Slay the Spire 2 The Fool arrives with Blitz and Dread

The Slay the Spire 2 The Fool update hits the beta branch with a bow-wielding character, Blitz and Dread modes, balance changes and how to opt in.

FireGhost

November 13, 2026, 09:10 PM5 min read

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The Slay the Spire 2 The Fool update is now on the beta branch. Mega Crit's v0.113.0 beta patch notes on Steam add The Fool, the first new character of Early Access, plus two new modes called Blitz and Dread.

The notes went live on the evening of November 12, and Mega Crit calls it the biggest beta patch yet. The game launched in Early Access on Steam on March 5, 2026. It is a good example of how Early Access games grow, much like Lightyear Frontier's 1.0 launch showed.

What kind of character is The Fool in Slay the Spire 2?

Mega Crit describes The Fool as a silly musician who wields a bow. PCGamesN's hands-on with The Fool notes that he brings the roster to six characters. His starting relic, the Song Bow, grants 6 Aim at the start of every combat.

Aim makes your next Arrow hit harder. Arrows are a limited resource. They Impale the enemy they hit, and you usually need to hit that target a few more times to get the Arrow back. Many cards also trigger Melodies called Wah, Cho or Ki, and other cards get stronger based on which Melodies are active that turn.

Mega Crit expects to make many content and balance changes before The Fool reaches the main branch. So treat him as a work in progress for now.

The Fool drawing his bow in Slay the Spire 2 — The Fool, the new Slay the Spire 2 character (Source: Mega Crit / Steam)

Beta patch v0.113.0 at a glance

New character: The Fool, a bow-wielding musician
Blitz mode: a fast, chaotic, map-free deckbuilding mode
Dread mode: the ultimate challenge after Ascension 10 on every character
Rest sites: can now appear one floor earlier in every act
New events: Waterfall of Obvious Secrets, Wuppy in Trouble, Museum of Torture, Shrine of the Warlord and Thermae Nonupeipe
New card: the Colorless card My Shinies

What do Blitz and Dread modes offer?

Blitz is short and chaotic. The map is gone, the Merchant's wares feel a bit off, and Gold no longer matters. It has 5 Ascension levels shared across all characters. You unlock it by completing an Ascension run of any difficulty.

Dread goes the other way. It is built for players who have reached Ascension 10 on every character, including the new one. All Ascension modifiers are on. Bosses are stronger and buff every enemy in their Act, and curses pile up as you climb. In Mega Crit's words, death is expected.

A character playing cards against a group of monsters in Slay the Spire 2 — A card battle in Slay the Spire 2 (Source: Mega Crit / Steam)

What changed in the balance pass?

The patch also touches the existing cast. Ironclad's Expect a Fight now gives 15 Block and makes Attacks in your hand cost 1 less Energy until played. Silent's Expertise and Memento Mori were both reworked. The Colorless card Salvo drops from 12 to 10 damage.

Some enemies changed too. Axebot now has a fixed 70 HP, and Infested Prism uses a new attack pattern. Neow's Dowsing Rod relic was buffed, while the Brilliant Scarf was nerfed.

Indie studios do not always have such a smooth ride on Steam, though. We recently reported on a launch delayed by Steam's review backlog.

What does it mean for players?

To try The Fool now, you need the beta branch. Right-click the game in your Steam library, open Properties, go to Game Versions & Betas and choose public-beta. The main branch has been updated with everything from the previous beta, v0.111.0.

Expect bugs and frequent balance tweaks, since the beta is for testing. On the wider Steam side, Steam achievement sets are now live for everyone. If you play on Steam Deck, the new Steam Deck FPS data on store pages is also worth a look.

Frequently asked questions

How do I play The Fool in Slay the Spire 2?

The Fool is on the beta branch for now. Right-click Slay the Spire 2 in your Steam library, go to Properties, then Game Versions & Betas, and pick public-beta.

How do you unlock Blitz mode in Slay the Spire 2?

Blitz unlocks after you complete an Ascension run of any difficulty. It has no map, Gold no longer matters, and it has 5 Ascension levels shared across all characters.

Who is Dread mode for?

Dread is for players who have reached Ascension 10 on every character, including The Fool. All Ascension modifiers are on, bosses are stronger and curses pile up.