Drum of Battle

Drum of Battle is a 2-cost Uncommon Power card for the Ironclad that draws 2 cards immediately and then Exhausts the top card of your Draw Pile at the start of each subsequent turn. This provides both immediate card advantage and ongoing Exhaust triggers for the rest of combat.

Drum of Battle creates a reliable every-turn Exhaust trigger for Dark Embrace and Feel No Pain, generating a free card draw and 3 Block each turn passively. The initial 2-card draw helps find combo pieces. Pair with Ashen Strike, which grows stronger as the Exhaust pile accumulates from Drum of Battle's passive effect. Cascade also benefits from the guaranteed Exhaust-this-turn trigger. Headbutt can place a card on top of the draw pile to control what gets Exhausted.

Drum of Battle is an engine card for Ironclad Exhaust builds. Pick it when you have Feel No Pain or Dark Embrace to convert the passive Exhaust into value. Without those synergies, the card can hurt you by removing useful cards from your draw pile. Against long boss fights like Kaiser Crab, the cumulative value of passive triggers adds up significantly. The Ironclad benefits from the sustained card flow to maintain pressure each turn.