Defend Skill

Is Defend good in Slay the Spire 2?

Defend is a basic Silent 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 5624 recorded runs, decks running it win 14.8% of the time, right in line with the typical deck. It’s a popular draft, appearing in 20.9% of eligible decks. Silent players keep it in 96.4% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 4.7 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Apotheosis — together they post a +43.3% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic History Course, which moves its win rate by +55.0%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 5.9% 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 819 wins, 4722 deaths, and 83 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Lagavulin Matriarch Boss, which closes out 3.8% of its appearances. Read on for Defend’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Silent run.

When to Pick Up Defend

Defend is strongest when it joins the deck in Starting deck, where runs win 14.8% across 5622 runs — one of 1 recorded pickup windows.

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

Ranked by win-rate lift, Defend performs best alongside Apotheosis (+43.3%), Mad Science (+40.7%), and Bad Luck (+36.9%).

Apotheosis+43.3%58 runsMad Science+40.7%216 runsBad Luck+36.9%49 runsBolas+33.6%23 runsWhistle+32.1%23 runsFlanking+31.4%149 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 Silent, where it holds a 14.8% win rate across 5624 runs.

The Silentappears in 96.4% of its runs (5624 tracked)

Best Relics for Defend

Defend pairs best with the relics History Course (+55.0%), Sword of Jade (+53.6%), and Iron Club (+48.8%), ranked by win-rate lift.

History Course+55.0%38 runsSword of Jade+53.6%74 runsIron Club+48.8%71 runsCrossbow+46.2%40 runsFragrant Mushroom+43.5%164 runsJewelry Box+43.3%58 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 5.9% 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 Lagavulin Matriarch Boss (3.8%), Knowledge Demon Boss (3.6%), and Kaiser Crab Boss (3.1%).

• Lagavulin Matriarch Boss3.8% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss3.6% of runs
• Kaiser Crab Boss3.1% of runs
• Phrog Parasite Elite3.0% of runs
• Test Subject Boss2.8% of runs

See Also

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