Block Tales Tier List
This tier list ranks cards by practical boss value, not by how flashy the animation feels.
S+ Run Savers
The safest cards are not boring filler. They buy another decision after the player makes a real mistake, which is exactly when Block Tales first clears usually fall apart.
S Stability Engines
Stability cards should be judged across the full fight. A small benefit every few turns can outperform a huge attack that leaves the party empty afterward.
A Damage Core
Damage still matters. The ranking only pushes burst below survival when the fight proves that survival is the current blocker.
A Status Control
Status cards rise when the enemy uses poison, fear, control, or action denial. That value is route-specific, so the page keeps chapter movement visible.
B Pressure Cards
Pressure cards need time. They are best when the party can already block, heal, and maintain SP long enough for repeated value to matter.
B Economy Support
Economy cards are strongest when the fight is long or the run contains several fights before a full reset. They are weaker when immediate HP safety is the problem.
C Risk Tools
Risk tools belong in confident hands. The card is not bad, but the page refuses to recommend it as a first answer to an unknown boss.
C Narrow Utility
A narrow card earns a place when the route asks for its exact job. Without that job, it becomes deck clutter.
Chapter 1 Movement
This movement keeps the early game teachable. New players should learn timing and simple card jobs before building a full engine.
Chapter 2 Movement
Chapter 2 is the first status audit, so prevention and recovery move up while pure burst becomes less universal.
Chapter 3 Movement
Chapter 3 stretches attention. Recovery cards rise because nightmare pacing exposes parties that only prepared for short fights.
Chapter 5 Movement
Chapter 5 is the major May 2026 ranking shift. Protecting Cassie and surviving Frostmaw turns makes support cards central instead of optional.
INFORMATION GAIN
How tiers shift by party size and chapter — what most lists skip
Most Block Tales tier lists give one column of rankings and leave it there. That works for a four-player Chapter 5 run. It is wrong for almost every other context. Here is the adjustment I actually use when my party size or chapter changes.
| Card | 4P Ch 5 (default) | 2P Ch 5 | Any Ch 2 | Any Ch 3 | Why it moves |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bodyguard | S+ | S+ | B | A | Cassie survival condition exists only in Ch 5; earlier chapters have no protected-ally fail state |
| Prayer | S+ | S+ (critical) | A | S+ | 2P removes one defensive player; Prayer must cover the gap a 3rd/4th player would fill |
| Feel Fine | A | A | S | A | Bubonic Plant's poison compounds across turns; earlier fix saves more total HP than later cure |
| Resurrect | S | S (expensive) | C | B | In 2P the SP cost of Resurrect is steep; in 4P another player covers the downed role while you spend it |
| SP Wire | S | B | B | S | Dream World bosses drain SP faster than any earlier chapter; 2P has fewer total SP turns so the wire is less efficient |
| Power Stab | A | A (must-have) | A | A | 2P needs every damage turn to count; dropping Power Stab in 2P forces longer fights that drain the weaker safety pool |
| Deep Focus | B | C | C | B | Economy cards need time to pay off; 2P fights end fast enough that the setup turn is usually wasted |
The 2P column is the one most generic guides omit entirely. Two-player parties play closer to a survival race than a role-split engine: every support card covers two jobs instead of one, and the absence of a dedicated defensive player means Prayer, Cure, and Bodyguard all carry more weight. I ran a 2P Frostmaw attempt with a pure damage deck and it ended on turn six because neither player could absorb the Cassie danger turn. That is not a skill problem — it is a missing defensive role.
The chapter columns matter because the game does not pause card value changes between chapters. Bodyguard being S+ in Chapter 5 does not mean it belongs in your Chapter 2 deck. Carrying a Bodyguard into Bubonic Plant is a slot you could use for Feel Fine, and that swap changes the fight more than any raw tier score suggests. See the boss strategies page for how each boss applies pressure differently, the full enemy bestiary for which enemy type each card was built to counter, and the cards and builds calculator if you want to score your specific deck against a chapter target.
FAQ
Why are defensive cards ranked so high?
First clears usually fail from one bad turn, so recovery and prevention are often more valuable than maximum damage.
Should I copy the S tier exactly?
No. Use S tier as a starting point, then swap for the chapter mechanic in front of you.
Does the tier list change by chapter?
Yes. Status, ally protection, and optional superbosses can move a card up or down for one route.
Why include risky cards?
Risk cards help challenge clears and fast replays, but they need a stable support plan first.
Is this official card balance?
No. It is independent ranking based on visible effects, route tests, and public community discussion.
How should I use low-tier cards?
Treat low-tier cards as narrow tools. If a specific mechanic asks for that job, test it before dismissing it.
Does the tier list change for two-player parties?
Yes. Two-player runs remove one defensive slot, so Prayer and Bodyguard move up because both players share the survival job without a dedicated third or fourth role.
Which cards are mandatory for the Cassie survival condition in Chapter 5?
Bodyguard and Charge DEF are the clearest answers. Both protect Cassie from a danger turn that would otherwise end the fight before your damage plan can finish.
Why does Resurrect rank lower than Prayer despite saving runs?
Resurrect fixes a death that already happened. Prayer and Bodyguard prevent the death in the first place, which costs fewer total SP and avoids the recovery lag that follows a full-party collapse.
What is the biggest mistake players make when reading this tier list?
Treating S-tier cards as universal. A card ranked S in a four-player Frostmaw party may be B or lower in a two-player Chapter 2 run where status removal matters more than ally protection.