Slay the Spire 2 Relic
Distinguished Cape
Distinguished Cape is an Ancient Relic from the shared pool. Upon pickup, lose 9 Max HP. Add 3 Apparitions to your Deck.
- Rarity
- Ancient Relic
- Pool
- shared
- Merchant range
- Not normally sold
Quick verdict
Take it when three Intangible turns solve more than the 9 Max HP costs
Distinguished Cape is strongest when your deck already has a damage plan but needs protected setup turns. Pass when the Max HP loss creates an immediate survival problem or three extra cards make a tight deck less consistent.
Relic effect
Upon pickup, lose 9 Max HP. Add 3 Apparitions to your Deck.
Run value
Evaluate Distinguished Cape by when it appears, how often its effect triggers before the next boss, and whether it changes routing or shop priorities. The strongest relic is often the one that solves the deck's immediate weakness, not the one with the highest theoretical ceiling.
Related strategy
Compare this effect with the relic guides and current patch coverage before making a build-around decision.
Is Distinguished Cape good?
The relic converts permanent health into three powerful defensive draws. That trade is usually favorable when a boss or elite can be decided by a few protected turns, but it is not free: the Max HP loss is immediate and the Apparitions still occupy draw slots.
Treat the pickup as a timing tool, not generic defense. The best result is drawing an Apparition on a turn that would otherwise force you to spend most of your Energy blocking.
When to take or pass it
Take the Cape more readily when your deck needs time for Powers, scaling, or a multi-card setup. Be cautious when you are already near a dangerous healing threshold, rely on a very small draw loop, or cannot afford three low-impact draws in easier fights.
- Take: a few safe turns unlock your deck's win condition.
- Take: your draw and card selection can find Apparitions at the right time.
- Pass: losing 9 Max HP makes the next route or boss unsafe.
- Pass: the deck wins by cycling a tiny set of cards and hates dilution.
Quick answers
Distinguished Cape FAQ
What does Distinguished Cape do in Slay the Spire 2?
On pickup, Distinguished Cape removes 9 Max HP and adds 3 Apparitions to your deck.
Is Distinguished Cape always worth taking?
No. It is strongest when protected setup turns solve a real problem; the Max HP loss and three added cards can hurt fragile or highly streamlined decks.