- Slayer 2 all breathing styles: Five confirmed styles — Water, Thunder, Wind, Mist, and Insect.
- How to unlock: Find each style's trainer NPC, complete their quest, and pay the fee in Wen.
- Top pick: Thunder Breathing leads most rankings thanks to burst mobility and dash cancels.
- Demon alternative: Demons cannot use breathing styles — they get Blood Demon Arts instead.
- Switching cost: Commit to one style early; rerolling later requires significant investment.
All Breathing Styles in Slayer 2: Overview
Your breathing style defines your entire combat identity as a Slayer in Slayer 2. Each style is learned from a specific trainer NPC scattered across the map, usually after completing a short quest and paying in-game currency. Styles range from fast, combo-heavy picks like Thunder to area-control options like Wind, and each pairs best with certain weapon types.
| Breathing Style | Trainer | Unlock Requirement | Best Weapon | Playstyle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | Water Trainer (Urokodaki-style) | Required level + Wen fee | Standard Katana | Balanced, beginner-friendly |
| Thunder | Thunder Trainer (Jigoro-inspired) | Trainer quest + unlock cost | Standard Katana | Burst mobility, one-shot combos |
| Wind | Wind Trainer (Sanemi-inspired) | Level + questline | Standard Katana | Area damage, farming |
| Mist | Mist Trainer (Muichiro-inspired) | Prerequisite quests + fee | Standard Katana | Repositioning, PvP trickery |
| Insect | Insect Trainer (Shinobu-inspired) | Treated blade + quest | Stinger Katana | Poison damage over time |
Choose Thunder for PvP dominance, Wind for fast mob farming, and Water if you want a safe, well-rounded kit while learning the game. Insect Breathing is the only style that requires a special weapon — plan ahead before committing.
Full Move Lists by Style
Every breathing style comes with a signature set of moves assigned to your number-key skill slots. Mastering the order and cancel windows of these moves is what separates average Slayers from top-tier duelists.
Water Breathing
- Water Surface Slash — reliable opener
- Water Wheel — spinning aerial slash
- Striking Tide — multi-hit pressure
- Constant Flux — strong flow-state finisher
Thunder Breathing
- Thunderclap and Flash — signature dash strike
- Sixfold — extended dash combo
- Rice Spirit — multi-directional slashes
- Thunder Swarm — high-damage closer
Wind Breathing
- Dust Whirlwind Cutter — wide arc slash
- Black Wind Mountain Mist — area coverage
- Gale Sudden Gusts — quick gap closer
- Idaten Typhoon — heavy AoE finisher
Mist Breathing
- Low Clouds Distant Haze — disorienting reposition
- Eight-Layered Mist — layered slash chain
- Obscuring Clouds — vanish-style counter
Insect Breathing rounds out the list with Butterfly Dance: Caprice, Dance of the Bee Sting, and Dance of the Dragonfly — all applying poison damage over time rather than raw slash damage.
Exhausted players cannot block, dash, or use skills. Chain your moves with breathing-bar recovery windows in mind, or a single whiffed combo can cost you the entire fight.
Breathing Style Tier Rankings
Community rankings weigh three factors: raw damage and combo potential, PvP effectiveness (mobility, hitboxes, punish ability), and farming speed against NPCs. Because Slayer 2 receives frequent balance updates, expect rankings to shift between patches.
| Tier | Style | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Thunder Breathing | Fastest burst combos, unmatched dash mobility | Demands precise execution |
| A | Water Breathing | Balanced moveset, dependable finishers | No standout specialty |
| B | Wind Breathing | Strong area damage for farming | Punishable wind-ups in PvP |
| B | Mist Breathing | Confusing movement tech, high skill ceiling | Low raw damage |
| C | Insect Breathing | Unique poison DoT playstyle | Slow kills, outclassed in PvP |
Demons currently enjoy stronger early-game power spikes through Blood Demon Arts and passive health regeneration, while Slayers scale better late game with weapon upgrades and breathing mastery. Your style choice matters most in the mid-game window.
How to Unlock Your Breathing Style: Step-by-Step
Follow this route to go from a fresh character to a fully unlocked style with your complete moveset.
Level Through Starting Village Quests
Accept every quest from the NPCs near the spawn hub before farming low-level bandits and starter demons. Quest rewards stack on top of kill XP for the fastest early levels.
Save Up Wen
Every trainer charges an unlock fee in Wen. Farm consistently and avoid cosmetic spending until your style is secured.
Locate Your Trainer
Trainers are scattered across the map — the Water and Thunder trainers sit closest to the starting village, while Wind and Mist require more exploration. Unlock fast-travel points as you go.
Complete the Trainer Quest
Each trainer runs a short questline before teaching their style. Insect Breathing additionally requires a specially treated Stinger Katana.
Assign and Practice Your Moves
Equip new moves to your number-key slots and practice combo routes on low-level enemies before taking them into PvP or boss fights.
Before You Commit to a Style:
- Reach the level requirement for your target trainer
- Save enough Wen for the unlock fee
- Confirm the best weapon match (Stinger Katana for Insect)
- Practice the core M1 combo, block (F), and dash (Q) basics
- Check the latest balance patch notes for your style
Switching breathing styles later requires significant investment. Test a style's moveset against NPCs first, and only lock in once the playstyle clicks for you.
Slayer vs Demon: Which Path Fits You
Breathing styles are exclusive to the Slayer path. Players who become Demons replace them entirely with Blood Demon Arts obtained from Muzan or demon NPCs — gaining health regeneration but burning in sunlight and managing hunger mechanics.
| Factor | Slayer (Breathing) | Demon (Blood Demon Art) |
|---|---|---|
| Early game | Slower start | Strong power spike |
| Late game | Scales with mastery + upgrades | Flattens out somewhat |
| Sunlight | No weakness | Takes burn damage |
| Best art | Thunder Breathing | String BDA |
| Playstyle | Precision sword combat | Ranged strings, arrows, shockwaves |
Hybrid builds are weak before unlocking advanced skills. Treat them as an endgame project, not a starting plan.
FAQ
Q: How many breathing styles are in Slayer 2?
Five styles are currently confirmed: Water, Thunder, Wind, Mist, and Insect Breathing. More may arrive in future updates, so check the official patch channels for additions to the Slayer 2 all breathing styles roster.
Q: Which breathing style is best for PvP?
Thunder Breathing holds the top spot in most rankings. Thunderclap and Flash gives unmatched burst mobility, and its dash cancels make it the strongest dueling pick when executed well.
Q: Can Demons use breathing styles?
No. Breathing styles are exclusive to the Slayer path. Demons use Blood Demon Arts instead, such as String, Arrow, Shockwave, and Temari Ball arts, obtained from Muzan or demon trainer NPCs.
Q: What weapon does Insect Breathing need?
Insect Breathing requires a specially treated Stinger Katana, obtained through the Insect Trainer's quest. It is the only style with a unique weapon requirement, so prepare it before starting the questline.