r/Steam • u/akbarock • 10h ago
Discussion Looking For Deck Builders As Good As These, Any Reccomendations
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u/Frequent_Dig1934 10h ago
"Looking for a sculpture as good as these" and it's the David, La Pietà and Poseidon's serpents eating that trojan guy and his sons (can't remember the name).
Guess i'll try anyway. Putting aside Slay the Spire 2, the obvious ones are Monster Train 1 and 2. I played the demo for Wildfrost and it was good, tho idk how the full game is. I also like Breachway, which is sort of a blend between sts and ftl with each weapon and system having a mini deck of cards that all get shuffled into a main deck and also you have active abilities from your crew and three different mana types.
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u/NefariousnessOk1996 8h ago
Wildfrost is awesome.
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u/bae_station 5h ago
Wildfrost is hard af.
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u/fiddler764 2h ago
It’s not easy, but after learning the fight mechanics, a lot of it comes down to actively paying attention
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u/yepgeddon 9h ago
Second Monster Train. Probably the only series that comes close to any of these juggernauts.
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u/Yulfy 6h ago
Seconding Wildfrost, I’ve sunk a lot of hours into it. The biggest gripe is that there’s a lot to think through on a turn, it can feel like playing chess. Sometimes it can be frustrating because you forgot a small mechanic and your whole run is ruined off the back of what felt like a good decision. Extremely satisfying when you get it right though!
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u/Suliman34 10h ago
Shogun Showdown
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u/Cpt_Saturn 9h ago
Completely forgot about this game. One of the most uniqe and fun deck builders out there
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u/panthorrr 3h ago
Absolutely!
I even prefer it to slay the spire, but I think I'm in a small minority with that take.2
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u/BR41ND34D 1h ago
This definitely falls in the same ranking as the ones OP mentioned.
The puzzle-like elements that the movement and deterministic opponent actions add, tingles the brain in a good way. It's very satisfying to puzzle your way through an encounter without getting hit..
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u/Puzzleheaded_Tea_906 10h ago
Monster Train 1 & 2
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u/smibdamonkey 9h ago
Honestly if you get 2 you don't need 1. Fantastic games though
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u/yepgeddon 9h ago
Yeah but 2 is a direct sequel and is definitely way better after playing the first (for reasons i will not spoil)
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u/daddy13733 HL3 is real, I'm holding it hostage 8h ago
2 is definitely better but 1 is still worth playing as it's quite different in term of how you build to win.
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u/-im-blinking 5h ago
Just get 2, its an amazing game and like both of these more than slay and inscription.
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u/ViciousWinkle 10h ago
Monster train 2?
Across the obelisk?
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u/MariusFalix 9h ago
Came looking for monster train, it was a huge surprise, its style screamed throwaway shallow game, but it was actually very engaging.
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u/matsuku 7h ago
I love AtO (I have 300hours in it) but it takes significantly longer to do a campaign than any of these suggested games, not to mention the amount of grinding you need to do to get unlockables, the fact that it use a separate launcher (some folks are not okay with this), and the amount of dlcs it have
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u/Sknowman 5h ago
I couldn't get into AtO for those exact reasons. It was pretty cool, but losing a run feels so bad because of how long they take. And especially early on, you know you're weak simply because you haven't unlocked certain things yet, which makes losing feel even worse.
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u/matsuku 5h ago
Ye! I exclusively only play multiplayer with my friends, so an entire campaign would take around 2-3 hours to finish. When I play by myself it's around 45-50mins. The most annoying thing is planning your route every run to get the most amount of unlocks as you can, or forcing a certain build by going to a specific node since certain boss guarantees a gear drop that changes how you play entirely.
I really do love the game, I have most of the dlcs, but I can't really recommend it due to the sheer amount of time you need to invest into it to start seeing progress on the game.. unlike sts2. Basically just play sts2 if you want a co-op deck builder lol
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u/ahylianhero 7h ago
I would have agreed with AtO a few years ago, but Paradox bought them and then riddled the game with DLCs.
I don't hate DLCs but I do hate when DLC is added in such a way that makes you feel like the base game is incomplete.
Imagine in Slay the Spire if you reached a boss room and you got a notification that said "to fight this room, you need $9.99 or you must skip it"
Now put like two or three of those on every map and you've got the damn AtO problem
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u/MaterialDefender1032 4h ago
I was addicted to AtO in Early Access, so sad how Paradox Interactive came in and said, "I know the game is literally unfinished but don't put out any more updates for free".
