Quick answer: v0.109 softens Aeonglass rather than deleting the matchup. Ebb falls from 26(32) to 22(26) damage on the beta branch, but it still arrives with 33 Block in the documented encounter data. Build for a repeated cycle, not one heroic damage turn.
Confirm your branch before using the numbers
Slay the Spire 2 currently has two relevant versions. The main branch remains v0.107.1; the optional beta is v0.109.0. Aeonglass uses the older Ebb damage on main and the reduced value on beta.
| Move | Main v0.107.1 | Beta v0.109.0 | What the change means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ebb | 26 damage, 32 at higher Ascension | 22 damage, 26 at higher Ascension | A modest defensive card or Weak is more likely to close the gap |
| Ebb Block | 33 documented Block | No change announced | Low, intermittent damage still loses ground |
| Eye Lasers | 11 x 2, 12 x 2 at higher Ascension | No change announced | Multi-hit mitigation keeps its value |
| Increasing Intensity | Status and buff turn | No change announced | Use the quieter turn to advance your engine, not merely tidy the hand |
The Ebb nerf is meaningful because four to six HP saved per cycle can become an extra setup turn. It does not excuse a deck with no clock. Aeonglass blocks while attacking, so a slow deck can survive the hit and still fall behind on progress.
Read the fight as a three-turn loop
The documented sequence is Ebb, Eye Lasers, Increasing Intensity, then repeat. That gives the fight a useful rhythm:
- Ebb asks for efficient defense and real damage. Spending the entire turn to block leaves the boss's 33 Block uncontested.
- Eye Lasers rewards multi-hit mitigation. Weak, Dexterity, and efficient block cards usually outperform a single oversized answer here.
- Increasing Intensity is the development window. Play the Power, stack the scaling, or fix the draw pile before the pressure returns.
Before entering, draw three boxes on a piece of paper or simply label the jobs in your head: Ebb, lasers, setup. If one card or potion has to solve all three, the deck is not ready.
The deck audit at the Act 3 chest
Aeonglass has 512 HP in the documented normal encounter and 535 at higher Ascension. Exact values can move during Early Access, but the planning conclusion is stable: incidental damage is not a kill plan.
| Question | Passing answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| How do I damage through Ebb Block? | Scaling, Vulnerable, Poison, Doom, Orbs, or a repeatable created-card engine | One expensive attack every few turns |
| What blocks the first Ebb? | A predictable card pair, Weak, opening Block relic, or assigned potion | Hoping to top-deck the only defensive card |
| Can I answer Eye Lasers twice? | Repeatable mitigation, not a one-use trick | One giant block card with poor draw support |
| What happens on Increasing Intensity? | A Power, deck cycle, summon setup, or burst preparation | Passing because all setup cards were skipped |
| How many dead draws are in the deck? | Few enough that every cycle remains functional | Statuses, speculative combos, and unneeded basics competing for five cards |
Do this audit before the final shop. It tells you whether Gold should buy removal, draw, a potion, or direct scaling. Buying the card with the highest ceiling is often worse than fixing the exact missing box.
Potion jobs, not potion names
The best potion depends on the deck, so a universal tier list is less useful than assigning a job.
Ebb insurance is for a deck that starts slowly. Block, Weak, or a defensive card potion can protect the first cycle while a Power comes online.
Laser insurance covers a hand that cannot mitigate two hits. Effects that reduce each hit gain extra value here.
Clock acceleration is for a deck with adequate defense but uncertain lethal timing. Strength, Vulnerable, Poison, card creation, or duplication can remove an entire repeat from the fight.
Write off a potion only after it has done that job. Drinking damage on turn one because the button is available can be a loss if the actual failure point is the second Ebb.
Character adjustments
Ironclad
The v0.109 beta buffs Demon Form to 3(4) Strength per turn. That shortens the payoff window, but three Energy is still a real turn cost. Pair it with first-cycle defense or deploy it during Increasing Intensity. Expect a Fight is more flexible now that it no longer blocks other Energy gain, while Bloodletting's move to Uncommon makes the old energy package less automatic.
Silent
Poison provides a clean clock if application remains steady. The reworked Well-Laid Plans can preserve the whole hand, which is excellent for lining up a defense turn but dangerous when unplayable cards clog draw space. Draft discard as hand management, not merely synergy. Weak remains especially efficient into the two-hit Eye Lasers turn.
Defect
Orbs keep progressing while the hand blocks, which fits the fight well. Hyperbeam's v0.109 damage buff helps finish a cycle, but losing Focus can dismantle the plan that got you there. Treat it as a finisher unless the deck is already independent of Orb scaling.
Necrobinder
Doom needs enough acceleration to beat the repeat cycle. Osty can provide continuing damage while the hand defends. The v0.109 Eidolon rework is strongest after useful Ethereal cards have reached Exhaust; drawing it early is not a plan by itself.
Regent
Created cards give flexible answers, but hand and Energy constraints still apply. Pillar of Creation now grants Block only for the first created card each turn, so spread creation across turns instead of counting on one large burst to defend everything.
Three mistakes that still lose after the nerf
Mistaking lower damage for free setup. Ebb still attacks and blocks. A completely passive turn extends the fight.
Building one perfect cycle. The boss repeats. If your defense disappears after one reshuffle, save a potion or buy redundancy.
Ignoring branch labels. Main-branch and beta players can report different damage numbers and both be correct. Include the version whenever you share a run result.
For the broader Act 3 roster, use the Act 3 boss guide. For every v0.109 change that affects drafting, start with the current beta strategy guide.
FAQ
How much damage does Aeonglass Ebb deal in v0.109?
It deals 22 damage, or 26 at higher Ascension, on the v0.109.0 beta branch. Main v0.107.1 retains the previous 26(32) values.
What should I save a potion for against Aeonglass?
Choose a job before combat: cover Ebb, rescue a poor Eye Lasers hand, or accelerate lethal before another cycle. Keep the potion until that job appears.
Does the v0.109 nerf make Aeonglass easy?
No. The Ebb change buys breathing room, but Aeonglass still asks for repeatable defense, a damage clock, and a deck that functions after an awkward draw.
