Slay the Spire is a popular deck-building roguelike game that challenges players to climb a spire of increasingly difficult levels, facing off against a range of formidable enemies. One of the most challenging foes encountered early in the game is the Lagavulin, an Elite enemy found exclusively in Act 1. While the Lagavulin may start the battle asleep, it hits hard and consistently, requiring careful planning and strategy to defeat.
In this article, we will explore tips and attack patterns to help players successfully overcome the Lagavulin and progress further up the Spire.
Slay the Spire Lagavulin
Overview
Encountered exclusively in Act 1 of Slay the Spire, the Lagavulin is a formidable Elite enemy that packs a heavy punch with consistent attacks. However, there’s a catch – the Lagavulin is initially found asleep for the first 3 turns of combat (unless triggered through the Dead Adventurer Event), giving players the opportunity to strategically decide when to engage in battle.
At the start of the battle, the Lagavulin will have a unique debuff called “Asleep,” and a “Metallicize” buff, which grants it 8 block at the end of each turn.
The Lagavulin will awaken either at the end of its 3rd turn or when it takes HP damage through its block, losing its “Metallicize” buff in the process.
If the Lagavulin is attacked and awakened, it will be stunned for one turn. On the other hand, if it is left unharmed for three turns, it will wake up and start the fourth turn as normal.
Attack Pattern
Tips
- It’s important to utilize the first 3 turns when the Lagavulin is asleep. You should use these turns to play your best Power cards like Evolve and Biased Cognition to get a head start in the battle.
- On the 3rd turn, instead of using buff and debuff cards on the third turn, you should consider dealing damage. The Lagavulin is going to attack on it’s 4th turn regardless, so you might as well try to do as much damage as possible before you block the following turn.
- If you have an Artifact charge available when the Lagavulin uses Siphon Soul, it’s a good idea to use it, as it will block the Dexterity debuff since it’s applied first.
- Overall, you should stay aggressive during the fight. The Lagavulin’s Siphon Soul ability (-1 to Dexterity and Strength) can be devastating if you hit with it more than once. The fight gets exponentially more difficult if you’re inflicted with it twice or more.
Does the Lagavulin stay asleep?
No, the Lagavulin does not stay asleep if left alone. After 3 turns, regardless of whether you damage it, the Lagavulin will wake up.
The Lagavulin is going to attack on its 4th turn, so you might as well try to damage it as much as possible before you block the next turn.
Does Poison wake up the Lagavulin?
Yes, poison damage will wake up the Lagavulin. Poison damage is inflicted at the start of the target’s turn, which is when the Lagavulin does not have any block.
Lagavulin’s Metallcize buff adds 8 block at the end of its turn, however since block disappears at the beginning of your turn, it will no longer have block when your poison damage is inflicted. Keep this in mind when you are playing as the Silent!
Summary
Defeating the Lagavulin in Slay the Spire can be a challenging task, but with the right strategy and preparation, players can emerge victorious. Remember to take advantage of the first few turns when the enemy is asleep, use aggressive tactics, and utilize any Powers ahead of time to get jump-started in the fight. With these tips and attack patterns in mind, players can confidently face the Lagavulin and conquer the Spire.
For more Slay the Spire content, check out our guide for the Ironclad.