

Then don't pick it up.

This.

[robofish126]

Dead Branch is pretty distinct in that its the only non-Boss Relic to have a potential downside.

Just played a run where I got Dead Branch in the first Chest, shrugged, then hit skip.

[lordofdekingz]

most of the relics have potential downsides, some more obvious than others

tiny chest gives you more loot, but maybe you have cursed key and don't want the loot, or maybe you desperately need an event to heal you, but you don't get it due to the increased chance for loot

the jouzu bracelet removes encounters from ? rooms, but maybe you want encounters to heal off of them or gain cards/gold

relics that heal you or increase your max hp might counter your berserk or meat on the bone

ornamental fan might give you 4 block and stop orichalcum from working

calipers might interfere with orichalcum as well

even ice cream might give you energy next turn that you don't want because it makes your whirlwind kill an explosive guy that you don't want to kill

a toxic egg might upgrade a limit break to not exhaust anymore while you would like it to exhaust because you have an exhaust deck

sure some of these seem really far fetched, but Iam sure I can give you at least 1 situation for almost any relic, where it would be better to not have it.

[Protocol; Wired (She/Her)]

How is dead branch ever an upgrade? I see almost no potential upside? This also doesn't take into account taking a relic then later in the run wanting to change deck styles. What do you think about being able to trash relics in between combats?

[Paranoia]

Originally posted by Protocol Wired:

How is dead branch ever an upgrade? I see almost no potential upside?

"Whenever you Exhaust a card, add a random card to your hand. "

I like it, I often pick it. It is for Exhaust heavy decks that may have extra Mana, but necessarily dependable draw. I am yet to regret picking it.

Obviously not to be used on Decks that are supposed to cycle through multiple times.

For example, I used it on a deck that had strong 3 Exhaust attack opening, ut no real gameplan beyond the first reshuffle. Even random cards are better than first iteration burst cards once it is evident that burst did not work in this fight.

[robofish126]

Originally posted by Protocol Wired:

How is dead branch ever an upgrade? I see almost no potential upside? This also doesn't take into account taking a relic then later in the run wanting to change deck styles. What do you think about being able to trash relics in between combats?

Its main use is with Corruption, which makes all Skills cost 0 but exhaust. Ergo all Skills not cost 0 and effectively draw you a card. So long as you are packing tools to Exhaust non-Skills too you can simply change any useless cards it gives you, and if they become Powers and you play them they are in effect removed from your deck for good.

So far I've played one game that made good use of it, I had cards like:

Fiend Fire+Sentinel=I exhaust my hand to do lots of damage, Dead Branch makes me draw a bunch of cards, Sentinel being exhausted gets me the energy to actually play them.

Havoc=Costs 0 and plays then exhausts the top card of your deck. This means you not only get whatever card you played for free (and if its a Power it stays out) and get to 'draw' a card.

Overall though its much like Snecko Eye in that you have to accept it will give you powerful but chaotic hands.

[Aeternalis the Abyssal Alchemist]

Originally posted by Protocol Wired:

How is dead branch ever an upgrade? I see almost no potential upside? This also doesn't take into account taking a relic then later in the run wanting to change deck styles. What do you think about being able to trash relics in between combats?

Look up videos of people doing Dead Branch runs, then you will understand why it is quite often considered one of the best relics in the game.
I watched Wanderbot's first encounter with the Dead Branch, and I couldn't help but laugh at how absurd it got. This was before Bottled Tornado was added, so he did struggle a bit in the late game because he picked up too many cards and there was no way to make Powers like Corruption and Dark Embrace innate. But he still won, if I recall correctly.

[Protocol; Wired (She/Her)]

Well the issue is those powers don't show up every run, and if they don't show up then its at best a dead relic, and dead relics have such an opprotunity cost accociated with them

[�[Dire_Venom]�]

Originally posted by Paranoia:

Originally posted by Abyssal Alchemist:

Then don't pick it up.

This.

This This

[Protocol; Wired (She/Her)]

That is a relic you are supposed to have at that point thrown in the trash. Making dead branch a boss relic could fix a lot of the issue I have with it. I also still want to be able to throw relics in the trash out of combat, in case any of them end up hurting my deck. I see no reason for that not to be a feature

[Aeternalis the Abyssal Alchemist]

Originally posted by Protocol Wired:

That is a relic you are supposed to have at that point thrown in the trash. Making dead branch a boss relic could fix a lot of the issue I have with it. I also still want to be able to throw relics in the trash out of combat, in case any of them end up hurting my deck. I see no reason for that not to be a feature

Its already rare, making it a boss relic would just overpopulate the boss relic pool, since you can only have 2 boss relics per run(3 if you chose the boss relic blessing from Neow).

[Serell]

Originally posted by Protocol Wired:

That is a relic you are supposed to have at that point thrown in the trash. Making dead branch a boss relic could fix a lot of the issue I have with it. I also still want to be able to throw relics in the trash out of combat, in case any of them end up hurting my deck. I see no reason for that not to be a feature

Making it a boss relic would make Ironclad incredibly overpowered. You are much more likely to pick up a specific boss relic than you are a specific rare relic. With Dead Branch showing up a lot more often, Corruption + Dead Branch builds become a lot easier to make. If you're not aware, Corruption + Dead Branch is the most overpowered combo in the game, and is pretty much an autowin.

You can always choose to skip relics if you don't like them. The only exception is with the Shovel digging up relics. But that is balanced by the fact you can dig up a ton of relics for free.

[Romain672]

It stay +1 draw each time you exhaust a card.
So if your deck have not a really good combo, and/or if your deck are big, and/or you have too much energy, the drawback to add random card to your deck is not so bad.
But it really depend of what you want to do with your deck.


And for the relic (with the Silent), ninja scroll add 3 shiv at the start of your hand. You already have 7 cards at the start of your turn... Only one more (bottle, endless agony, preparation bag, etc), and you have -1draw first turn.

[Drecon]

I've had a run where I had Dead Branch + Infinite Blades. One of the most fun runs I've ever had. Dead Branch is fine the way it is. Not every relic is for every strategy. Part of learning the game is finding out what relics are good in which situations.