According to the latest Neowsletter, while Neow remains at the start of a run, other Ancients will appear on dedicated map nodes upon entering Acts 2 and 3. This isn't just a reskin of the old system. Instead of picking from three random boss relics, players will now face a specific Ancient who offers unique, powerful, and sometimes trade-off-heavy blessings.
A New Source of Power
The first Ancient revealed, Tezcatara, serves as a prime example of this new system. The developers described their blessings as potent but often costly, forcing players into difficult strategic decisions. This transforms a simple reward screen into a meaningful narrative and tactical choice. You're no longer just picking the most universally useful relic; you're weighing a curated, powerful effect against its potential downside, which could define the rest of your climb.
How will Ancients change run strategy?
By shifting from a random pool of relics to specific Ancient encounters, deck planning becomes more reactive and deliberate. Knowing which Ancient lies ahead might encourage you to build your deck toward their specific blessings. The introduction of significant trade-offs also means you can't just mindlessly pick the most OP option without consequence, adding a fresh layer of risk management to every run.
Developer Q&A Tidbits
The newsletter also dropped a few other key details. Mega Crit confirmed that Slay the Spire II will remain low-spec friendly, prioritizing smooth performance for a wide range of PCs.
For veterans of the first game, there's a collective sigh of relief: the infamous Jaw Worm will not be an enemy on the first few floors. This small tweak could significantly improve the consistency of early-game runs. Finally, a previously teased silhouette was revealed to be a new automaton enemy, tentatively named the Punch Construct, adding another new challenge to overcome in the Spire.