Roguelike card games, or deckbuilders, have gone from strength to strength. Hand of Fate is widely considered to be one of the first games that brought the genre into the mainstream, but it's the hit Slay the Spire that cemented the genre's popularity.
Related10 Best Turn-Based Roguelikes
Die, die, and die again with these turn-based roguelikes.
Posts 3Build a deck. Play your cards. Go again. It's that simple. Some of these games are more complex than others and fuse in some roguelite elements, like collecting resources, and others fuse their card-based combat with some RPG elements. Here are some of the best deckbuilding roguelikes out there.
Updated March 24, 2025 by Jacob Whaling: We've updated this list with even more roguelike card games.
22 Roguebook
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Strategy Tactical Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 81/100 Critics Rec: 77% Released June 6, 2019 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Language Developer(s) Abrakam Entertainment S.A. Publisher(s) Abrakam Entertainment S.A., BIGBEN Interactive Engine UnityWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONA joint project between the developers of Faeria and the creator of Magic the Gathering, Richard Garfield, Roguebook is deckbuilding roguelike with loads of unique mechanics that set it apart from its competitors.
Rather than with a single deck, you use two characters with two separate card sets. Moving your character back and forward on the playing field is a huge part of Roguebook, and this lends itself to compelling gameplay and lots of different strategies.
21 Book Of Demons
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RPG Shooter Fighting Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 76/100 Critics Rec: 62% Released December 13, 2018 ESRB Teen Developer(s) Thing Trunk, SONKA S.A. Publisher(s) Thing Trunk, 505 Games Engine Proprietary Engine Number of Players 1WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALDeveloped by Thing Trunk and released in 2018, Book of Demons is a roguelike deckbuilder but also an isometric dungeon crawler. Instead of magical weapons, you wield magical cards. Each dungeon is procedurally generated, and you can set the dungeon length to however short or long you want it to be.
It's a relatively easy game to learn, but there is also plenty of complexity in the deckbuilding. Different classes have different cards and abilities. Pairing up some cards that synergize is very satisfying like all good deckbuilders should be.
20 Luck Be A Landlord
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Roguelike Digital Card Game Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 72/100 Critics Rec: 55% Released January 6, 2023 ESRB E for Everyone Developer(s) TrampolineTales Publisher(s) TrampolineTales Steam Deck Compatibility Verified PC Release Date January 6, 2023WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALLuck Be A Landlord is a unique twist on deckbuilding roguelike genre. Rather than battle enemies, you're at war with capitalism. Collect cards, build decks, and spin the endless slot machine.
The aim is to get as many points as you can by building a deck that synergizes well. There are cards that pair pets up together, you can collect fish to put in fishbowls, and gather as much fruit as possible. You're in a race against your landlord, who just keeps demanding more and more rent money.
19 Tainted Grail: Conquest
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RPG Digital Card Game Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 80/100 Critics Rec: 73% Released May 27, 2021 ESRB M for Mature - Violence, Blood Developer(s) Questline Publisher(s) Awaken Realms Steam Deck Compatibility Verified PC Release Date May 27, 2021WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALTainted Grail: Conquest, developed by Awaken Realms Digital, perfectly fuses roguelike deckbuilding with an RPG. There are various characters to play, each with their own unique set of cards. The various difficulty levels, card combos, and varied boss fights make this one of the more complex deckbuilders on the list.
Related10 Roguelikes With The Most Boss Fights
Fighting your way through roguelikes can be tough enough, but these ones have a significant number of boss battles to work through.
PostsTainted Grail is also unique because of its completely 3D overworld. Its roguelike elements fuse together with roguelite progression by developing your town and buying items from vendors. It's dark, grim, and complicated. The ideal deckbuilder.
18 Banners Of Ruin
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Roguelike Digital Card Game Systems OpenCritic Reviews Released July 29, 2021 ESRB T for Teen - Blood, Lanugage, Use of Alcohol, Violence Developer(s) MonteBearo Publisher(s) Goblinz Publishing Steam Deck Compatibility Playable PC Release Date July 29, 2021 Nintendo Switch Release Date July 29, 2021WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALDeveloped by MonteBearo, Banners Of Ruin features turn-based combat with six unique characters on your side, each with its own set of cards that can interact with each other in interesting ways.
