Defend•Skill

Is Defend good in Slay the Spire 2?

Defend is a basic Regent 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 662 recorded runs, decks running it win 16.8% of the time, trailing the 18.9% average by 2.2%. It’s a popular draft, appearing in 17.5% of eligible decks. Regent players keep it in 96.9% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 3.8 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Mad Science — together they post a +29.1% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Sai, which moves its win rate by +34.2%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 4.8% 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 79 wins, 392 deaths, and 191 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Phrog Parasite Elite, which closes out 3.9% of its appearances. Read on for Defend’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Regent run.

Best Cards to Pair with Defend

Ranked by win-rate lift, Defend performs best alongside Mad Science (+29.1%), Sword Sage (+26.3%), and Void Form (+20.8%).

Mad Science+29.1%22 runsSword Sage+26.3%43 runsVoid Form+20.8%48 runsThe Smith+19.3%42 runsApotheosis+19.2%3 runsCatastrophe+19.2%3 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 Regent, where it holds a 16.8% win rate across 662 runs.

The Regentappears in 96.9% of its runs (662 tracked)

Best Relics for Defend

Defend pairs best with the relics Sai (+34.2%), Mr. Struggles (+28.9%), and Miniature Cannon (+28.8%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Sai+34.2%9 runsMr. Struggles+28.9%9 runsMiniature Cannon+28.8%22 runsAnchor+28.5%62 runsFencing Manual+28.4%39 runsLooming Fruit+27.7%5 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 4.8% 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 Phrog Parasite Elite (3.9%), Decimillipede Elite (3.3%), and Knowledge Demon Boss (3.0%).

• Phrog Parasite Elite3.9% of runs
• Decimillipede Elite3.3% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss3.0% of runs
• Vantom Boss2.9% of runs
• Infested Prisms Elite2.7% of runs

See Also

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