Silent Builds
The 5 main Silent builds, ranked from strongest to weakest. Jump to any build for its core cards, supporting cards, and key relics.
Rankings weigh how quickly each build comes together, how far it scales and how well it holds up at high Ascension, checked against the current game data. Early Access balance changes often, so watch the version notes.
Which Silent build is best?
SPoison
Pile Poison onto every enemy and stay alive while it does the work.
How it plays
Start with cheap applicators like Poisoned Stab and Deadly Poison while picking up enough Block, then land Noxious Fumes so the stacks grow on their own. From there, Accelerant makes Poison tick extra times, Bubble Bubble piles more onto an already poisoned target, and Bouncing Flask or Corrosive Wave spread it across whole groups.
Why S tier
Poison ignores Block, and once Noxious Fumes is down the stacks keep growing every turn without spending more Energy, while Accelerant makes each stack hit several times. It handles both bosses and multi-enemy fights at high Ascension better than any other Silent deck and only needs a few Uncommon cards to come together, so it is S despite its slow opening turns.
Strengths
Poison ignores enemy Block and handles multi-enemy fights well; once the engine is running it is the most dependable Silent deck.
Weaknesses
It ramps slowly, so the first turns of every fight rely on your defense; short fights and elites that hit hard early are the danger.
Version notes
- Outbreak was reworked. In the live version (v0.107.1) it is a 1-cost Power that deals 11 damage to ALL enemies every 3 times you apply Poison. In the beta (v0.111.0) it is a 3-cost Rare Skill that applies 9 Poison to ALL enemies and makes it trigger immediately, so it becomes a burst finisher rather than a long-term engine.
- In the live version (v0.107.1), Haze costs 3, applies 4 Poison to ALL enemies and has Sly. In the beta (v0.111.0) it costs 2, also applies 1 Weak to ALL enemies, but loses Sly.
- Mirage works the same in both versions, but its upgrade differs: in the live version (v0.107.1) upgrading lowers its cost to 0, while in the beta (v0.111.0) upgrading removes Exhaust so you can reuse it every shuffle.
- In the live version (v0.107.1), Well-Laid Plans is a 1-cost Uncommon Power that lets you Retain 1 card each turn (2 when upgraded). In the beta (v0.111.0) it is a 2-cost Rare that stops you discarding your hand at the end of your turn entirely (upgrade lowers the cost to 1).
- In the live version (v0.107.1), Expertise draws until you have 6 cards in hand. In the beta (v0.111.0) it draws 2 cards that gain Retain this turn, which pairs better with holding a Poison setup for the next turn.
- Accelerant is Rare in the live version (v0.107.1) and Uncommon in the beta (v0.111.0), so it shows up more often as a card reward on the beta.
Core cards
Support cards
Key relics
Snecko Skull
Whenever you apply Poison, apply an additional 1 Poison.
Twisted Funnel
At the start of each combat, apply 4 Poison to ALL enemies.
Unsettling Lamp
Each combat, the first time you play a card that Debuffs an enemy, double its effect.
Tough Bandages
Whenever you discard a card during your turn, gain 3 Block.
ASly Discard
Discard Sly cards to get their effects for free and turn card draw into damage, Block and Energy.
How it plays
Pick up cheap draw-and-discard cards such as Acrobatics, Prepared and Dagger Throw first. Then add Sly payoffs like Tactician and Reflex, which are awkward to play but free when discarded. Later, Calculated Gamble, Tools of the Trade and Master Planner let you churn through most of your deck every turn.
Why A tier
Its ceiling is the highest of any Silent deck: Tactician and Reflex cost 3 to play but nothing when discarded, so whole turns become free. It needs discard enablers and Sly payoffs at the same time, though, and a hand of Sly cards with no way to discard them is a wasted turn, so it is less reliable than Poison and sits at A.
Strengths
The highest ceiling of any Silent deck: turns become energy-neutral and card throughput is enormous, and it can absorb both attack and defense Sly cards.
Weaknesses
It needs enablers and payoffs at the same time, so it comes together slowly; holding Sly cards with no way to discard them makes for dead turns.