The gameplay progresses across various dungeon-like rooms, and each run poses its own challenges and decisions to be made. It follows an "Act" structure like many other games in the genre. There are elites and bosses along your path. Don't worry if you fail your first runs: the roguelite part of the game rolls in, allowing you to unlock tokens and boons for your next run.
17 Inscryption
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Roguelike Deckbuilding Systems 9.0/10 OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 86/100 Critics Rec: 97% Released October 19, 2021 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Strong Language, Violence Developer(s) Daniel Mullins Games Publisher(s) Devolver Digital Engine UnityWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONInscryption was one of the massive indie breakout hits of 2021, featuring in many GOTY lists and even finding a few nominations at The Game Awards. Although not strictly just a roguelike card game, the first chunk of the game is dedicated to a card game that could stand completely on its own. Something for Daniel Mullins to think about in the future? We'd play it, for sure.
The first part of Inscryption is a roguelite. You die. And you will die again. And again. The card game is not simple, and it evolves over the course of multiple rooms, as you build extra cards, explore the room you find yourself trapped in, and better understand unit mechanics and boss battles. It's fantastic, really, and this is just one-third of a game that will delight and surprise you with its chaotic twists and turns.
16 Monster Train
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Roguelike Deckbuilding Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 83/100 Critics Rec: 86% Released May 21, 2020 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Alcohol Reference Publisher(s) Good Shepherd Entertainment Engine UnityWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONMonster Train is one of the most satisfying deckbuilders on this list. While it can be as strictly challenging as a game like Slay The Spire, most of the joy of Monster Train comes from building completely overpowered decks.
RelatedMonster Train: Every Champion Ranked From Worst To Best
In Monster Train, a Champion plays a significant role in any deck. Which Champion card is the best?
PostsThis is made possible by consistent events throughout each run: you can remove cards reliably, and make huge tweaks to your deck, reducing your excess cards down to the bare minimum. Battle your way through racing trains and multiple levels -- it even has a real-time multiplayer mode, something that most games on this list do not have.
15 Hand Of Fate 2
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Adventure Action Indie Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 82/100 Critics Rec: 78% Released November 7, 2017 ESRB Teen Developer(s) Defiant Development Publisher(s) Defiant Development Engine Unity Number of Players 1WHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALHand of Fate 2 is one of the founding games of the genre, and it far outdoes its predecessor, although that game was pretty great, too. This is a deckbuilding roguelike that fuses together elements of Dungeons and Dragons in a gameplay loop that feels totally rewarding.
It's essentially a dungeon crawler meets board game, with complex deckbuilding mechanics that leave most of the card selection down to the player. There are dozens of different challenges to encounter, different classes to play with (all taking inspiration from classic fantasy RPGs, like a stealthy rogue, for example), and a deep atmosphere that draws you right in.
14 Griftlands
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RPG Indie Games Adventure Strategy Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 100% Released July 11, 2019 ESRB t Developer(s) Klei Entertainment Publisher(s) Klei Entertainment Engine Proprietary EngineWHERE TO PLAY
DIGITALGriftlands, developed by Klei Entertainment, is an intoxicating narrative-based deckbuilding roguelike that introduces a whole new world of complicated decision-making to the mix. Different characters will explore the story in different ways, building relationships with unique characters, and refining their selection of cards.
Not all of these cards are just about dealing damage: you can charm, persuade, or trick your opponents. You can build a team, collect some truly bizarre and powerful pets, and discover the story through multiple different parts.
13 Slay The Spire
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Roguelike Deckbuilding Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 89/100 Critics Rec: 100% Released January 23, 2019 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Tobacco Reference Developer(s) Mega Crit Publisher(s) Humble Bundle Engine libGDX Steam Deck Compatibility VerifiedWHERE TO PLAY
SUBSCRIPTIONIf you're talking about deckbuilding roguelikes, Slay the Spire is usually the first game mentioned. Following the success of Hand of Fate, Slay the Spire took the mechanics of deckbuilding roguelikes and stripped it back to its very core. Slay the Spire is completely simple, and at the same time, one of the most complicated games you'll ever play.
RelatedBalatro Vs. Slay The Spire: Which Game Is Better?
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PostsThere are hundreds of hours of gameplay here. Roguelite progression is limited to unlocking some new cards and relics, but these are out of the way quickly, and then you're left with nothing but the challenge of managing to beat the game. 20 Ascension levels keep the difficulty level fresh right until the very end.
