Best Slayers 2 Breathing Styles Tier List (October 2026)

Turns out breathing correctly is a lot more complicated when demons are trying to tear your head off. Check out our Slayers 2 Breathing Styles tier list!

Updated October 6, 2026 (V0.22): V0.2 is the balance pass that changes this ranking. Wind remains my best overall style after Mountain Wind's 30% damage buff and Whirlwind Cutter's new held hyper armor, while Flame stays in S tier with a guardbreaking Flame Undulation release. Stone now leads A tier, Insect rises into A, and Serpent moves to B as stronger alternatives pull ahead. V0.21 and V0.22 add progression and Ouwigahara features without directly rebalancing Breathing kits.

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Wind is still the best Breathing Style in Slayers 2, with Flame completing S tier. Mountain Wind now hits 30% harder in every mode, while held Whirlwind Cutter gains hyper armor on top of Wind's strict-stun and guard-pressure package. Flame remains the safer beginner and farming recommendation because Flame Undulation's release now breaks guard. Stone leads A after a major PvE damage buff, and Insect finally joins A after improvements to damage, block pressure, mobility, stamina use, and its Ultimate.

Slayers 2 Tier List - Best Breathing Styles

S
Wind game image

Wind

Flame game image

Flame

A
Stone game image

Stone

Thunder game image

Thunder

Insect game image

Insect

Water game image

Water

Sound game image

Sound

B
Serpent game image

Serpent

I've ranked every Slayers 2 Breathing Style primarily according to its overall combat performance, taking into account damage, combo potential, mobility, range, crowd control, utility, ease of use, and performance against both regular enemies (PvE) and other players (PvP).

However, it should be noted that a lower-tier Breathing Style isn't necessarily unusable. Slayers 2 has a highly active combat system, and player skill, matchup knowledge, build choices, and how comfortable you are with a particular moveset can make a major difference.

My current assessment puts more weight on landing an attack, damaging guard, and keeping the next opening than on how impressive the full animation looks. Skill cooldowns remain global, every counter shares one cooldown, and V0.2 gives every counter a longer windup. A strict-stun confirm, reliable guardbreak, protected commitment, or repeatable boss rotation carries more weight than theoretical damage that leaves an escape gap.

V0.2 also separates ordinary combat, PvE, and Ranked more sharply. Stone and Thunder receive bonus damage only against NPCs and bosses, while Water's latest nerfs and part of Thunder's Godspeed nerf apply only in Ranked PvP. Ranked also disables automatic out-of-combat health regeneration, adds 20 seconds to every Breathing Ultimate cooldown, and halves refinement bonuses. I account for those rules without pretending they apply to open-world fights or ordinary Arena matches. Firstlight and Nightfall still shape build ceilings, but gear power does not become free credit for the underlying style. For weapon pairings, see our Slayers 2 weapon tier list.

RELATED: Slayers 2 Clans Tier List

Breathing Style Rankings Explained

S: Wind · Flame A: Stone · Thunder · Insect · Water · Sound B: Serpent C: None currently
Breathing StyleEvaluation
SWind Breathing

Combo · Control · Range Variants

Kit:
Mountain Wind, Purifying Claws, Rising Dust Storm, Whirlwind Cutter, Idaten Typhoon.
Best for:
Hybrid; combo-focused PvP and keeping grouped enemies in reach.
Difficulty:
High; spacing, repeat inputs, and tap/hold selection.
Synergy:
Shinazugawa; sword pressure backed by ranged threats and stamina support.
Unlock:
Saneri, on the snowy platform in Iceveil Valley; level 25 and 50 Demon Horns.
  • Wind keeps the number-one spot and comes out of V0.2 even stronger. Mountain Wind (Z) already strict stunned for one second on its first hit and pressured guard well; it now deals 30% more damage in every mode. A confirmed opener hurts enough to matter before the rest of the route even begins.
  • Purifying Claws (X) and Rising Dust Storm (C) remain dependable neutral and extension tools. Their reduced windups and C's faster long-range tornado leave alert opponents less time to dash or sidestep, while the V0.182 block-damage buffs still punish anyone who simply holds guard.
  • Whirlwind Cutter (V) is now safer to commit while held. Hyper armor prevents ordinary hits from interrupting the held version, while its travel, one-second strict stun, and lack of knockback keep the target close for a follow-up. It is protection rather than invulnerability, so reckless trades still cost health.
  • Idaten Typhoon still requires variant awareness. Its close-range version does not continue landing after it breaks guard, while the long-range version can. Ranked also adds 20 seconds to every Breathing Ultimate cooldown, making a missed Typhoon substantially more expensive there.
  • Shinazugawa supplies the highest specialist ceiling, but the base style leads without it. Wind now combines real damage, strict confirms, armor, ranged pressure, and guard damage in one kit. Flame is easier and more forgiving; Wind has the better high-level PvP ceiling once its spacing and tap-or-hold decisions become second nature.
SFlame Breathing

