Defect Card Tier List
More balanced and better-designed than in Spire 1. Frost + temporary focus is the strongest plan; with no Act 4 pressure, setup is much easier. Defect wants small decks, draw consistency, and orb scaling. Temp focus from Hot Fix, Focus Strike, and Synchronize loops in your second deck cycle for massive value. Considered the second or third strongest character overall. Orb slots + focus are multiplicative — more slots means exponentially more passive damage and block.
Core Engine & Scaling
13 cards
S-tier cards form Defect's frost/focus engine. The strategy is simple: channel frost orbs, gain focus (temporary or permanent), and let passive orb damage and block outscale every encounter. Orb slot cards multiply the value of every focus point.
Innate.Gain 10 Block.Exhaust.
0-cost innate 10 block, exhaust. Don't trade HP for setup — slam this in Act 1 for free safety every fight. Enables safe setup on turn 1 when you need to play powers or channel orbs.
Gain 2 Orb Slots.
+2 orb slots. S tier because it's multiplicative with focus. More orb slots = exponentially more value from every focus point. One Capacitor with Hot Fix is often stronger than Defragment alone.
Channel 1 Frost for each enemy.Exhaust.
0-cost channel 1 frost per enemy, exhaust. Upgrade removes exhaust. In multi-enemy fights = block a million HP. AoE block generation at Common rarity is absurd value.
Channel 1 Frost.Draw 1 card.
1 energy channel frost + draw 1 (draw 2 upgraded). The core frost card for consistency. Frost + draw in one card means it never falls off. Less punished than in Spire 1 for playing early.
Channel 1 Dark.Trigger the passive ability of all Dark Orbs.
1 energy channel 1 dark orb, trigger all dark orb passives. Insane single-target scaling for boss fights. Upgrade triggers passives twice. Solves endgame damage entirely with dark orb stacking.
Gain 1 Focus.
+1 focus (+2 upgraded). Made Rare in Spire 2, making it harder to find. But one Defragment is enough to outscale most encounters. The king of permanent focus — only permanent source besides potions.
Gain 1 Block.Permanently increase this card's Block by 3.Exhaust.
Gain block that permanently increases by 3 every fight. By late game it reads 'cannot take damage.' Combos incredibly with Echo Form to double the permanent scaling. S tier for long-run consistency.
Gain 6 Block.Channel 2 Frost.
2 energy for 6 block + channel 2 frost. Nerfed by 1 block from Spire 1 — nobody cares. Still the premium defensive card. Two frost orbs provide ongoing block every turn.
Gain 2 Focus this turn.Exhaust.
0-cost +2 focus (3 upgraded). The best temp focus card at Common rarity — absurdly strong tempo play. Loop in your second deck cycle with draw consistency. Don't need draw order since orbs are already deployed.
Gain 1 Orb Slot.Draw 1 card. Increase this card's cost by 1.
0-cost +1 orb slot, draw 1, +1 cost to self. Free orb slot that replaces itself in hand. No downside first play. S tier — always take it when offered.
Gain 2 Focus this turn for each unique Orb you have.Exhaust.
1 energy gain 2 temp focus per unique orb type, exhaust (upgrade: doesn't exhaust). Can hit 4-8 focus in diverse orb builds. With frost + dark + lightning + glass = 8 focus per play. Makes orbs block everything.
Ethereal. The first card you play each turn is played an extra time.
3 energy: first card each turn is played twice. Still THE best card in the class. Double powers for permanent scaling. Double frost for double block. Double everything. Carries scaling fights entirely.
Gain 4.Exhaust.
Rare: 0 energy gain 4 energy, exhaust. Massive burst acceleration for setup turns. Play powers and frost in a single turn. Premium energy that costs nothing but a card slot.
Strong Performers
15 cards
A-tier cards provide excellent value through damage, defense, or utility. They complement the frost/focus engine with additional scaling options, energy generation, or AoE solutions. Many are strong early game picks that remain relevant throughout the run.
Deal 5 damage for each Channeled Orb.
