Ultimate Defend Skill

Is Ultimate Defend good in Slay the Spire 2?

Ultimate Defend is an uncommon Colorless skill in Slay the Spire 2. In combat it resolves as: Gain 11 Block. It’s a dependable, middle-of-the-pack option, landing at C tier in our rankings.

Across 565 recorded runs, decks running it win 32.8% of the time, comfortably clear of the 13.8% average, by 19.0%. It’s a more selective pick, turning up in just 2.7% of decks that could run it. Offer data backs the pick — taken 4.5% of the time it is shown, with 48.9% for runs that took it against 29.4% for runs that did not, a +15.9% pick lift across 45 decided runs. Necrobinder players keep it in 2.5% of their runs, so it’s a familiar sight in those decks. On average it shows up 1.0 times in the decks that take it.

It performs best next to Demesne — together they post a +31.9% swing in win rate. It also has strong chemistry with the relic Mango, which moves its win rate by +27.4%. At 1 energy, it’s upgraded in 13.1% of runs and usually joins the deck around floor 21.

Upgraded, it gains +4 Block, which is why so many decks invest a rest-site upgrade in it. That’s 183 wins, 375 deaths, and 7 abandoned runs with it in the deck. The encounter that most often ends a run carrying it is Kaiser Crab Boss, which closes out 8.0% of its appearances. Read on for Ultimate Defend’s complete synergy, class, and threat breakdown to decide whether it earns a slot in your Colorless run.

Pick or Skip: Ultimate Defend

Out of 1033 recorded offers Ultimate Defend is taken 4.5% of the time, and taking it is worth +15.9% in pick lift — 48.9% for runs that picked it against 29.4% for runs that skipped, across 45 decided runs.

Taken 46 times out of 1033 offers.

Pick rate when offered counts offers, not runs: out of every time the game put this in front of a player, how often it was taken. It is not the same number as the share of runs that end up containing it.

Pick lift is the sample-adjusted gap between runs that took the option and runs that passed on it. It is the fair way to rank choices, because raw win rates put the smallest samples on top.

When to Pick Up Ultimate Defend

Ultimate Defend is strongest when it joins the deck in Act 3, where runs win 73.9% across 24 runs — one of 3 recorded pickup windows.

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

Best Cards to Pair with Ultimate Defend

Ranked by win-rate lift, Ultimate Defend performs best alongside Demesne (+31.9%), Friendship (+28.6%), and Doubt (+23.8%).

Demesne+31.9%26 runsFriendship+28.6%23 runsDoubt+23.8%17 runsMaster of Strategy+20.1%18 runsMad Science+19.8%59 runsBorrowed Time+18.3%17 runs

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

Ultimate Defend Win Rate by Class

Ultimate Defend is played across 5 classes, led by Necrobinder (40.7%), Regent (40.0%), and Silent (33.3%) by win rate.

The Necrobinder40.7%92 runsThe Regent40.0%65 runsThe Silent33.3%144 runsThe Ironclad29.7%158 runsThe Defect24.5%102 runs

Best Relics for Ultimate Defend

Ultimate Defend pairs best with the relics Mango (+27.4%), Fragrant Mushroom (+25.6%), and Jeweled Mask (+25.3%), ranked by win-rate lift.

Mango+27.4%23 runsFragrant Mushroom+25.6%36 runsJeweled Mask+25.3%18 runsSword of Jade+25.3%18 runsRazor Tooth+25.1%27 runsForgotten Soul+25.1%25 runs

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

Ultimate Defend Card Details

Ultimate Defend is an uncommon skill costing 1 energy; it’s upgraded in 13.1% of runs and usually picked up by floor 21.

Gain 11 Block.

Upgrade: +4 Block

What Ends Runs with Ultimate Defend

Ultimate Defend’s most common run-enders are Kaiser Crab Boss (8.0%), Knowledge Demon Boss (7.4%), and Test Subject Boss (6.0%).

• Kaiser Crab Boss8.0% of runs
• Knowledge Demon Boss7.4% of runs
• Test Subject Boss6.0% of runs
• Queen Boss5.8% of runs
• The Insatiable Boss4.6% of runs

See Also

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