Slay the Spire Runic Cube: Best Build, & Is It Good

Examining the strengths and weaknesses of the Runic Cube

Runic Cubes in Slay the Spire

Slay the Spire, the popular deck-building roguelike game has captivated players with its unique blend of strategy, luck, and endless replayability. One of the game’s Boss Relics is the Runic Cube, a boss relic exclusively for the Ironclad. It has sparked some debate among players. Some think it is good, while others dismiss it as a bad choice.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the Runic Cube, examining its strengths and weaknesses, and ultimately determine whether or not it’s a worthy addition to your Slay the Spire deck.

Overview

Runic Cube is a boss relic in Slay the Spire that allows you to draw a card every time they lose HP. The cards drawn during an enemy’s turn will be available to play during the your next turn. This relic can provide a consistent source of resources and potentially give you an edge in combat.

Ironclad in the final boss battle with runic cube
You will have plenty of card draw with Runic Cube

However, its usefulness will depend on the your individual playstyle and deck composition.

Unlike some of the other boss relics, there aren’t any drawbacks to having the Runic Cube. The absolute worse case scenario, you get an extra card every time you lose HP from enemy attacks.

Best Build

Self-Harm

It goes without saying that the best build for Runic Cube would be one that revolves around cards that make you lose HP. This is a rather difficult build to pull off successfully, since maintaining your HP is so valuable in Slay the Spire.

Hemokinesis is a card you really should pickup whenever possible. Not only is it a good card, but it pairs well with Runic Cube.

Rupture and Brutality also increase the power level of Runic Cube. It essentially makes Brutality draw 2 cards at the start of your turn instead of 1. Adding Rupture to the mix causes you to gain 1 strength at the start of your turn as well.

It should be noted that builds centered around self-harming cards can be a really risky strategy. You need to be really careful about the cards you play, since you can easily drain 10-15 HP per combat if you just spam these cards.

Is the Runic Cube good in Slay the Spire?

Runic Cube from Slay the Spire

It’s decent. In fact, there isn’t a single drawback to having it. Still, you probably shouldn’t take it in most cases.

It does provide some extra draw when you are behind and losing health, which can help you regain a foothold in battle. Even with this, odds are that one of the other two relic options better suit your build.

However, it can be really good with the right build. If you have a lot of self-harming cards like Hemokinesis or Brutality, then Runic Cube is a great relic to pick up.


Summary

Overall, whether or not the Runic Cube is “good” depends on the individual player’s playstyle and preferences. The Runic Cube can provide significant benefits to a player’s deck. Its ability to draw a card whenever you lose HP can supercharge your run, although you will need to have the proper build in order to reap the full benefits of this relic. You should weigh the potential benefits of the relic against the other relics offered before deciding to add it to your deck.

For more on Slay the Spire, check out our guide for the Ironclad.

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Ethan is the founder of Shark Games and oversees all site content. He's been a dedicated (mainly PlayStation) gamer for over 15 years, netting him over 4000 Trophies; 25 of which are Platinum. Over these countless hours, he has developed a passion for both digital card games and story-driven adventure games. He's reached the "Legend" rank in both Standard and Wild modes in Hearthstone. God of War Ragnarok is his favorite game of all time, and he's 100% completed every game in the Ratchet and Clank franchise (except for the garbage ones on handhelds). He also sucks at League of Legends.