The Insatiable is one of three possible boss encounters at the end of Act 2 in Slay the Spire 2. It can be a nuisance to deal with due to the Sandpit mechanic.
Even though this boss does not have the heaviest attacks, going in without a plan is not a good idea. So, we have made a complete The Insatiable boss guide to help you strategize this encounter.
Table of Contents
Attack Pattern
The Insatiable has but one gimmick that makes the fight very difficult. You have a limited number of turns, which will be visible as the Sandpit effect on The Insatiable.
Each turn, you will get one step closer to the boss, and once the Sandpit number hits 1, you will be eaten by The Insatiable. This will end your run, so you need a strategy to counter it.
You can increase the possible turns by using Frantic Escape, a number of cards you are granted at the start of the fight.
Turn 1
The Insatiable starts its turn by giving itself 4 Sandpits and giving the player 6 Frantic Escapes. You are now given a timer of 4 turns before the fight ends.
Prolong this by using Frantic Escape every time you get it. As for your play in the first turn, set up debuffs and deal as much damage as you can.
Turn 2
For the second turn, The Insatiable will deal 2 instances of 8 damage. It’s a simple, low-damage attack. Block what you can and continue dealing damage.
Turn 3
The Insatiable will deal the most damage here, a whopping 28. If you have a Frantic Escape, use it and then block the incoming attack.
You should tank as much as you can, since you will be healed to the max in the next act. It is much more dangerous to let the fight drag on.
Turn 4
You have a big attack opportunity here, as The Insatiable will buff itself with 2 Strength permanently. Bring its health as low as possible because the permanent buffs will only make its future attacks stronger.
End the Fight as Soon as You Can
The Insatiable will focus on high damage attacks for the next few turns. The strategy will remain the same: block what you can, use your heavy hitters, and play Frantic Escape whenever possible.
Remember that if you have had bad luck drawing Frantic Escape, you are probably gonna die soon from the Sandpit. Use draw cards to get the card and play it if possible.
Additional Tips
Frantic Escape functions similar to any other card, meaning its chances of being in your hand are random. Use it whenever you get it.
It can be exhausted by cards that say something along the lines of “exhaust a random card.” Similarly, you can also draw it using draw cards.
The cost of Frantic Escape increases each time you use it, but since you have multiple copies, focus on using the 1 Energy cost ones. But if you are in a tough spot, 2 Energy is just fine.
The fight with The Insatiable is actually just a fight against time. You need to defeat it as early as you can. If you came in healthy here, it’s very easy to tank the early hits and defeat it before the Strength buff kicks in with 30 damage attacks.
If you instead encountered the Kaiser Crab or Knowledge Demon in this act, worry not, because we have those covered as well.