Exhaust / Infinite
Sironclad
The dominant Ironclad strategy in STS2. Two mechanically incompatible infinite paths share the same foundation of deck thinning and Pommel Strike draw loops. Path A uses Hellraiser to auto-play drawn Strikes for free. Path B cycles a thin deck with Bloodletting for energy. Corruption is a powerful setup card that thins the deck to attacks-only, but it exhausts skills — including Bloodletting — so it feeds Path A (Hellraiser), not Path B.
Exhaust/Infinite is the meta-defining Ironclad strategy in Slay the Spire 2, but it is widely misunderstood. The build is not one strategy — it is two mechanically incompatible infinite paths that share the same foundation of deck thinning and Pommel Strike draw loops. Understanding which path you are on, and why they cannot be mixed, is the difference between a consistent A10 climber and a player who wonders why their "infinite" dies after one cycle. This archetype has two phases: SETUP (thin the deck) and PAYOFF (infinite loop). The setup removes cards until only engine pieces remain. The payoff loops those pieces indefinitely for infinite damage and Block. The two paths differ in how they generate the loop: **Path A: Hellraiser Infinite (the easier path).** Hellraiser is a Power that auto-plays any drawn card containing "Strike" against a random enemy for free — no energy cost. With a thin deck of mostly Strike cards, Pommel Strike deals 9 damage and draws 1 card. That draw hits another Strike, Hellraiser plays it free, and the chain continues. Corruption is the ideal setup partner: play it with Dark Embrace and Feel No Pain in play, and one explosive turn exhausts every skill for free, drawing replacements and gaining Block, until only attacks remain. Hellraiser then takes over. As one A10 player with 90%+ winrate put it, "pommel strike infinites are WAY too simple to achieve." **Path B: Bloodletting Cycling Infinite (the harder path).** Without Hellraiser, go infinite by cycling a thin deck of ~5 cards every turn. Bloodletting (0 cost, Skill: lose 3 HP, gain 2 energy) is played every cycle for net positive energy. Pommel Strike and Shrug It Off provide the draw to cycle through the deck. Whirlwind converts the infinite energy into infinite AoE damage. The critical constraint: you CANNOT use Corruption on this path. Corruption makes all skills cost 0 but Exhaust them on play. Bloodletting is a Skill. Under Corruption, Bloodletting would Exhaust after one play, permanently removing your energy source and killing the loop. Thin the deck via card removal at shops and events instead. **Corruption's actual role** is a SETUP card, not a loop card. With Corruption + Dark Embrace + Feel No Pain, you play all skills for free in one turn — each exhausts, draws a replacement (Dark Embrace), and gains Block (Feel No Pain). This thins the deck from 15+ cards to attacks-only in a single turn. After Corruption thins the deck, Hellraiser takes over for the infinite. Corruption + Hellraiser is a valid and powerful combo. Corruption + Bloodletting loop is mechanically broken — Bloodletting exhausts and the loop dies. STS1 veterans should note that the Ironclad's identity has fundamentally shifted. The Strength-focused cards that defined the original game — Limit Break, Heavy Blade, Flex, and Reaper — were all removed in STS2. The old Strength Ramp archetype no longer exists. In its place, the Exhaust engine has been reworked and strengthened, with Stoke emerging as the single best card in the Ironclad's entire pool and Hellraiser enabling a new class of infinite that STS1 never had. The consistency rating of 9 reflects how accessible this strategy has become. Pommel Strike and Bloodletting are both Common rarity, meaning the draw engine and energy source appear in nearly every run. Hellraiser is Rare but Corruption is Ancient — finding one of the two is reliable across Acts 2-3, and either one enables an infinite path. The hardest part is Act 1, where you are playing a base Ironclad deck with no engine. Pick up Pommel Strike, Bloodletting, and Feel No Pain early while aggressively removing Defends at shops. Do not over-add cards — every card you take in Act 1 is a card you must remove later to hit the 5-7 card threshold where infinite becomes reliable.
