Lightning Rod•Skill

Is Lightning Rod good in Slay the Spire 2?

Lightning Rod is a common Defect skill in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Gain 4 Block. At the start of the next, Channel 1 Lightning. It currently underperforms most alternatives, sitting at F tier in our Slay the Spire 2 card rankings.

Across 220 recorded runs, decks running it win 19.9% of the time, right in line with the typical deck. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 5.8% of decks that could run it. Defect players keep it in 37.0% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.4 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Prolong — together they post a +21.2% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Sword of Jade, which moves its win rate by +26.7%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 28.6% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 12.

Upgraded, it gains +3 Block, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 39 wins, 157 deaths, and 24 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Queen Boss, which closes out 10.0% of its appearances. Read on for Lightning Rod’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Defect run.

Best Cards to Pair with Lightning Rod

Ranked by win-rate lift, Lightning Rod performs best alongside Prolong (+21.2%), Production (+20.0%), and Fasten (+18.9%).

Prolong+21.2%7 runsProduction+20.0%6 runsFasten+18.9%8 runsHologram+17.6%62 runsFTL+17.3%38 runsFlak Cannon+16.9%9 runs

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

Lightning Rod Win Rate by Class

Lightning Rod is played across 4 classes, led by Defect (20.1%), Silent (0.0%), and Necrobinder (0.0%) by win rate.

The Defect20.1%216 runsThe Silent0.0%2 runsThe Necrobinder0.0%1 runsThe Ironclad0.0%1 runs

Best Relics for Lightning Rod

Lightning Rod pairs best with the relics Sword of Jade (+26.7%), Anchor??? (+24.5%), and Joss Paper (+23.8%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Sword of Jade+26.7%5 runsAnchor???+24.5%8 runsJoss Paper+23.8%8 runsPrayer Wheel+21.7%14 runsLucky Fysh+21.0%13 runsVenerable Tea Set???+20.0%6 runs

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

Lightning Rod Card Details

Lightning Rod is a common skill costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 28.6% of runs and usually picked up by floor 12.

Gain 4 Block. At the start of the next, Channel 1 Lightning.

Upgrade: +3 Block

What Ends Runs with Lightning Rod

Lightning Rod’s most common run-enders are Queen Boss (10.0%), Kaiser Crab Boss (6.4%), and Knowledge Demon Boss (4.5%).

• Queen Boss10.0% of runs
• Kaiser Crab Boss6.4% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss4.5% of runs
• Test Subject Boss4.1% of runs
• The Insatiable Boss3.2% of runs

See Also

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