Barrage•Attack

Is Barrage good in Slay the Spire 2?

Barrage is a common Defect attack in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Deal 5 damage for each Channeled Orb. It currently underperforms most alternatives, sitting at F tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 80 recorded runs, decks running it win 17.1% of the time, trailing the 18.9% average by 1.8%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 2.1% of decks that could run it. Defect players keep it in 13.7% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.3 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Thunder — together they post a +19.6% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Runic Capacitor, which moves its win rate by +23.7%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 29.1% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 15.

Upgraded, it gains +2 Damage, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 13 wins, 63 deaths, and 4 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Knowledge Demon Boss, which closes out 11.3% of its appearances. Read on for Barrage’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Defect run.

Best Cards to Pair with Barrage

Ranked by win-rate lift, Barrage performs best alongside Thunder (+19.6%), Byrd Swoop (+16.5%), and Overclock (+16.5%).

Thunder+19.6%12 runsByrd Swoop+16.5%4 runsOverclock+16.5%8 runsEnergy Surge+14.3%5 runsCompile Driver+12.9%10 runsSkim+12.3%6 runs

Based on small co-occurring samples — treat these as early signals, not final verdicts.

Barrage Win Rate by Class

Barrage is drafted only by the Defect, where it holds a 17.1% win rate across 80 runs.

The Defectappears in 13.7% of its runs (80 tracked)

Best Relics for Barrage

Barrage pairs best with the relics Runic Capacitor (+23.7%), Blood Vial (+19.2%), and Byrdpip (+16.5%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Runic Capacitor+23.7%4 runsBlood Vial+19.2%14 runsByrdpip+16.5%4 runsMiniature Cannon+16.5%4 runsVenerable Tea Set+12.9%9 runsBag of Preparation+12.9%11 runs

Based on small co-occurring samples — treat these as early signals, not final verdicts.

Barrage Card Details

Barrage is a common attack costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 29.1% of runs and usually picked up by floor 15.

Deal 5 damage for each Channeled Orb.

Upgrade: +2 Damage

What Ends Runs with Barrage

Barrage’s most common run-enders are Knowledge Demon Boss (11.3%), Queen Boss (10.0%), and Infested Prisms Elite (7.5%).

• Knowledge Demon Boss11.3% of runs
• Queen Boss10.0% of runs
• Infested Prisms Elite7.5% of runs
• Test Subject Boss5.0% of runs
• Doormaker Boss5.0% of runs

See Also

Compare Barrage with the rest of the best Slay the Spire 2 cards, relics, and classes below.