Slay the Spire 2 is out in Early Access, and the indie roguelike deckbuilder is topping the charts across Steam. Whether you’re a returning veteran, or a newcomer to the franchise, the game offers a number of characters to make sure everyone can find a playstyle of their liking. So here are all the characters in Slay the Spire 2 and how you can unlock them.
Every character in Slay the Spire 2 explained
Ever since the first teaser of Slay the Spire 2 went out, the return of Ironclad and Silent was confirmed. But in a move adored by the community, Mega Crit also brought back the robotic construct, Defect, from Slay the Spire 1. Joining them on this adventure up the spire are two new characters, Regent and Necrobinder.
The Ironclad
| Starting Relic | Burning Blood |
| Starting Cards | Strike x5 Defend x4 Bash |
| Starting Health | 80 |
| Unlock Requirements | None |
The Ironclad, as the game’s first character, serves as the perfect entryway to introduce all the mechanics of the game, while giving some leeway to make mistakes. His starting relic, Burning Blood, heals him for 6 HP after every combat victory, meaning even after taking a few hits, you can emerge from fights virtually unscathed.
Combine that with his high damage output and strength-scaling cards (like Inflame), and Ironclad quickly becomes the favorite of anyone who wants to see their hits deal ludicrous amounts of damage.
The Silent
| Starting Relic | Ring of the Snake |
| Starting Cards | Strike x5 Defend x5 Neutralise Survivor |
| Starting Health | 70 |
| Unlock Requirements | Play a run as The Ironclad |
After your first run as the Ironclad (even an unsuccessful one), you’ll receive a few Epochs, story cards that serve as the game’s unlock system while revealing lore about each character and the Spire itself. One of these Epochs unlocks The Silent.
Unlike Ironclad, who thrives on heavy single hits, The Silent prefers death by a thousand cuts, whether through a volley of shivs or a neverending barrage of poison clouds. Her playstyle revolves around staying alive while landing numerous smaller hits. She can feel limited early on, but once her synergies start forming, she becomes unstoppable.
The Regent
| Starting Relic | Divine Right |
| Starting Cards | Strike x4 Defend x4 Falling Star Venerate |
| Starting Health | 75 |
| Unlock Requirements | Play a run as The Silent |
The king-to-be from outer space, Regent is a cerebral character, requiring management of two different sources of “energy” from the get go. Unlocked after completing a run as The Silent, Regent’s star economy sets him apart from the rest. Stars, unlike energy, do not get removed at the end of a turn, but also do not refresh back to a maximum after every turn.
Many players find Regent initially challenging, but his playstyle better emerges a couple of runs in, once you have a handle on stars and energy. Sitting between Silent and Ironclad, the Regent can both spam cards for a series of small hits, or charge up over multiple turns for a devastating strike.
The Necrobinder
| Starting Relic | Bound Phylactery |
| Starting Cards | Strike x4 Defend x4 Bodyguard Unleash |
| Starting Health | 66 |
| Unlock Requirements | Play a run as The Regent |
Necrobinder dramatically shakes up the Slay the Spire formula. Where traditionally only Bosses and Elites brought minions to battle, the Necrobinder arrives with her own partner, Osty. Stack enough summons and Osty can tank all incoming damage, leaving you free to attack freely. Prefer a different approach? Ignore Osty entirely and lean into Necrobinder’s Soul cards, which can be created and destroyed through various methods to devastating effect.
The Defect
| Starting Relic | Cracked Core |
| Starting Cards | Strike x4 Defend x4 Zap Dualcast |
| Starting Health | 75 |
| Unlock Requirements | Play a run as The Necrobinder |
When the Defect was finally revealed to be returning to the Spire, the entire playerbase of StS1 cheered on. And that’s for good reason. In the original game, the Defect was possibly the most enjoyable character in the game. Whether it be through orbs, claws, or powers, The Defect’s ability to spam cards till it outscales the opponent is second to none.
And the devs have given the robot another avenue of play. Borrowing a trick from Ironclad’s playbook, The Defect now also gets Status card-synergies as part of his card pool. That makes him one of the most versatile characters in the game. The Defect is the final character of Slay the Spire 2, and players can unlock him by completing a run as The Necrobinder.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I unlock a character in Slay the Spire 2?
To unlock any character in Slay the Spire 2, all you have to do is play a run as the previous character on the select screen. A run can be as simple as selecting the character, then immediately pressing escape and selecting “Give Up”.
Which character should I start with?
The Ironclad is the recommended starting character, he’s available from the beginning, forgiving of mistakes, and a great way to learn the game’s core mechanics before branching out.
Which character is the best in Slay the Spire 2 Multiplayer?
The choice of characters depends on the playstyle of the player. If you like spamming cards then The Silent and The Regent will serve you well. While for scaling hits The Ironclad remains the strongest. Additionally, each character can unlock a number of multiplayer specific cards that affect all players for added synnergy.
