Dark Shackles

ColorlessSkillUncommon
Enemy loses 9 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
  • Effect: target one enemy and it loses 9 Strength at once, 15 upgraded.
  • Strength: the card attaches a power that applies it as negative, and when that enemy's turn ends the power removes itself and hands the Strength back, so the loss covers exactly the attack it is about to make.
  • Multi hit: Strength can go below zero, so every hit of a multi-hit attack loses the full 9.
  • Artifact: it is a debuff, so Artifact eats it, and Exhaust makes it one use per combat.
Pool
Colorless
Type
Skill
Rarity
Uncommon
Cost
0 Energy
Target
One enemy

When to take Dark Shackles

A free answer to one dangerous elite or boss turn your Block cannot cover. At 0 cost it never competes with the rest of your turn.

Cards that synergize with Dark Shackles

Misery
Attack
0
Deal 7 damage.
Apply any debuffs on the enemy to ALL other enemies.
Misery copies debuffs to every other enemy, and the code makes sure the copied Shackles applies its loss exactly once.Deal 7 damage.
Apply any debuffs on the enemy to ALL other enemies.
Piercing Wail
Skill
1
ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
Piercing Wail and Malaise stack more Strength loss for the Silent, and Enfeebling Touch does it for the Necrobinder.ALL enemies lose 6 Strength this turn.
Exhaust.
Malaise
Skill
X
Enemy loses X Strength. Apply X Weak.
Exhaust.
Piercing Wail and Malaise stack more Strength loss for the Silent, and Enfeebling Touch does it for the Necrobinder.Enemy loses X Strength. Apply X Weak.
Exhaust.
Enfeebling Touch
Skill
1
Ethereal.
Enemy loses 8 Strength this turn.
Piercing Wail and Malaise stack more Strength loss for the Silent, and Enfeebling Touch does it for the Necrobinder.Ethereal.
Enemy loses 8 Strength this turn.
All for One
Attack
2
Deal 10 damage.
Put ALL 0 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
All for One looks for 0 Energy cards, and Dark Shackles is oneDeal 10 damage.
Put ALL 0 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
Feral
Power
2
The first time you play a
0 Attack each turn,
return it to your Hand.
Feral looks for 0 Energy cards, and Dark Shackles is oneThe first time you play a
0 Attack each turn,
return it to your Hand.
One for All
Power
1
EVERYONE'S 0 Attacks deal 3 additional damage.
One for All looks for 0 Energy cards, and Dark Shackles is oneEVERYONE'S 0 Attacks deal 3 additional damage.
Make It So
Attack
0
Deal 6 damage.
Every 3 Skills you play in a turn, put this into your Hand.
Make It So counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneDeal 6 damage.
Every 3 Skills you play in a turn, put this into your Hand.
Lunar Blast
Attack
0
Deal 4 damage for each Skill already played this turn.
Lunar Blast counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneDeal 4 damage for each Skill already played this turn.
Pinpoint
Attack
3
Deal 15 damage.
Costs 1 less for each Skill played this turn.
Pinpoint counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneDeal 15 damage.
Costs 1 less for each Skill played this turn.
Panache
Power
0
Every time you play 5 cards in a single turn, deal 10 damage to ALL enemies.
Panache rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeEvery time you play 5 cards in a single turn, deal 10 damage to ALL enemies.
Evil Eye
Skill
1
Gain 8 Block.
Gain another 8 Block if you have Exhausted a card this turn.
Evil Eye triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfGain 8 Block.
Gain another 8 Block if you have Exhausted a card this turn.
Pact's End
Attack
0
If you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile,
deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.
Pact's End triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfIf you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile,
deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.
Pale Blue Dot
Power
1
If you play 5 or more cards in a turn, draw 1 card at the start of your next turn.
Pale Blue Dot rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeIf you play 5 or more cards in a turn, draw 1 card at the start of your next turn.
Serpent Form
Power
3
Whenever you play a card, deal 4 damage to a random enemy.
Serpent Form rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeWhenever you play a card, deal 4 damage to a random enemy.
Ashen Strike
Attack
1
Deal 6 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card in your Exhaust Pile.
Ashen Strike triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfDeal 6 damage.
Deals 3 additional damage for each card in your Exhaust Pile.
Feel No Pain
Power
1
Whenever a card is Exhausted, gain 3 Block.
Feel No Pain triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfWhenever a card is Exhausted, gain 3 Block.
Forgotten Ritual
Skill
1
If you Exhausted a card this turn, gain .
Exhaust.
Forgotten Ritual triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfIf you Exhausted a card this turn, gain .
Exhaust.
Oblivion
Skill
0
Whenever you play a card this turn, apply 3 Doom to the enemy.
Oblivion rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeWhenever you play a card this turn, apply 3 Doom to the enemy.
Strangle
Attack
1
Deal 8 damage.
Whenever you play a card this turn, the enemy loses 2 HP.
Strangle rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeDeal 8 damage.
Whenever you play a card this turn, the enemy loses 2 HP.
Afterimage
Power
1
Whenever you play a card, gain 1 Block.
Afterimage rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeWhenever you play a card, gain 1 Block.
Dark Embrace
Power
2
Whenever a card is Exhausted,
draw 1 card.
Dark Embrace triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfWhenever a card is Exhausted,
draw 1 card.
Monologue
Skill
0
Whenever you play a card this turn, gain 1 Strength this turn.
Monologue rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeWhenever you play a card this turn, gain 1 Strength this turn.
The Sealed Throne
Power
1
3
Whenever you play a card, gain .
The Sealed Throne rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeWhenever you play a card, gain .

