Card Tier List

21:45 Every published Slay the Spire 2 tier list puts the Silent at the top of the characters, but the lists disagree below her, and their card rankings often contradict each other. PCGamesN's character tier list (updated Apr 28, 2026) reads Silent S, Defect and Necrobinder A, Regent B, Ironclad C; Pocket Tactics' (updated Oct 5, 2026) reads Silent S, Defect A, Ironclad and Regent B, Necrobinder C. For cards, PCGamesN's per-character lists (Apr 7 and 8, 2026) and Mobalytics' card tier list (updated Aug 12, 2026) put Body Slam, Demon Form, Graveblast and Crash Landing at opposite ends. This page does not make its own list: it reports the published ones, each with its date and the patch it reflects. The game is in Steam Early Access and Mega Crit patches card numbers often, so check a list's date against Patches and Updates.

Quick facts

Character tier lists

The two character tier lists agree on the top and split on the bottom. PCGamesN's Christian Vaz ranks the main branch "as of April 17", when Major Update #1 arrived, and calls the Silent "undoubtedly the best character in STS 2 right now" for her Sly cards; Pocket Tactics' Connor Christie also gives her S, saying Sly makes discard builds as strong as Shiv and Poison.

They disagree most on the Necrobinder. PCGamesN rates her A and calls her Souls archetype very strong, though it finds Doom weaker than the Silent's Poison. Pocket Tactics puts her last because Doom resolves after your turn ends rather than before enemies attack, which it says makes Elites and bosses hard to survive.

They also disagree on the Ironclad. PCGamesN put him at the bottom in April because "everyone else has gotten stronger", while noting that beta buffs could lift him the next month. Pocket Tactics calls him "firmly decent" with a low ceiling that may struggle by double-digit Ascension.

Easiest is a different question from strongest. Game Rant and TheGamer call the Ironclad the easiest to learn (Game Rant, Mar 10, 2026; TheGamer, Mar 9, 2026), while Kotaku names the Necrobinder easiest (Mar 18, 2026) and PC Gamer's Evan Lahti calls her "particularly new-player-friendly" (Sep 18, 2026). Game Rant ranks the Regent hardest. See Characters.

Players spread their runs almost evenly. Mega Crit's May 2026 Neowsletter charted each character's share of all runs, Ironclad 24%, Silent 22%, Defect 19%, Regent 18%, Necrobinder 17%; that measures popularity, not strength, and Mega Crit has published no win rate per character.

How the card lists differ

The card lists were made on different patches. PCGamesN's per-character tier lists were last updated on Apr 7 and 8, 2026, before Major Update #1 (v0.103.2, Apr 17, 2026) reached the main branch. Mobalytics' list, curated with JapaneseExport, was updated on Aug 12, 2026, on main branch v0.107.1. Pocket Tactics' best cards for each character (Jun 29, 2026) is a short list of picks, not a full ranking.

0:52 They also judge differently. Mobalytics' methodology says "the more flexible a card is, the higher we'll rate it", counting both the base and upgraded card, and leaves multiplayer cards out of the class lists. PCGamesN ranks cards partly by how well they serve their archetype, so a build-defining card such as Body Slam scores high there.

1:46 Patches have moved cards between the lists' dates. Mega Crit moved the Silent's Acrobatics from Common to Uncommon in the v0.103.0 beta because it was "completely dominating both win rates and pick rates", reworked Blade of Ink and the Necrobinder's Borrowed Time in v0.102.0, and added the Ironclad's Not Yet in v0.103.0; all reached main on Apr 17, 2026, after PCGamesN's card lists. JapaneseExport's Regent video is titled "From D to S tier without buffs - why Crash Landing is insane now": lists move as players learn, not only when cards change.

In the tables below, "Best cards" marks a card on Pocket Tactics' Jun 29, 2026 list. Each character's full card text is on its cards page.

Ironclad cards

Sources: PCGamesN, Mobalytics, Pocket Tactics, read Oct 26, 2026. Every card: Ironclad Cards.