All-Rounder · Burst · Counter

Kit:
Unknowing Fire, Blazing Universe, Flame Undulation, Flame Tiger (tap / hold), Purgatory.
Best for:
Hybrid; Rengoku farming builds and reactive melee PvP.
Difficulty:
Moderate; clear attack roles, counter timing matters.
Synergy:
Rengoku; Flame Katana; confirm-first aggression.
Unlock:
Rengu, on the house beyond Mistfall Village’s long red bridge; level 25 and usually 10 Demon Horns. Read his dialogue first because the requested material can vary.
  • Flame stays S through reliability rather than a damage lottery. Unknowing Fire (Z) retains its 20% windup reduction and correctly dashes down to a slammed target, so vertical knockdowns still convert instead of leaving Flame attacking the air above them.
  • Flame Undulation (C) is a much more serious defensive threat in V0.2. Its release swing now breaks guard, turning a successful defensive read into an immediate opening against players who keep blocking. Every counter has a longer windup now, however, so throwing C out without a read is easier to bait and punish.
  • Held Flame Tiger (V) remains difficult to escape between slashes. The sequence is 50% faster than its launch version, with a much shorter gap before the second slash. It is a dependable punish and combo finisher, although missing the held version still creates more risk than using the tap projectile.
  • Rengoku remains the cleanest specialist pairing. Burn support and offensive stats raise farming and boss damage, while damage-over-time ticks no longer trigger counters. Nightfall Hunt can add 15% damage once an enemy falls below 30% health, making Flame's finishers even better at ending a boss phase or duel.
  • Flame is still the easiest top-tier recommendation, but Wind has the stronger complete pressure game. Blazing Universe covers range, C supplies a counter and guardbreak, and the remaining kit has clear jobs in both PvE and PvP. Pick Flame for consistency and farming comfort; pick Wind for the higher competitive ceiling.
AStone Breathing

Armored Bruiser · Counter · Close Control

Kit:
Volcanic Conquest, Seismic Burst, Upper Smash, Stone Wall, Arcs of Justice.
Best for:
Hybrid; bossing, armored PvP pressure, counters, and melee trades.
Difficulty:
High; counter reads, charge decisions, and target positioning.
Synergy:
Axe and Mace; Himejima for damage reduction and skill-to-M1 pressure.
Unlock:
Gyorei, outside the Stone Sanctuary dojo; level 25, Axe and Mace from the Stone Trainee (15% drop rate), 4 Beast Cores, and 4,000 Wen. Complete six training trials.
  • Stone now leads A because V0.2 fixes its PvE weakness without removing its bruiser identity. Volcanic Conquest (Z), Seismic Burst (X), and Upper Smash (C) deal 30% more damage to NPCs and bosses. Stone is no longer a style I recommend mainly for PvP trades; it now has serious bossing value.
  • Volcanic Conquest also gains hyper armor in every mode. Z can push through ordinary interruption attempts and establish close-range pressure more reliably. The armor does not prevent damage, so challenging a large boss attack or confirmed player combo is still a bad trade.
  • Its existing guard tools remain excellent. Stone Wall's tap variant guardbreaks on the second hit, its held counter punishes committed attacks, and Arcs of Justice carries hyper armor. Longer counter windup and the shared counter timer keep the defensive side from becoming a free panic button.
  • Himejima and Firstlight gear reinforce Stone's intended pace. The Firstlight Top and Bottom each provide 100 Stamina and 5% damage reduction, while the Tier 3 set can create a four-second defensive window below 30% health. Those bonuses reward trading, but the base kit earns A through armor, guard pressure, and the new PvE damage.
  • Range remains the reason Stone stops below S. Seismic Burst and Upper Smash reward landing-position reads, while mobile opponents can force Stone to spend resources entering. My early V0.2 experience puts it above Thunder overall, but their roles differ: Stone is the stronger armored bossing bruiser, while Thunder remains the cleaner chase style.
AThunder Breathing