1 energy deal 5 damage per orb channeled (buffed from 4). Scales well with orb slot builds. As fights get longer and temp focus fills your orb bar, Barrage becomes a boss killer.
Prevent the next time you would lose HP.
2 energy prevent next HP loss. Less critical without Heart's 67 damage turn, but still blocks Act 1 statue (27 damage). Excellent survivability power.
Gain 7 Block.Next turn, gain.
7 block, gain 1 energy next turn. Premium block at Common rarity. Stops hallway chip damage. The delayed energy helps setup turns. Never falls off.
Deal 6 damage.Channel 1 Frost.
1 energy deal 6 damage + channel 1 frost. Deal 6 now, block 2 for the rest of the fight. Solid dual-purpose Common that's always worth playing.
Deal 5 damage.If you have played fewer than 3 cards this turn, draw 1 card.
0 energy deal 5 damage, draw 1 if fewer than 3 cards played. Solid tempo card. Don't double it with Echo Form — double something better. Good for early turns.
Gain 5 Block.Channel 1 Glass.
1 energy gain 5 block + channel 1 glass orb. Glass is a new orb type for AoE damage. Evoked glass deals massive AoE. Decent scaling option for multi-enemy encounters.
At the end of your turn, if you have Frost, deal 6 damage to ALL enemies.
1 energy: end of turn, if you have a frost orb, deal 6 to all enemies. Condition is always met in frost builds. 6 AoE from turn 1 with zero effort.
Gain 3 Block.Put a card from your Discard Pile into your Hand.Exhaust.
3 block + retrieve a card from discard pile. Pull Boot Sequence, powers, Turbo, or Go for the Eyes. Flexible utility that adapts to any situation.
Deal 19 damage.Channel 3 Frost.
3 energy deal 19 damage + channel 3 frost. Early game slam for big damage. Three frost orbs provide ongoing block. Solid for both offense and defense.
At the start of your turn, trigger the passive ability of your rightmost Orb.
Start of turn trigger rightmost orb passive. Temp focus isn't active at start of turn, so output is slightly lower. One Loop is enough. Top of A tier for dark orb combos.
At the start of your turn, draw 1 additional card.
1 energy draw +1 card per turn. Line up Hot Fix and other temp focus cards more consistently. Draw engine power that smooths every turn.
Deal 10 damage.Apply 2 Weak.Channel 1 Dark.
2 energy deal 10, apply 2 Weak + channel 1 dark orb. Weakness is good for damage prevention. Dark orb kills bosses. Multi-purpose card.
Evoke your rightmost Orb 4 times.
Ancient: trigger rightmost orb passive 4 times. Insane with dark orbs for burst damage. Block 20+ with frost orbs. One of the strongest Ancient boons.
Deal 11 damage to ALL enemies.Evoke all of your Orbs.
1 energy deal 11 to all, evoke all orbs. Evoke frost for burst block + glass for AoE damage. Depends on focus level but incredibly powerful with setup.
Deal 24 damage.If this kills an enemy, gain.
Deal 24 damage, gain 3 energy if enemy dies. Pseudo-AoE through kill + energy refund. Kill one enemy and use the refunded energy on the next. Great Act 1 pickup.
Viable Support
18 cards
B-tier cards have clear niches or serve as Act 1 bridges. They aren't core to the frost/focus strategy but can provide value in specific situations or deck configurations.
Deal 18 damage.Add a 0 copy of this card into your Discard Pile.
2 energy deal 18 damage, add a 0-cost copy to discard. Slow boss scaling but big early numbers. The 0-cost copy provides ongoing value.
Deal 7 damage.Channel 1 Lightning.
1 energy deal 7 + channel 1 lightning. Worse than Spire 1 since there's less rush damage needed. Hallways don't kill as hard. Low A or B.
Lose 1 Orb Slot.Gain 2 Strength.Gain 2 Dexterity.
2 energy: -1 orb slot, +2 strength, +2 dexterity. Reprogram rework. Losing an orb slot is negligible or sometimes positive. Early game stat boost.
Gain 6 Block.Transform all Status cards in your Hand into Fuel.
