LadiesGamers Slay the Spire 2.0 Watcher

Slay the Spire v2.0 Update (Nintendo Switch)

When I caught wind of a fourth character being developed for Slay the Spire, one of the 2019’s best roguelikes, I couldn’t wait to replay it. I reviewed the game a year ago, and rated it Two Thumbs Up. With each character possessing their own unique deck of cards, a new kid on the block means a whole new gameplay experience.

The game update (version 2.0) which ushers in this fourth character, called The Watcher, was released in March 2020 on the Nintendo Switch. The Watcher’s unique cards have a religious/spiritual theme and titles like “Judgment,” “Devotion,” “Meditate,” and so on.

LadiesGamers Slay the Spire 2.0 Watcher

This free 2.0 update comes not only with the Watcher but also with new relics, potions, and cards, plus various fixes.

Bringing Judgment to the Spire

The new mechanic this character introduces is that cards cause her to switch between the following “stances”: Wrath, Calm, and Divinity.

When the Watcher is in Wrath stance, her attacks deal double damage, but she also receives double damage. This means you’ll want to carefully time the Watcher’s entering into Wrath. Being a vulnerable state, Wrath is something I used to avoid a lot in my early runs. But I eventually found it more beneficial to risk the double damage, in order to kill enemies faster.

LadiesGamers Slay the Spire 2.0 Watcher

In Calm stance, everything’s normal but the Watcher gains 2 Energy upon exiting Calm. Energy points (or what many games would call “action points”) are the game’s most important resource, the currency that enables cards to be played.

Lastly, in the Divinity stance, the Watcher deals triple damage and gains 3 Energy; however, she automatically exits this stance at the end of a turn. To enter this short-lived but powerful state of Divinity, the Watcher must accumulate 10 Mantra points, which can be gained through cards and relics.

LadiesGamers Slay the Spire 2.0 Watcher

Run for your money

Like the other characters, the Watcher begins with a unique relic. Called Pure Water, it adds a card called “Miracle” to your hand at the start of every combat. Miracle grants a single, one-time Energy point.

That might sound rather measly but Miracle is also a “Retain” card, which means that if you don’t use it, the card remains in your hand instead of being discarded end-turn. The Watcher’s deck has quite a number of Retain cards, allowing you to save up important moves for the right opportunity. I quite like this new mechanic.

Lastly, Scry cards are abundant too. These let you look at cards on top of your draw pile (in random order) and potentially discard cards you don’t need.

LadiesGamers Slay the Spire 2.0 Watcher

More than with the first three characters, playing the Watcher requires careful timing. Entering Wrath is risky but crucial to beating tougher enemies. But as always, building an efficient deck of cards is key to beating the Spire.

I’ve found this new character much harder to play than the first three. After 25 attempts, I’ve yet to beat the game so it’s once again giving me a run for my money. With this update, Slay the Spire brings back that late-night addictive goodness.

 

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