All-Rounder · Mobility · Burst

Kit:
Thunder Clap & Flash, Lightning Fold, Rice Spirit, Godspeed, Flaming Thunder God.
Best for:
Hybrid; especially duel pressure and chasing openings.
Difficulty:
Moderate; higher ceiling through aim and movement discipline.
Synergy:
Agatsuma; sword pressure and reserved stamina for pursuit or retreat.
Unlock:
Zentaro, on the highest peak above Hidden Mist Village; level 25, 10 Demon Horns, Wall Climb, and Double Jump.
  • Thunder remains near the front of A after receiving a real PvE and mobility upgrade. Thunder Clap and Flash (Z) and Lightning Fold (X) deal 25% more damage to NPCs and bosses, giving Thunder much better practical boss rotations without inflating its player damage.
  • Godspeed (V) is fast again, although not back to its launch excess. Dash speed rises from 50 to 65, which noticeably improves pursuit, whiff punishes, and disengagement. It no longer slips past counters, so experienced opponents can still call out a predictable approach.
  • Ranked places additional brakes on that mobility. Godspeed deals 40% less block damage there and cannot catch anyone during its first 0.2 seconds. Those restrictions make it worse as an instant guard-pressure button without weakening ordinary PvP or PvE Godspeed.
  • Rice Spirit remains a credible bridge rather than strict lockdown. Its faster cast and 1.25-second regular stun support confirmed routes, but it now stops correctly when perfect blocked. Thunder still rewards timing and movement reads more than automatic strings.
  • Agatsuma remains the natural specialist, but Stone narrowly leads A overall. Thunder's chase, burst, and new boss damage are excellent, while Stone offers more armored trading and broader V0.2 PvE buffs. Thunder can look S-tier in clean hands, but Ranked counterplay and normal-stun routes keep it below Wind and Flame.
AInsect Breathing

Fast Melee · Aerial Pressure · Poison Specialist

Kit:
Compound Eye Hexagon, True Flutter, Fluttering Sting, Hundred Legged ZigZag, Illusory Light.
Best for:
Hybrid; close-range combos and Kocho poison builds.
Difficulty:
High; short pursuit bursts, stamina discipline, and revised confirms.
Synergy:
Kocho's reworked Poison Draw bonuses; mobility and cooldown-focused play.
Unlock:
Shinora, on the center building’s roof at Butterfly Estate; level 25, 15 Demon Horns, 3 Beast Cores, and 3,500 Wen.
  • Insect rises to A because V0.2 buffs nearly every part of its practical game plan. Compound Eye Hexagon (Z) scaling increases from 42% to 57%, while Z and Hundred-Legged Zigzag (V) deal 30% more block damage. Insect can now threaten health and guard instead of relying so heavily on poison attrition.
  • Fluttering Sting (C) finally feels closer to the range shown by its movement. It leaps 10% faster and reaches 20% farther, on top of its earlier cooldown reduction to 16 seconds. Those changes improve both neutral catches and farming movement without removing the need to aim.
  • Hundred-Legged Zigzag is much more efficient. It starts chasing one second sooner, has an 18-second cooldown, and drains 2.5% Max Stamina per second instead of 4%. The move can stay active longer without emptying the resource needed to dash or defend afterward.
  • The damage ceiling also rises. Illusory Light gains 25% damage, while Kocho's Poison Draw grants +20% Insect damage, movement and dash bonuses, stronger poison, and cooldown reduction. The base buffs earn A; Kocho pushes the specialist version higher within it.
  • Insect still has punishable entries, which keeps it below Stone and Thunder. Z retains its added windup and no longer has strict stun on the final hit, while V has no cast invincibility. My early V0.2 experience is much better than before, but starting these tools into a prepared opponent remains riskier than confirming them first.
AWater Breathing

