How much HP does Shrike have?
About 140 on the full-party Nest fight, plus Spectral Nail at about 30 HP.
Shards of Order Shrike
Shards of Order Shrike guide: beat the Judging Bird, read countdown tells, card timing tips, and prep before your first real boss. Verified July 2026.
Early Shrike behaviour and spike / feast tells.
~4 min read
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At A Glance
This Shards of Order Shrike guide covers Shrike, the Judging Bird — your first real boss once Warrior, Exile, and Scholar are online. About 140 HP, lane-targeted strikes, and a Spectral Nail add that can remove a hero. Verified August 16, 2026 · Steam.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Boss | Shrike, the Judging Bird |
| HP cue | ~140 on the full-party rematch |
| Add | Spectral Nail ~30 HP |
| Region | Shrike’s Nest inside Shrike’s Lair |
| Party required | Warrior + Exile + Scholar |
| Systems | Combat guide |
What should I prep before Shrike’s Nest?
Do not enter with two heroes. Scholar’s post-statue recruit is part of the intended difficulty curve.
- Do01Finish stone statues → Memory of an Illusionist
- Do02Recruit Scholar on the pathway fight
- Do03Rest at the Nest checkpoint
- Do04Trim the shared deck so Weakness and Grit can appear
- Do05Equip Exile’s early bow if you have Shard of the Past
- Do06Keep Warrior’s Vengeance / shield line online
Deck shape
A lean mix from best cards beats a bloated unlock museum. Shrike rewards sequencing more than raw rare cards.
HP and Fracture
Enter topped off. Plan Ethereal for a two-down, not the first chip.
Tell reading is the fight:
How do I read Shrike’s countdown tells?
Same Time Counter rules as trash packs — the boss just hits harder and forces lane discipline.
| Signal | Response |
|---|---|
| Counter low on Shrike | Shield / Weakness before big commits |
| Lane preview highlights a tile | Swap Warrior onto it |
| Exile or Scholar on spike | Move them off — even for 1 Time |
| Hand full of 3+ cost cards | Play setup or Redraw if discount ready |
| Party HP split uneven | Feed heals / Ethereal only if two are critical |
Weakening matters
Exile’s Weakening / Caltrops reduce how much each telegraphed hit hurts while you chip 140 HP.
Do not ignore the add timer
Halfway through, Spectral Nail joins. The next section is mandatory reading.
What do I do when Spectral Nail spawns?
Spectral Nail has about 30 HP. When its Attack Time expires it impales a hero and removes them from the fight until the Nail dies.
| State | Action |
|---|---|
| Nail just spawned | Retarget immediately |
| Nail counter nearly zero | All cheap damage into Nail |
| Hero already impaled | Kill Nail to return them |
| Nail dead | Back to Shrike with refreshed lanes |
After the Nest clear
Matched by build plan, shared topics, and guide progression — not random related links.
Which cards help most against Shrike?
You do not need a perfect tree — you need these jobs covered.
| Job | Examples | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Lane soak | Grit / Duel / shields | Survives telegraphs |
| Damage down | Weakening / Caltrops | Softens multi-hits |
| Reliable chip | Reckless / Lock and Load / Rot | Stable progress on 140 HP |
| Burst | Barrage / Crushing Blow | Close the fight after Nail |
| Panic | Ethereal Power | Two-down recovery |
Why did I lose the first Shrike fight on purpose?
The opening crash fight is unwinnable by design. Break the obstacle beside the bird to escape, then recruit the party and return for the Nest rematch.
If you are still on the escape fight
Stop dumping your whole hand into Shrike. Target the obstacle, leave, and continue the walkthrough lair spine.
Post- Nest scripted ambush
After Feathers drop and the eastern gate opens, another entity ambush is also scripted — you cannot win. Ride it into the Chapel transition.
What drops after Shrike dies?
Loot Shrike’s Feathers, open the eastern gate, survive the scripted ambush, and wake at the Purged Village Chapel.
| Reward / beat | Next |
|---|---|
| Shrike’s Feathers | Quest item for village continuity |
| Eastern Gate | Exit route toward the Chapel |
| Chapel arrival | Purged Village hub begins |
| Law progress | Identity still ahead — laws |
What Shrike mistakes waste Ethereal Power?
Most Nest failures are sequencing errors, not missing legendary cards.
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Ignore lane preview | Exile deleted | Swap Warrior first |
| Ignore Spectral Nail | Hero impaled | Retarget Nail at ~30 HP |
| Ethereal on first down | No button for Nail chaos | Revive once; Ethereal for two-down |
| All 3-cost finishers | Clocks explode | Open with Weakness / Grit |
| Enter without Scholar | Missing mana / Rot tools | Finish statues pathway first |
| Skip checkpoint rest | Enter Fractured-ready | Heal at Nest checkpoint |
Spike feast tell from early footage
When injured, Shrike leans on spikes; heroes stuck on spikes need help to move, and the bird can heal while feasting. Treat that as a “break the add / free the hero” emergency identical in spirit to Nail priority.
Practice pack
If you wipe twice, leave the Nest, trim the deck using best cards, and clear one checkpoint pack with forced lane swaps before re-entering.
FAQ
Can I beat Shrike with two heroes?
The intended clear uses all three. Recruit Scholar after stone statues before the Nest.
Where do I go next?
Purged Village spine on the walkthrough, starting at the Chapel and Well apprentice.
Is the post-gate ambush another boss?
No — it is a scripted loss that transitions you to the Chapel. Do not burn Ethereal trying to win it.
Related pages
Matched by build plan, shared topics, and guide progression — not random related links.