1:17:39 Demon Form is the Ironclad's most disputed card. PCGamesN ranks it S and Pocket Tactics names it among his best cards, but Mobalytics puts it in C, and PC Gamer's Harvey Randall wrote on May 15, 2026 that Demon Form "now just isn't very good" because chances to play a three-Energy Power are rare. Body Slam and Barricade split the same way: S for PCGamesN, C and D for Mobalytics, whose guide author JapaneseExport says the Ironclad lacks the Weak to make Barricade work and calls Bloodletting "probably the most single most important card in ironclads kit".

Silent cards

Sources: PCGamesN, Mobalytics, Pocket Tactics, read Oct 26, 2026. Every card: Silent Cards.

34:17 The Silent's lists agree on her draw engine and split on her Powers. Adrenaline, Calculated Gamble, Well-Laid Plans, Footwork and Piercing Wail are S in both; Randall's Ascension 10 guide says of Adrenaline "see it, pick it" (Jun 12, 2026). Speedster, Master Planner, Serpent Form and Burst are S for PCGamesN but C or D for Mobalytics, and Randall calls Serpent Form "way too costly at Ascension 10" without Energy relics. Blade of Ink rose from B to S between the lists, after its v0.102.0 rework into Inky Shivs.

Defect cards

Sources: PCGamesN, Mobalytics, Pocket Tactics, read Oct 26, 2026. Every card: Defect Cards.

1:29:01 Defragment is the one Defect card every list backs. Pocket Tactics wants two, upgraded, and PCGamesN's guide calls it the best Focus card. The lists split over Hologram, Double Energy and Voltaic (S for PCGamesN, B or C for Mobalytics) and over Shatter, Null and Overclock (S for Mobalytics). PCGamesN noted that the Defect had "barely changed since launch" by April.

Regent cards

Sources: PCGamesN, Mobalytics, Pocket Tactics, read Oct 26, 2026. Every card: Regent Cards.

24:53 The Regent's lists disagree the most. Three cards PCGamesN ranked D in April, Pillar of Creation, Spectrum Shift and Crash Landing, are S for Mobalytics in August; JapaneseExport's guide calls Spectrum Shift "The best of the best" and Big Bang "In contention for strongest card in the game". Pocket Tactics calls CHARGE!! "one of the best Slay the Spire 2 cards by some distance" and lists Heavenly Drill as strong with 4 or more Energy but divisive.

Necrobinder cards

Sources: PCGamesN, Mobalytics, Pocket Tactics, read Oct 26, 2026. Every card: Necrobinder Cards.

0:11 The Necrobinder's Souls cards flipped between the lists. PCGamesN's S tier is built on Souls (Graveblast, Soul Storm, Seance), which Mobalytics ranks C and D, while Mobalytics' S tier holds Call of the Void and Danse Macabre, PCGamesN's D. Mobalytics' author JapaneseExport tied his Necrobinder ranking to the Act 3 boss Aeonglass in a video titled "How Aeonglass changes EVERYTHING"; Aeonglass replaced the Doormaker in the v0.105.0 beta (May 8, 2026) and on the main branch with Major Update #2 (Jun 19, 2026), two months after PCGamesN's list. Dirge and Neurosurge are the cards all three back.

Colorless and multiplayer cards

Pocket Tactics names six colorless cards. Its Jun 29, 2026 list picks Automation, Scrawl, Production, Panic Button, Equilibrium and Stratagem as the colorless cards that suit any deck. Every colorless card is on Colorless Cards.

Mobalytics ranks co-op cards on their own list. Its multiplayer tier puts Knockdown, Flanking, Beacon of Hope, Rally, Glimpse Beyond, Energy Surge and Huddle Up in S and Tank alone in D. See Multiplayer Cards.

Using a tier list

Writers who play at Ascension 10 warn against picking by tier alone. Randall's Silent guide says Ascension 10 "isn't about getting the perfect synergy, it's about plugging leaks", and GamesRadar+'s Austin Wood, on PC Gamer's panel, says "Archetypes are often a lie in Slay 2". Kotaku points beginners to Mobalytics' card tier list and to Baalorlord, Frost Prime and Jorbs as expert players to learn from. More advice is on Deck-Building Strategy and each character's guide, such as the Silent Guide.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best character in Slay the Spire 2? Both published Slay the Spire 2 character tier lists put the Silent in S tier: PCGamesN (Apr 28, 2026) and Pocket Tactics (Oct 5, 2026). Both put the Defect second, in A.