All-Rounder · Combo Control · Defensive Approach

Kit:
Surface Slash, Whirl Pool / Basin, Water Wheel (tap / hold), Constant Flux, Dead Calm.
Best for:
Hybrid; especially PvP control, reactive defense, and sustained PvE.
Difficulty:
Moderate; easy access to pressure, higher ceiling through stun routing.
Synergy:
Tomioka for stronger Water stacks and slows; Urokodaki for efficiency; Sabito for mobile sword pressure; Series weapons now retain their effects through Water skills.
Unlock:
Urokodaki, through the underwater passage near Bamboo Grove; level 25, 5,000 Wen, and possibly 30 Demon Horns. His horn requirement can vary, so check the dialogue before farming.
  • Water remains A, but V0.2 makes its Ranked routes less forgiving. Surface Slash (Z) stuns for 0.7 seconds instead of one, Whirl Pool or Basin (X) moves to a 15-second cooldown, Water Wheel (C) drops from 100% to 80% damage scaling, and Constant Flux (V) has 0.3 seconds less stun.
  • Constant Flux also uses hyper armor instead of i-frames in Ranked. It can resist interruption, but it no longer avoids incoming damage. This is a meaningful defensive downgrade in serious PvP and should not be confused with a universal change to Water outside Ranked.
  • Water Wheel's input now behaves more honestly in every mode. Releasing C early immediately frees anyone it caught, closing a sticky interaction that could hold a target after the user stopped committing. Tap still uses regular stun, while the held version continues carrying opponents when completed properly.
  • Surface Slash, Basin, and Tomioka preserve Water's all-round value. Tidal Blood slows targets hit by Water skills by 20% for five seconds, while each Water's Clarity stack adds 5% Water damage. That specialist pairing helps later hits connect even after the base kit's Ranked windows become shorter.
  • Series weapon effects still survive Whirl Pool, Water Wheel, Constant Flux, and Dead Calm. Water remains a strong reactive all-rounder with useful control and PvE uptime, but it now needs cleaner confirms than Stone, Thunder, or newly buffed Insect to justify the same pressure in Ranked.
ASound Breathing

Guardbreak · Control · Group Support

Kit:
Bursting Bloom, Roar, Exploding Beads (long range / close range), Resounding Slashes, String Performance.
Best for:
Hybrid; PvP control and coordinated PvE.
Difficulty:
High; bead timing and knockback management.
Synergy:
Dual cleavers; Uzui's damage mark, wider Enhanced Hearing, improved Musical Score, and poison immunity; deliberate setup play.
Unlock:
Tengai, on the island north of the Iceveil Valley shrine; level 25, 10 Demon Horns, and Wall Climb.
  • Sound remains A because Roar (X) still breaks guards. That direct threat changes the matchup against patient blockers: Sound can turn the defensive read into a real opening instead of slowly shaving guard and hoping the opponent stays put.
  • The old nerfs still prevent an S-tier promotion. Resounding Slashes deals roughly three Block Points per channel instead of around 20 and sits on a 20-second cooldown, Exploding Beads lost most of its guard damage, and X still carries its 15% V0.17 block-damage reduction.
  • Sound's control is strongest when the player plans around Roar. Bursting Bloom can begin pressure, beads influence movement, and the barrage can disengage or reposition a pack. Once opponents respect the guardbreak, those space-control tools become less predictable and easier to land.
  • V0.2 makes the Uzui specialist package safer. Musical Score now dodges a recorded skill for two seconds instead of absorbing its damage, its cooldown falls from 56.25 to 42.19 seconds, and Vital Draw's Muscle Draw lasts 11 seconds instead of six. Those are clan benefits rather than innate Sound mechanics, but they raise the ceiling of the intended pairing.
  • This is still a lower-A specialist, not an autopilot pick. The Ultimate stops converting after it breaks guard, Z keeps its added 0.1-second windup, and poor bead timing can scatter targets away from the next hit. Sound earns A through guard disruption and team utility rather than universal consistency.
BSerpent Breathing

