Exhaust Build
Exhaust builds turn the downside of losing cards into a major upside through card draw, block generation, and exhaust-triggered value.
"Best for players who enjoy engine decks, deck-thinning, and explosive synergy turns."
Exhaust builds turn the downside of losing cards into a major upside through card draw, block generation, and exhaust-triggered value.
Core plan Exhaust weak cards, trigger your engine, and convert shrinking deck size into stronger turns.
Strengths
- Excellent consistency scaling
- Strong synergy ceiling
- Can combine defense and offense
Weaknesses
- Payoffs need enablers
- Can overthin poorly
- Requires setup
We categorize resources into Core, Support, and Payoff. A build becomes "real" only when these three layers synchronize.
Core Cards
Primary enablers that define this mechanic's direction.
Tremble
Apply 3 [gold]Vulnerable[/gold].
Dominate
Apply 1 [gold]Vulnerable[/gold]. Gain 1 [gold]Strength[/gold] for each [gold]Vulnerable[/gold] on the enemy.
Forgotten Ritual
If you [gold]Exhausted[/gold] a card this turn, gain [energy:3].
Fiend Fire
[gold]Exhaust[/gold] your [gold]Hand[/gold]. Deal 7 damage for each card [gold]Exhausted[/gold].
Support Cards
Stability tools that ensure consistency and survival.
Defend
Gain 5 [gold]Block[/gold].
Armaments
Gain 5 [gold]Block[/gold]. [gold]Upgrade[/gold] a card in your [gold]Hand[/gold].
Blood Wall
Lose 2 HP. Gain 16 [gold]Block[/gold].
Iron Wave
Gain 5 [gold]Block[/gold]. Deal 5 damage.
Shrug It Off
Gain 8 [gold]Block[/gold]. Draw 1 card.
True Grit
Gain 7 [gold]Block[/gold]. [gold]Exhaust[/gold] 1 card at random.
Colossus
Gain 5 [gold]Block[/gold]. You receive 50% less damage from [gold]Vulnerable[/gold] enemies this turn.
Demonic Shield
Lose 1 HP. Give another player [gold]Block[/gold] equal to your [gold]Block[/gold].
Evil Eye
Gain 8 [gold]Block[/gold]. Gain another 8 [gold]Block[/gold] if you have [gold]Exhausted[/gold] a card this turn.
Flame Barrier
Gain 12 [gold]Block[/gold]. Whenever you are attacked this turn, deal 4 damage back.
Second Wind
[gold]Exhaust[/gold] all non-Attack cards in your [gold]Hand[/gold]. Gain 5 [gold]Block[/gold] for each card [gold]Exhausted[/gold].
Taunt
Gain 7 [gold]Block[/gold]. Apply 1 [gold]Vulnerable[/gold].
Impervious
Gain 30 [gold]Block[/gold].
Offering
Lose 6 HP. Gain [energy:2]. Draw 3 cards.
Payoff Cards
The 'win conditions' that convert setup into overwhelming power.
Niche & Situational
Additional cards that synergize under specific conditions.
Synergistic Relics
Passive items that amplify this build's ceiling.
Anchor
Start each combat with 10 Block.
Horn Cleat
At the start of your 2nd turn, gain 14 Block.
Joss Paper
Every 5 times you Exhaust a card, draw 1 card.
Orichalcum
If you end your turn without Block, gain 6 Block.
Ornamental Fan
Every time you play 3 Attacks in a single turn, gain 4 Block.
Parrying Shield
If you end a turn with at least 10 Block, deal 6 damage to a random enemy.
Permafrost
The first time you play a Power each combat, gain 7 Block.
Ripple Basin
If you did not play any Attacks during your turn, gain 4 Block.
Self-Forming Clay
Whenever you lose HP in combat, gain 3 Block next turn.
Tuning Fork
Every time you play 10 Skills, gain 7 Block.
Vambrace
The first time you gain Block from a card each combat, double the amount gained.
Captain's Wheel
At the start of your 3rd turn, gain 18 Block.
Charon's Ashes
Whenever you Exhaust a card, deal 3 damage to ALL enemies.
Cloak Clasp
At the end of your turn, gain 1 Block for each card in your Hand.
Intimidating Helmet
Whenever you play a card that costs [energy:2] or more, gain 4 Block.
Sturdy Clamp
Up to 10 Block persists across turns.
Burning Sticks
The first time each combat you Exhaust a Skill, add a copy of it into your Hand.
The Abacus
Whenever you shuffle your Draw Pile, gain 6 Block.
Pael's Eye
The first time each combat you end your turn without playing cards, Exhaust your Hand, and take an extra turn.
Pael's Legion
Doubles Block gained from a card, then goes to sleep for 2 turns.
Sai
At the start of your turn, gain 7 Block.
Toasty Mittens
At the start of your turn, Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile and gain 1 Strength.
Anchor???
Start each combat with 4 Block.
Daughter of the Wind
Whenever you play an Attack, gain 1 Block.
Forgotten Soul
Whenever you Exhaust a card, deal 1 damage to a random enemy.
Fresnel Lens
Whenever you add a card that gains Block to your Deck, Enchant it with Nimble 2.
Hand Drill
Whenever you break an enemy's Block, apply 2 Vulnerable.
Orichalcum???
If you end your turn without Block, gain 3 Block.
The Boot
Whenever you would deal 4 or less unblocked attack damage, increase it to 5.
Strategic Potions
Emergency tools to bridge gaps in difficult elite matchups.
Block Potion
Gain 12 Block.
Ashwater
Exhaust any number of cards in your Hand.
Fortifier
Triple your Block.
Ship in a Bottle
Gain 10 Block. Next turn, gain 10 Block.
Glowwater Potion
Exhaust your Hand. Draw 10 cards.
Pro Tip: Balance your shell
"If your deck only has payoffs, it's a glass cannon that will misfire. If it only has support, you'll eventually be out-scaled. Look for the Golden Ratio between establishment, consistency, and victory."
Build FAQ
What is the core idea behind Exhaust Build?
The goal is to identify the mechanic that actually wins fights, then build around enough support pieces to make that plan reliable.
Do I need every core card to make Exhaust Build work?
No. In Early Access, most builds are better understood as directions rather than exact decklists. What matters most is whether you have enough engine, support, and payoff to make the build coherent.
Why does this page separate core, support, and payoff?
Because a strong build is not just a list of good cards. Core pieces enable the mechanic, support pieces keep the build consistent, and payoff pieces convert that setup into real combat power.