What is the worst character in Slay the Spire 2? The lists disagree. PCGamesN's Slay the Spire 2 tier list (Apr 28, 2026) puts the Ironclad last, in C, while Pocket Tactics' (Oct 5, 2026) puts the Necrobinder last, in C and the Ironclad in B.

What is the best card in Slay the Spire 2? No list names one card for all of Slay the Spire 2. Mobalytics' guide author JapaneseExport calls the Regent's Big Bang "In contention for strongest card in the game", and Pocket Tactics calls CHARGE!! "one of the best Slay the Spire 2 cards by some distance".

Is Demon Form good in Slay the Spire 2? Opinions split on Demon Form in Slay the Spire 2: PCGamesN ranks it S and Pocket Tactics lists it among the Ironclad's best cards, but Mobalytics ranks it C and PC Gamer's Harvey Randall says it "now just isn't very good".

Which Slay the Spire 2 tier list is most up to date? As of Oct 26, 2026, the newest Slay the Spire 2 lists are Pocket Tactics' character tier list (Oct 5, 2026) and Mobalytics' card tier list (Aug 12, 2026); PCGamesN's card lists date from Apr 7 and 8, 2026, before Major Update #1.

Which character has the highest win rate in Slay the Spire 2? Mega Crit has not published a win rate per character for Slay the Spire 2. Its May 2026 Neowsletter gave a 25% win rate overall and each character's share of runs, from the Ironclad's 24% to the Necrobinder's 17%.

Sources

• Slay the Spire 2 character tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 28, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Ironclad guide - strategy, builds, and tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 8, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Silent guide - strategy, builds, and tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 8, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Defect guide - strategy, builds, and tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 7, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Regent guide - strategy, builds, and tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 8, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Necrobinder guide - strategy, builds, and tier list, PCGamesN (Christian Vaz), updated Apr 7, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 tier list - the best characters ranked, Pocket Tactics (Connor Christie), updated Oct 5, 2026
• The best Slay the Spire 2 cards for each character, Pocket Tactics (Connor Christie), updated Jun 29, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Card Tier List, Mobalytics (with JapaneseExport), updated Aug 12, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Ironclad Guide and Overview, Mobalytics (JapaneseExport), updated Sep 7, 2026
• Slay the Spire 2 Regent Guide and Overview, Mobalytics (JapaneseExport), updated Jun 17, 2026
• After close to 140 hours with it, I think Slay the Spire 2 feels more like a sequel than a DLC, PC Gamer (Harvey Randall), May 15, 2026
• Best Silent cards and builds in Slay the Spire 2, PC Gamer (Harvey Randall), Jun 12, 2026
• After 894 hours in Slay the Spire 2, these are our 12 strongest opinions, PC Gamer (Evan Lahti, Harvey Randall, Austin Wood), Sep 18, 2026
• The Hardest Playable Characters In Slay The Spire 2, Ranked, Game Rant (Marc Santos), Mar 10, 2026
• 8 Beginner Tips And Tricks For Slay The Spire 2, TheGamer (Collin MacGregor), Mar 9, 2026
• A Slay The Spire 2 Guide For Getting Better And Surviving Your First Full Run, Kotaku (Lewis Parker), Mar 18, 2026
• The Neowsletter - May 2026, Mega Crit, May 23, 2026
• Beta Patch Notes - v0.102.0, Mega Crit, Apr 3, 2026
• Beta Patch Notes - v0.103.0, Mega Crit, Apr 10, 2026
• Beta Patch Notes - v0.105.0, Mega Crit, May 8, 2026
• From D to S tier without buffs - why Crash Landing is insane now | Spire 2 Regent Tier List, JapaneseExport, May 1, 2026 (video)
• How Aeonglass changes EVERYTHING | Spire 2 Necrobinder Tier List, JapaneseExport, Jul 9, 2026 (video)
• How to Win with the Silent | Slay the Spire 2, Caleb Gannon Gaming, Apr 15, 2026 (video)
• Every Silent Card in Slay the Spire 2! (Tier List), Baalorlord, Apr 22, 2026 (video)
• Every Ironclad Card in Slay the Spire 2! (Tier List), Baalorlord, May 26, 2026 (video)
• Every Defect Card in Slay the Spire 2! (Tier List), Baalorlord, Apr 12, 2026 (video)