Block Tales All Card Shops
There are four shops in Block Tales. Two sell cards directly. One sells cards plus status-effect items. One sells consumables only. This guide covers every shop: who runs it, which currency it takes, what it stocks, when it unlocks, and what to buy first. Last verified June 2026.
TL;DR — Which Shop Do You Need?
- Need cards right now (Prologue / Chapter 1): Spaceman James in the Alleyway next to the Hotel. Accepts BUX only.
- Need Prayer, SP Wire, or Power Rush: Gene at In the Cards, West Bizville. Opens after Chapter 2. Accepts TIX.
- In Chapter 3 and need status-effect items or cards: Desna & Eska in Roadtown. Accepts TIX.
- Need basic HP/SP consumables or Apple Juice for Poison: Lorenzo next to the Hotel in Bizville. Always open. Accepts TIX.
- BUX vs TIX: BUX is found in the world, not earned from battles. TIX drops from enemies. Spend BUX only at Spaceman James or certain Chapter 2+ purchases — it is scarce and non-farmable.
Block Tales Card Shops Comparison
All four shops at a glance. Currency column shows which in-game currency each vendor accepts. Click a shop name to jump to its full profile below.
| Shopkeeper | Location | Currency | Sells | Unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spaceman James | The Alleyway, Bizville | BUX | Cards | Prologue (always available) |
| Gene | In the Cards, West Bizville | TIX | Cards (including exclusives) | After completing Chapter 2 |
| Desna & Eska | Roadtown shop | TIX | Cards + Status-Effect Items | Chapter 3 area (Roadtown) |
| Lorenzo | Lorenzo's Shop, Bizville | TIX | Consumable Items (HP/SP restore, Bomb, Apple Juice) | Always available from game start |
Spaceman James (formerly Sketchy Figure)
What Spaceman James Stocks
Selection of cards purchasable with BUX. Exact available cards rotate with updates. The Alleyway is the exclusive card source until West Bizville opens after Chapter 2.
Notes
The only card vendor available during the Prologue. Renamed from Sketchy Figure to Spaceman James in the Chapter 5 update. Cards are greyed out if you lack the BUX to buy them. Before Demo 5, Spaceman James was the only shop in the game that used BUX.
Gene
What Gene Stocks
Prayer (exclusive), SP Wire (exclusive), Power Rush (exclusive), plus a wider card selection. These exclusive cards are not available from enemy drops or other vendors.
Notes
The largest card-only shop in the game. Gene sells cards exclusively with TIX, making TIX grinding the relevant farm goal once Chapter 2 is cleared. The shop building is a tall, light-blue structure with shelves of cards inside. Three cards here cannot be obtained any other way.
Desna & Eska
What Desna & Eska Stocks
Desna: cards (TIX). Eska: status-effect items, HP and SP restorers. Combined, the shop is the most complete vendor in the Chapter 3 zone.
Notes
A two-person shop: Desna sells cards and Eska sells items that inflict status effects — useful for debuffing enemies or helping the party. The shop is in Roadtown, which is the Chapter 3 region hub. The two shopkeepers run distinct sections of the same building.
Lorenzo
What Lorenzo Stocks
HP-restore items, SP-restore items, Bomb (collateral damage), Apple Juice (clears Poison status). No cards sold.
Notes
Lorenzo is the first NPC shopkeeper a new player encounters, positioned next to The Hotel. His shop sells only consumable items — nothing for cards. Apple Juice removes Poison, which makes his shop relevant before a boss with Poison attacks. Described as the "budget shop" compared to other Bizville vendors.
Chapter-by-Chapter Shopping Strategy
The shop roster available to you changes as you clear chapters. Here is the practical buying priority for each stage of the game, based on which vendors are actually open and which gaps in your deck matter most.
Prologue and Chapter 1 — Spaceman James Only
Only Spaceman James in the Alleyway sells cards during the Prologue and Chapter 1. He accepts BUX. The Chapter 1 route through Blackrock Castle drops the core starter kit naturally — Power Stab, Sword Toss, Defend+, Charge, and Lucky Start can all appear without spending BUX. Use BUX here only for cards that do not drop on the Chapter 1 route. Lorenzo's consumable shop is open from the start and is TIX-based; stock Apple Juice or basic heals if your build has no status-clear card before Cruel King.
