Lately I have been exploring variant 1, but hit a brick wall on chapter 2.1. I completed chapter 1 with minimal revives, but the spite node on 2.1 just wrecks me. Sparky's taunt doesn't seem to do anything, and magik loses 7% health per blocked attack. Gitting gud won't work because the AI saves for sp3. Anyone have any tips?

PS I have a mystic AG if it would help in some way.