Sozu

Sozu is an Ancient relic that grants +1 Energy in exchange for being unable to obtain potions. Among +1 Energy relics, its drawback is often considered the lightest, and it maintains strong popularity in STS2 as it did in the previous title.

Impact of No Potions

• You can no longer obtain potions from combat rewards or events
• You can still use potions you already have — ideally stock up before acquiring
• Potions are great safety nets for tight spots but aren't used every fight
• Potion-related relics (Herbal Poultice, White Beast Statue, etc.) lose all value
• STS2 has more varied and powerful potions than STS1, so the drawback is slightly heavier

Why It's Highly Rated

• +1 Energy is a permanent benefit every turn; potions are one-shot
• If you build a deck that can win without potions, there's no problem
• Less restrictive on playstyle than no-gold (Ectoplasm) or 5-card limit (Choker)
• Fill your potion slots before picking it up, and you can use up your stock

Character Evaluations

• Fill your potion slots before acquiring it — current potions are one-shot, so use them freely
• Focus more on card and relic rewards to make up for lost potion rewards
• Manage HP through card performance; actively use healing events and rest sites
• You lose the ability to fudge elite fights with potions, so only engage after your deck is ready
• Note that potion-related relics like Potion Belt become useless