1 energy 6 block, transform a status card into Fuel (energy/draw). Status cards exist in the game. Top of B for status management.
Deal 7 damage.Draw 1 card for each unique Orb you have.
1 energy deal 7, draw 1 per unique orb type. With glass orbs now available, drawing 3-4 is more realistic.
At the start of your turn, add a random Power into your Hand.
3 energy: add a random power each turn. Boss scaling that solo-solves long fights. More time to setup in Spire 2 makes this more viable. Top of A in some metas.
Gain 13 Block.Add 2 Wounds into your Discard Pile.
1 energy 13 block + add 2 Wounds to discard. Power Through from Ironclad. Status package enabler. Care about redrawing Wounds later.
Deal 26 damage to ALL enemies.Lose 3 Focus.
Deal 26 to all, lose 3 focus. Better in Spire 2 since more fights are killed by it outright. Skip if you can — it breaks boss fights if your focus can't recover.
The first time you draw a Status card each turn, draw 2 cards.
1 energy: first status drawn this turn, draw 2 extra. Works with Fight Through and Turbo. Status generation enabler.
Gain 9 Block.
1 energy 9 block. Big number for a simple card. Full block in hallway fights. Top B for pure defense.
Gain 4 Block.At the start of the next 2 turns, Channel 1 Lightning.
1 energy 4 block + channel 1 lightning. Slow block with passive damage. Lightning for chip damage over time.
Deal 24 damage.Channel 3 Plasma.
5 energy deal 24 + channel 3 plasma. Unplayable for a long time, but when you can play it, the plasma orbs generate massive energy. Less necessary than Spire 1. Top B.
Deal 10 damage.Reduce this card's cost to 0.
1 energy deal 10, reduce cost to 0. Loopable 0-cost damage card after first play. Decent for builds that need repeatable damage.
Shuffle ALL your cards into your Draw Pile.Draw 4 cards.Exhaust.
0 energy shuffle discard into draw, draw 4, exhaust. Don't play if you want Echo Form — it pushes it further away. Can reset a bad hand. Bottom B.
Deal 13 damage.Draw 1 card.When a Status card is created, reduce this card's cost to 0 until played.
2 energy deal 13 + draw 1. Costs 0 when a status is created. With Turbo combo for free damage + draw. Can contribute to infinite loops.
The next Power you play is played an additional time.Exhaust.
Next power you play is played twice, exhaust. Situational but insanely powerful with Echo Form, Defragment, or Creative AI.
Whenever you play a Power, gain.
When you play a power, gain 1 energy. Cheats energy for power-heavy turns. No Heat Sinks equivalent but still valuable. Top B.
Deal 6 damage to ALL enemies.Draw 1 card.
1 energy deal 6 to all + draw 1. Weak AoE in Spire 1 but AoE is more needed now. Damage + draw is always welcome.
Situational Picks
15 cards
C-tier cards are generally skippable. They belong to weaker archetypes (zero-cost spam, status package) or have conditions too clunky to reliably trigger. Only take these in desperation or very specific builds.
Deal 10 damage.Put ALL 0 cards from your Discard Pile into your Hand.
2 energy: retrieve all 0-cost cards from discard. The 'zero-cost paradox' — you need 0-cost cards in your discard BEFORE playing this. Draw order dependent and requires heavy deck building commitment.
Gain 4 Focus.At the start of your turn, lose 1 Focus.
Ancient: +4 focus, -1 focus per turn. Temp focus is already plentiful from Hot Fix and Synchronize. No Artifact to negate the downside. Trade boss relic if this is offered.
Channel 1 random Orb.
1 energy channel 1 random orb. Random is bad — you want specific orbs. Could channel 2 orbs instead for the same energy.
Channel 2 Dark.At the end of your turn, Evoke your leftmost Orb.
2 energy channel 2 dark, evoke leftmost orb. Eats your existing orbs. Weird anti-synergy with orb-stacking strategies.
Exhaust ALL your Status cards.Deal 8 damage to a random enemy for each card Exhausted.
Exhaust all status cards, deal 8 per exhausted. Need a bridge card for status generation. Turbo alone isn't enough. Too many setup pieces needed.
