Defend•Skill

Is Defend good in Slay the Spire 2?

Defend is a basic Defect skill in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Gain 5 Block. It currently underperforms most alternatives, sitting at D tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 26 recorded runs, decks running it win 8.0% of the time, trailing the 12.6% average by 4.6%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 5.0% of decks that could run it. Defect players keep it in 92.9% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 3.3 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Hologram — together they post a +32.0% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Data Disk, which moves its win rate by +58.7%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 7.0% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 1.

Upgraded, it gains +3 Block, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 2 wins, 23 deaths, and 1 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Kaiser Crab Boss, which closes out 19.2% of its appearances. Read on for Defend’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Defect run.

Best Cards to Pair with Defend

Ranked by win-rate lift, Defend performs best alongside Hologram (+32.0%), Cold Snap (+25.3%), and Adaptive Strike (+25.3%).

Hologram+32.0%5 runsCold Snap+25.3%3 runsAdaptive Strike+25.3%3 runsChill+25.3%3 runsAscender's Bane+17.0%8 runsBulk Up+17.0%4 runs

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

Defend Win Rate by Class

Defend is drafted only by the Defect, where it holds a 8.0% win rate across 26 runs.

The Defectappears in 92.9% of its runs (26 tracked)

Best Relics for Defend

Defend pairs best with the relics Data Disk (+58.7%), Eternal Feather (+25.3%), and Bag of Marbles (+25.3%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Data Disk+58.7%3 runsEternal Feather+25.3%3 runsBag of Marbles+25.3%3 runsFresnel Lens+25.3%3 runsGremlin Horn+25.3%3 runsPael's Wing+25.3%3 runs

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

Defend Card Details

Defend is a basic skill costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 7.0% of runs and usually picked up by floor 1.

Gain 5 Block.

Upgrade: +3 Block

What Ends Runs with Defend

Defend’s most common run-enders are Kaiser Crab Boss (19.2%), The Kin Boss (11.5%), and The Insatiable Boss (7.7%).

• Kaiser Crab Boss19.2% of runs
• The Kin Boss11.5% of runs
• The Insatiable Boss7.7% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss7.7% of runs

See Also

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