Card Tier List
Synergy Map
Corruption + Dark Embrace + Feel No Pain (Setup Engine)
Build DefiningThe setup engine, not the infinite loop itself. Corruption makes all Skills free and Exhausting, Dark Embrace draws on each Exhaust, Feel No Pain grants Block on each Exhaust. One explosive turn plays every skill for free, thins the deck to attacks-only, and generates massive Block. After this turn, the deck is thin enough for Hellraiser to go infinite.
Hellraiser + Pommel Strike (Infinite Engine)
Build DefiningThe primary infinite loop. Hellraiser auto-plays any drawn card with 'Strike' in its name for free against a random enemy. Pommel Strike deals 9 damage and draws 1 card. In a thin deck of mostly Strike cards, Pommel Strike draws a Strike, Hellraiser plays it free, that Strike draws another, and the chain goes infinite. Corruption thins the deck to enable this. Per A10 players: 'pommel strike infinites are WAY too simple to achieve.'
Bloodletting + Pommel Strike + Shrug It Off (Cycling Infinite)
StrongThe alternative infinite loop without Corruption. A thin deck of ~5 cards cycles every turn: Bloodletting generates 2 energy for 3 HP, Pommel Strike and Shrug It Off draw through the deck, and each full cycle replays Bloodletting for net positive energy. CANNOT use Corruption — it would Exhaust Bloodletting and Shrug It Off, killing the loop.
Stoke + Exhaust Engine
StrongStoke gains enormous value inside the Exhaust engine. Combined with Corruption making Skills free and Dark Embrace drawing on Exhaust, Stoke becomes a repeatable powerhouse that outperforms every other Ironclad card.
Priority Picks
Act 1
Damage race. Your starting deck has no Exhaust synergy, so focus on surviving while picking up Pommel Strike and any draw cards. Start removing Defends immediately — every non-engine card you keep is one you must remove later. Pommel Strike is the single most important common pickup: it provides damage and draw before the engine is online, and it becomes the core draw engine for either infinite path.
Priorities
- 1.Pommel Strike is the #1 priority common — damage + draw in one card, and the draw engine for both infinite paths.
- 2.Pick up Bloodletting whenever offered — at Common rarity it appears frequently. Even if you end up on the Hellraiser path, Bloodletting is useful for energy during setup.
- 3.Take Feel No Pain for early defensive value from any Exhaust effects.
- 4.Stoke is a high-priority pickup at any point in the run.
- 5.Start removing Defends at shops. Keep the deck as lean as possible.
Card Picks
Key Decisions
Offered Bloodletting vs. a defensive card in Act 1
Take Bloodletting.
Bloodletting is a key infinite enabler and appears at Common rarity. Taking it early sets up the entire run. Burning Blood covers your HP losses.
No Exhaust synergy cards in first three rewards
Pick the best generalist card and remain flexible.
The engine requires specific pieces. Stay patient — Corruption and Hellraiser appear in Act 2 and the build comes together quickly once they do.
Act 2
Act 2 is where you commit to a path. Find Hellraiser or Corruption (ideally both for Path A). If you find Hellraiser, the infinite is nearly assembled — just thin the deck. If you find Corruption without Hellraiser, use it for setup value but keep Bloodletting for the cycling path. Dark Embrace and Feel No Pain are Corruption's essential companions.
Priorities
- 1.Hellraiser is the highest priority card — it is the infinite engine itself.
- 2.Corruption is the second-highest priority as the fastest deck-thinning tool.
- 3.Dark Embrace is essential if you have Corruption.
- 4.Whirlwind is the damage payoff for the Bloodletting cycling path.
- 5.Continue removing Defends and non-engine cards for faster cycling.
- 6.Shop for card removal at every opportunity.
Card Picks
Key Decisions
Hellraiser appears in Act 2 reward
Take Hellraiser over everything except Corruption.
