Empty Cage

Empty Cage is an Ancient relic that instantly removes 2 cards from your deck. It is not flashy, but the effect is extremely reliable and highly valued by players who prioritize deck compression.

Value of Removing 2 Cards

• In STS2, card removal at shops is one-at-a-time and the cost rises gradually
• Removing 2 cards at once saves the gold and actions of 2 shop removes — excellent tempo
• Removing starter cards (Strikes, Defends) immediately improves deck quality
• You choose the removal targets freely, so you can pinpoint unwanted cards

Removal Priority

1. Strikes — useful early, but outclassed by other Attacks from mid-run
2. Defends — unneeded if you have plenty of Block-generating Skills
3. Mismatched cards — remove cards that don't fit build direction to tighten consistency
4. Curses / status cards — highest priority if present

Timing of Acquisition

• Post-Act 1 is most effective — many starters remain, so removal impact is large
• Acts 2-3 have bloated decks, so 2-card removal's relative impact is smaller
• Even picked up in Act 3, it still has value for refining the deck for the finale

Character-Specific Ratings

• Choose removal targets based on build direction. Removing Strikes vs. Defends shapes your deck character
• Attack-heavy builds: keep Defends and remove Strikes (free slots for stronger Attacks)
• Defensive builds: remove Strikes (concentrate Block Skills)
• If Curses are in your deck, prioritize removing Curses first
• If your deck is nearly complete, other Ancient relics may offer more