Preserved Insect

Preserved Insect is a common relic that reduces the maximum HP of all enemies in Elite combats by 25%. This applies at the start of any elite fight, lowering the ceiling on enemy health before the battle even begins. Elite enemies are the most dangerous non-boss encounters in the game, so reducing their HP directly shortens the fight and lowers the total damage you are exposed to.

The relic is considered quite strong because elite fights are among the most HP-costly encounters, and winning them faster translates directly to more HP preserved for later. A 25% HP reduction on enemies that typically have 100 to 200+ HP is a significant cut. Preserved Insect is especially valuable in runs where your deck struggles with sustain, or on higher ascension levels where damage mitigation is crucial. It has no effect in normal or boss combats, but its elite-fight benefit is substantial enough to be a high-priority pickup.