Ironclad Exhaust–Block Guide: Fuel, Payoffs and Safe Trims
Exhaust is a plan when removing a card also produces Block, draw, damage, or a smaller deck that still has answers. Build the payoff side before spending the cards that keep the late fight alive.
When does Exhaust become an engine instead of simply deleting cards from the deck?
Open the Ironclad overviewThe job
What this package is trying to solve
Remove weak cards during combat, turn that cleanup into Block and draw, then loop the compact deck that remains. The package is useful only when it answers the fight in front of you; it is not a shopping list that overrides the map, enemy intent, or the cards actually offered.
Exhaust weak or spent cards first.
Play Feel No Pain or Dark Embrace before the large cleanup turn.
Turn Second Wind or Fiend Fire into more than one job at once.
Preserve recurring damage and Block for the turns after the big Exhaust sequence.
Build the job, not the label
Cards and relics to recognize
Core cards
True Grit · Burning Pact · Feel No Pain · Second Wind · Dark Embrace
These are the cards that make the package's central action possible.Support cards
Evil Eye · Drum of Battle · Ashen Strike · Pact's End · Fiend Fire
These help the package survive, draw, scale, or bridge into the next fight.Relics
Charon's Ashes · Joss Paper · Anchor · Bag of Preparation
Relics can change the value of the package, but do not force a plan that cannot solve the next combat.Commit condition
When should you take more of this?
At least two active Exhaust cards can be played without blanking the next fight.
A payoff converts the Exhaust into Block, draw, damage, or a repeatable advantage.
The deck still has a plan after the first hand of weak cards disappears.
Protect the run
When should you stop forcing it?
Core failure mode: Exhausting the only cards that solve a long fight. Trim Strikes and spent setup first; keep enough recurring Block and damage for the turns after the fireworks.
You own Exhaust cards but no payoff or useful fuel.
The only remaining Block or damage answer is being selected as fuel.
The deck wins one spectacular turn but cannot survive the following reshuffle.