If you want to unlock the full playable roster in Slay the Spire 2 as fast as possible, you can do it in a short sequence without needing full clears.
This route focuses on quick progression so you can test every character early and decide who to main.
Spoiler Warning
This walkthrough reveals the quantity and names of the currently available playable characters.
How to Unlock All Characters in Slay the Spire 2
- Start a run with The Ironclad.
- Pause and click Give Up. This unlocks The Silent.
- Start a run with The Silent.
- Pause and click Give Up. This unlocks The Regent.
- Start a run with The Regent.
- Pause and click Give Up. This unlocks The Necrobinder.
- Start a run with The Necrobinder.
- Pause and click Give Up. This unlocks The Defect.
Why Unlock Everyone Early?
Unlocking the full roster right away gives you two big advantages:
- You learn the game faster by seeing different combat economies and deck patterns.
- You avoid overcommitting to one style before you understand what fits your decision-making best.
In practice, this means fewer “I only know one character” dead ends and a much smoother learning curve during your first week.
Character Overview and What Each One Teaches
The Ironclad
Ironclad is the most direct place to start: straightforward combat lines, clear damage/block decisions, and strong fundamentals training.
Use Ironclad to learn:
- Basic pathing discipline (when to fight elites versus recover)
- Efficient damage timing
- How to avoid overfilling your deck with low-impact cards
The Silent
Silent rewards cleaner sequencing and better card-flow decisions. If you like flexible turns and tactical planning, this is usually where the game starts to “click.”
Use Silent to learn:
- Tempo turns versus setup turns
- Card quality over card quantity
- Better target focus in messy fights
The Regent
Regent introduces a different resource rhythm centered around star-based spell usage, so turn planning matters even more.
Use Regent to learn:
- Resource banking versus spending
- Multi-turn setup for high-value turns
- When to hold options instead of forcing immediate plays
The Necrobinder
Necrobinder adds summon-style management to your turns, including playing around companion/summon value over time.
Use Necrobinder to learn:
- Board-state awareness
- Long-fight scaling choices
- Value sequencing under pressure
The Defect
Defect is ideal once you want deeper engine play. Orb-focused lines can be extremely strong, but they punish sloppy sequencing.
Use Defect to learn:
- Engine building
- Energy and draw planning
- Converting setup turns into stable late-fight control
Fast Progression Plan After Unlocking
Once all characters are open, use this short practice cycle:
- Play one serious run with each character (no instant give-up).
- On each run, track one weakness that caused your loss.
- Replay your two favorite characters and fix that one weakness only.
This keeps improvement focused and prevents random “new build every run” noise.
Common Mistakes Right After Unlocking
- Swapping characters every run without finishing fights to learn patterns.
- Drafting for “cool combos” too early instead of taking reliable cards.
- Overfighting elites before your deck has enough immediate damage.
- Ignoring deck cleanup (removing weak starters when possible).
Quick Notes
- This is a fast unlock route intended for immediate roster access.
- If the unlock sequence appears delayed, return to menu and start the next run from there.
- Because Slay the Spire 2 is in Early Access, progression behavior can be adjusted in future updates.
Thanks to WooK for sharing this guide!
You might also want to read the following Slay the Spire 2 guides:
