Defy•Skill

Is Defy good in Slay the Spire 2?

Defy is a common Necrobinder skill in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Gain 6 Block. Apply 1 Weak. It currently underperforms most alternatives, sitting at D tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 28 recorded runs, decks running it win 7.4% of the time, trailing the 12.6% average by 5.2%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 5.4% of decks that could run it. Necrobinder players keep it in 16.3% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.3 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Afterlife — together they post a +59.3% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Oddly Smooth Stone, which moves its win rate by +59.3%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 17.1% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 7.

Upgraded, it gains +3 Block, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 2 wins, 25 deaths, and 1 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Infested Prisms Elite, which closes out 10.7% of its appearances. Read on for Defy’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Necrobinder run.

Best Cards to Pair with Defy

Ranked by win-rate lift, Defy performs best alongside Afterlife (+59.3%), Blight Strike (+25.9%), and Severance (+25.9%).

Afterlife+59.3%3 runsBlight Strike+25.9%3 runsSeverance+25.9%3 runsHaunt+21.2%7 runsFetch+17.6%4 runsCountdown+17.6%4 runs

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

Defy Win Rate by Class

Defy is drafted only by the Necrobinder, where it holds a 7.4% win rate across 28 runs.

The Necrobinderappears in 16.3% of its runs (28 tracked)

Best Relics for Defy

Defy pairs best with the relics Oddly Smooth Stone (+59.3%), Strike Dummy (+59.3%), and Bag of Preparation (+25.9%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Oddly Smooth Stone+59.3%3 runsStrike Dummy+59.3%3 runsBag of Preparation+25.9%3 runsBlood Vial+25.9%3 runsBound Phylactery+0.3%27 runsCentennial Puzzle-7.4%3 runs

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

Defy Card Details

Defy is a common skill costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 17.1% of runs and usually picked up by floor 7.

Gain 6 Block. Apply 1 Weak.

Upgrade: +3 Block

What Ends Runs with Defy

Defy’s most common run-enders are Infested Prisms Elite (10.7%), Entomancer Elite (7.1%), and Terror Eel Elite (7.1%).

• Infested Prisms Elite10.7% of runs
• Entomancer Elite7.1% of runs
• Terror Eel Elite7.1% of runs
• Vantom Boss7.1% of runs
• Phantasmal Gardeners Elite7.1% of runs

See Also

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