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    "title": "Think Gaming Blog: posts tagged Contention Games",
    "_rss_description": "A home for my most in-depth game guides and written takes, all focused on the games I genuinely enjoy.",
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            "id": "66",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/silent-discard-build-ascension-13-full-run\/",
            "title": "Silent Discard Build • Ascension 13 Full Run (4 Acts) • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/b_q4EOQXcAc?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I play a full 4-act run of Slay the Spire: The Board Game with The Silent on the highest Ascension 13. As always with Slay the Spire, you don’t really “choose” a build, you adapt to what the game gives you, and in this run, I end up leaning into some discard shenanigans.<\/p>\n<p>The run goes all the way through all four acts, including The Heart, and is packed with strategy discussion, decision-making, and real-time thought process throughout. I talk through pathing, card picks, relic choices, and more. If you enjoy full playthroughs with detailed commentary and practical reasoning behind each decision, I hope this one is both useful and enjoyable to watch.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-04-06T14:00:04+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:18:58+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Contention Games",
                "Playthroughs",
                "Slay the Spire",
                "The Silent"
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            "id": "65",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/how-to-beat-elites-in-slay-the-spire\/",
            "title": "How to Beat Every Elite in Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/p0DHiT8jqK4?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I go over how to approach and beat Elite encounters in Slay the Spire: The Board Game. Elites can be some of the most dangerous enemies in a run, but also some of the most rewarding, so knowing when to take them on and how to prepare is key. I talk through general strategy, common mistakes, and what to prioritise in your deck. Hopefully this helps you approach Elites more confidently and get more consistent results in your runs.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-04-03T14:17:30+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:19:05+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Beginner's Guide",
                "Contention Games",
                "Slay the Spire"
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            "id": "64",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/slay-the-spire-downfall-campaign-overview\/",
            "title": "Slay the Spire: Downfall • Campaign Overview & My Thoughts",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/g8fqvR4OhrI?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I go over the Slay the Spire: Downfall expansion campaign, sharing an overview of what it adds to the game and my thoughts on it. This isn’t a hands-on review, but more of a “to back or not to back” internal dialogue that I’m sharing, thinking out loud as I go through the campaign and reflect on what it offers.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-04-01T14:03:19+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:19:12+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Campaign overview",
                "Contention Games",
                "Slay the Spire"
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            "id": "61",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/all-silent-rare-cards\/",
            "title": "All Silent Rare Cards • Tier List & Analysis • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TecCiRLeQdw?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I rank all of The Silent’s Rare cards from Slay the Spire: The Board Game. Just like in my previous tier lists, this ranking is based on how often I tend to pick or skip these cards in real runs rather than their pure theoretical power. I go through each card one by one, talk about what makes it work (or not), which decks it tends to fit into, and how it contributes to damage, defence, scaling, or overall deck synergy.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-03-23T13:05:03+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:19:53+01:00",
            "tags": [
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                "Slay the Spire",
                "The Silent",
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            "_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:05:03 +0100",
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            "id": "59",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/all-silent-common-cards\/",
            "title": "All Silent Common Cards • Tier List & Analysis • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/RgGAntwSXwU?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I rank all of The Silent’s Common cards from Slay the Spire: The Board Game, based on how often I tend to pick or skip them in real runs rather than pure theoretical power. I go through each card one by one, talk about where it shines, where it struggles, how it contributes to damage scaling, defence, or synergy, and how it fits into different deck archetypes. The goal isn’t to declare anything strictly “good” or “bad”, but to give a practical perspective that might help you make better decisions during your own runs.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-03-02T14:30:09+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:20:02+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Contention Games",
                "Slay the Spire",
                "The Silent",
                "Tier lists"
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            "image": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/pictures\/remote\/youtube-RgGAntwSXwU-cover.jpg",
            "_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:30:09 +0100",
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            "id": "57",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/all-silent-uncommon-cards\/",
