Difficulty
The game has 5 difficulty settings, listed from easiest to hardest below.
The combination of Difficulty and Permadeath settings that you choose affects which version of Achievements you get. See the Achievements page for details.
Contents
Easier
"Provides an easier game experience. Use it if you feel uneasy tackling the harder modes."
- All damage to the player decreased by 30%
- All healing for the player increased by 30%
- All detrimental status effects applied to the player have their duration reduced by 50%
- Rares and random bosses do not normally appear
- Stairs can be used immediately after a kill.
Achievements are not granted, and thus any unlock dependent on an achievement cannot be obtained. Specific unlocks affected are mentioned on the unlockables page.
Normal
"Provides the normal level of challenge."
- Player starts at level 1 with 0 gold
- In most zones, 4% of non-unique enemies will be rares
- Random bosses do not normally appear
- Stairs can not be used for 2 turns after a kill.
Nightmare
"Unfair game setting"
- All zone levels increased by 25% by the time Player reaches level 10
- All creature talent levels increased by 30%
- Unique (fixed) bosses advance in bonus classes 30% faster
- In most zones, 12.5% of eligible enemies will be rares
- Random bosses do not normally appear
- Stairs can not be used for 3 turns after a kill.
Player can earn Nightmare version of achievements if also playing in Roguelike or Adventure permadeath mode.
Insane
"Easy is for the weak! Normal is for the weak! Nightmare is too easy! Bring on the true pain!"
Insane must be unlocked by winning a story campaign on Nightmare difficulty.
"Similar rules to Nightmare, but with more random bosses!"
- All zone levels increased by 50% + 1 by the time Player reaches level 10
- All creature talent levels increased by 70%
- Unique (fixed) bosses advance in bonus classes 70% faster
- In most zones, 5% of eligible enemies will be random bosses, and if not, they have a 1/3 chance to be rares
- Stairs can not be used for 5 turns after a kill.
Player can earn Insane version of achievements if also playing in Roguelike or Adventure permadeath mode.
Madness
"Insane is for the weak! Bring on the true mind-shattering experience!"
Madness must be unlocked by winning a story campaign on Insane difficulty.
"Absolutely unfair game setting. Prepare for the full wrath of DarkGod!"
- Player starts with 500 gold and 100 extra max life
- All zone levels increased by 150% + 2 by the time Player reaches level 10
- All creature talent levels increased by 170%
- Unique (fixed) bosses advance in bonus classes 170% faster
- All enemies have 200% more life
- In most zones, 5% of eligible enemies will be random bosses, and if not, they have a 1/3 chance to be rares
- Stairs can not be used for 9 turns after a kill.
- Player is being hunted! Randomly all foes in a radius will get a feeling of where she/he is.
Player can earn Madness version of achievements if also playing in Roguelike or Adventure permadeath mode.