Mobile Duelist · Combo · Single-Target Pressure

Kit:
Serpent Slash, Coil Choke, Venom Fangs, Two-Headed Reptile, Slithering Serpent
Best for:
Hybrid; mobile duels and sustained single-target pressure.
Difficulty:
High; positioning and aerial follow-through.
Synergy:
Iguro for Serpent’s Wrath, Kaburamaru, and Flash Step; Nightfall Serpent Katana for an aggressive damage setup.
Unlock:
Obari, on the cliffs north of Windy Peak; level 25, 5 Beast Cores, and possibly 20 Demon Horns, followed by training and the Serpent Trainee.
  • Serpent moves to B because V0.2 improves most of the competition while leaving its consistency problems untouched. Slithering Serpent (V) still carries the extra 0.25-second windup, making raw casts easier to see, block, or interrupt. The move belongs after a real opening rather than in hopeful neutral fishing.
  • The earlier range and group limitations still matter. Venom Fangs reaches 45 instead of 60, while Coil Choke gives the grabbed target i-frames against everyone except the grabber. That preserves duel value but can actively interrupt allied burst in a group fight.
  • Iguro has lost some PvP-specific value. Its on-death poison is disabled in Arena and Ranked, on top of the movement-speed-factor reduction from 25% to 5%. Serpent's Wrath, Kaburamaru, and Flash Step support the build, but the clan no longer patches every positioning mistake.
  • Nightfall Serpent Katana keeps the specialist ceiling alive. Its +4 Additional Damage and 17% Additional Damage Factor make a clean confirm hurt, but equipment cannot make a telegraphed V safe or restore Venom Fangs' old range.
  • B tier does not mean Serpent is weak. It remains a dangerous mobile duelist in experienced hands, particularly with Iguro and Nightfall Serpent Katana. It simply demands cleaner openings and offers less broad PvE, guard, and defensive value than the newly improved A-tier styles.

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How These Breathing Styles Are Ranked

The comparison assumes access to the core kit and considers both baseline tools and realistic clan builds. Unlock cost does not improve a combat ranking. Difficulty matters when it reduces consistency, but a demanding style can still earn S tier through valuable, usable tools.

  • S Tier: Exceptional overall tools, specialist strength, or build synergy with a clear practical advantage.
  • A Tier: Excellent choices with a narrower strength or a meaningful constraint compared with the leading recommendations.
  • B Tier: Good styles with useful strengths, but less consistent impact or more demanding matchups than the leading picks.
  • C Tier: Usable styles held back by significant consistency problems or stronger alternatives in the same role.

A combo counter alone does not tell you whether an opponent could have escaped. Normal stun, strict stun, blocking, block-dashing, hyper armor, and skills usable while stunned all change which routes hold together. Water Wheel tap uses regular stun, while Wind's Z opener and V each create a one-second strict-stun window. V0.2 then gives Wind more Z damage and held-V armor while shortening Water's Ranked stun windows. That practical difference is more important than comparing ideal training-dummy strings.

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Guard, cooldown, health, and mode rules all matter in the current build. Block regeneration no longer stalls simply because the player is stunned, skill cooldowns are global, all counters share one timer, and counters have longer windups. Ranked disables passive out-of-combat healing, adds 20 seconds to Breathing Ultimates, and counts refinement bonuses at half strength. Firstlight and Nightfall still provide their defensive and offensive identities, but neither erases a bad engage. Guardbreak follow-ups matter more than ever because several Ultimates cannot break guard and then land the rest of their sequence for free.

Hyper armor is resistance to interruption, not invulnerability. Held Whirlwind Cutter and Stone's Z now use hyper armor in every mode, while Insect Z already does. Surface Slash instead has i-frames during its approach, ending as the slash begins, and Insect V still has no cast invincibility. Constant Flux switches from i-frames to hyper armor only under the new Ranked rules. Learn which protection a move actually has before trying to tank a hit with it; the health bar remains an excellent but rather unforgiving testing instrument.

Which Breathing Style Should You Choose?

