How Good is Beam Cell in Slay the Spire?

What does it do?

Beam cell is a common defect card. It costs 0. It does 3 damage and applies 1 vulnerable to the targeted enemy.

Is this card a good candidate to upgrade?

When upgraded, Beam Cell+ does 4 damage and applies 2 vulnerable.

Normally, this is not a good card to upgrade. The defect relies mostly on orbs to deal damage, and vulnerable doesn’t affect orb damage. However, if you have a lot of 0-cost synergies going for your deck, then upgrading beam cell is not a bad way to go.

Which cards synergize with Beam Cell?

The most notable synergy is with the 2-cost card All for One. It’s very satisfying to have a bunch of 0-cost cards in your hand along with All for One. A lot of free damage can be dealt this way.

Which relics synergize with Beam Cell?

Any relic that rewards playing lots of cards synergizes with Beam Cell. For example, kunai (gain dexterity every 3 attacks played), shuriken (gain strength every 3 attacks played) , unceasing top (draw card on empty hand), nunchaku (gain energy every 10 attacks played), and ornamental fan (gain 4 block every 3 attacks played).

Relics that enhance the vulnerable status effect also synergize well with Beam Cell. For example:

Champion Belt, which adds weak to any enemy inflicted with vulnerable.

Paper Phrog, which makes enemies with vulnerable take 75% more damage instead of 50%.

Finally, the relic Wrist Blade works very well with all 0-cost attack cards, because it makes them deal 4 extra damage.

When should you pick Beam Cell?

If your deck is shaping up contain lots of 0-cost synergies, Beam Cell is a good pick. For example, it synergizes very well with All for One.

It’s also a good card to pick if you happened to have relics that enhance the vulnerable effect or reward playing lots of cards such as those listed above.

When should you not pick Beam Cell?

Don’t pick Beam Cell when you have Velvet Choker or Snecko Eye, and vice versa. You need to play high impact cards when you are limited to 6 cards per turn. Snecko Eye’s randomizing of card costs makes all 0 cost cards terrible.