It's quite insane that a game competing in a space where towering giants like Slay the Spire and Balatro are only $20 each is asking for $100+
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u/Sennten 6h ago
Cobalt Core is very fun, good characters and enjoyable twist with the positional row mechanics
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u/Sknowman 5h ago
Definitely agree. I didn't get as much playtime out of it (~25 hours for 100% completion -- perhaps more since I played offline a good chunk), but it was amazing while it lasted.
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u/Lord-Wolf-V 10h ago
Library of Ruina, there is a learning curve during some fights but still a pretty good game good story too
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u/MrObsesion 9h ago
Monster Train 1 and 2, i'd recommend starting them in order.
Wildfrost I wouldn't recommend it so much, I had fun like the first 5 hours and the honeymoon phase ended
Arcanium is a good game, but by controlling 3 decks at the same time it gets so complex even on single fights. Finished it once but I never completed a second run
Pirates Outlaws was my first roguelike card game, I like it for that reason (STS clone gameplay with some tweaks, completing a single run is challenging)
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u/NefariousnessOk1996 8h ago
I personally enjoyed Wildfrost quite a bit. One of the few games I platinumed.
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u/Play-Mation 7h ago
I got tired of monster train pretty fast but I loved wildfrost
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u/LoreoCookies 6h ago
I also got tired of Monster Train but Wildfrost looks interesting, so thank you for chiming in!
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u/onyxthedark 7h ago
Monster Train
And maybe not as universally liked, but I quite enjoyed Pirate Outlaws. Had some fun mechanics and more characters/regions than StS
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u/Sansnom01 7h ago
For me the only real one is STARVADERS , know that you need to win like 4 times to unlock every mechanisms in a run
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u/QQuixotic_ 5h ago
Starvaders is so good. They really stretched what they could do with the system without it being annoying or cumbersome.
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u/Tisfim 10h ago
Across the obelisk is literally if you took slay the spire and made it a 4 man team which can be played coop or solo(1-4). The characters are more akin to an mmo/rpg (tanks, rogues, support/healers)
A lot of secret interactions with the nodes you travel between.
Its a bit pricey when you start adding in the dlc, but I would just start with the base game and if you like it add dlc slowly and learn the new stuff or wait for sales
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u/alex_unleashed 9h ago
Is there competition to inscription? Man that's an awesome game
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u/Justhe3guy 6h ago
You can check out the dev’s other games, he’s making Pony Island 2 (don’t be fooled by the name)
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u/No-Rip9896 9h ago
There’s a really similar game(minus the horror aspect) about ducks called placid plastic deck
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u/Fridgeta 9h ago
I'd suggest Griftlands. Its quite an interesting deck builder with great artwork and some really interesting storylines.
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u/Player0fGames 4h ago
Second Griftlands. Surprising level of world building and story for a deck builder, and I really like the double deck mechanic.
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u/NoRiskNoGainz 8h ago
Gonna check out death howl
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u/FatScout246 8h ago
It's pretty fun. It's just hard not to repetitive even trying out the different builds cuz just it doesn't work in other areas so it's kind of difficult in that sense and feels outright unfair but it's still a pretty cool game I do recommend
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u/_b1ack0ut 8h ago
As good as these? Idk man, inscryption is basically the top imo lol
But uh, I have fun with Fights in Tight Places, it’s a CQC puzzle deckbuilder where you play a secret agent and do John wick combat
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u/TxBeerWorldwide 8h ago
Inscryption is GOATed imo. I have never had an experience like that playing any game before or since. When I stood up from the table the first time...
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u/groundmeat 7h ago
There are just some games that will never be topped. Like inscryption or obrad dinn. So sad you can never experience it again for the first time. So memorable.
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u/zDontTouch 7h ago
I absolutely love this game, but I really wish the game spent more time on the first setting than on the other themes. That first part is SO fucking cool and I have never seen anything with the same vibe...
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u/BrigganSilence 6h ago
I like Across the Obelisk. Similar to Slay the Spire, but you run a team of four. There are four classes, and you start with one character off each class and unlock (most) of the rest by completing quests out in the “world”. Each class is different from the rest, and each character has two different feat paths for different play styles. Combined with items, pets, and decks, there is a lot of different ways to play each character, and I think we’re past 25 with all the dlcs, but the original 16 from the base game are all great.