  • One build for varied content: Wind is my first choice if PvP matters, because its strict-stun routes now sit behind stronger Z damage, held-V armor, heavy block damage, and fast ranged pressure. Flame remains the easier all-rounder for players who value farming and defensive consistency equally.
  • Combo pressure: Wind is the best current option because Z and V both create one-second strict-stun windows, X and C start quickly, and four moves carry increased block damage. Insect now attacks guard much more convincingly with Z and V, while Thunder offers fast normal-stun pressure.
  • Mobile duels: Thunder is the most direct pursuit option now that Godspeed moves at 65 instead of 50. In Ranked, the move cannot catch anyone during its first 0.2 seconds and deals less block damage, so use the speed to punish movement rather than treating V as a free opener.
  • Breaking defensive players: Wind has the best complete pressure package, while Sound is the direct specialist answer now that Roar breaks guards again. Sound still needs more setup and cleaner spacing, so the restored guardbreak raises it to A rather than S.
  • Poison pressure: Insect with Kocho is the specialist route. Poison Draw Mode grants +20% Insect damage, +10% movement speed, +15% dash speed, +10% poison damage, and 5% cooldown reduction. V0.2 adds better base damage, block pressure, leap range, stamina efficiency, and Ultimate damage, so the build no longer depends on poison carrying an otherwise B-tier kit.
  • An approachable PvE game plan: Flame remains the simplest farming recommendation because Z reaches slammed targets, held V completes both slashes quickly, and every attack has a clear job. For dedicated boss damage, Stone deserves serious consideration now that Z, X, and C deal 30% more damage to NPCs and bosses.
  • Reactive defense: Flame and Stone offer counters, although every counter now has a longer windup and shares the global counter timer. Surface Slash still gives Water approach i-frames, while Stone Z and held Wind V can resist interruption with hyper armor.
  • Keeping an existing Water build: Do not reroll solely because Water sits lower within A. Basin, Surface Slash, held Water Wheel, and Tomioka still form an excellent kit. The latest reductions apply specifically to Ranked, where shorter stuns, lower C scaling, and a longer X cooldown demand cleaner confirms.

For bossing, start with repeatable damage windows rather than assuming strict stun works identically on every target. Stone is the biggest V0.2 winner because Z, X, and C deal 30% more damage to NPCs and bosses. Thunder's Z and X gain 25%, while Wind's Z and Insect's damage buffs work in every mode. Flame remains my easiest farming recommendation, but controlled equal-gear boss times between Stone, Flame, Wind, and Kocho Insect still need more testing and remain TBA.

For skill points, unlock the attacks that define your rotation without neglecting stamina, health, and movement. Arena wins award 1,000 mastery alongside scaling EXP and Wen, while Normal Ouwigahara now lets you exchange one token for 5,000 mastery. Those systems improve progression, not a style's combat tier. Exact optimal stat splits remain TBA.

Resetting or swapping your Breathing refunds the skill points invested in that style. Reset Breathing costs 7 Ore or 100 Robux in the Shop, reduced to 80 Robux with Roblox Plus. You still need to meet the new trainer’s requirements and complete that style’s training, and the reset does not refund old materials. Free reset codes occasionally bypass the price, but they expire. Mobile players can also dash while blocking, an important control-parity improvement that does not change the tier order by itself.

RELATED: Ultimate Slayers 2 Tier List

What is the Best Breathing Style in Slayers 2?

Wind is the best Breathing Style in Slayers 2 right now. Z and V provide two practical strict-stun confirms, Z deals 30% more damage after V0.2, and held V now has hyper armor. Z, X, C, and V also retain their higher block damage, while X and C keep their faster startups and C's ranged tornado travels faster. Wind can open guard, catch movement, resist interruption, and preserve its combo routes with fewer comfortable answers than any other current style.

Flame remains the safer all-rounder and my preferred beginner or farming choice. Flame Undulation now converts its successful defensive read into a guardbreak, while the rest of the kit combines damage, range, clear move roles, and strong Rengoku synergy. Stone leads A through armor and new PvE damage, Thunder remains the chase specialist, and Insect rises into A after the broadest buff package in V0.2. Wind has the higher ceiling overall, but Flame will still produce cleaner results for many players.

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How I Ranked the Best Breathing Styles in Slayers 2

There are several factors I consider when ranking Breathing Styles, rather than simply looking for whichever ability produces the biggest damage number. The most important factors are:

  • Damage: Damage you can realistically land during a punish window, including sustained rotations and damage over time.
  • Combo potential: How easily a Breathing Style can start, extend, and finish combos.
  • Mobility: Dashes, gap closers, aerial movement, and other repositioning tools.
  • Range: Whether a style can threaten opponents without constantly fighting at point-blank range.
  • Crowd control: AoE attacks and abilities useful against multiple enemies.
  • Utility: Counters, defensive tools, stuns, knockdowns, and other effects beyond raw damage.
  • PvE performance: How efficiently the style deals with regular enemies, quests, and bosses.
  • PvP performance: How well the moveset performs against players who can block, dodge, punish, and escape predictable attacks.
  • Consistency: Startup, tracking, hitboxes, recovery, and whether a skilled opponent can escape before the next hit.
  • Resource efficiency: Cooldown downtime and stamina left for movement or defense after a rotation.
  • Build synergy: Clan tools and weapon follow-ups that improve the style in a practical build, with clan effects kept separate from innate Breathing mechanics.

