Slay the Spire | 12 Infinite Loop Combo Builds by Character
In this article, I’ll introduce infinite-loop combo archetypes for each character: Ironclad, Silent, Defect, and Watcher.
With 3 archetypes per character, this guide covers a total of 12 archetypes.
I’ve collected everything from the standard “you see it everywhere” combos to more technical, high-skill ones.
If you’re new to infinite loops, aim for the combos labeled 【Standard】.
For reference, here’s my personal ranking of the easiest infinite-loop archetypes to assemble.
(For full details, please read the main section of the article.)
【Standard】Easiest Infinite-Loop Combo Archetypes (personal opinion) ▼
#1: Dropkick archetype (Ironclad)
#2: Other Ironclad infinite combo archetypes
— an unbreakable wall —
#3: All For One + Madness archetype (Defect)
#4: Eruption + Rushdown archetype (Watcher)
#5: Tactician + Reflex archetype (Silent)
If you’re an experienced player, go for the technical combos.
*Note: Some card images shown are from before the June 2021 update (the effects described use the post-update data). Thank you for your understanding.
Ironclad Infinite-Loop Combo Archetypes
Ironclad has a wide variety of exhaust cards (see: [Ironclad] List of cards that can form infinite combo archetypes).
Start your combo after exhausting unnecessary cards to compress your deck.
【Standard】Dropkick archetype
After compressing your deck and applying Vulnerable, you simply play Dropkick ×2.
This is the easiest infinite loop to complete.
There’s tons of information online, so it’s easy to customize.
Add-on: Double Tap+ + Dropkick archetype
This archetype adds Double Tap+ to the Dropkick archetype introduced above.
With Double Tap+, you trigger Dropkick a total of four times.
You spend 3 energy to gain 4 energy, so you can make it work in plenty of ways.
Status-Card archetype
Steps ▼
Wild Strike
→ 0-cost draw
→ draw Dazed
→ draw 2 from Evolve
→ back to the start
You can exhaust Dazed with Medical Kit.
Hemokinesis archetype
Steps ▼
Hemokinesis
→ Rampage
→ Pommel Strike #1
→ Hemokinesis
→ Rampage
→ Pommel Strike #2
→ back to the start
A deck that uses HP as a resource to scale Rampage as hard as possible.
As long as you have HP, you can keep looping—this is a truly masochistic combo.
If everything is upgraded: lose 15 HP for 170 damage, or lose 30 HP for 540 damage*.
(*Damage formula: 4*n^2 + 14n; HP loss: 3n, where n is the number of cycles.)
Reference: Slay the Spire Guide: Infinite Combo Tips (Ironclad) — Kudo’s blog (external link)
A god-tier site. If you read that article, you’ll understand Ironclad infinite loops.
Silent Infinite-Loop Combo Archetypes
【Standard】Tactician + Reflex archetype
Your deck size is 6 cards.
Deck list ▼
1) Tactician
2) Reflex
3) Dagger Throw
4) Acrobatics
5) 0-cost attack
6) 0-cost attack
Steps ▼
Dagger Throw (discard Tactician)
→ 0-cost attack ×2
→ Acrobatics (discard Reflex, draw 3)
→ back to the start
Your energy cost is effectively 0.
You spend 6 cards and get 6 cards back.
Heel Hook archetype
Your deck size is 5 cards.
Deck list ▼
1) Neutralize
2) Heel Hook
3) Heel Hook
4) Backflip (Adrenaline also works)
5) Flex slot
Neutralize
→ Heel Hook
→ a 2-card draw card
→ Heel Hook
→ Heel Hook → keep playing Heel Hook.
Just apply Weak, then play Heel Hook.
It depends on how much you can remove/exhaust unnecessary cards.
Purity is basically mandatory ▼
After Image / “Skillcraft” archetype
Your deck size is 8 cards.
Deck list ▼
1) Expertise
2) Concentrate
3) Acrobatics
4) One or more 0-cost attacks, or Sneaky Strike
The rest are flexible
Expertise (hand size 7, 2 energy left)
→ Concentrate+ for +2 energy (hand size 4, 5 energy left)
→ Acrobatics (Expertise returns to your hand; hand size 7, 4 energy left)
→ play all 0-cost attacks and Sneaky Strikes you have
→ back to the start
Defect Infinite-Loop Combo Archetypes
All For One archetype
Your deck size is 5 cards.
Use four different 0-cost cards ⇔ repeat All For One endlessly.
Recycle is for exhausting Burns. Purity is mandatory.
【Standard】Exception: All For One + Madness archetype
You need two copies of the colorless card “Madness”.
By making two copies of All For One—or All For One plus Hologram+—cost 0, you can cast All For One endlessly.
Reference: Hologram+ ▼
Because you can go infinite without fully compressing your deck, it’s surprisingly achievable.
With big draw engines like Seek or Skim, you can even get a turn-1 kill without perfect compression (but your card picks need to be strict).
