Slice & Dice is a tactical roguelike where your party of five heroes fights enemies using dice instead of traditional combat systems. Each hero has a custom six-sided die with faces showing attacks, shields, heals, and special abilities. The strategic depth comes from rerolling dice, choosing which faces to use, and upgrading die faces at level-ups. With 100+ hero classes, 20+ difficulty levels, and runs taking 30-60 minutes, Slice & Dice is the most elegant dice-based combat system in gaming — simple to learn, endlessly deep to master.
Choosing the right build shapes your entire experience. This guide breaks down every option — what they're good at, what they struggle with, and which one matches your playstyle. For optimized builds with full gear sets, see our builds guide.
Quick Comparison
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Best Equipment | Beginner Friendly? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | A | Deal consistent melee damage, use Shield faces defensively, upgrade toward cleave for AoE. | Flaming Sword Die | Yes |
| Mage | S | Use spell faces for AoE damage, reroll for spell faces on critical turns, upgrade spells for stronger effects. | Ice Staff Die | Moderate |
| Healer | S | Heal damaged heroes each turn, use Shield when healing isn't needed, keep the party alive. | Holy Shield Die | Moderate |
| Ranger | A | Deal consistent ranged damage, mark high-priority targets for team bonus damage. | Poison Arrow Die | Yes |
| Specialist | A | Leverage unique class mechanics for effects other classes can't replicate. | Lightning Die | Yes |
New player? Start with Mage — see our beginner's guide for why.
Warrior
Warriors have dice weighted toward Sword (damage) and Shield (block) faces. Their upgrades focus on increasing damage per hit and adding cleave (multi-target damage). Warriors are reliable damage dealers with defensive utility. The Berserker upgrade path sacrifices shields for massive damage.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Playstyle | Deal consistent melee damage, use Shield faces defensively, upgrade toward cleave for AoE. |
| Best Equipment | Flaming Sword Die |
| Stat Priority | Sword face damage, cleave ability, attack frequency |
| Core Gear | Damage-boosting items, cleave upgrades, attack power bonuses |
| Key Mechanic | dice combat |
Strengths
- Highest overall performance across all content types
- Deal consistent melee damage, use Shield faces defensively, upgrade toward cleave for AoE.
- Pairs well with Flaming Sword Die
Weaknesses
- Popular choice, competition for resources
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Forest Encounters to learn Warrior-specific mechanics
- Focus on dice combat — it's this build's primary system
- Prioritize Flaming Sword Die as your first major upgrade
- See our full Warrior build guide for the optimal gear progression
Mage
Mages have dice with spell faces dealing AoE damage, debuffs, or utility effects. Their upgrade paths include Fireball (AoE damage), Ice (freeze enemies), and Lightning (chain damage). Mages deal the highest AoE damage but have fewer defensive options. The best heroes for clearing multi-enemy encounters.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Playstyle | Use spell faces for AoE damage, reroll for spell faces on critical turns, upgrade spells for stronger effects. |
| Best Equipment | Ice Staff Die |
| Stat Priority | Spell face damage, AoE coverage, special ability quality |
| Core Gear | Spell damage items, AoE boost, mana-related upgrades |
| Key Mechanic | hero rerolling |
Strengths
- Most versatile — adapts to any situation
- Use spell faces for AoE damage, reroll for spell faces on critical turns, upgrade spells for stronger effects.
- Pairs well with Ice Staff Die
Weaknesses
- Lower peak damage than S-tier options
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Forest Encounters to learn Mage-specific mechanics
- Focus on hero rerolling — it's this build's primary system
- Prioritize Ice Staff Die as your first major upgrade
- See our full Mage build guide for the optimal gear progression
Healer
Healers have dice weighted toward Heart (heal) and Shield (protect) faces. Without a healer, your party dies to sustained damage in longer fights. Healer upgrades include group heal (heal all allies), cleanse (remove debuffs), and revive (restore dead heroes). At least one healer is mandatory for consistent runs.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Playstyle | Heal damaged heroes each turn, use Shield when healing isn't needed, keep the party alive. |
| Best Equipment | Holy Shield Die |
| Stat Priority | Heart face healing amount, group heal ability, defensive utility |
| Core Gear | Healing boost items, group heal upgrades, defensive items |
| Key Mechanic | item shop |
Strengths
- Best survivability for learning hard content
- Heal damaged heroes each turn, use Shield when healing isn't needed, keep the party alive.