Relics that synergize with Dark Shackles

Unsettling Lamp
Unsettling Lamp doubles the first debuff card each combat, so the first Shackles strips 18.Each combat, the first time you play a card that Debuffs an enemy, double its effect.
Power Cell
Power Cell looks for 0 Energy cards, and Dark Shackles is oneAt the start of each combat, add 2 zero-cost cards from your Draw Pile into your Hand.
Tuning Fork
Tuning Fork counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneEvery time you play 10 Skills, gain 7 Block.
Letter Opener
Letter Opener counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneEvery time you play 3 Skills in a single turn, deal 5 damage to ALL enemies.
Rainbow Ring
Rainbow Ring counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneThe first time you play an Attack, Skill, and Power each turn, gain 1 Strength and 1 Dexterity.
Razor Tooth
Razor Tooth counts the Skills you play, and Dark Shackles is a free oneEvery time you play an Attack or Skill, Upgrade it for the remainder of combat.
Burning Sticks
Burning Sticks triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfThe first time each combat you Exhaust a Skill, add a copy of it into your Hand.
Charon's Ashes
Charon's Ashes triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfWhenever you Exhaust a card, deal 3 damage to ALL enemies.
Joss Paper
Joss Paper triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfEvery 5 times you Exhaust a card, draw 1 card.
Iron Club
Iron Club rewards playing many cards, and Dark Shackles is freeEvery 4 cards you play, draw 1 card.
Forgotten Soul
Forgotten Soul triggers when cards are Exhausted, and Dark Shackles Exhausts itselfWhenever you Exhaust a card, deal 1 damage to a random enemy.
✦
Jack of All Trades
Skill
0
Add 1 random Colorless card into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Panic Button
Skill
0
Gain 30 Block.
You cannot gain Block from cards for 2 turns.
Exhaust.
Production
Skill
0
Gain .
Exhaust.
Prolong
Skill
0
Next turn, gain Block equal to your current Block.
Exhaust.
Purity
Skill
0
Retain.
Exhaust up to 3 cards in your Hand.
Exhaust.
Thinking Ahead
Skill
0
Draw 2 cards.
Put 1 card from your Hand on top of your Draw Pile.
Exhaust.
Coordinate
Skill
1
Give another player 5 Strength this turn.
Discovery
Skill
1
Choose 1 of 3 random cards to add into your Hand. It's free to play this turn.
Exhaust.

Changes by version

  1. 18 Jun 2026Bug fixParafrightStrengthv0.107.1
    Fixed Parafright illusion keeping its negative Strength from Dark Shackles when killed for the turn
  2. 28 May 2026Bug fixParafrightStrength
    Fixed the Parafright illusion keeping its negative Strength from Dark Shackles when you kill it for the turn
  3. 26 Apr 2026Bug fixParafrightStrengthBeta branch
    Fixed Parafright illusion keeping its negative Strength from Dark Shackles when you kill it for the turn
All 5 patch notes2 older
  1. 14 Jul 2023ArtInternal playtest
    Updated Dark Shackles card art
  2. 7 Jul 2023ChangeInternal playtest
    Dark shackles no longer applies shackled powe if the strength loss is blocked by artifact

Internal playtest notes are from before the Early Access release. Names and numbers in them can differ from the game today.

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