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!
Screenshot by Pro Game Guides
Updated September 20, 2026: Reworked the rankings after the latest balance changes. Flame and Wind lead my early post-patch picks, Water moves up substantially, and Sound, Thunder, and Insect lose ground. Updated the clan and weapon tradeoffs, guard-recovery advice, and FAQs. We need more time to assess optimized boss rotations and exact combo escape windows.
Recommended Videos
Flame is my early pick for the best Breathing Style in Slayers 2 after the latest balance changes, with Wind alongside it in S tier. Flame now brings a broader counter and quicker close-range pressure to its PvE strengths; Wind gains the starters and extensions its kit was missing. This Slayers 2 Breathing Styles tier list ranks all eight launch styles for PvP, PvE, farming, and practical clan builds, including which old combos need another look.
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 early assessment puts more weight on landing an attack and keeping the next opening than on how impressive the full animation looks. A missed gap closer, a slow startup, or a knockback that sends your target out of reach can undo a strong damage rotation. Clan synergy matters, but a damage bonus cannot fix every problem in the underlying moveset.
Rengu, on the house by Mistfall Village’s red bridge; level 25 and 10 Demon Horns. Additional cost: TBA.
My early S-tier all-rounder. Flame already had a useful PvE mix of advancing attacks, ranged pressure, and burst. Flame Undulation (C) now counters skills as well as M1s, giving opponents more reason to hesitate before pressing back. That broader defensive threat is the biggest reason for the promotion.
Blazing Universe (X) reaches farther. Range increases from 35 to 45, improving the space you can threaten after an opponent retreats. Unknowing Fire remains a direct approach, but neither move should be thrown out solely because the target looks roughly in range.
Flame Tiger is a more practical close punish. The held V startup drops from 0.15s to 0.08s, reducing the opening needed to begin its slashes. Keep the tap projectile for a different range; faster startup does not establish a guaranteed follow-up from every launch.
Rengoku raises the PvE ceiling. Its burn support rewards successful Flame hits, while Indomitable Will supplies a separate control tool. Reapplying a non-stacking burn is not extra stacked damage. Pair the build with a useful sword and enough stamina to defend after a commitment.
S tier is an early overall recommendation, not universal safety. Baited counters and missed forward attacks still leave openings. Save Purgatory for a catch, and do not assume C answers every boss mechanic or unblockable attack. Exact counter eligibility and equal-gear boss rotations remain TBA.
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:
Snowy-biome trainer route from the bear area; level 25 and 50 Demon Horns. Exact trainer spot and additional cost: TBA.
S tier for fixing the kit’s biggest practical weaknesses. Wind now has a clearer route from an opening into continued pressure. Z starts in 0.12s instead of 0.2s, X in 0.15s instead of 0.25s, and C in 0.18s instead of 0.25s. Less waiting at the start of those attacks makes its range options more threatening.
Purifying Claws (X) can now extend combos. The quicker startup gives its follow-up a more useful place after a catch. Learn the initial contact and second-input positioning first; the extender role does not make every weapon-to-X string inescapable.
Whirlwind Cutter (V) no longer sends the target away. Knockback drops from 50 to zero, allowing V to start a combo rather than end one. Keeping an enemy nearby also helps a group maintain damage instead of chasing your knockaway. Exact variant-specific routes still need assessment.
Shinazugawa supports the improved pressure loop. Windstorm Vigor’s damage and stamina benefits have more practical value when the next attack can connect. Save enough stamina for an escape, and choose Rising Dust Storm’s range variant around the target’s position.
The strongest early combo-specialist recommendation. Wind’s promotion reflects usable starters and extensions, not a claim that its entire rotation is guaranteed. Aim, tap/hold choices, and the Typhoon finisher still demand execution. We need more time to assess boss resistance and whether the new routes remain reliable against each defensive option.
