Slay the Spire is different from the usual one-folder save model: PCGamingWiki lists preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences as game data. That means “backup the save file” is incomplete advice. A user may restore card/progression information yet lose an active run or related preferences if only one directory is copied. SaveEditor therefore treats the four directories as one logical backup set for standard desktop builds while keeping the Microsoft Store package path separate.
Identify the exact save you intend to edit
The researched Slay the Spire PC save location is Windows: Desktop builds: <path-to-game>preferences, <path-to-game>runs, <path-to-game>saves and betaPreferences ; Microsoft Store: %LOCALAPPDATA%PackagesHumbleBundle.SlayTheSpire_q2mcdwmzx4qjaLocalCacheLocalMicrosoftWritablePackageRootsaves. Known file/folder pattern: Multiple files across preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences rather than one universal slot file.. Storefront context: Steam, GOG, Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store sandbox path differs significantly from Steam/GOG. Standard desktop installs can keep data alongside game resources, so reinstall/move operations deserve an explicit backup first. Do not edit a similarly named file from a different profile, edition, or cloud cache.
Make an untouched backup first
Back up preferences, runs, saves, and betaPreferences together before reinstalling or moving the game. On Microsoft Store, preserve the package-local save path separately. Keep that copy outside the live save directory and do not overwrite it with later experiments. Cloud context: Steam Cloud and Xbox Cloud support are documented depending on edition. If a launcher can synchronize the save, prevent it from silently replacing either the original or edited copy while testing.
Understand the format boundary
Slay the Spire stores meaningful state in several sibling directories under the installation resources for standard desktop builds. Backing up only saves can omit preferences/unlocks or run state. File-extension context: No single extension is sufficient to identify every relevant save record. Compatibility note: Unlock/progression data and an in-progress run are not necessarily represented by the same file. A partial directory copy can therefore restore one aspect but not another. These facts help identify the save but do not automatically reveal every field, checksum, encryption rule, or version-specific structure inside it.
Use only a Tool whose claim matches the file
Generic viewers and diff tools can inspect bytes without claiming game-specific semantics. A game-specific editor should be used only when its Tool page explicitly lists Slay the Spire, a matching supported version/container, and a Verified operational runtime. A planned URL or Game Hub is not evidence that an editor exists.
Test the edited copy safely
Write to a new output file when the Tool supports it, keep the original backup, restore the edited copy into the correct profile/storefront location, and launch the game only after the file operation finishes. If the game rejects it, If ascension/unlocks or the current run do not match after restoration, compare all four data directories rather than repeatedly overwriting the saves folder alone. Return to the untouched backup before trying another change.
Verification context: Reviewed against current PCGamingWiki Slay the Spire save-data locations and multi-directory layout.