Marcos 
Thirteen Pyre Hearts, and most players keep picking the same two. My short answer is Pyre of Dominion or Pyre of Savagery, with Herzal’s Horde and Fhyra’s Greed right behind. Monster Train 2 launched May 21, 2025, costs $24.99 on Steam and sits at Overwhelmingly Positive. Here’s my Monster Train 2 Pyre Heart tier list, and a couple of placements will start fights.
Shiny Shoe’s roguelike deckbuilder is out on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch. Your Pyre Heart is the one choice before the first battle that bends every draft afterward, so I treat it like picking a second champion.
The Punished, a new clan led by Archus, arrives November 10, 2026. I haven’t touched it yet, so I’ll revisit this list once its synergies are out. For more, browse our game guides.
How I rank every Pyre Heart in Monster Train 2
What I weigh before a heart earns its tier
I look at stats first, then how much the effect changes your draft, then how many clans can use it. Attack and health decide how forgiving the Titan fights feel, because the Pyre cleans up every leak. Savagery hits for 55 with only 50 health, while Entropy swings for 30 and carries 90 health. Two opposite ways to survive.
Then comes Covenant. At Covenant 10 you end up fighting on the bottom floor, so a random floor bonus can land where you don’t need it. That’s a classic roguelike trap: the flashy option isn’t always the consistent one.
How each Pyre Heart unlocks
Proto Heartcage is free. Dominion, Savagery and Entropy all unlock by defeating the Titans, so the strongest hearts reward winning, not starting out. The rest ask for odd goals, and the table lists each one.
Monster Train 2 Pyre Heart tier list from S to D
| Tier | Pyre Heart | Attack/health | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Pyre of Dominion | 30/65 | Defeat the Titans |
| S | Pyre of Savagery | 55/50 | Defeat the Titans |
| A | Herzal’s Horde | 35/65 | 10,000 Steward damage |
| A | Fhyra’s Greed | 35/80 | Spend 20,000 coins |
| B | Proto Heartcage | 45/80 | Default |
| B | Pyre of Entropy | 30/90 | Defeat the Titans |
| B | Aquath’s Reservation | 35/65 | 12,000 Magic Power damage |
| B | Lifemother’s Pyre | 35/75 | Take 475 Pyre damage |
| B | Malicka’s Shifting Pyre | 35/60 | Win a Dimensional Challenge |
| C | Bogwurm’s Growth | 35/70 | Inflict 3,200 debuffs |
| C | Wyngh’s Spirit | 40/75 | Shift units 225 times |
| C | Heart of the Pact | 35/65 | Win 9 Trials battles |
| D | Echo of the Time Father | 40/70 | Hold Frozen cards 25 times |
Why Dominion and Savagery sit in S tier
Dominion strips your Train Stewards and starting cards, then lets you draft four packs and doubles every pick. You build around real cards instead of filler, which is huge for champions with weak starters. The catch: clans whose engine needs those starters suffer.
Savagery gives your units a permanent +1 to Slay. That 55 attack finishes whatever slips through in one hit, and it shines with Sweep, Multistrike or Trample clans like Awoken. If your clan kills through Decay or Unstable, skip it.
Where the A and B tier hearts shine
Herzal’s Horde grants 4 extra Ember while you deploy, so it loves clans stacked with 2-Ember Banner units and strong Equipment, and it struggles with Stygian’s 1-Ember units. Fhyra’s Greed pays 10 gold whenever your Pyre gets hit, but skip it with clans that already print gold.
Entropy adds a Vengeful Shard after every battle, so pair it with Railforged Smelt effects and ignore it otherwise. Aquath’s Reservation never wins a run alone, but Hellhorned squeezes the most out of its 3 Ember. Malicka’s upgrades every drafted card, yet it’s unpredictable and does nothing for Rooms or Equipment. For strategy fans, Lifemother’s Pyre is the safe middle ground.
Why the bottom of the list stays there
Bogwurm’s Growth adds a space to a random floor after each battle, but with 35 attack anything that leaks can end a Covenant 10 run. Wyngh’s Spirit heals your front units once per battle, a crutch that’s too small for late fights. Heart of the Pact draws extra cards, yet its thin stats get punished. Echo of the Time Father freezes your hand, and I’d rather play my cards.
Personal review
What I love most is that a single pick can turn a so-so clan into a monster, like Dominion rescuing a champion with a feeble opener. Tinkerers will adore Dominion and Herzal’s Horde, while Savagery is for brute-force fans. If you enjoyed Slay the Spire, Inscryption or Balatro, this single-player run will feel familiar. It’s on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. Which Pyre Heart do you swear by, and which did I miss? Tell me in the comments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Pyre Heart in Monster Train 2?
For most clans, Pyre of Dominion. Pyre of Savagery is the alternative if your clan hits hard.
How many Pyre Hearts are there?
There are 13. Proto Heartcage is unlocked from the start.
How do I unlock Pyre of Dominion?
Defeat the Titans. Savagery and Entropy share that condition.
Is Proto Heartcage worth using?
Yes. It has no ability, but 45 attack and 80 health make it dependable while you learn a clan.
Where can I play Monster Train 2?
It came out May 21, 2025 on PC via Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Switch, and costs $24.99 on Steam.
When does The Punished DLC arrive?
November 10, 2026. It adds a new clan led by Archus and requires the base game.