Why is my Daily Climb locked?
You need to play at least one run with each of the five characters AND win a run by completing Act 3. If you beat Act 3 before trying all characters, you must win again after playing the missing ones.
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System GuideVerified March 17, 2026
Daily Climb Guide
The Daily Climb gives every player the same character, Ascension level, and 3 modifiers each day. This guide covers how to unlock it, what modifiers to expect, and how to adapt your strategy to fixed conditions.
The Daily Climb is a shared challenge mode where every player faces the same run conditions: a preset character, a set Ascension level, and exactly 3 modifiers. Because the seed is identical for everyone, Daily Climb is also a competitive mode — players can compare their results against the same constraints.
The mode unlocks after you play at least one run with each of the five characters and then win a run by completing Act 3. If you beat Act 3 before trying every character, the unlock does not trigger until you win another run afterward.
Verification note
Unlock requirements confirmed by GamerBlurb and Steam community reports. Modifier details (Draft, Sealed Deck, Flight) confirmed by PCGamesN hands-on coverage. Community structure details from Steam discussions.
Fast takeaway
This guide is built around one practical question, so you can use it during a run instead of digging through a broad overview.
If the answer depends on a mechanic, a character system, or a recent patch, the related links show you what to open next.
Use this when you want a direct answer instead of a broad overview.
Follow the related links if this decision depends on a mechanic, character system, or co-op rule.
Check the update pages whenever balance changes might shift the recommendation.
How to unlock the Daily Climb
The Daily Climb has two unlock conditions, and order matters. First, play at least one run with each character: Ironclad, Silent, Defect, Necrobinder, and Regent. The runs do not need to be victories — starting and playing a run counts. Second, win a run by clearing Act 3 after you have played all five characters.
If you cleared Act 3 before trying every character, the Daily Climb remains locked until you go back, play the missing characters, and then win another run. This also unlocks Custom Runs at the same time.
Daily Climb structure
Each day at the reset time, the game generates a new Daily Climb with three fixed parameters: the character you must play, the Ascension level for the run, and 3 modifiers drawn from the game's modifier pool. Every player in the world gets the same combination.
The seed is shared, which means map layouts, card rewards, relic drops, and event outcomes are identical for everyone. This makes the Daily Climb a test of decision-making under fixed conditions rather than a test of getting lucky with rewards.
Key modifiers that change your strategy
Three of the most impactful modifiers fundamentally change how you build your deck from the first screen.
- Draft — Replaces your starting deck through a sequence of three-card draft picks. You build a 10-card deck before the run even starts. Draft rewards aggressive, synergy-heavy picks because you control every card in your opening deck.
- Sealed Deck — Choose 10 cards from a pool of 30 to replace your starting deck. More flexible than Draft because you see all options at once. Look for energy-efficient combos and a clean damage-to-block ratio.
- Flight — Removes all path restrictions on the map. You can jump to any node regardless of connections. Flight lets you greedily target elites, shops, and rest sites in any order, which rewards aggressive routing and deck-state awareness.
Strategy for Daily Climbs
The core skill in Daily Climb is adaptation. You cannot pick your character or refuse the modifiers, so the best players evaluate the day's conditions and adjust their entire approach before the first card reward.
- Read the modifiers before you make any decisions — Draft and Sealed Deck change your opening deck, so your entire Act 1 plan shifts. Flight changes your pathing. Understand what the modifiers give you and what they take away.
- Deck thinning is even stronger in Daily Climb — With Draft or Sealed Deck, you start with a lean 10-card deck. Every card you add dilutes that precision. Remove aggressively through merchants and events to keep draws consistent.
- Flight rewards greedy pathing — When you can jump to any node, the optimal path usually involves hitting more elites early (for relics) and then looping to rest sites or shops. Do not waste Flight on safe, linear routes.
- Adapt to the assigned character — If the daily gives you a character you rarely play, focus on that character's most straightforward archetype rather than a complex synergy build. Ironclad Strength, Silent Poison, Defect Claw, Necrobinder Exhaust, and Regent Stars are each character's most reliable default plan.
FAQ
Does everyone get the same Daily Climb?
Yes. The character, Ascension level, 3 modifiers, and seed are identical for every player each day. Map layouts, card rewards, and events are the same. Only your decisions differ.
Sources
GamerBlurb: How To Unlock Daily Run
AuthorityDaily Run unlock requirements and mode overview.
PCGamesN: STS2 daily runs
AuthorityDaily Run structure, modifiers (Draft, Sealed Deck, Flight), and community reception.
Steam discussion: daily and custom climbs
CommunityCommunity discussion on Daily Climb and Custom Run modes in STS2.