Spirits — Overview & Index
Spirit Island has 42 spirits (base + all expansions + promos). This chapter orients you: which spirit to read, which to play, which to pair, and which chapters exist as full deep-dives versus stubs pending authorship.
Every spirit chapter follows the Rei-derived canonical format: At a Glance → Framing → Core Mechanics → Strategic Principles → Opening Strategy → Element/Aspect Preferences → Card Priority Ratings → Adversary Matchup Matrix → Board Position → Game-Phase Strategy → Synergies → Common Mistakes → Tempo Profile → Major vs. Minor → Stat Snapshot → Sources.
Chapter status
Fully authored (M1): Shadows Flicker Like Flame.
Stubs (M2+ authoring): all other 41 spirits have structural stubs with Rei-format headings ready for content. See progress.
By complexity tier
Low complexity (learn these first)
Base game’s 8 spirits, plus new-player-friendly picks.
- River Surges in Sunlight
- Lightning’s Swift Strike
- Shadows Flicker Like Flame ← MVP authored
- Vital Strength of the Earth
- Ocean’s Hungry Grasp
- A Spread of Rampant Green
- Thunderspeaker
- Bringer of Dreams and Nightmares
Moderate complexity
Branch & Claw, Horizons, Promo Pack 2, and the easier Jagged Earth spirits.
- Sharp Fangs Behind the Leaves
- Keeper of the Forbidden Wilds
- Heart of the Wildfire
- Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island
- Downpour Drenches the World
- Finder of Paths Unseen
- Horizons spirits: Devouring Teeth, Eyes Watch from the Trees, Fathomless Mud, Rising Heat, Sun-Bright Whirlwind
- Jagged Earth moderate: Shifting Memory of Ages, Grinning Trickster, Many Minds Move as One, Shroud of Silent Mist, Vengeance as a Burning Plague, Volcano Looming High
High complexity
Jagged Earth + Nature Incarnate’s harder spirits.
- Stone’s Unyielding Defiance
- Lure of the Deep Wilderness
- Fractured Days Split the Sky ← Brett priority
- Starlight Seeks Its Form
- Nature Incarnate: Wounded Waters Bleeding, Dances Up Earthquakes, Ember-Eyed Behemoth, Relentless Gaze of the Sun, Towering Roots of the Jungle, Hearth-Vigil, Breath of Darkness Down Your Spine
Very high complexity
By archetype
Fear farms (win via Terror 3)
Shadows, Bringer, Many Minds, Shroud, (Trickster late-game).
Dahan multipliers
Thunderspeaker, (Fangs via Ranging Hunt), (Bringer for fear cards scaling with dahan).
Blight-positive / damage-via-corruption
Vengeance, Wildfire (partially).
Coastal / ocean-dependent
Ocean, (Serpent aspects).
Energy denial / tempo disruption
Trickster, (Mist partial), (Fractured Days via time skip).
Terrain control (movement + isolation)
Shroud (Mists Shift and Flow), Lure, Green (aspect-dependent), Finder.
Direct damage / board clear
Lightning, Fangs, Wildfire, Keeper, Earth.
By element bias
A quick lookup — see each spirit’s chapter for the full element analysis.
| Primary elements | Spirits |
|---|---|
| Air + Moon | Trickster, Shadows, Many Minds, Bringer |
| Water + Plant | River, Green, Downpour, Lure |
| Fire + Earth | Wildfire, Keeper, Behemoth, Lightning |
| Animal + Beast-focused | Fangs, Many Minds (Beast variant), Serpent aspects |
| Sun | Thunderspeaker, Lightning, Relentless Gaze |
| Earth + Stone | Stone, Earth, Covets |
By aspect
See Aspects for the dedicated deep-dive on all 31 published aspects.
Reading order recommendations
If this is your first serious read: Shadows (full chapter) to see the canonical format, then Thunderspeaker stub for contrast.
If you know a few spirits and want to deepen: read the fundamentals (Tempo, Major vs. Minor) first, then pick 1 spirit you already know — you’ll re-read it in a new light.
If you’re planning tonight’s game: see How to Use This Book Mode 1.
Last revised: 2026-04-19