Hellraiser is the infinite engine. With a thin deck of Strike cards, it goes infinite immediately. This is the easier path.
Have Corruption but no Hellraiser by late Act 2
Use Corruption for setup value and keep Bloodletting for the cycling infinite. Thin via Corruption's exhaust turn, then cycle with Bloodletting energy — but remember Bloodletting will exhaust under Corruption, so play Corruption AFTER your Bloodletting cycling is set up, or commit to finding Hellraiser in Act 3.
Corruption without Hellraiser is still powerful for thinning, but the Bloodletting cycling path is harder to execute. Stay flexible.
Have Corruption and Feel No Pain but no Dark Embrace by late Act 2
Buy Dark Embrace at the first shop you can afford.
Without Dark Embrace, Corruption thins the deck but you run out of cards mid-turn. Budget for the shop purchase.
Act 3
Your deck should be 5-7 cards. Go infinite every fight. With Hellraiser, your deck should be almost entirely Strike cards plus Pommel Strike — Hellraiser auto-plays every Strike drawn for free, and Pommel Strike chains the draws. With the Bloodletting path, cycle your thin deck every turn with energy to spare. Remove all remaining filler and execute.
Priorities
- 1.Remove all remaining non-engine cards at shops.
- 2.Target a deck of 5-7 cards for reliable infinite cycling.
- 3.Add Barricade if survivability is a concern during setup turns.
- 4.Do not add cards unless they directly improve the engine.
Card Picks
Key Decisions
Offered a powerful off-archetype card in Act 3
Skip it.
Every card added dilutes cycling speed. The infinite engine needs density, not breadth. Trust your engine.
Boss relic choice at end of Act 3
Prefer relics that reduce damage taken or give energy.
Your damage is infinite once the loop is running. Surviving the setup turns is the only challenge.
Infinite Strategy
Pommel Strike Infinite (Two Paths)
easy difficultyThis archetype has two phases: SETUP (thin the deck) and PAYOFF (infinite loop). There are two mechanically incompatible infinite paths that share the same foundation of deck thinning and Pommel Strike draw loops. Path A (Hellraiser): Corruption thins the deck to attacks-only in one explosive turn, then Hellraiser auto-plays drawn Strike cards for free, chaining with Pommel Strike's draw. This is the easier and more consistent path. Path B (Bloodletting cycling): Thin the deck to ~5 cards via shops and events (WITHOUT Corruption), then cycle with Bloodletting for energy and Pommel Strike + Shrug It Off for draw. Corruption is the fastest way to thin, but it kills Bloodletting — use Hellraiser instead if you have Corruption.
Required Cards
Optional Cards
Setup Steps
- 1Thin your deck aggressively through shops and events — target 5-7 cards for the final loop.
- 2Choose your path: if you find Hellraiser, go Path A (pair with Corruption to thin fast). If no Hellraiser, go Path B (Bloodletting cycling — do NOT take Corruption).
- 3Path A setup: Play Corruption with Dark Embrace and Feel No Pain in play. Every skill plays for free, exhausts, draws a replacement, and gains Block. One turn thins the deck to attacks-only. Hellraiser takes over.
- 4Path B setup: Thin via card removal at shops and events. Keep only Bloodletting, Pommel Strike, Shrug It Off, and 1-2 damage payoffs. No Corruption.
Execution Steps
- 1Path A (Hellraiser): With a thin deck of Strike cards and Hellraiser in play, play or draw any Strike. Pommel Strike deals 9 damage and draws 1 — that draw hits another Strike, Hellraiser auto-plays it for free, which draws another, chaining infinitely. Energy is irrelevant; Hellraiser bypasses it.
- 2Path B (Bloodletting cycling): In a ~5-card deck, play Bloodletting (0 cost, gain 2 energy), play Pommel Strike and Shrug It Off to draw through the deck, cycle back to Bloodletting, repeat. Each cycle is energy-positive. Whirlwind converts excess energy to AoE damage.
