HP Cost Build

Build Overview

The HP Cost Build leverages Ironclad's unique identity of spending HP to generate resources. Offering (spend 6 HP for 2 Energy and 3-5 draw), Bloodletting (spend 3 HP for 2-3 Energy), and Hemokinesis (high-damage attack for 2 HP) are combined to convert HP loss into Strength, Energy, and draw on demand. Rupture, which grants Strength every time you lose HP, sits at the core. In a single turn you can stack 10+ Strength with multiple HP cost cards, then detonate it all with Whirlwind in a decisive one-turn burst.

Tier Rating: S

The HP Cost Build is one of the strongest builds in the current meta. Rupture converts self-damage into Strength with outstanding efficiency, and the Rupture + Offering + Bloodletting combo can wipe every enemy in a single turn. Demon Form keeps growing Strength every turn, while Inflame's instant Strength makes the scaling curve spike even faster. Ironclad's starting Relic, Burning Blood (6 HP recovery after each combat), makes HP management across a run natural. The raw burst, the scaling, and the synergy are all top-tier, earning this build a solid S rating.

Key Cards (essential)

• Rupture: A 1-cost Power that grants 1-2 Strength every time you lose HP this turn. The heart of the build - stacking multiple HP cost cards in one turn can instantly give you 10+ Strength, making it one of the most explosive combo starters in the game.
• Offering: A 0-cost card that costs 6 HP and grants 2 Energy plus 3 draw (5 upgraded). With Rupture active, it translates into 6-12 Strength at once, and the draw reliably digs to Whirlwind.
• Bloodletting: A 0-cost card that costs 3 HP for 2-3 Energy. Under Rupture, it also yields 3-6 Strength. A critical Energy source for boosting Whirlwind's X value.
• Whirlwind: The main finisher. Launch it after stacking Strength with Rupture, Offering, and Bloodletting. At X=5-7 with 15+ Strength, it hits every enemy for 100+ damage.

Candidate Cards

• Hemokinesis: Deals 15 damage (20 upgraded) for 2 HP. The v0.103.0 damage buff made this even stronger. With Rupture active, it also racks up 2-4 Strength, making it a staple HP-cost attacker.
• Malice: Reworked in v0.103.0 to a 0-cost attack dealing 5 damage that hits twice (three times upgraded) if you have lost HP this turn. With Offering or Bloodletting constantly triggering the condition, it delivers 10-15 damage at 0 cost. Rupture's Strength is added to every hit, so at high Strength it punches far above its weight.
• Reckless Charge: v0.103.0 reduced its cost from 2 to 1 and buffed damage to 20 (30 upgraded). Despite adding two Wounds to your discard pile, the combination of big damage and Block at 1 cost massively shores up the build's defensive weakness.
• Rupture: (Crimson Garb/Crimson Cloak) - a Power that costs 1 HP and grants 8-10 Block at the start of every turn. With Rupture on the field, it also fuels Strength every turn.
• Inflame: Grants 2-3 Strength immediately. Stacks on top of Rupture-driven Strength for higher Strength earlier in the fight.
• Demon Form: Adds 2-3 Strength every turn at the start of the turn. Complements HP Cost Build's scaling over longer fights.
• Bonfire: Grants 1-2 additional Energy at the start of each turn. Pushes Whirlwind's X value even higher and makes better use of the Energy you generate from HP costs.

Recommended Relics

• Burning Blood (starting Relic): Heal 6 HP at the end of combat. Since this build burns through HP every fight, this heal is essential to preserve your total HP pool across the run.
• Centennial Puzzle: Draw 3 cards the first time you lose HP in a combat. Because Bloodletting and Offering guarantee HP loss, it triggers every fight and floods your hand with Rupture combo pieces.
• Red Skull: At 50% HP or below, gain 3 extra Strength. HP Cost Build frequently hovers in that range, so the condition is met naturally and Rupture's Strength stacks on top.
• Akabeko (or equivalent Strength-doubling Relic): Your first Strength gain each combat is doubled. Your opening Rupture or Inflame Strength tick doubles, dramatically strengthening the combo's ignition.
• Meat on the Bone: Heal 12 HP at the end of combat if at 50% HP or below. This build usually ends combats low, so combined with Burning Blood you can heal up to 18 per fight, stabilizing HP long-term.
• Pear (or max-HP Relic): Gain 10 max HP on pickup. More max HP means more safe uses of Offering and Bloodletting per combat.

How to Play

Act 1

In Act 1, aim to grab at least two of Rupture, Offering, and Bloodletting. Even Rupture alone synergizes well with other HP-cost cards like Crimson Garb or Hemokinesis. Add 1-2 copies of Inflame as insurance for Strength damage even when Rupture is not in play. Avoid big HP spends in Act 1 - only use Offering or Bloodletting when you are above 60% HP. Use Burning Blood's post-combat heal to reset HP after each fight and get into a sustainable rhythm. For the Act 1 boss, stack Strength with Rupture + Inflame first, then unload with your big attacks.

Act 2

Ideally you pick up Whirlwind in Act 2. Once Rupture + Offering + Whirlwind are assembled, even Elites and bosses can go down in a single turn. Add Bonfire here to push X even higher. HP management becomes critical - heal at Campfires aggressively to preserve HP for future HP-cost plays. If you are running Crimson Garb, use it with Rupture for passive 1-2 Strength per turn. Malice's v0.103.0 rework makes it a 0-cost multi-hit attack; with Rupture-fed Strength it hits way harder than its cost suggests.

Act 3

With Rupture + Offering + Bloodletting + Whirlwind assembled, head into the boss fight. The ideal combo: play Rupture first, then Offering (6 HP loss - 6-12 Strength), then Bloodletting (3 HP loss - 3-6 Strength), then Whirlwind (hit everyone with the stacked Strength). The final boss has around 500 HP, so manage HP carefully and set up the burst over 1-2 prep turns. With multiple Bonfires, a single Whirlwind can exceed 300 damage.

Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

• The Rupture + Offering combo produces a huge Strength spike and Whirlwind damage in a single turn - top-tier burst potential
• Most HP cost cards are 0-1 cost, so you generate massive resources without draining your Energy pool
• Offering's draw reliably digs to Whirlwind and other key pieces
• Burning Blood heals every combat, so HP costs are refunded fight-by-fight
• Demon Form's per-turn Strength keeps the build scaling in long fights

Weaknesses

• HP management is the tightest of any Ironclad build - a miscalculation can kill you
• Turns without Rupture waste a lot of the value of HP costs
• If max HP runs low over a long run, the safety margin for HP spends shrinks and combos become unstable
• Turns without Whirlwind can leave huge resource pools with no finisher to spend them on