RELATED: Slayers 2 Blood Demon Arts Tier List

Slayers 2 Breathing Styles FAQ

What is the best Breathing Style in Slayers 2?

Wind remains my best overall Breathing Style, with Flame beside it in S tier. V0.2 gives Mountain Wind 30% more damage and held Whirlwind Cutter hyper armor, strengthening a kit that already had strict-stun confirms, ranged pressure, and high block damage. Flame is the easier all-rounder, while Stone now leads A tier.

How many Breathing Styles are there in Slayers 2?

Slayers 2 currently has eight Breathing Styles: Thunder, Sound, Serpent, Insect, Flame, Stone, Wind, and Water. All eight are ranked in this guide.

Can you change your Breathing Style in Slayers 2?

Yes. Resetting or swapping your Breathing now refunds the skill points invested in that style, and points lost before the fix should return the next time you join. Reset Breathing costs 7 Ore or 100 Robux in the Shop, reduced to 80 Robux with Roblox Plus. You must still meet the new trainer’s requirements and complete that style’s training.

How do you unlock Breathing Styles in Slayers 2?

Reach level 25, find your chosen trainer, bring the required materials, and complete the training questline. Stone also requires the Axe and Mace. Mastery and skill points unlock more of your moveset afterward, and some ultimate skills require a scroll.

Are original Project Slayers tier lists accurate for Slayers 2?

No. Slayers 2 reworks combat and Breathing abilities, so the original game’s rankings, combo routes, and unlock requirements do not reliably carry over. Evaluate the sequel’s current kit and matchups.

Does your clan affect which Breathing Style you should use?

Yes. Rengoku supports Flame, Shinazugawa supports Wind, and Tomioka strengthens Water through Tidal Blood and Water’s Clarity. Kocho now pushes the buffed Insect kit considerably higher, while Uzui complements Sound with its damage mark, wider Enhanced Hearing, and improved Musical Score. Clan synergy raises a build’s ceiling, but it does not replace the base style’s weaknesses.

What is the best Breathing Style for PvP in Slayers 2?

Wind remains my PvP pick. It combines two strict-stun routes, increased block damage across four moves, faster X and C pressure, 30% more Z damage, and hyper armor on held V. Flame is the safer alternative, while Stone offers the strongest armored bruiser approach.

What is the best Breathing Style for PvE and farming?

Flame remains my easiest farming recommendation because its reliable movement, range, and finishers work without player-only stun behavior. Stone is now the most important dedicated bossing candidate because Z, X, and C deal 30% more damage to NPCs and bosses. Thunder’s Z and X gain 25%, while Insect also receives major general damage buffs. Equal-gear boss times remain TBA.

What is the easiest Breathing Style for beginners?

Flame remains the easiest strong recommendation for beginners. Its approach, ranged attack, burst, and counter have clear jobs, and Flame Undulation’s release now breaks guard. Every counter has a longer windup in V0.2, so even Flame players still need to time defensive reads instead of pressing C on reaction to everything.

Do you need to complete Final Selection before learning Breathing?

No. Breathing training starts at level 25, while Final Selection opens at level 45. Learn your style and develop its core attacks before taking on the selection trial.

Is Serpent Breathing the same as Snake Breathing?

Yes. Snake Breathing is another name used for Serpent Breathing. It is one launch style, not an additional ninth option; Obari is its trainer.

Is Water Breathing still C tier?

No. Water remains A tier. Its versatile base kit, Tomioka synergy, approach i-frames, and held Water Wheel are still excellent. V0.2 lowers several Water values specifically in Ranked, including Z stun, C scaling, and V stun, while increasing X’s cooldown. Those changes move Water lower within A rather than making it weak everywhere.

