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.
Alchemize
Procure a random potion. Exhaust.
Anointed
Put every Rare card from your Draw Pile into your Hand. Exhaust.
Ashen Strike
Deal 6 damage. Deals 3 additional damage for each card in your Exhaust Pile.
Brand
Lose 1 HP. Exhaust 1 card. Gain 1 Strength.
Burning Pact
Exhaust 1 card. Draw 2 cards.
Cinder
Deal 17 damage. Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.
Corruption
Skills cost 0 . Whenever you play a Skill, Exhaust it.
Dark Embrace
Whenever a card is Exhausted, draw 1 card.
Dark Shackles
Enemy loses 9 Strength this turn. Exhaust.
Dramatic Entrance
Innate. Deal 11 damage to ALL enemies. Exhaust.
Drum Of Battle
Draw 2 cards. At the start of your turn, Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile.
Evil Eye
Gain 8 Block. Gain another 8 Block if you have Exhausted a card this turn.
Feed
Deal 10 damage. If Fatal, raise your Max HP by 3. Exhaust.
Feel No Pain
Whenever a card is Exhausted, gain 3 Block.
Fiend Fire
Exhaust your Hand. Deal 7 damage for each card Exhausted. Exhaust.
Forgotten Ritual
If you Exhausted a card this turn, gain .
Havoc
Play the top card of your Draw Pile and Exhaust it.
Howl From Beyond
Deal 16 damage to ALL enemies. At the start of your turn, plays from the Exhaust Pile.
Impervious
Gain 30 Block. Exhaust.
Infernal Blade
Add a random Attack into your Hand. It's free to play this turn. Exhaust.
Jack Of All Trades
Add 1 random Colorless card into your Hand. Exhaust.
Master Of Strategy
Draw 3 cards. Exhaust.
Molten Fist
Deal 10 damage. Double the enemy's Vulnerable. Exhaust.
Offering
Lose 6 HP. Gain . Draw 3 cards. Exhaust.
Pacts End
Can only be played if you have 3 or more cards in your Exhaust Pile. Deal 17 damage to ALL enemies.
Panic Button
Gain 30 Block. You cannot gain Block from cards for 2 turns. Exhaust.
Purity
Retain. Exhaust up to 3 cards in your Hand. Exhaust.
Scrawl
Draw cards until your Hand is full. Exhaust.
Second Wind
Exhaust all non-Attack cards in your Hand. Gain 5 Block for each card Exhausted.
Shockwave
Apply 3 Weak and Vulnerable to ALL enemies. Exhaust.
Stoke
Exhaust your Hand. Draw a card for each card Exhausted. Exhaust.
Thrash
Deal 4 damage twice. Exhaust a random Attack in your Hand and add its damage to this card.
True Grit
Gain 7 Block. Exhaust 1 card .
Support Cards
Stability tools that ensure consistency and survival.
No items found in this category yet.
Payoff Cards
The 'win conditions' that convert setup into overwhelming power.
No items found in this category yet.
Synergistic Relics
Passive items that amplify this build's ceiling.
Anchor
Start each combat with 10 Block.
Burning Sticks
The first time each combat you Exhaust a Skill, add a copy of it into your Hand.
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.
Daughter of the Wind
Whenever you play an Attack, gain 1 Block.
Anchor???
Start each combat with 4 Block.
Orichalcum???
If you end your turn without Block, gain 3 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.
Horn Cleat
At the start of your 2nd turn, gain 14 Block.
Intimidating Helmet
Whenever you play a card that costs or more, gain 4 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.
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.
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 6 Block.
Ripple Basin
If you did not play any Attacks during your turn, gain 4 Block.
Sai
At the start of your turn, gain 7 Block.
Seal of Gold
At the start of your turn, spend 5 Gold to gain . Self-Forming Clay · Ironclad Uncommon Whenever you lose HP in combat, gain 3 Block next turn.
Sturdy Clamp
Up to 10 Block persists across turns.
The Abacus
Whenever you shuffle your Draw Pile, gain 6 Block.
The Boot
Whenever you would deal 4 or less unblocked attack damage, increase it to 5.
Toasty Mittens
At the start of your turn, Exhaust the top card of your Draw Pile and gain 1 Strength.
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.
Strategic Potions
Emergency tools to bridge gaps in difficult elite matchups.
Ashwater
Exhaust any number of cards in your Hand.
Block Potion
Gain 12 Block.
Fortifier
Triple your Block.
Glowwater Potion
Exhaust your Hand. Draw 10 cards.
Ship in a Bottle
Gain 10 Block. Next turn, gain 10 Block.
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.