How to Unlock All Characters in Slay The Spire 2

Players who experienced the first game will already know and love its characters.

But with this update, players now have access to two brand new characters: The Regent and The Necrobinder. The Watcher is currently missing, though she may return in future updates.

But that doesn’t mean the original characters are being ignored! Each class now has new relics to discover and experiment with. Let’s check out the updated list and figure out the fastest way to unlock everything!

The Ironclad

The Ironclad was the first character in Slay the Spire, and that hasn’t changed. Before you can try out the new characters, you’ll need to play a run with the original warrior.

Ironclad is known as the easiest character to learn in the game, but don’t expect to win right away. Even someone experienced with the first game, like me – I finished most of Act 20 – still struggled on their initial attempt. It’s good to know the challenge remains!

The Ironclad still plays much the same way, but now has some exciting new options to work with.

Good news! You don’t need to finish a level to unlock new characters – just play your best and see how far you can get. This is true for all characters in the game.

The Silent

Once you complete your initial playthrough of Ironclad, you’ll gain access to Neow as a starting character for all future runs, in addition to The Silent.

I’ve always found Silent a bit harder to master than the other characters. She starts with less health, and to really make her work, you need to build specific card combos, especially with Poison and Shiv decks. But honestly, I’m so excited about the new “Sly” keyword! It’s making discard-focused decks – which are Silent’s specialty – way more powerful and a lot easier to build, which is awesome.

However, playing as The Silent won’t necessarily be simpler. It demands more strategy and planning than playing as The Ironclad.

The Regent

Actually, there’s no bug to report! After just one playthrough with the Silent character, you’ll unlock The Regent, our first brand-new playable character.

The Regent stands out because it adds a new type of energy to the game. You’ll still use regular energy to play cards, but the Regent also gains special blue star energy. Certain cards require star energy, and others need a combination of both, so it’s crucial to keep your energy levels full.

It’s not just about one new thing either! I’m really excited about the forging mechanic. When I play my first Forge card, I get the Sovereign Blade added to my hand. Then, throughout the run, I can keep upgrading it, making it stronger and stronger. It stays with me until I’m ready to unleash it and just wipe out everything in my path – one massive swing at a time!

The Regent character can be tricky to master. You’ll always need to track two different energy types and ensure you have enough to play your cards. Successfully balancing these energies is essential for playing effectively!

The Necrobinder

After you complete your initial playthrough with The Regent, you’ll gain access to my favorite new character, The Necrobinder.

The Necrobinder, similar to the Regent, introduces some fresh gameplay features. You’ll now be able to summon a bone-hand companion named Osty, who will fight alongside you and absorb damage! Use the new Summon keyword to enhance Osty, letting them handle the tough stuff while you focus on strategy.

Okay, so they’ve added a new keyword called Doom, and it’s really cool! Basically, you apply ‘Doom’ stacks to your opponent, and if their health drops to the number of Doom stacks they have, they just… vanish! It’s a bit like how Silent’s Poison works, dealing damage over time, but this is instant death, which is a huge difference and honestly, pretty awesome.

Playing the Necrobinder is awesome because I get to stack all sorts of nasty effects on enemies – things like Doom, Weakness, and making them super vulnerable. Then, I unleash a huge burst of damage! What I really love is that there are tons of different ways to build her, so every playthrough feels fresh and exciting.

The Defect

So, you thought you were done with the Defect? Think again! After completing a run with the Necrobinder, you’ll unlock an upgraded version of the Defect – this automaton has received some serious improvements!

The Defect still focuses on dealing damage with its orbs, but now has some exciting new options. You can use the new Glass Orbs to hit several enemies at once, or build a deck around creating and using Status cards as a power source.

The Defect still feels familiar, but the new cards let you create much more varied and engaging strategies. You’re not forced to focus on just a few key cards anymore. Slay the Spire 2 didn’t need a major overhaul – it simply expanded on what already worked, and that’s perfect!

Random

Currently, the game features five characters you can play as. But after completing a playthrough with the Defect, you’ll unlock a random character selection option.

If you’re having trouble deciding which character to play, the random character selection is a great help. It automatically chooses one for you, letting you jump right into the game. This feature doesn’t change anything else about your playthrough, but it’s a convenient addition.

As a huge fan of Slay the Spire, I’m keeping a close eye on the sequel while it’s still being developed. The developers are still adding things, so we can expect even more cards, relics, and maybe even new characters down the line! Everyone’s hoping The Watcher will come back, but it’s way too early to know if that’ll happen yet.

2026-03-06 14:40