Why is Wind Breathing the best style right now?

Wind combines two practical strict-stun routes with increased block damage across Z, X, C, and V. V0.2 also gives Mountain Wind 30% more damage and held Whirlwind Cutter hyper armor. Alongside the faster X and C startups and quicker ranged tornado, the kit can damage, pressure guard, catch movement, and resist interruption at an elite level.

Was Sound Breathing buffed in Slayers 2 V0.182?

Yes. Roar breaks guards again, restoring the direct guard-disruption tool Sound lost in earlier updates. The rest of its prior nerfs remain, including weaker block damage elsewhere, added Z windup, and an Ultimate that does not continue after breaking guard. V0.2 does not directly buff Sound, although Uzui’s improved Musical Score makes the intended specialist pairing safer.

Does hyper armor prevent damage?

No. Hyper armor resists interruption but still allows incoming damage. Wind’s held V and Stone’s Z gain hyper armor in V0.2, while Insect Z already uses it. Surface Slash has approach i-frames instead, and Water V changes from i-frames to hyper armor only in Ranked. These protections are not interchangeable.

Was Thunder Breathing buffed in Slayers 2 V0.2?

Yes, but the changes depend on the mode. Godspeed’s speed increases from 50 to 65 in every mode, while Thunder’s Z and X deal 25% more damage to NPCs and bosses. In Ranked, Godspeed deals 40% less block damage and cannot catch anyone during its first 0.2 seconds. Thunder remains A tier because its pursuit and PvE improve without removing its competitive counterplay.

Did V0.2 change the Slayers 2 Breathing tier list?

Yes. Wind and Flame remain S tier, but Stone now leads A after its PvE damage and Z armor buffs. Insect rises from B to A after improvements to scaling, block damage, mobility, stamina efficiency, and Ultimate damage. Water stays A despite Ranked-only nerfs, while Serpent moves to B because stronger alternatives now offer more reliable all-mode value.

What changed with Water Breathing in Slayers 2 V0.2?

In Ranked, Water’s Z stun drops from one second to 0.7 seconds, X cooldown rises from 13 to 15 seconds, C scaling falls from 100% to 80%, and V uses hyper armor instead of i-frames with 0.3 seconds shorter stuns. In every mode, releasing Water Wheel early immediately frees its target. Water remains A tier, but Ranked routes require cleaner confirms.

Why did Insect Breathing move to A tier?

V0.2 increases Insect Z scaling from 42% to 57%, gives Z and V 30% more block damage, makes C leap 10% faster and 20% farther, reduces V stamina drain from 4% to 2.5% per second, and raises Ultimate damage by 25%. Those changes address damage, guard pressure, mobility, and resource efficiency at once, although its punishable startups keep it below the leading A-tier styles.

These rankings account for every Breathing balance change through V0.2 and the current V0.22 build. Wind's new damage and armor reinforce its lead, Flame gains a real guardbreak conversion, Stone and Thunder receive major PvE help, and Insect finally has enough damage, guard pressure, mobility, and efficiency to enter A tier. V0.21 and V0.22 do not directly rebalance Breathing Styles. My early V0.2 order is based on practical play across modes, but exact equal-gear boss times and the full effect of Ranked-only Water and Thunder changes still need more controlled testing, so those details remain TBA rather than becoming convenient guesses. Choose a kit that suits your clan and the content you actually play, then learn its openings before spending another reset. Check out our other Slayers 2 guides for progression routes, trainer locations, and build advice.


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About the Author

Nikola Savic

Senior Staff Writer

Nikola is a Senior Staff Writer at Pro Game Guides with over 14 years of experience in gaming and esports journalism. A former editor-in-chief of the Serbian gaming publication Play!Zine and the RUR Esports portal, he has covered games professionally since 2012 across both Serbian and international media (senior editor at GINX Esports and GosuNoob). At PGG, he focuses on Roblox guides and tier lists, with particular depth in anime-inspired action RPGs and horror experiences like Paradox. Having been gaming since the early ’90s, he is a longtime PC gamer, and he brings an RPG and strategy game mindset to evaluating builds, meta picks, and game mechanics.

Topics covered: Roblox, RPG, Horror, Strategy, Arc Raiders

Find Nikola Savic on: Twitter

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