Version notes
- Flick-Flack deals 6 damage to ALL enemies in the live version (v0.107.1) and 7 in the beta (v0.111.0).
- In the live version (v0.107.1), Haze has Sly, so discarding it gives free Poison to ALL enemies. In the beta (v0.111.0) it no longer has Sly and stops being a discard payoff.
Core cards
Support cards
Key relics
Tingsha
Whenever you discard a card during your turn, deal 3 damage to a random enemy for each card discarded.
Tough Bandages
Whenever you discard a card during your turn, gain 3 Block.
Letter Opener
Every time you play 3 Skills in a single turn, deal 5 damage to ALL enemies.
Bag of Preparation
At the start of each combat, draw 2 additional cards.
Centennial Puzzle
The first time you lose HP each combat, draw 3 cards.
AShiv
Fill your hand with 0-cost Shiv cards, then scale each one and every relic that counts attacks.
How it plays
Early on, Blade Dance, Cloak and Dagger and Leading Strike give quick front-loaded damage. Accuracy and Infinite Blades are what carry it into later acts, Fan of Knives turns the hits into area damage, and Afterimage, Kunai or Ornamental Fan turn the attack spam into defense.
Why A tier
Shiv cards cost 0, so Blade Dance and Cloak and Dagger give it the strongest Act 1 damage of the Silent decks, and every relic that counts attacks stacks on top. Its late game hinges on Accuracy, though: without it the hits are too small against Block and Act 3 bosses, so it is A rather than S, level with Sly Discard but trading ceiling for an easier start.
Strengths
Easy to start in Act 1 with strong early damage, and many relics that trigger on attack count multiply its output.
Weaknesses
Lots of small hits lose value against enemy Block; without Accuracy or a key relic it falls off in Act 3.
Core cards
Support cards
Key relics
Ninja Scroll
At the start of each combat, add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Helical Dart
Whenever you play a Shiv, gain 1 Dexterity this turn.
Kunai
Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 1 Dexterity.
Shuriken
Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 1 Strength.
Ornamental Fan
Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 4 Block.
Nunchaku
Every time you play 10 Attacks, gain
.
BDexterity Block
Stack Dexterity and efficient Block to stay safe, then win slowly with whatever damage you have.
How it plays
Take Footwork and efficient defensive cards like Backflip and Dodge and Roll, then add Afterimage for Block on every card you play and Burst to play a key defensive Skill twice. Wraith Form gives a couple of turns of Intangible for boss fights while your chip damage finishes the job.
Why B tier
It is the safest deck against heavy hitters, but it has no damage engine: Footwork and Afterimage only keep you alive, and Wraith Form costs Dexterity every turn. Long fights wear it down, so these cards work best as the defensive half of Poison or Shiv rather than as a deck of their own, which keeps it at B.
Strengths
Very safe against heavy hitters, and the cards slot into almost any Silent deck as its defensive half.
Weaknesses
It has no damage engine of its own, so fights drag on; Wraith Form drains Dexterity every turn, which hurts in long fights.
Core cards
Support cards
Key relics
Tough Bandages
Whenever you discard a card during your turn, gain 3 Block.
Kunai
Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 1 Dexterity.
BDraw Tempo
Draw and play lots of cards every turn so Speedster and Serpent Form deal damage on the side.
How it plays
Collect draw like Acrobatics, Backflip, Adrenaline and Predator, then land Speedster or Serpent Form so every draw or play hits the enemy. Murder rewards the huge number of draws as a finisher.
Why B tier
Speedster hits ALL enemies on every draw, so with enough draw it deals steady damage without spending cards on attacks. But it rests on expensive Power cards like Speedster and the Rare Serpent Form that you may never be offered, and Speedster only counts draws during your turn, so it comes online later and less reliably than the Sly Discard deck it borrows from, putting it at B.
Strengths
Damage comes from actions you take anyway, Speedster hits ALL enemies, and it shares many cards with the Sly discard deck.
Weaknesses
It depends on finding expensive Power cards; Speedster only counts draws during your turn, so you need mid-turn draw.
Core cards
Support cards
Want every Silent card rated individually, not just the ones in these builds?
Silent Card Tier List →