STS2 Builds

The last soldier of the Ironclads. In STS2, the dominant strategy is Exhaust/Infinite — assembling Corruption + Dark Embrace + Bloodletting to go infinite. Vulnerable is the new damage-scaling archetype replacing the old Strength builds.

A Spireborn Lich who commands Osty, a skeletal companion that absorbs all incoming damage. At 66 HP the most fragile character in the game, but compensates with Doom stacking (instant-kill threshold), Soul cycling draw engines, and the strongest overall damage ceiling in STS2.

The cosmic prince and one of the strongest characters in STS2. Stars persist between turns with no cap, enabling massive scaling. Sovereign Blade gains permanent damage through Forging. Hardest character to pilot but has the highest ceiling in the game.

An assassin from the Foglands. The Sly discard mechanic makes Silent arguably the strongest character in STS2 — cards play for free when discarded, enabling explosive combo turns. Also supports Poison and Shiv builds, though Sly outperforms both.

An awakened automaton of unknown origin. Channels Orbs — Lightning, Frost, Dark, and Plasma — amplified by Focus scaling. The least changed character from the original game, offering reliable mechanical depth through Orb management and zero-cost card spam. JapaneseExport notes Defect's orb system excels in fights that allow setup time, and the current game doesn't punish slow setup enough — making Defect feel slightly too strong.