Leading Strike

SilentAttackCommon
Deal 3 damage.
Add 2 Shivs into your Hand.
  • Hit: for 1 Energy it hits once for 3, 6 upgraded, then creates two Shiv tokens in your Hand, one after the other.
  • Shivs: each Shiv is a free Attack that deals 4 and Exhausts, so the card is worth 11 damage, 14 upgraded, spread across three separate Attack plays.
  • Order: the Shivs arrive after the hit, so a kill on the first swing still leaves two daggers for the next enemy.
  • Strike Dummy: its name contains Strike, so it adds 3 to the hit but not to the Shivs.
Character
Silent
Type
Attack
Rarity
Common
Cost
1 Energy
Target
One enemy

When to take Leading Strike

A solid Act 1 pick: cheap damage that feeds every Shiv payoff you find later, and three Attack plays from one card suits relics that want 3 Attacks a turn. Upgrade it with Shiv scaling.

Cards that synergize with Leading Strike

Accuracy
Power
1
Shivs deal 4 additional damage.
Accuracy adds 4 to each Shiv, making the card 19 damage for 1 Energy.Shivs deal 4 additional damage.
Phantom Blades
Power
1
Shivs gain Retain.
The first Shiv you play each turn deals 9 additional damage.
Phantom Blades lets the Shivs wait in Hand and boosts the first one thrown.Shivs gain Retain.
The first Shiv you play each turn deals 9 additional damage.
Fan of Knives
Power
2
Shivs now hit ALL enemies.
Add 4 Shivs into your Hand.
Fan of Knives turns both daggers into hits on every enemy.Shivs now hit ALL enemies.
Add 4 Shivs into your Hand.
Finisher
Attack
1
Deal 6 damage for each Attack already played this turn.
Finisher counts all three.Deal 6 damage for each Attack already played this turn.
Knife Trap
Skill
2
Play every Shiv in your Exhaust Pile on the enemy.
Knife Trap rewards Shivs, and Leading Strike adds themPlay every Shiv in your Exhaust Pile on the enemy.
Calamity
Power
3
Whenever you play an Attack, add a random Attack into your Hand.
Calamity counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesWhenever you play an Attack, add a random Attack into your Hand.

Relics that synergize with Leading Strike

Shuriken
Shuriken and Kunai trigger off its three Attacks.Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 1 Strength.
Kunai
Shuriken and Kunai trigger off its three Attacks.Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 1 Dexterity.
Helical Dart
Helical Dart rewards Shivs, and Leading Strike adds themWhenever you play a Shiv, gain 1 Dexterity this turn.
Nunchaku
Nunchaku counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesEvery time you play 10 Attacks, gain .
Kusarigama
Kusarigama counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesEvery time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, deal 6 damage to a random enemy.
Ornamental Fan
Ornamental Fan counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesEvery time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 4 Block.
Daughter of the Wind
Daughter of the Wind counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesWhenever you play an Attack, gain 1 Block.
Pen Nib
Pen Nib counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesEvery 10th Attack you play deals double damage.
Rainbow Ring
Rainbow Ring counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesThe first time you play an Attack, Skill, and Power each turn, gain 1 Strength and 1 Dexterity.
Razor Tooth
Razor Tooth counts the Attacks you play, and Leading Strike adds cheap onesEvery time you play an Attack or Skill, Upgrade it for the remainder of combat.
✦
Blade Dance
Skill
1
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Exhaust.
Cloak and Dagger
Skill
1
Gain 6 Block.
Add 1 Shiv into your Hand.
Blade of Ink
Skill
1
Add 2 Inky Shivs into your Hand.
Infinite Blades
Power
1
At the start of your turn, add 1 Shiv into your Hand.
Storm of Steel
Skill
1
Discard your Hand.
Add 1 Shiv into your Hand for each card discarded.
Fan of Knives
Power
2
Shivs now hit ALL enemies.
Add 4 Shivs into your Hand.
Hidden Daggers
Skill
0
Discard 2 cards.
Add 2 Shivs into your Hand.
Up My Sleeve
Skill
2
Add 3 Shivs into your Hand.
Reduce this card's cost by 1.

Changes by version

  1. 2 Apr 2026Shivs12Damage74Beta branch
    Shivs increased from 1 to 2 and Damage decreased from 7 to 4
  2. 4 May 2024Bug fixAngerInternal playtest
    Anger and Leading Strike no longer generate their cards if combat is finished
  3. 16 Jun 2023ChangeInternal playtest
    Leading Strike shiv gain lowered from 2 to 1
All 4 patch notes1 older
  1. 21 Apr 2023Bug fixInternal playtest
    Fixed errors around Leading Strike card

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

Purchase today
If you haven't bought Slay The Spire 2 yet, it's time. Support the devs, they made an amazing game.Get it on Steam