Each Ascension Level in Slay the Spire 2 and tips for beating most levels

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Last Updated On: Mar 13, 2026 6:10 pm CET

For those of you playing through Slay the Spire 2, beating the standard run gives you access to more challenging unlocks and features. Each character you play can award players with more cards, relics, and potions by simply playing those classes. When you manage to win on a difficulty and then further Ascension modes, you will then unlock more rewards. All in all, it’s well worth doing. Though, what is the cost of running Ascension levels, as they are harder? Here’s everything you need to know about Ascension levels in Slay the Spire 2.

How to unlock Ascension Levels in Slay the Spire 2

As it stands, Ascension levels can climb to ten, with different perks for each challenge:

Ascension 1: Swarming Elites – Elites spawn more often Ascension 2: Weary Traveler – Ancients only heal 80% of your missing HP Ascension 3: Poverty – Enemies and treasure chests drop 25% less gold Ascension 4: Tight Belt – Start each run with one less potion slot Ascension 5: Ascender’s Bane – Start each run cursed Ascension 6: Gloom – Less rest sites Ascension 7: Scarcity – Rare and upgraded cards appear less often Ascension 8: Tough Enemies – All enemies are harder to kill Ascension 9: Deadly Enemies – All enemies have deadlier attacks Ascension 10: Double Boss – Fight two bosses at the end of Act 3

Ascension levels can also be unlocked in the co-op mode. However, there are differences between single and coop Ascension requirements. Any Ascension levels you’ve earned during your single-player adventures don’t carry over to the co-op mode. Singleplayer has a different calibre of challenge to it, since you’re reliant on your build only.

Yet, co-op is slightly more open for players to try out. Ascension levels aren’t tied to specific characters in co-op. It means you can give different characters a go, with different friends, and try to beat the ascension level as and when needed. It still seems based on what the host has unlocked, though, in the right order, so keep that in mind. As long as you clear that level, you should progress up that coop ascensions tree.

Ascension level tips

Each one makes the game progressively harder to beat. So, that’s why you will want to have a god-tier build or character, alongside letting RNG help your run by giving you good cards, relics, and making the most out of what you have. It’s also why unlocking more potions, relics, and cards is very important for those challenges.

Some are much easier than others. For example, Elites spawning more often is bad for HP management, but there are also relics that help with Elite fights. For example, there’s a rare relic that grants 2 Strength at the start of Elite combats, and Booming Conch (an Ancient relic) draws 2 additional cards at the start of Elite battles. Plus, more Elites mean better rarity cards for your deck. So, again, these can actually swing in your favour if you build more defense to compensate for more Elites you meet along the way.

Tight Belt Ascension level might not be too bad either. Some builds are not that bothered about potions. So, just make sure to use them more often, as you will get a few potions anywhere on the way to the Act Boss. Just save your favourites for those clutch moments and use the odd one here and there anyway.

Others, like Gloom, can be dealt with by healing when entering ? rooms, for example, shop rooms, and other more defensive builds again.

The real hard part is Ascension Level 8 onwards, where bosses and enemies are harder to kill, and they are more threatening, which is where you really have to figure out how to min-max each turn and your deck, and know when RNGesus has not gifted you good hands.

So, make sure to at least clear Ascensions 1 and then 2 on each character to get the progressive unlocks. That way, you have solid foundations of how each class works, what builds they have, and their clutch key unlocks for relics and potions. When you get them, you’re able to improve and take on these progressively harder challenges.

There’s also the opportunity to do Ascension in coop too. Some builds can be more supportive, such as the Ironclad Vulnerable stacking for dealing with Artefact enemies and boosting ally builds. Ironclad can also grant powers to give allies more block, making a sort of tank build. Necrobinder also gets huge support synergy by giving the pet to allies, helping them tank more damage. Defect is also great for granting Plasma orbs to allies, which grants one energy, so those allies with builds that need more energy can also feed off your support too. All in all, it’s worth a shot.

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