            "title": "All Silent Uncommon Cards • Tier List & Analysis • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VzlJir7NGmU?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I rank all of The Silent’s Uncommon cards from Slay the Spire: The Board Game, based on how often I tend to grab (or skip) these cards in actual play, and not just raw power level. I walk through each card and talk about what makes it work (or not), which decks it fits into, and how it contributes to damage output, survivability, scaling, or synergy. Hopefully this helps you get a better sense of the Silent’s toolkit and how to make the most of it in your runs.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-02-16T15:21:45+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:20:15+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Contention Games",
                "Slay the Spire",
                "The Silent",
                "Tier lists"
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            "image": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/pictures\/remote\/youtube-VzlJir7NGmU-cover.jpg",
            "_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:21:45 +0100",
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            "id": "54",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/how-to-play-the-silent\/",
            "title": "How to Play The Silent • Full Character Guide • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Fy8d42rMujM?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I walk through how to play The Silent in Slay the Spire: The Board Game, covering everything you need to know to get started. I explain how the character works, highlight key synergies, and show how damage scaling works across different builds based on my experience playing the game. This isn’t a definitive way to play The Silent, but it’s meant to help you better understand how the character works and what makes it strong. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your strategy, I hope this guide is helpful!<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-01-28T11:25:47+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:21:56+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Class guides",
                "Contention Games",
                "Slay the Spire",
                "The Silent"
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            "id": "50",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/my-top-10-board-games-of-all-time-2025-edition\/",
            "title": "My Top 10 Board Games of All Time (2025 Edition)",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xSH1KYGnTDU?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I share my personal top 10 board games of all time as of 2025. This list isn’t about what’s newest, most popular, or trending right now – it’s based purely on the games I’ve enjoyed playing the most over the years, and especially those that stood out to me throughout this past year. Some of these are games I keep coming back to again and again, others surprised me over time, but every entry reflects my own experience at the table rather than any attempt at an objective ranking.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2026-01-04T11:37:34+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:23:13+01:00",
            "tags": [
                "Awaken Realms",
                "Cephalofair",
                "Chip Theory Games",
                "Contention Games",
                "Dragons of Etchinstone",
                "Fantasy Flight Games",
                "Frosthaven",
                "Gloomhaven",
                "Grimcoven",
                "Heroes of Terrinoth",
                "One-Hit Heroes",
                "Runebound",
                "Slay the Spire",
                "Tainted Grail",
                "TES: BotSE",
                "Top-10",
                "Wiggles 3D"
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            "_date_published_rfc2822": "Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:37:34 +0100",
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            "id": "36",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/every-potion-ranked\/",
            "title": "Every Potion Ranked • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aMFBMzQI0j0?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I rank every potion in Slay the Spire: The Board Game based on how useful they’ve been across my runs. Some potions can completely swing a fight or save an entire act, while others are much more situational or simply not worth holding onto. I go through each one, explain where I placed it, and share the thinking behind the ranking so you can decide which potions are worth grabbing and which you can safely skip.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2025-11-03T23:00:00+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T14:25:11+01:00",
            "tags": [
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                "Slay the Spire",
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            "_date_published_rfc2822": "Mon, 03 Nov 2025 23:00:00 +0100",
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            "id": "26",
            "url": "https:\/\/thinkgaminghq.com\/blog\/all\/every-boss-relic-ranked\/",
            "title": "Every Boss Relic Ranked • Slay the Spire: The Board Game",
            "content_html": "<div class=\"e2-text-video\">\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/YnFwe47agBg?enablejsapi=1\" allow=\"autoplay\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this video, I ranked all of the boss relics in Slay the Spire: The Board Game based on my own experience after hundreds of hours with both the digital and tabletop versions. Some relics feel like automatic picks that can carry a whole run, while others are situational or even a bit of a trap depending on your setup.<\/p>\n<p>I go through each relic, explain how I rated them, and share the reasoning behind their placement. The goal isn’t just to make a tier list but to give practical insight into when a relic actually shines and when it might not be worth the risk.<\/p>\n",
            "date_published": "2025-09-29T13:51:43+01:00",
            "date_modified": "2026-04-16T15:09:34+01:00",
            "tags": [
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                "Slay the Spire",
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