The biggest mechanical change for Defect in STS2 is that Focus is no longer permanent. Cards like Hotfix (gain 2 Focus this turn) and Focused Strike (deal 9 damage, gain 1 Focus this turn) provide focus in limited windows. This changes everything about how Defect builds work — instead of stacking permanent focus, you now build around orb generation, evoke timing, and burst focus windows.
Understanding temporary focus
In STS1, you could play one Defragment and enjoy +1 Focus for the entire fight. In STS2, Defragment (1-cost Power, gain 1 Focus) is permanent but rare. Most focus sources are temporary: they last one turn.
Hotfix (0-cost Skill, gain 2 Focus this turn) is the new baseline. It costs 0, provides 2 focus for one turn, and is a Common card. In practice, this means you play Hotfix on the turn you want orbs to evoke with maximum damage or block, then let focus drop back down.
Focused Strike (1-cost Attack, deal 9 damage, gain 1 Focus this turn) combines damage with temporary focus. It is useful in both aggressive and defensive turns.
Orb cycling is now more important than orb count
With temporary focus, locking orbs in passive slots for multiple turns is less valuable. Instead, you want to evoke orbs frequently during focus windows and generate new ones.
Coolheaded (1-cost Skill, channel 1 Frost, draw 1) is the premium cycling tool. Each use generates a new orb and draws deeper. With focus windows, evoke Frost during the window for big block, then let the next orb slot in without focus.
Compile Driver (1-cost Attack, deal 7 damage, draw 1 per unique orb) rewards orb diversity. With Lightning, Frost, and Dark channeled, it draws 3 cards. This makes orb variety a consistency tool.
The new evoke payoffs
Shatter (1-cost Attack, deal 11 damage to ALL enemies, evoke all orbs) turns all your orbs into immediate burst. During a Hotfix turn, Shatter evokes Frost for 12-15 block per orb and Lightning for equivalent damage.
Multi-Cast (0-cost Skill, evoke rightmost orb X times) allows targeted evoke. Use it on Frost for burst block, on Dark for burst damage, or on Plasma for energy. The flexibility makes it one of Defect's strongest cards.
Consuming Shadow (2-cost Power, channel 2 Dark, evoke all at end of turn) creates a passive win condition. Dark orbs scale with turns spent not evoking, then automatically evoke. Combined with temporary focus during the evoke turn for massive damage.
Power synergy and Creative AI
Creative AI (3-cost Power, at start of turn add a random Power to hand) is even stronger in STS2 because the expanded power pool includes more orb generation and focus tools. A Creative AI that generates Hotfix or Defragment creates immense long-term value.
Signal Boost (1-cost Skill, the next Power you play is played an additional time) doubles down. Double Creative AI is absurd. Double Defragment gives 2 permanent focus. Double Buffer prevents 2 instances of HP loss.
Echo Form (3-cost Power, first card each turn played twice) remains excellent. In a temporary-focus world, Echo Form effectively doubles the value of every Hotfix and Focused Strike.
Surviving without permanent focus
Without permanent focus, your block plan needs redundancy. Glacier (2-cost Skill, gain 6 block, channel 2 Frost) generates immediate block plus two frost orbs. Even without focus, two frost orbs generate 4 block per turn passively.
Leap (1-cost Skill, gain 9 block) and Charge Battery (1-cost Skill, gain 7 block, next turn gain [energy:1]) are reliable commons. Do not skip them thinking orbs will handle all defense — they won't without focus.
Coolant (1-cost Power, at start of turn gain 2 block per unique orb) provides passive scaling that does not depend on focus. With 3 unique orbs, it generates 6 block per turn automatically.