In Slay the Spire 2, the maximum number of cards a player can hold is 10. Hitting this limit can either be good or bad, depending on the cards you have in your deck. Managing this space is extremely important during your fights. This Slay the Spire 2 guide will take you through how you can manage your hand during combat encounters.
How Many Cards Can I Hold in Slay the Spire 2?
As stated, you can have 10 cards at max in your deck. The Retain effect allows players to hold onto their cards in between turns. Usually, what happens is that after you end your turn, your entire hand gets discarded. But if you add the Retain effect to any of them, you’ll get a chance to play your cards without having to rely on drawing them again in the following turn.
How Can I Retain Cards in Slay the Spire 2?
To Retain cards, you will need to use other cards, which is the most reliable way. However, only 3 characters have cards that can add Retain.
| Character | Card | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Regent | Convergence | Next turn, gain 1 Energy and 1 Star. Retain your Hand this turn. |
| Necrobinder | Snap | Osty deals 7 damage. Add Retain to a card in your Hand. |
| Silent | Well-Laid Plans | At the end of your turn, Retain up to 1 card. |
| Phantom Blades | Shivs gain Retain. The first Shiv you play deals 9 additional damage. |
You might be wondering about what Ironclad and Defect should do. They can try using potions to Retain their cards. Alternatively, you can try getting the Salvo and Equilibrium cards from the merchant.
Drawing Vs Retaining Cards in Slay the Spire 2
If you draw more cards on your turn, you will find the right combos and synergies, maximizing the efficiency of each Energy point as well as the turn itself. Certain decks are pretty good with a ton of cards in your hand at once. The Silent’s Murder/Discard or Necrobinder’s Death March/Soul decks are great examples. These cards get stronger with every card you draw in a turn.
However, be careful as sometimes you end up drawing harmful Status cards (i.e, Burn, Beckon, etc). And keep your Energy in mind too, as you might pull cards that you don’t have Energy for to play.
On the other hand, Retaining allows you to set up the perfect combo for your next turn (or the turn after that). This is crucial when you are using specialized decks, or when you’re fighting bosses. From my experience, you should use Retain effects on high-cost cards that require a lot of setup, like Regent’s Stardust or Ironclad’s Demon Form.
That’s all for this Slay the Spire 2 guide. Hope that you found this guide helpful. Also, see our other guides for Slay the Spire 2.