- Pairs well with Holy Shield Die
Weaknesses
- Slower progression speed
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
Recommended Progression
- Start in Forest Encounters to learn Healer-specific mechanics
- Focus on item shop — it's this build's primary system
- Prioritize Holy Shield Die as your first major upgrade
- See our full Healer build guide for the optimal gear progression
Ranger
Rangers have dice with ranged attack faces and utility abilities (mark target for bonus damage, evade). Rangers deal reliable single-target damage from safety. Their upgrade paths include Sniper (high single-target damage) and Hunter (mark + bonus damage combo).
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Playstyle | Deal consistent ranged damage, mark high-priority targets for team bonus damage. |
| Best Equipment | Poison Arrow Die |
| Stat Priority | Ranged face damage, critical chance, marking utility |
| Core Gear | Ranged damage items, critical hit upgrades, marking abilities |
| Key Mechanic | boss encounters |
Strengths
- Excellent in group and cooperative content
- Deal consistent ranged damage, mark high-priority targets for team bonus damage.
- Pairs well with Poison Arrow Die
Weaknesses
- Less effective solo
- Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively
Recommended Progression
- Start in Forest Encounters to learn Ranger-specific mechanics
- Focus on boss encounters — it's this build's primary system
- Prioritize Poison Arrow Die as your first major upgrade
- See our full Ranger build guide for the optimal gear progression
Specialist
Specialist classes (Bard, Monk, Alchemist) have unique die faces not found on standard classes. Bards buff the party, Monks have combo faces, Alchemists create potions. Specialists add variety and combo potential but require understanding their unique mechanics.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Playstyle | Leverage unique class mechanics for effects other classes can't replicate. |
| Best Equipment | Lightning Die |
| Stat Priority | Varies by specialist type — Bard: buffs, Monk: combos, Alchemist: potions |
| Core Gear | Class-specific items, combo enablers, unique face upgrades |
| Key Mechanic | class upgrades |
Strengths
- Highest skill ceiling with unique mechanics
- Leverage unique class mechanics for effects other classes can't replicate.
- Pairs well with Lightning Die
Weaknesses
- Steep learning curve, punishing mistakes
- Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively
Recommended Progression
- Start in Forest Encounters to learn Specialist-specific mechanics
- Focus on class upgrades — it's this build's primary system
- Prioritize Lightning Die as your first major upgrade
- See our full Specialist build guide for the optimal gear progression
Which Build Should You Pick?
For Beginners
Mage is the clear winner. It's forgiving, teaches core mechanics, and remains competitive into endgame. Follow our beginner's guide for the best first-session experience.
For Maximum Performance
Warrior is the top pick once you understand the game's mechanics. Pair it with Flaming Sword Die for the strongest overall setup.
For a Challenge
Specialist offers the highest skill ceiling. It's punishing when misplayed but incredibly rewarding when mastered. Only recommended after you've completed the game with another build.
For Group Play
Ranger shines in cooperative content with utility and team support capabilities.
More Slice & Dice Guides
- Slice & Dice Slice & Dice Overview
- Slice & Dice Best Builds
- Slice & Dice Tier List
- Slice & Dice Walkthrough
- Slice & Dice Beginner's Guide
- Slice & Dice Tips & Tricks
- Slice & Dice Weapons Guide
- Slice & Dice Combat Guide
- Slice & Dice Boss Guide
- Slice & Dice Maps & Locations
- Slice & Dice Crafting Guide
Similar Games
If you enjoy Slice & Dice, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Classes Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Classes Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Classes Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