AThunder Breathing
All-Rounder · Mobility · Burst
Kit:
Thunder Clap & Flash, Lightning Folds, Rice Spirit, God Speed, 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, cliffs beyond the bear village; level 25 and Wall Climb. Material requirements and cost: TBA.
Still excellent in A, but no longer my default first pick. Thunder keeps its pursuit and burst identity, while two changes make predictable approaches easier to answer: Z windup rises from 0.9s to 1.1s, and X can now be perfect blocked. Good movement still matters; it does not erase the defender’s reaction window.
Rice Spirit (C) finishes sooner. The final hit lands in 0.4s instead of 0.65s, shortening the delay within that sequence. This helps its catch-and-pressure role, but does not by itself prove a guaranteed link into God Speed or the ultimate.
Thunder Clap & Flash needs a real opening. With the longer Z windup, use pursuit to punish an occupied target rather than announcing your approach to someone waiting on defense. Keep one movement option available after committing; chasing successfully and escaping safely are separate jobs.
Agatsuma remains a strong specialist pairing. Its replacement dash now carries normal dash momentum, while the existing Thunder damage and cooldown support still reward repeated offense. That movement correction should not be treated as extra invulnerability or an automatic confirm.
Best for active duelists and mobile hybrid play. Patient perfect-block users are a more meaningful test after the X change. Flaming Thunder God remains a payoff for a catch; avoid spending the full kit on an unconfirmed chase. Boss-specific rotations and reliable post-patch links are TBA.
AStone Breathing
Armored Bruiser · Counter · Close Control
Kit:
Volcanic Conquest, Seismic Burst, Upper Smash, Stone Wall, Arcs of Justice.
Best for:
PvP; armored 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, Wall Climb, Axe and Mace from the Stone Trainee, and Beast Cores. Exact core count and additional cost: TBA. Complete six training trials.
A tier with stronger ways to punish a raised guard. V’s tap variant now guardbreaks on its second hit. The important condition is reaching that second hit: it gives Stone a deliberate guard-breaking option, not a guardbreak on every touch.
Arcs of Justice (B) gains hyper armor. The ultimate can better resist interruption during its armored window, which helps a committed bruiser finish an attack. You still take damage, and Shockwave’s counter now breaks hyper armor. Trading into a counter is not a durability test you need to volunteer for.
The counter is a scarcer resource. V’s counter cooldown rises from 16 to 19 seconds. Distinguish that defensive use from the tap guardbreak and avoid assuming the two can be spent independently. Exact shared-variant cooldown behavior remains TBA.
The usual build has real offsets to those buffs. Himejima’s bonus damage falls from 25% to 20% and its block-point bonus from five to three. Axe and Mace gains 10% M1 damage but loses 15% attack speed, so harder individual hits do not automatically mean better sustained damage or tighter skill-to-M1 links.
A strong close-range specialist, with demanding trades. Use Seismic Burst and Upper Smash around where the enemy will land, then keep pressure ready after a guardbreak. Axe and Mace’s Damage Reduction value also changes from 1 to 0.85; its precise formula is TBA, so I am not treating that as a flat 15% incoming-damage reduction. Ranged kiting and boss armor-break interactions still need assessment.
AWater Breathing
Reactive Melee · Combo · Armored Approach
Kit:
Surface Slash, Whirl Pool, Water Wheel (two functions), Constant Flux, Dead Calm.
Best for:
Hybrid; reactive pressure and clan-supported sustained play.
Difficulty:
Moderate; precise short-stun follow-ups raise the ceiling.
Synergy:
Tomioka for resets and reactive damage; Urokodaki for efficiency; Sabito for mobile sword pressure.
Unlock:
Urokodaki, underwater passage near Bamboo Grove; level 25, 5,000 Wen, and 30 Demon Horns.
Water moves from C to A because its consistency tools change. X tap now applies 0.35s of strict stun and can extend combos, while held X activates immediately instead of after a 0.15s delay. That directly improves the opening and follow-up problems behind its old placement.