Meteor Strike archetype
Your deck size is 6 cards or fewer.
Deck list ▼
1) Meteor Strike
2) Skim
3) Skim
4) Up to three 0-cost cards
Steps ▼
(Start with all three orb slots filled with Plasma.)
Meteor Strike (gain 6 energy)
→ play up to three 0-cost cards (6 energy remaining)
→ Skim #1 (draw 4; Meteor Strike and the three 0-cost cards come back; 5 energy remaining)
→ *Meteor Strike (6 energy remaining)
→ play up to two 0-cost cards
→ Skim #2 (draw 4)
→ return to *.
You can earn the achievement “Neon” (generate 9 Plasma in a single turn).
Energy Festival archetype
Steps ▼
(Start with only Plasma orbs in your orb slots.)
1) Fusion+
2) Recursion
3) Recursion
4) Skim+ (retrieve Fusion+ and Recursion ×2)
5) Hologram+ (retrieve Skim)
By repeating steps 1–5, you eventually evoke Plasma 3 times while spending 3 energy—netting 3 energy per cycle.
Once you’ve built enough energy, fire off Tempest. It feels amazing.
This also lets you complete the Neon achievement.
*If you have Nuclear Battery, Fusion isn’t needed. This makes the combo much easier to assemble.
Watcher Infinite-Loop Combo Archetypes
【Standard】Eruption + Rushdown archetype
After playing Rushdown, loop Inner Peace ⇔ Eruption.
With Mental Fortress or Flurry of Blows, you can stack block and attacks endlessly. It’s fun.
Mental Fortress also makes it easier to hit enemies with Thorns.
Divinity Stance archetype
Steps ▼
(With Establishment, make Worship cost 0.)
Worship (Mantra 5, 3 energy)
→ Empty Mind (Mantra 5, 2 energy; retrieve Worship)
→ Worship (Mantra 10 → Divinity, 5 energy)
→ Wheel Kick (Mantra 0, 3 energy; retrieve Worship and Empty Mind)
→ back to the start
Even in the Divinity archetype, the “extras” shine.
Fear No Evil archetype
Steps ▼
Fear No Evil (2 energy left)
→ Flurry of Blows or Follow-Up (2 energy left)
→ Empty Head #1 (retrieve Fear No Evil + Flurry/Follow-Up; 3 energy left)
→ Fear No Evil (2 energy left)
→ Flurry of Blows or Follow-Up (2 energy left)
→ Empty Head #2 (retrieve Empty Head #1 + Fear No Evil + Flurry/Follow-Up; 3 energy left)
→ back to the start
That’s it.
A collection of invasion-run records featuring specific infinite loops ▼
Lists of cards/relics for building infinite combos ▼
[Ironclad] Cards for infinite combos
[Silent] Cards for infinite combos
[Defect] Cards for infinite combos
[Watcher] Cards for infinite combos
[Colorless] Cards for infinite combos
◆ Beginner-friendly articles (Spoilers) ◆
Is Slay the Spire hard? A beginner’s guide for players who can’t clear
Unlockable cards & relics list (Spoilers)
How many acts are in Slay the Spire? How to unlock each act
◆ Tips by character ◆
How to get your first win: Ironclad key tips
Ironclad | Tips & standard deck archetypes
Silent | Tips & standard deck archetypes
Defect | Tips & standard deck archetypes
Watcher | Tips & standard deck archetypes
◆ Card power rankings ◆
Ironclad | Full card tier list & rankings (in progress)
Silent | Full card tier list & rankings
Defect | Full card tier list & rankings
Watcher | Full card tier list & rankings
◆ How to use potions ◆
Potion tier list & pick guidelines (all characters)
Talking about the role of potions
◆ Ascension mode ◆
A guide to Ascension (Ascension mode) strategy
◆ Achievements ◆
How to clear every achievement (with deck examples)
◆ Boss guides ◆
Boss relic tier list & pick guidelines (all characters)
[First time in Slay the Spire] Act 1 boss guide
◆ High-difficulty achievements / “How to beat ___” guides (Spoilers) ◆
Beginner’s guide to ___ (Ironclad)
Beginner’s guide to ___ (Silent)
Beginner’s guide to ___ (Defect)
Beginner’s guide to ___ (Watcher)
◆ Tips for 100-win streaks to become a world-class player ◆
4 things I focused on to win 100 in a row with Silent
4 things I focused on to win 100 in a row with Defect
Defect full card tier list that can “win 100 in a row”
World #1! Watcher full card tier list
[World Ranking #1] Watcher “Longest Win Streak” — all decks
◆ Articles for those who really love Slay the Spire ◆
8 games I strongly recommend if you love Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire 2 announced! Latest info roundup
Play a new character! Downfall install & Japanese localization video
“Challenge run” rule ideas for players who’ve done everything in Slay the Spire