- 3Deal damage with Pommel Strike chains (Path A), Whirlwind with infinite energy (Path B), or Fiend Fire for burst single-target.
- 4Loop indefinitely — each cycle draws back into itself.
You're Online When...
- ✓Deck is 5-7 cards with mostly attacks
- ✓Path A: Hellraiser is in play and deck is Strike-heavy
- ✓Path B: Bloodletting is in the deck and Corruption is NOT in the deck
Counterplay Warnings
- ⚠Time Eater's card-play cap can slow the loop — deal burst damage before hitting the limit.
- ⚠Enemies with Thorns punish repeated attack plays during the loop.
Sources
Pilot Walkthrough
Overview
Damage race. Your starting deck has no Exhaust synergy, so focus on surviving while picking up Pommel Strike and any draw cards. Start removing Defends immediately — every non-engine card you keep is one you must remove later. Pommel Strike is the single most important common pickup: it provides damage and draw before the engine is online, and it becomes the core draw engine for either infinite path.
Priorities
- 1Pommel Strike is the #1 priority common — damage + draw in one card, and the draw engine for both infinite paths.
- 2Pick up Bloodletting whenever offered — at Common rarity it appears frequently. Even if you end up on the Hellraiser path, Bloodletting is useful for energy during setup.
- 3Take Feel No Pain for early defensive value from any Exhaust effects.
- 4Stoke is a high-priority pickup at any point in the run.
- 5Start removing Defends at shops. Keep the deck as lean as possible.
Card Picks
Card Removals
Relic Priorities
Decision Points
Offered Bloodletting vs. a defensive card in Act 1
Take Bloodletting.
Bloodletting is a key infinite enabler and appears at Common rarity. Taking it early sets up the entire run. Burning Blood covers your HP losses.
No Exhaust synergy cards in first three rewards
Pick the best generalist card and remain flexible.
The engine requires specific pieces. Stay patient — Corruption and Hellraiser appear in Act 2 and the build comes together quickly once they do.
Elite Strategy
Play conservatively. Use Bash for Vulnerable, then attack. Burning Blood heals you afterwards — do not skip winnable elites even at low HP.
Boss Strategy
Without the engine, you are playing a base Ironclad deck. Use Bash for Vulnerable and prioritize damage. Accept that Act 1 boss is the hardest fight for this archetype.
Bad RNG Fallback
Bad RNG Fallback
If neither Hellraiser nor Corruption appears, pivot to Block/Body Slam. Ironclad's base deck + Burning Blood healing makes this viable. Bloodletting alone without a thin deck is still good energy but does not go infinite.
If you don't see:
Consider pivoting to:
- →block-body-slam
- →vulnerable
Multiplayer Tips
The Exhaust/Infinite loop is one of the strongest MP archetypes because its damage ceiling is independent of enemy HP — once infinite, you kill any enemy regardless of scaled HP totals.
Flat damage builds struggle in MP because enemy HP scales up. Infinite loops bypass this entirely: you cycle unlimited turns of damage, so the enemy's HP total only determines how many loops you run, not whether you can win.
Feel No Pain and Barricade generate Block for you only, not teammates. In longer MP fights, this self-sustain lets you survive while looping, but your partners need their own defenses.
Block is self-only in STS2 multiplayer. The Exhaust engine makes you personally durable, but do not assume teammates benefit from your Block output. Prioritize reaching infinite quickly so your damage ends the fight before teammates take too much punishment.
Ask a teammate to apply Vulnerable the turn before your Fiend Fire — the 50% damage bonus on Fiend Fire's large burst is worth timing around.
Fiend Fire exhausts your entire hand for one massive hit. A 50% Vulnerable bonus on that single hit is a larger absolute gain than Vulnerable on small attacks spread across turns.