Defect Card Tier List
Complete tier list for all Defect cards in Slay the Spire 2. This guide ranks cards from S-tier (must-pick) to C-tier (situational), helping you build winning Lightning, Frost, and Dark Orb decks.
Defect Archetypes
Lightning Orbs
Stack Focus and channel Lightning Orbs for passive AoE damage.
Frost Orbs
Channel Frost Orbs for passive block generation.
Dark Orbs
Dark Orbs scale damage over time for massive burst.
S-Tier: Must-Pick Cards
Echo Form
Play first card each turn twice. Game-winning power.
Spinner
Generates energy and orbs. Incredible value.
Defragment
Gain 1 Focus permanently. Essential for all orb builds.
Supercritical
Massive Focus gain. Scales orbs exponentially.
Glacier
Channel 2 Frost Orbs. Best defensive card.
Skim
Draw 3-4 cards for 1 energy. Incredible card draw.
Double Energy
Gain 2 energy. Enables explosive turns.
Modded
Gain energy at turn start. Permanent energy scaling.
Genetic Algorithm
Block that increases permanently. Infinite scaling.
A-Tier: Excellent Cards
Hologram
Glasswork
Chill
Compact
Buffer
Coolant
Machine Learning
Shatter
Rainbow
Consuming Shadow
Multi-Cast
Signal Boost
Reboot
B-Tier: Solid Cards
C-Tier: Situational Cards
Defect Deck Building Tips
Do's
- ✓ Prioritize Focus scaling (Defragment, Supercritical)
- ✓ Take card draw early (Skim, Coolheaded)
- ✓ Mix orb types for versatility
- ✓ Upgrade Defragment first
- ✓ Channel multiple orbs per turn
Don'ts
- ✗ Don't ignore Focus - it's essential
- ✗ Don't take too many expensive cards
- ✗ Don't rely on one orb type only
- ✗ Don't skip defensive orbs (Frost)
- ✗ Don't bloat your deck