Should I upgrade Tempest in Slay the Spire 2?

Compare the upgraded text: Channel X+1 Lightning.. If the upgrade lowers cost, adds damage/block, or enables a combo piece, it is usually high priority.

What builds use Tempest?

Tempest appears in 2 tracked builds: Storm Conductor (S-tier, core card), Overcharge Detonation (A-tier, core card).

What character uses Tempest?

Tempest is tagged as a Defect card. See the Defect build hub for archetypes that care about it.

Updated for Data 2026-03-17Early Access — numbers may shift with patches.

Tempest

Defect · Skill · Uncommon · X cost

Base

Upgraded

Card text

Channel X Lightning.

Tempest+

Channel X+1 Lightning.

Builds that use Tempest

Archetypes that draft this card in real runs, with the role it plays.

Keywords

Channel Lightning

Build context

See the Defect build hub for archetypes that feature this card in real runs.

Related cards

Tempest FAQ

Should I upgrade Tempest in Slay the Spire 2?: Compare the upgraded text: Channel X+1 Lightning.. If the upgrade lowers cost, adds damage/block, or enables a combo piece, it is usually high priority.
What builds use Tempest?: Tempest appears in 2 tracked builds: Storm Conductor (S-tier, core card), Overcharge Detonation (A-tier, core card).
What character uses Tempest?: Tempest is tagged as a Defect card. See the Defect build hub for archetypes that care about it.

Patch history

SpireForge snapshots card text from Untapped exports dated 2026-03-17. When Mega Crit ships a balance patch, we re-run the scraper and refresh every affected URL—see /patches for the editorial log.