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u/johny_da_rony 9h ago
diceomancer
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u/Chusmimax 9h ago
This one is my favourite. If you don't otk the final boss you are not playing it right.
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u/Wilhelmktx 10h ago
Another one not mentioned is ring of pain. Technically not a deck builder but has the same vibe and I enjoyed it just the same.
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u/Astalya 3h ago
Dice Vaders
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u/Kayawtic 2h ago
DiceVaders is great but StarVaders is the better recommendation and game. Legit one of the best card roguelite games to come out. Music is so good 😭
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u/natsukashii_xx 8h ago
Shroom and Gloom has deck building if it hasn’t been mentioned.
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u/MrClickstoomuch 6h ago
My only "gripe" so far, is that it seems too easy. I've only lost the game twice out of several playthroughs, and there doesn't appear to be an easy way to increase the difficulty. It is still in early access though, and has a unique concept that was very appealing to me. I'd still recommend it with that caveat in mind.
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u/DissonantSinth 8h ago
Vampire Crawlers? It's got some pretty unique mechanics and definitely tons of fun. Just received a content update and is also on sale.
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u/headbanger1186 8h ago
+1 it's not super difficult either and really easy to break just like Survivors was.
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u/DissonantSinth 6h ago
I like that, similarly to VS, there are tons of ways that you can make runs easier or more difficult for yourself, depending on what you're in the mood for. Also, I have a fave trio of crawlers, but any combo is viable and will encourage you to play a bit differently.
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u/Karkadinn 10h ago
Ring of Pain comes really close. Builds feel very distinct and impactful, as do the encounters. The biggest pain point is the game's obsession with very binary designs like exploding enemies that are either trivialized or oneshot you due to a minor mistake or bad luck. It's a very mean game, but runs go Roadrunner fast to make up for it.
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u/JustWant2Login 6h ago
Apart from Monster Train 1 & 2.
Star Vaders Or Dice Vaders might appeal to you.
There's also Vault of the Void. Personally I preferred the challenge coins instead of normal runs for that game.
I've heard some criticism about it mainly that the classes can feel too similar, you will have to be the judge of that.
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u/AgentBooth 8h ago
BALL x PIT - not quite a deck builder but scratches the same itch for me
Vampire Crawlers - deck building dungeon crawler that is from the Vampire Survivors team
9 Kings - deck building tower defence that really rewards creative combos of units
Dungeons and Degenerate Gamblers - black jack deck builder with a bunch of cool special cards
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u/Scatropolis 9h ago
Man did I love Shogun Showdown. Might have turned me around on turn based games.
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u/KoiLustQueenn 7h ago
Asked for recommendations and casually posted the final boss of deck builders
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u/NixRegis 6h ago
It’s not to the level those above but 9 kings is pretty good
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u/Boblxxiii 6h ago
I enjoyed 9kings, but wouldn't really consider it a deck builder - it uses card-esque rectangles to represent some resources you have acquired and you choose 1 of 3, but that's about where the similarity ends.
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u/lifeanon269 8h ago
I didn't see anyone mention it (which is a shame), but check out Moonsigil Atlas. It has some real neat concepts in it for a deckbuilder. They have a demo available too, so you can try before you buy.
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u/StariMja 8h ago
If you like these, then you're certainly gonna like Ring of Pain. Check it out and thank me later.
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u/dithyrambtastic 7h ago
I actually really enjoyed Commander Quest, possibly more than slay the spire.
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u/SmashBro0445 7h ago
Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles
Kind of like slay the spire but with dice instead of cards
got it for free on epic then bought on steam
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1755830/Astrea_SixSided_Oracles/
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u/Silv3lr_Sentin3l 6h ago
I am really surprised Roguebook wasn't mentioned yet after combing through good chunk of comments with search bar.
Anyway Roguebook is fun I really like the art too
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u/XoloQueue 6h ago
Hungry Horrors is lots of fun. I haven't played the ones you've shown here, but the 1.0 came out this week. Basically, you play as a princess that has to feed monsters in order to survive dungeons. If you are vanquished, the monsters all have somewhat comedic kill animations. If you're interested in European folklore, mythical creatures, and food, this one might be good to pick up. It also has some comedic vibes.
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u/LoreoCookies 6h ago
Might not be exactly what you're looking for but Marvel's Midnight Suns doesn't seem to be referenced much or at all here. I'm absolutely not a fan of Marvel but the cardplay and environmental interactions are a ton of fun, so I thought I'd pitch it!
