Defect tier list
Defect Card Tier List
Every Defect card we grade, S–D, plus shared Colorless options. Filter by type, rarity or search the reasoning — hover any card for the why.
Updated for Early Access patch 0.104.0· Updated 2026-06-06
See these cards in action in our Defect build guides, or browse every card in the card database.
S
ClawClaw · Tier S0-cost and self-upgrading, multiple Claws become a near-free escalating burst engine.
Consuming ShadowConsuming Shadow · Tier SChannels 2 Dark and auto-Evokes your leftmost orb each turn, fueling the scaling Dark deck.Creative AICreative AICreative AI · Tier SGenerates a free Power every turn, snowballing the Power-heavy orb engine.
GlacierGlacier · Tier SBlock plus 2 Frost is the defensive bedrock of every Frost-orb stall plan.
ShatterShatter · Tier S11 AoE plus Evoke-everything is the explosive payoff for a charged orb board.
Sovereign BladeSovereign Blade · Tier SThe Retain token weapon the whole Forge archetype scales — every Forge point feeds its damage.
StormStorm · Tier SChannels Lightning on every Power play, the core engine of the Lightning-orb deck.A
Biased CognitionBiased Cognition · Tier A+4 Focus instantly supercharges every orb, the strongest single Focus spike available.
CapacitorCapacitor · Tier A+2 Orb Slots widens the whole board, increasing every orb payoff at once.
CoolantCoolant · Tier A2 Block per unique orb each turn is excellent scaling defense for a wide board.
DarknessDarkness · Tier AChannels Dark and triggers all Dark passives, ramping the Dark-orb plan fast.
DefragmentDefragment · Tier APermanent +1 Focus is the cleanest orb-scaling card in the deck.
DualcastDualcast · Tier AEvokes your rightmost orb twice cheaply, doubling Frost block or Lightning burst.
Echo FormEcho Form · Tier ADoubles your first card each turn, multiplying any high-value orb or attack play.
LoopLoop · Tier ATriggers your rightmost orb's passive each turn for free, a strong recurring engine.
Multi-CastMulti-Cast · Tier AScales Evokes with energy for a huge single-turn orb payoff.
RainbowRainbow · Tier AChannels all three orb types at once, ideal for hybrid Focus payoffs.
SubroutineSubroutine · Tier ARefunds energy on every Power, enabling explosive Power-heavy turns.
Tesla CoilTesla Coil · Tier ATriggers all Lightning for cheap, a fantastic Lightning payoff that costs near nothing.
ThunderThunder · Tier A6 bonus AoE per Lightning Evoke turns the Lightning board into a board-wipe.
VoltaicVoltaic · Tier ADoubles all Lightning channeled this combat, an enormous mid-fight power spike.B
Adaptive Strike
All for One
ApotheosisApotheosis · Tier BUpgrades your entire deck — a game-defining payoff when you can afford the Innate cost.
Ball Lightning
Barrage
Beam Cell
Boot Sequence
Chaos
Charge Battery
Chill
Cold Snap
Compile Driver
Coolheaded
Dark Shackles
Equilibrium
Eternal Armor
Feeding Frenzy
Feral
Finesse
Fisticuffs
Flash of Steel
Focused Strike
FTL
Fusion
Go for the Eyes
Gold Axe
Hailstorm
Ice Lance
Jack of All Trades
Leap
Lightning RodMachine LearningMachine Learning
Master of Strategy
Minion Dive Bomb
Minion Sacrifice
Minion Strike
Modded
Null
Panache
Prowess
Quadcast
Reboot
RendRend · Tier BScales with unique debuffs, rewarding multi-debuff decks with big single hits.
Restlessness
Scrape
Shadow Shield
ShockwaveShockwave · Tier BMass Weak and Vulnerable buys a turn and primes a board for AoE.
Signal Boost
Skim
Soul
Squash
Synchronize
Synthesis
Tempest
Thinking Ahead
Ultimate Defend
White Noise
Zap
D
Boost AwayBoost Away · Tier DCheap Block that hands you a Dazed status — the deck-pollution rarely justifies the small wall.
Bulk UpBulk Up · Tier DTrading an Orb Slot for Strength/Dexterity fights the orb engine the entire class is built around.
Gunk UpGunk Up · Tier DSelf-adds a Slimed status for little damage, polluting your draw for no real payoff.
Meteor StrikeMeteor Strike · Tier DA 5-cost bomb that almost never gets cast on curve; far too expensive for its payoff.
TURBOTURBO · Tier DAdds a Void to your deck for 2 energy — the Void status cancels energy gains and clogs draws.How we grade: These are editorial S–D opinions grounded in card text and the archetypes our builds run — never scraped win-rates. S/A are our hero and core picks, B are flexible includes, C/D are weaker or trap options. Hover a thumbnail for the reasoning.
122 cards not yet rated this patch.
S-tier
Best Defect cards
The Defect cards we rate S — the hero and most-used picks that define the character's strongest decks.
- Claw — 0-cost and self-upgrading, multiple Claws become a near-free escalating burst engine.
- Consuming Shadow — Channels 2 Dark and auto-Evokes your leftmost orb each turn, fueling the scaling Dark deck.
- Creative AI — Generates a free Power every turn, snowballing the Power-heavy orb engine.
- Glacier — Block plus 2 Frost is the defensive bedrock of every Frost-orb stall plan.
- Shatter — 11 AoE plus Evoke-everything is the explosive payoff for a charged orb board.
- Sovereign Blade — The Retain token weapon the whole Forge archetype scales — every Forge point feeds its damage.
- Storm — Channels Lightning on every Power play, the core engine of the Lightning-orb deck.
D-tier
Defect cards to avoid
Trap cards that look tempting but dilute your deck or fight against the Defect's win conditions.
- Boost Away — Cheap Block that hands you a Dazed status — the deck-pollution rarely justifies the small wall.
- Bulk Up — Trading an Orb Slot for Strength/Dexterity fights the orb engine the entire class is built around.
- Gunk Up — Self-adds a Slimed status for little damage, polluting your draw for no real payoff.
- Meteor Strike — A 5-cost bomb that almost never gets cast on curve; far too expensive for its payoff.
- TURBO — Adds a Void to your deck for 2 energy — the Void status cancels energy gains and clogs draws.