Water Wheel becomes a better approach and commitment. Tap travel speed rises from 35 to 60, giving a retreating target less time before contact. The hold variant gains hyper armor, helping it continue through interruption; it does not grant the same protection to tap or make either variant invulnerable.
Build around the short X confirm. Have your next attack ready when tap connects rather than wasting the strict-stun window on extra movement. Exact weapon links, spacing limits, and Constant Flux routes are TBA; 0.35s of stun is not permission to squeeze in the whole skill bar.
Tomioka and Urokodaki gain better tools to support. Tomioka’s cooldown resets are more useful when the refreshed attacks have stronger confirms, while Urokodaki’s stamina efficiency helps repeated exchanges. Sabito remains an option for mobile sword pressure. None makes a failed catch free.
A much stronger hybrid and reactive-melee choice. The improved approach and extension justify leaving C behind, though boss control resistance can reduce the value of strict stun. Dead Calm’s exact defensive frames remain TBA; I still would not treat it as a universal panic button. We need more time to assess Water’s best sustained PvE rotation.
ASound Breathing
Control · Combo Setup · 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 and skill-imprint defense; deliberate setup play.
Unlock:
Tengai, Iceveil Valley; level 25 and Wall Climb. Materials and cost: TBA.
Sound drops to A because blocking it becomes much less costly. Resounding Slashes (V) falls to roughly three block points of guard damage per channel from around 20, and its cooldown rises from 16 to 20 seconds. Holding a barrage into guard no longer creates the same pressure or returns as quickly.
Its other guard threats also weaken. Explosive Ball (C) guard damage falls from 0.65 to 0.15, while X loses its guaranteed guardbreak and now deals four guard damage. Treat these as pressure tools around a catch, not automatic answers to a defensive player.
The setup kit still earns A-tier value. Bursting Bloom’s approach and non-ragdoll stun give you a starting point, while placed beads can influence movement. Plan around the target’s response. The remaining close-bead block-disable interaction needs post-patch reassessment before it carries a combo recommendation.
Uzui softens the damage loss without restoring the old guard pressure. Enhanced Hearing’s bonus rises from 20% to 25%, and Musical Score now commits its capture immediately with one activation. That makes the specialist build easier to bring into an exchange, but stronger damage is not the same as a restored guardbreak.
Best for deliberate setups and coordinated fights. Use Roar and barrage knockback when you want the exchange to end; avoid scattering a group before teammates finish attacking. Sound remains useful in PvE, but patient blockers and missed setup windows now demand more work. Exact post-patch boss rotations are TBA.
ASerpent Breathing
Mobile Duelist · Combo · Single-Target Pressure
Kit:
Venom Fangs; remaining ability names: TBA.
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; sword pressure between skill openings.
Unlock:
Obari, cliff above the starting area; level 25, 20 Demon Horns, and 5 Beast Cores, followed by training and the Serpent Trainee.
Serpent remains A for skilled single-target play. Venom Fangs (C) loses range, dropping from 60 to 45. It still gives the kit reach, but catching someone from the old spacing now risks a miss. Move into a useful angle before committing.
X becomes a more isolated grab exchange. The grabbed target gains i-frames against everyone except the grabber for the grab’s duration. Your own sequence remains relevant, but teammates cannot pile damage into that same target during the protection window.
The group-fight cost deserves attention. Grabbing an enemy out of several allied attacks can waste the team’s damage window. This change is less damaging to a duel-focused recommendation than to coordinated burst; whether each boss can be grabbed in the first place remains a separate question.
Iguro loses much of its movement advantage. Its movement-speed factor falls from 25% to 5%. Serpent’s Wrath and Kaburamaru still support the specialist build, but the old passive speed advantage should no longer carry the ranking. Percentage-health bites and poison belong to the clan, not every Serpent skill.
Strong in experienced hands, with less forgiving spacing. Plan the landing position after an aerial sequence and keep a short weapon follow-up ready. Full remaining move names, exact grab escape windows, and boss damage caps are TBA. A teleport animation alone is still not evidence of invulnerability.