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u/DaTurbanator 5h ago
All Will Rise (TBA) - Developed by Speculative Agency
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3165340/All_Will_Rise/
Demo has recently been updated and is ready to play now!
Set in an alternative India, you play as an environmental lawyer attempting to prosecute the CEO of a multinational corporation for a catastrophic oil spill and fire in the local river, and since the river has been granted the legal rights of personhood, you are trying this corporation for murder!
Card battles are basically arguments where you play claims that connect causes to consequences, and rhetoric that can boost your credibility or weaken your opponent's arguments. Your in-game objectives can be as varied as successfully constructing your key argument, appealing to or exploiting the rationality, emotionality, or instinctiveness meters of your opponent, and refuting/deconstructing their arguments. And in between combat encounters, you can send your coworkers on assignments like clean-up efforts, recording testimonies, etc., that can earn you new claims and rhetoric cards.
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u/DryginStudios 9h ago
Hey! I just released a demo for a passion project of mine, it’s called Kingfall and it’s VERY HEAVILY inspired by Inscryption! Check it out on Steam!
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u/PralineMindless1784 6h ago
How is Death Howl?
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u/LoreoCookies 6h ago
It's really good if you like grid-based tactics games like Fire Emblem, Final Fantasy Tactics, etc and don't need all the crunchy mechanics. The pixel art is lovely.
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u/Blazeflame79 8h ago edited 8h ago
It’s NSFW but Tamer Vale is a decent card battler. I’m not joking.
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u/Spuigles 8h ago
Having finished these 4. Right now im doing Vampire Crawlers. Its a spin-off of vampire survivors and its a crazy wildcard card game. Im having a blast.
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u/here4thevibes420 7h ago
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers and Decktamer.
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u/Objective_Field_1699 7h ago
i was so disappointed with everything in gamblers other than the art style. Such a shame though, i really wanted to like it after playing other games like that
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u/Efrayl 10h ago
Monster train 2, Roguebook (huge discount rn), Griftlands. Have a bigger list here - https://store.steampowered.com/curator/36948155-Card-Game-KING/list/57253
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u/linkertrain 10h ago
Starvaders is the only thing I’ve found personally that came close to scratching the same itch as slay the spire. Oh, and also slay the spire two. Phenomenal, you prob don’t need to wait tbh
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u/dreadmasst0397 9h ago
Griftlands is sorta slept on. You make two roguelike decks one combat one for social.
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u/Jonks_Alrighty 9h ago
Nowhere Prophet is a deckbuilder where you have a caravan of sci-fi desert folk, each member is a card in your deck
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u/oceansthrowaway 9h ago
Haven't seen anyone mention 'Menace from the Deep' yet. Roguelike deckbuilder based in the Lovecraft universe
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u/JehnSnow 9h ago
Try out thronebreaker, its more story focused like inscription but its super deck builder coated
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u/Polar_Vortx 8h ago
Edge case if you want it, Gloomhaven and Frosthaven have a deckbuilding angle to them, though it’s more part of general buildcrafting and the game hews a bit closer to TTRPGs.
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u/MorningWoodWorker 8h ago
Aces and Adventures and Mahokenshi are a tier below thsee but definitely worth checking out on sale
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u/OnyxDeath369 8h ago
Vault of the Void is the deck builder that mechanically impressed me the most. It's closest to slay the spire but it's completely its own thing.
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u/Plague_Docktor 8h ago
Nobody gonna mention StarVaders? It's probably my favourite deck builder game with a gameplay on the grid as an added layer of complexity, where you basically control a mech on a gried field and many of your abilities are tied to movement and positioning. It's honestly so fun, and there are so many fun and broken combinations. I highly recommend it
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u/Nathanymous_ 7h ago
Across the Obelisk is EXCELLENT and i'm kind of mad I didnt see it in the top recommended comments.
It's Slay the Spire but with a team of 4 characters that you assemble from a big group of 16+ unlockable heroes all with different cards and perks and builds. Its also MULTIPLAYER where each person can control a hero or play with two people controlling 2 each.
Highly recommend. Still getting updates. DLC is a little pricey but worth it on sale.
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u/TheEmeraldWyrm 7h ago
Astrea: Sic Sided Oracle.
It's technically a dice pool instead of a deck but the central mechanic of corruption/purification is incredible and they do some really fun stuff with it. Absolutely scratches that same itch for me
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u/PJkeeh 10h ago
Slay the Spire 2?