Build the Slayer route around one style
Reach level 25, choose one Breathing trainer, farm only that trainer’s requirements, then use the style until its mastery supports Final Selection. After passing the exam, equip the Kasugai Crow, stack its bounties with your leveling route, and invest in Slayer Progress and a matching weapon.
It is easy to collect new systems without developing any of them. One mastered Breathing Style and a dependable katana will do more for you than unfinished styles, scattered skill points, and weapons left sitting in the inventory.
Reach the Breathing milestone
Follow the shared early route from Krue’s Bandits to Tom’s Bears. Breathing trainer quests open at level 25. Before traveling, unlock Double Jump and Wall Climb and read the trainer’s current requirement.
Launch-period routes identify eight styles: Water, Thunder, Flame, Wind, Stone, Insect, Sound, and Serpent. Trainer costs differ and can change. Use this order before you start farming:
- Pick the style you intend to play.
- Find its trainer using the map and landmarks.
- Read the full live quest requirement.
- Farm only the listed Wen and materials.
- Complete the trainer tasks and equip the style.
- Raise its mastery during ordinary questing.
Demon Horns come from Demon enemies, while Beast Cores come from Beast Demons that appear at night. The cave below the Mother Bear area is a useful Horn route because it contains several low-tier Demons close together.
Choose a style for the content you play
Tier lists change whenever damage gets rebalanced. Ask how a style works in the content you play before committing to it.
| Question | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Can the first moves clear normal quest enemies? | Early leveling value |
| Does the style have a safe approach or disengage? | Survivability and PvP flexibility |
| Can you punish a boss without long recovery? | Boss farming consistency |
| Can you reach and afford the trainer now? | Real acquisition cost |
| Does your clan support the style? | Long-term synergy rather than rarity alone |
Use easier enemies to learn the style’s range. Start with basic attacks, confirm the target is trapped in recovery, use one Breathing move, then disengage. Save a mobility or defensive option instead of spending the entire bar on the opening exchange.
Prepare for Final Selection
The September 2026 entry prompt requires level 45, but level 60 gives a solo player more room for mistakes. Train several Breathing moves, bring recovery items, and reach the gate before its two-hour timer ends. The chain includes collection, underwater travel, parkour, timed movement, capture, ordinary Demon fights, and the Hand Demon.
| Preparation | Minimum useful state |
|---|---|
| Movement | Double Jump and Wall Climb |
| Combat | A short reliable combo and practiced Breathing moves |
| Recovery | Healing or bandages for a continuous run |
| Navigation | Map route and nearby spawn point set |
| Group | Allies if you are close to the minimum level |
During the Hand Demon fight, clear the Rogue Demon adds as soon as they spawn. The boss cannot be damaged while they remain. After the kill, open the available chests and return to The Sisters; the exam is not complete until that final hand-in grants your rank and Slayer items.
Use the Kasugai Crow immediately
The Kasugai Crow is your post-exam quest tool. Equip it from the inventory and accept objectives that overlap your current area. A bounty that targets the same enemies as your leveling quest turns one trip into two progression rewards.
A useful post-selection loop is:
- Accept a Crow bounty.
- Take the area’s normal repeatable quest.
- Defeat the shared targets using your Breathing Style.
- Collect mastery and both quest rewards.
- Spend only when the upgrade improves that same loop.
If a bounty sends you far away for a weak reward, finish the local route first. The Crow is most useful when it cuts travel instead of adding another trip.
Raise Slayer Progress at Butterfly Estate
Slayer Progress is separate from character level and Breathing mastery. The Butterfly Estate gourd route converts Wen into faction progress and permanent stat growth. First complete Ren’s task to recover the Nichirin Blade near the estate waterfall, then use the opened shop.
Ren’s launch shop lists Medium and Large Gourds. Large Gourds grant more progress and cost more Wen. Check the live shop before planning a budget, then buy the best gourd you can sustain without draining the Wen needed for weapons or access.
Do not buy gourds while your basic route is still failing. Movement, a working weapon, and recovery supplies come first; permanent faction stats are the next layer.
Upgrade the weapon that matches your route
After Final Selection, blacksmith systems open stronger equipment choices. Crude Iron Ingots from Slayer progression can feed katana forging, while other materials support upgrades and specialist crafts.
Use this rule before crafting:
- Confirm the item uses your active weapon or Breathing plan.
- Check whether the material is also needed for a mandatory unlock.
- Compare the item’s full stat card, not only its appearance.
- Keep a Wen reserve for travel, training, and the next gate.
- Do not split mastery across every new drop.
Boss weapons are worth farming when they improve your real rotation. If a boss takes several failed attempts for a low chance at a sidegrade, return after raising health, mastery, or Slayer Progress.
Keep the Slayer combat loop short
Breathing combat works best as watch, defend, punish, reset.
| Situation | Slayer response |
|---|---|
| Enemy starts a basic string | Block or step out, then answer after the last hit |
| Boss commits to a large move | Leave the area and punish its recovery |
| Several enemies close in | Reposition before using an area technique |
| Your Breathing bar is low | Return to basic weapon pressure and defend |
| A combo misses | Stop, create space, and restart the read |
Long, unconfirmed strings leave you open when the enemy escapes. Use M1 attacks to test range, spend a technique after a confirmed opening, and keep movement available for the response.
Plan the long-term Slayer loop
Your later priorities should reinforce one another:
| Progression goal | Repeatable action |
|---|---|
| Character levels | Highest reliable quest near an active shrine |
| Breathing mastery | Use the chosen style on every quest rotation |
| Slayer Progress | Buy and use gourds when your Wen income supports it |
| Rank and bounties | Keep the Kasugai Crow equipped |
| Equipment | Target a blacksmith recipe or boss drop, not random loot |
Titles can add useful stats, and stat-bearing equipment should be equipped normally rather than as vanity. Recheck Player Info after major milestones so a hidden faction or title reward does not sit unused.
Slayer mistakes to avoid
- Picking a style before reading its material cost.
- Reaching level 45 with no Breathing mastery or movement upgrades.
- Leaving Final Selection before the final conversation.
- Forgetting to equip the Kasugai Crow.
- Spending all Wen on gourds while a required weapon or trainer purchase remains.
- Farming every weapon instead of advancing one coherent build.
FAQ
How do I become a Slayer in Slayers 2?
Reach the Final Selection requirement, complete the full trial chain, defeat the Hand Demon, and report back to The Sisters to receive the first Slayer rank.
When can I learn Breathing?
Trainer questlines open at level 25 in the launch route. Each trainer has its own location and material requirements.
What should I do after Final Selection?
Equip the Kasugai Crow, stack its bounties with leveling quests, train your Breathing mastery, and begin raising Slayer Progress when your Wen income is stable.
Why are my Breathing moves still locked?
Breathing uses separate mastery. Keep the style equipped and use it during normal fights to unlock later techniques.
Should I change styles for a higher tier?
Only if the new style suits your content and you can afford its trainer and mastery grind. A practiced style is usually better than an untrained fashionable pick.