Slay the Spire 2 Ironclad Vulnerable Stack — Bash, Tremble and Squash Setups

Published 2026-03-09Updated 2026-09-195 min read

A straightforward Ironclad Vulnerable-stacking build for Slay the Spire 2: Bash and Tremble for stacks, Dominate for Strength conversion, Colossus for defense, and a one-punch finish.

The Vulnerable stack plan is the smoothest high-ceiling Ironclad route in Early Access: apply Vulnerable fast, convert it to Strength with Dominate, multiply with Cruelty, and finish with one enormous hit. This variant leans on the sturdiest openers — Bash, Tremble and Squash — so the deck survives long enough to cash in.

Slay the Spire 2 combat scene
Stacks first, punch later — in that order, every fight.

The setup core

  • Bash (2) — 8 (10) damage and apply 2 (3) Vulnerable. Your starting card and still the most reliable opener; upgrade it early.
  • Tremble (1) — apply 3 (4) Vulnerable, Exhaust. Pure setup, gone before it clogs the deck.
  • Squash (1, event reward) — 10 (12) damage and 2 (3) Vulnerable. If the event offers it, it is a one-card opening hand.
  • Dominate (1, Rare) — apply Vulnerable, then gain 1 Strength per Vulnerable on the enemy. The conversion step; take it on sight and upgrade it first.

The multipliers

  • Cruelty (Power, 1) — Vulnerable enemies take an extra 25% (50%) damage. The reason one converted hit kills.
  • Molten Fist (1) — 10 (14) damage, double the enemy's Vulnerable, Exhaust. Late fight, doubled stacks, one more Dominate: Strength goes vertical.
  • Colossus (1) — gain 4 (7) Block, and you take 50% less damage from Vulnerable enemies this turn. Defense that keys off your own setup — the build's safety net.

Draw and energy

  • Pillage (1) — 6 (9) damage, then draw until you hit a non-Attack. Filters the deck toward the payload.
  • Headbutt (1) — 9 (12) damage and puts a card from your discard pile on top of your draw pile. Keeps Dominate on schedule.
  • Bloodletting (0) — lose 3 HP, gain 2 (3) energy. The loop's fuel.

Turn template

  1. Stack: Bash / Tremble / Squash load Vulnerable.
  2. Convert: Dominate turns stacks into Strength.
  3. Amplify: Cruelty online; Molten Fist doubles the stack count if it is still alive.
  4. Cash: one big attack — or Whirlwind for groups — rides Strength, Cruelty and Vulnerable's 50% weakness at the same time.

Boss fights are the same script with one extra beat: hold Molten Fist until after the boss's big attack, then double and convert on the same turn.

Rules for drafting it

  • Take every Dominate you are offered (one is enough, two is a luxury), upgrade it first at campfires.
  • Paper Phrog (Vulnerable enemies take 75% more instead of 50%) and Vajra (start combat with 1 Strength) are the relics this deck dreams about.
  • Skip strikes you do not need; the deck wants a lean, mean conversion loop, not a bigger pile.

Keep reading:

Related Guides

Slay the Spire 2 Rocket Fist Infinite — The Status-Fed Zero-Cost LoopSlay the Spire 2 Overclock Status Engine — Burn Recycling with Rocket PunchSlay the Spire 2 Ironclad Pommel Strike Rush — Fast Draw Engine BuildSlay the Spire 2 Ironclad Infinite Strike — Perfected Strike Scaling BuildSlay the Spire 2 Sly Tricks Build — Master Planner Zero-Cost LoopSlay the Spire 2 Poison Kill Build — Accelerant and Corrosive Wave SetupsSlay the Spire 2 Infinite Poison — The Corrosive Wave Draw LoopSlay the Spire 2 Silent Fan of Knives — Shiv AOE Build with AccuracySlay the Spire 2 Blade-Poison Hybrid — Knife Trap Burst with EnvenomSlay the Spire 2 Blade Bandit — The Classic Pure Shiv BuildSlay the Spire 2 Assassinate Build — Backstab Openers and Burst WindowsSlay the Spire 2 Starlight Engine — Balanced Star Deck and Route PlanningSlay the Spire 2 Radiate Burst Engine — Star Banking for One-Turn KillsSlay the Spire 2 Regent Particle Wall Loop — The Safest Infinite BuildSlay the Spire 2 Regent Infinite Chain — The Minimal Deck LoopSlay the Spire 2 Ten-Thousand HP Osty — The Hand Wall BuildSlay the Spire 2 Soul Drain Engine — Capture Spirit and Haunt LoopSlay the Spire 2 Ethereal Perpetual Motion — The Banshee's Cry LoopSlay the Spire 2 Doom Burst Build — Necrobinder Execution DeckSlay the Spire 2 Ironclad Vulnerable Engine — Dominate Wheelchair BuildSlay the Spire 2 Perfected Strike Stack — The Upgrade-Heavy Ironclad DeckSlay the Spire 2 Ironclad Hellraiser Flow — Auto-Playing Strikes BuildSlay the Spire 2 Ironclad Exhaust Enchant Engine — Burn for StrengthSlay the Spire 2 Focus Lightning Build — Frost Defense, Thunder BurstSlay the Spire 2 Claw Deck — The Zero-Cost Swarm Build