Channel 1 Plasma.
1 energy channel 1 plasma. Recursion is gone and Recycle is nerfed. Less potential for infinite energy loops.
Evoke your rightmost Orb X times.
X energy: evoke rightmost orb X times. Less mega dark orb potential. ChemX helps but the card is situational.
Draw 2 cards.Add a Burn into your Discard Pile.
0 energy draw 2, add Burn to discard. Burns brick future turns. Need Hot Fix consistency to offset the downside.
Channel 1 Lightning.Channel 1 Frost.Channel 1 Dark.Exhaust.
2 energy channel 1 lightning + 1 frost + 1 dark, exhaust. Jack of all trades, master of none. Triggers Synchronize well but expensive.
Deal 9 damage twice.Channel 2 Glass.
3 energy deal 9x2 + channel 2 glass. Clunky cost for mediocre output. Bottom of C.
Exhaust a card.Next turn, gain.
1 energy exhaust, gain +2 energy next turn. Worse than Recycle. Delayed energy is often too slow when you need it now.
Deal 7 damage.Draw 4 cards.Discard all cards drawn this way that do not cost 0.
Deal 7 + draw 4, discard non-zero-cost cards. Can discard Defragment or Echo Form. The zero-cost paradox strikes again.
Whenever you create a Status, deal 5 damage to ALL enemies.
When you create a status card, deal 5 to all. How do you reliably generate status cards in your deck? Too conditional.
At the start of your turn, Channel 1 Glass.
1 energy: start of turn channel 1 glass orb. Delayed AoE that builds over time. Top of C for glass orb builds.
Whenever you play a Power, Channel 1 Lightning.
When you play a power, channel 1 lightning. No Heat Sinks equivalent for card draw. Lightning alone isn't enough scaling.
Generally Avoid
4 cards
D-tier cards provide negligible value or actively harm your deck. Skip these unless you have literally no other option.
Deal 3 damage.Increase the damage of ALL Claw cards by 2 this combat.
Deal 3 damage, +2 to all Claws played. The eternal meme card. Desperation pick only — the damage scaling is too slow and requires too many copies to function.
The first time you play a0 Attack each turn,return it to your Hand.
2 energy: first 0-cost attack played returns to hand. Echo Form except bad — only works with 0-cost attacks. Too narrow to build around.
Deal 4 damage 3 times.Add a Slimed into your Discard Pile.
Deal 4 damage 3x, add Slime to draw pile. Status bridge card with embarrassingly low damage numbers. D tier.
Deal 7 damage to a random enemy twice.
Deal 7 damage 2x to random enemies. Inconsistent with random targeting. When you need AoE, you need it to hit everything reliably.
Defect Card Strategy Notes
- 1Frost-first: Best block engine in the game. Evoke frost orbs for burst block when needed. Each frost orb blocks for focus value passively — with 4-5 focus and 4 slots, you passively block 16-20 per turn.
- 2Temp focus: Hot Fix (0-cost +2 focus, Common!), Focus Strike, and Synchronize provide massive temporary focus. Loop them in your second deck cycle for value that exceeds permanent focus.
- 3Orb slots: Capacitor and Modded synergize multiplicatively with focus. More slots = more passive damage/block. One Capacitor can be worth more than a Defragment.
- 4Echo Form remains the best card: First card each turn plays twice. Double your powers, double your frost, double everything.
- 5Glass orbs: New orb type providing AoE damage. They tick down if not evoked, giving consistent spread damage. Good option for multi-enemy encounters.
- 6Avoid: Zero-cost spam (All for One) unless very committed — the 'zero-cost paradox' means you need 0-cost cards before playing All for One. Status package (Fight Through, Turbo) is harder to enter in Spire 2.
- 7Dark orbs solve single-target damage: Loop, Quadcast, and Darkness provide massive boss kill potential. Don't need infinite when orbs outscale everything.
Defect Guide
Character overview and strategies
Full Tier List
Character and build rankings
All Card Tier Lists
Card rankings for every character
Card Database
Browse all cards with effects and stats