Chapter 2 — Gene Opens, Rainforest Shop Expands
Completing Chapter 2 unlocks Gene's In the Cards store. This is when Prayer, SP Wire, and Power Rush become available. Prayer is the single highest-priority purchase: it provides party-wide healing and is essential for Chapter 3 Dream World and Chapter 5 Cassie-protection runs. Buy Prayer with your first substantial TIX stock. SP Wire and Power Rush can wait until you identify which build direction you are taking. The Rainforest outpost also has a vendor selling the Iron Sword (approximately 120 BP) and Chapter 2 consumables.
Chapter 3 — Desna and Eska in Roadtown
Roadtown opens in Chapter 3. Desna sells cards and Eska sells status-effect items. If you cleared Chapter 2 without Prayer from Gene, catch up here. Eska's items are most useful for the Dream World segment of Chapter 3, where fear and burn effects become consistent hazards. Calm Tea (clears fear) and Iced Tea (clears burn) are the key purchases before pushing through the manor. TIX farming rate is higher by Chapter 3, so the cost is manageable.
Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 — No New Vendors
No new shops open in Chapter 4 or Chapter 5. The four vendors established by Chapter 3 are the full roster. By Chapter 5, your deck should be complete, so shops are mainly for consumable restocking. Cake and Full Plate require cooking rather than vendor purchase, so the item priority for shop visits in Chapter 5 is Honey Shroom-level recovery items and any card gaps you have not filled yet from Gene.
FAQ
How many shops sell cards in Block Tales?
There are four shops in Block Tales where you can buy cards or items. Two of them sell cards directly: the Alleyway shop run by Spaceman James (formerly Sketchy Figure), which accepts BUX and is available from the Prologue; and Gene's In the Cards store in West Bizville, which opens after completing Chapter 2 and accepts TIX. Desna in Roadtown also sells a limited set of cards alongside status-effect items. Lorenzo's shop in Bizville sells only consumables, not cards.
What is the difference between TIX and BUX in Block Tales?
TIX is the main combat currency earned from defeating enemies throughout the game. BUX is a collectible currency found hidden in the world — it cannot be earned from battles, only discovered by exploring the map. The I Spy card from the Bizville Arcade helps locate nearby BUX. Most shops use TIX; Spaceman James in the Alleyway uses BUX, which is why BUX management matters early in the game before Chapter 2 unlocks Gene's shop.
What are the exclusive cards at Gene's shop in Block Tales?
Gene's In the Cards store carries three cards that cannot be obtained anywhere else in the game through normal drops: Prayer, SP Wire, and Power Rush. Prayer is the most impactful of the three because it provides party-wide healing and is required for any serious Chapter 4 or Chapter 5 support build. SP Wire and Power Rush are useful in specific deck archetypes. All three require TIX.
Is the Alleyway shop worth using BUX on in Block Tales?
During the Prologue and Chapter 1, yes — Spaceman James is the only card vendor available, and BUX is the only currency his shop accepts. The Alleyway is the only place to get cards before reaching West Bizville. Once Gene's store opens in Chapter 2, you can compare which cards are available for TIX before spending your limited BUX stock. BUX cannot be earned from battles, so it is a finite resource until you find more in the world.
When does Gene's card shop unlock in Block Tales?
Gene's In the Cards store is inaccessible until you complete Chapter 2. It sits near the entrance to West Bizville, which is a section of Bizville to the left of the Hotel. The shop building is a tall light-blue structure with a storefront appearance. Once Chapter 2 is done, Gene starts selling his exclusive cards (Prayer, SP Wire, Power Rush) and a broader selection of cards for TIX.
Does Desna or Eska sell cards in Block Tales?
Desna sells cards in the Roadtown shop, while Eska specialises in items that inflict status effects — useful for enemies rather than as straightforward HP or SP restorers. Their shop is in Roadtown, to the right of the Ye Olde Inn, and uses TIX. The Roadtown shop is a Chapter 3 area shop, so it becomes practical after the Chapter 2 progression gate.
Can you sell items or cards back to shops in Block Tales?
Yes, you can earn TIX by selling items or cards at shops. TIX is listed in the game as earnable through selling as well as from defeating enemies. BUX cannot be earned this way — it is only found in the world. There is no confirmed sell-back vendor for BUX-valued items in the current build.
What should I spend my first BUX on in Block Tales?
During the Prologue and early Chapter 1, Spaceman James in the Alleyway is your only option, so spend BUX on cards that cover your weakest slot. If your deck has no defensive card, Defend+ or Guard Plus (both available from the Chapter 1 route) should be prioritized before buying attack cards. Once Gene's shop opens in Chapter 2 and offers Prayer, SP Wire, and Power Rush for TIX, the pressure on BUX spending drops significantly.