Lava Rock is a Neow Ancient relic that randomly upgrades 6 cards at once. Upgrades compound across the run to raise deck quality, and upgrading 6 cards in one shot is equivalent to six rest-site Smith actions. Because you get it right at the start of Act 1, most cards are still unupgraded and the upside is massive. Just upgrading some starter Strikes and Defends dramatically stabilizes Act 1. You also need fewer rest sites for Smith, so you can heal instead, a big secondary benefit.
Previously this relic used to give 2 relic drops from the Act 1 boss, but an April 2026 patch swapped its effect with Sand Castle. Now it is the instant 6-card upgrade.
Comparison with Other Neow Relics
| Relic |
Immediacy |
Risk |
Return |
| Lava Rock |
Instant (6 upgrades) |
None |
Very High |
| Precise Scissors |
Instant |
None |
High (remove 2 cards) |
| Small Capsule |
Instant |
Low |
Medium (1 random relic) |
| Large Capsule |
Instant |
High (deck bloat) |
High (2 random relics) |
| Nutritious Oyster |
Instant |
None |
Medium (+11 Max HP) |
Character-Specific Ratings
| Character |
Rating |
Notes |
| Ironclad |
A |
6 upgrades reinforce both Attacks and Skills, vastly stabilizing Act 1 |
| Silent |
A |
Starter-deck upgrades dramatically improve the Act 1 opening |
| Defect |
A+ |
Bulk upgrades to Powers and Orb cards give early combat authority |
| Necrobinder |
A |
Summon cards get stronger across the board, lifting minion quality |
| Regent |
A |
A very strong instant effect that bumps the entire deck |
