Defend•Skill

Is Defend good in Slay the Spire 2?

In Slay the Spire 2, Defend is a basic skill from the Ironclad card pool. Its effect: Gain 5 Block. The data flags it as a weaker pick, settling at D tier — usually one to pass on unless your deck specifically wants it.

Over 2390 tracked runs its win rate sits at 12.4%, 1.8% short of the 14.2% all-deck baseline. Players reach for it often — it shows up in 23.2% of runs that can take it. Within Ironclad runs it’s drafted 97.4% of the time, making it a regular part of that class’s decks. Decks that include it run about 3.7 copies on average.

Its standout pairing so far is Whistle, which lifts its win rate by +34.9% when the two share a deck. On the relic side, Royal Stamp is its standout companion, worth a +41.3% win-rate swing alongside it. It costs 1 energy, gets upgraded 8.2% of the time, and tends to be picked up near floor 1.

Upgrading the card adds +3 Block to its stat line. Of the runs that drafted it, 290 ended in victory against 2052 deaths and 48 abandons. Its most common run-ender is Kaiser Crab Boss, finishing 4.4% of the runs it shows up in. See the synergies, class split, and threats below for the full picture of where Defend fits a Ironclad deck.

When to Pick Up Defend

Of the 1 pickup windows recorded for Defend, Starting deck is the best: 12.3% across 2389 runs.

Win rate of runs by the act Defend entered the deck. Acts that have not reached the sample floor show their run count only.

Best Cards to Pair with Defend

Defend’s strongest card pairings so far are Whistle (+34.9%), Mad Science (+32.8%), and Apotheosis (+30.8%), each shown with the win-rate lift it adds.

Whistle+34.9%18 runsMad Science+32.8%88 runsApotheosis+30.8%17 runsSecret Weapon+27.8%19 runsProlong+27.7%33 runsEternal Armor+27.0%16 runs

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

Defend Win Rate by Class

Exclusive to the Ironclad, Defend posts a 12.4% win rate over 2390 tracked runs.

The Ironcladappears in 97.4% of its runs (2390 tracked)

Best Relics for Defend

The relics that swing Defend’s win rate the most are Royal Stamp (+41.3%), Sword of Jade (+38.2%), and Delicate Frond (+35.1%), with each lift shown.

Royal Stamp+41.3%37 runsSword of Jade+38.2%30 runsDelicate Frond+35.1%20 runsTanx's Whistle+34.9%18 runsCrossbow+33.0%17 runsForgotten Soul+32.8%37 runs

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

Defend Card Details

A 1-energy basic skill, Defend is upgraded 8.2% of the time and tends to enter the deck around floor 1.

Gain 5 Block.

Upgrade: +3 Block

What Ends Runs with Defend

Runs holding Defend end most often against Kaiser Crab Boss (4.4%), Decimillipede Elite (3.6%), and Test Subject Boss (3.6%) — the share of its runs each accounts for is shown.

• Kaiser Crab Boss4.4% of runs
• Decimillipede Elite3.6% of runs
• Test Subject Boss3.6% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss3.5% of runs
• Vantom Boss3.3% of runs

See Also

Keep exploring Slay the Spire 2 tier lists and stats below.