BInsect Breathing
Fast Melee · Aerial Pressure · Poison Specialist
Kit:
TBA
Best for:
Hybrid; close-range combos and Kocho poison builds.
Difficulty:
High; short pursuit bursts, stamina discipline, and revised confirms.
Synergy:
Kocho's Insect Affinity, Aerial Mastery, and Poison Draw.
Unlock:
Shinora, main building’s roof at Butterfly Mansion / Butterfly Estate; level 25. Materials and cost: TBA.
Insect drops to B because safety and continuation both weaken. Z returns sooner at 17 seconds instead of 20, but trades i-frames for hyper armor and loses strict stun on the final hit. More frequent casts do not replace a protected commitment or preserve the old end-of-string confirm.
X is a more deliberate entry. The dash variant gains a 0.12s windup and its cooldown rises from 10 to 13 seconds. Avoid assuming an old Z-to-X route still holds: the target has lost a strict-stun restriction, and your follow-up starts later.
V gets faster at a steep stamina cost. Running speed rises from 50 to 65, but holding the move drains 8% Max Stamina per second. Use short pursuit bursts; three seconds already costs 24% of the maximum bar from the hold drain alone. Arriving with no escape stamina is a rather expensive catch.
Kocho remains a specialist option, with less passive poison value. Base poison duration falls from roughly nine ticks to five. That weakens damage from one application; exact refresh behavior and interactions with Insect Affinity still need assessment. Poison immunity and conversion matchups remain reasons to keep a direct-damage plan.
Viable fast melee, with a smaller margin for error. The ultimate’s range increases from 20 to 24 to better match its visuals, helping the catch at its edge. That does not undo the defensive and combo losses elsewhere. Optimized short-burst routes could improve the recommendation, but the early case now favors committed Insect players over a broad first pick.
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, and block-dashing change which follow-ups hold together. Water X and Wind X gain extender value in this patch; Insect Z loses its final-hit strict stun. Those changes deserve more weight than an unchanged damage number. Exact guaranteed routes remain TBA where the escape windows are unresolved.
Guardbreak follow-ups matter after the stun, too. Once guardbreak stun ends, guard immediately begins recharging from 25%; another hit cancels that recharge. Keep the next threat ready, but distinguish a true guardbreak from ordinary guard damage. Stone gains a dedicated second-hit break while Sound loses its guaranteed X break.
Hyper armor is resistance to interruption, not invulnerability. Water Wheel’s hold and Stone’s ultimate gain armor, while Insect Z trades i-frames for it. You can still lose the health trade, and Shockwave’s counter now breaks hyper armor. Test the opponent’s defensive tools before treating armor as a free turn.
Which Breathing Style Should You Choose?
One build for varied content: Flame is my early post-patch first choice; Rengoku adds a useful farming package, while the broader C counter improves its PvP appeal.
Combo pressure and coordinated fights: Wind for faster starts and V keeping the target nearby. Sound remains a deliberate setup option with Uzui, but no longer has its old guard pressure.
Mobile duels: Thunder for pursuit; Serpent for angle changes and isolated grabs. Respect Thunder’s perfect-blockable X and Serpent’s reduced C range.
Poison pressure: Insect with Kocho remains viable, but shorter base poison, fewer protected attacks, and V’s stamina drain make it a more demanding specialist.
An approachable PvE game plan: Flame. Learn the direct approach, Flame Tiger’s range options, and when to hold the counter for a meaningful attack.
Melee trades and reactive defense: Stone for armor and a second-hit guardbreak; Water for an armored Wheel hold and a short strict-stun extension.
Keeping an existing Wind or Water build: Both improve substantially. Shinazugawa supports Wind’s offense; Tomioka and Urokodaki support Water’s repeated casts. Learn the revised tools before spending on a reset.
