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 F tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 565 recorded runs, decks running it win 14.7% of the time, trailing the 18.9% average by 4.3%. It’s a popular draft, appearing in 14.9% of eligible decks. Defect players keep it in 96.8% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 3.7 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Fasten — together they post a +22.7% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Sword of Jade, which moves its win rate by +29.3%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 6.8% 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 63 wins, 367 deaths, and 135 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Queen Boss, which closes out 4.6% 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 Fasten (+22.7%), Machine Learning (+21.9%), and Prolong (+20.9%).

Fasten+22.7%11 runsMachine Learning+21.9%42 runsProlong+20.9%12 runsProduction+20.9%12 runsDecay+19.3%14 runsFlak Cannon+16.9%22 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 14.7% win rate across 565 runs.

The Defectappears in 96.8% of its runs (565 tracked)

Best Relics for Defend

Defend pairs best with the relics Sword of Jade (+29.3%), Iron Club (+29.3%), and Glitter (+25.8%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Sword of Jade+29.3%7 runsIron Club+29.3%9 runsGlitter+25.8%8 runsFragrant Mushroom+24.9%21 runsJoss Paper+24.8%15 runsLizard Tail+24.1%17 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 6.8% 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 Queen Boss (4.6%), Kaiser Crab Boss (4.2%), and Knowledge Demon Boss (3.4%).

• Queen Boss4.6% of runs
• Kaiser Crab Boss4.2% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss3.4% of runs
• Phantasmal Gardeners Elite3.4% of runs
• Decimillipede Elite3.2% of runs

See Also

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