For bossing, start with repeatable damage windows. Flame is my early PvE recommendation, with Wind worth testing for sustained pressure and Water benefiting from its faster approach. Sound and Serpent still have useful kits, but guard changes and Serpent’s grab protection alter their group value. We need more time to name the fastest style for each boss at equal gear: control resistance, phase changes, and damage caps can change the result.
For skill points, unlock your core attacks without neglecting stamina, health, and movement. A rotation is only useful if you can still defend after using it. Exact optimal stat splits are TBA. Check the Archives for weapon stats and drop sources before farming a matching katana; a themed name alone does not make it your best upgrade.
Flame is my early pick for the best Breathing Style in Slayers 2 overall after the latest balance patch. Flame Undulation now counters skills as well as M1s, Blazing Universe reaches farther, and held Flame Tiger starts faster. Those changes give its established PvE game plan a stronger PvP side, especially with Rengoku supporting the build.
Wind is my S-tier alternative for combo-focused players. Faster startups, an X extender, and V no longer knocking the enemy away address the kit’s biggest weaknesses. Water also climbs to A with strict stun and an armored Wheel hold. These are early post-patch judgments; we need more time to assess optimized endgame rotations before calling any style the winner everywhere.
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.
Flame is my early post-patch overall pick, with Wind alongside it in S tier. Flame combines a broader counter with better reach and faster close pressure; Wind offers improved combo starters and extensions. Endgame matchup assessment is still ongoing.
How many Breathing Styles are there in Slayers 2?
Slayers 2 has eight Breathing Styles at launch: 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, a Reset Breathing option lets you move away from your current style. The current menu route, cost, and whether mastery is retained are TBA. Check those details before confirming, then meet the new trainer’s requirements.
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 or Urokodaki can strengthen Water. Uzui improves Sound’s specialist value after this patch, while Kocho, Iguro, and Himejima lose some of their previous advantages. Judge the actual bonuses alongside your kit.
What is the best Breathing Style for PvP in Slayers 2?
Wind is my early combo-focused PvP pick, while Flame offers a broader reactive game with a counter that now answers skills. Thunder remains excellent for pursuit, but X can be perfect blocked and Z starts more slowly. Exact matchup rankings need more assessment.
What is the best Breathing Style for PvE and farming?
Flame, especially with Rengoku, is my early PvE and farming recommendation. Wind gains more practical sustained pressure, and Water’s faster approach improves its hybrid value. Equal-gear clear times and the best rotation for each endgame boss are TBA.
What is the easiest Breathing Style for beginners?
Flame has an approachable PvE plan: a direct approach, a ranged option, and a counter that now answers skills as well as M1s. Counter timing and missed attacks still matter. Water is also more forgiving after its speed and combo improvements, though precise follow-ups take practice.
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 moves to A in this early post-patch assessment. X tap gains 0.35s of strict stun for combo extensions, X hold activates immediately, and Water Wheel gains faster tap travel plus hyper armor on hold. Exact optimized routes remain TBA.
Why is Wind Breathing S tier now?
Wind’s faster startups, X combo extension, and removal of V knockback improve how its attacks work together. It can now keep a target nearby after opening a combo. S tier reflects that early practical ceiling; it does not mean every string is guaranteed.
Was Sound Breathing nerfed?
Yes. V deals far less guard damage and has a longer cooldown, C loses guard damage, and X no longer guarantees a guardbreak. Sound drops to A here, though Uzui’s stronger Enhanced Hearing bonus and simpler Musical Score activation support its specialist build.
Does hyper armor prevent damage?
No. Hyper armor resists interruption during its active window, but incoming damage still matters. Insect Z trades i-frames for armor in this patch, while Water Wheel hold and Stone’s ultimate gain armor. Shockwave’s counter can now break hyper armor.
As Slayers 2 receives balance updates, these rankings will need another look. For now, choose a kit that suits your clan and the content you actually play, then learn its openings before committing to another reset. Check out our other Slayers 2 guides for progression routes, trainer locations, and build advice.
Recommended Articles
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get updates on your favorite games!
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.
