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How Curse works
Unlock higher difficulties, understand their rewards, and choose the right Curse level for your next run.
Checked for v4.2.2Reviewed
Quick answer
How does Curse work?
Curse is the dungeon's difficulty level. Higher Curse makes enemies tougher and raises the tier of regular equipment drops. Play your highest unlocked Curse to unlock the next one: reach Floor 10 for levels 2–10, then defeat the Dungeon Monarch for levels 11–15. You can choose a lower unlocked level when you want an easier run.
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What changes with Curse?
Curse is a difficulty setting you select for a run. It starts at Curse 1 and goes up to Curse 15.
Increasing it makes enemies stronger. It also raises the tier of regular equipment drops, which gives those items greater stat potential. In ordinary dungeon loot, Curse 3 gives Tier 3 equipment; Curse 7 gives Tier 7 equipment.
Curse does not automatically make every drop a higher rarity. Tier and rarity are separate properties. You can find Common and rarer items at the same tier. See Equipment explained for how to compare them.
How to unlock the next level
You must play at your highest unlocked Curse level to earn the next unlock.
| Current highest unlocked Curse | What you need to do | Unlock |
|---|---|---|
| 1–9 | Reach Floor 10 at that Curse | The next level, up to Curse 10 |
| 10–14 | Defeat the Dungeon Monarch at that Curse | The next level, up to Curse 15 |
| 15 | You have reached the current maximum | No higher level |
Example: if Curse 3 is your highest unlocked level, reaching Floor 10 on Curse 2 will not unlock Curse 4. Reach Floor 10 on Curse 3 instead.
An unlock makes the new difficulty available to choose. It does not force you to play that difficulty on every future run.
The Curse you select also affects permanent companion unlock progress: each qualifying companion find awards points equal to that Curse level, capped at ten points per find.
When should I increase Curse?
Our recommendation is to move up when your current runs feel stable and you want access to the next equipment tier. Try a run at the new level and pay attention to whether you can survive long enough to collect useful loot.
If the increased difficulty ends your runs before you can make progress, choose a lower unlocked Curse and improve your setup. Check your equipment’s actual attributes, your survivability and your offensive bonuses before trying again.
A useful upgrade at your current tier can be worth more to your next run than an unsuitable item from the next tier.
Is Curse the same as Hardcore?
They control different parts of the game:
- Curse changes dungeon difficulty and equipment tier.
- Hardcore changes what is lost when you die.
You can learn higher Curse levels in normal mode while keeping your equipment and gold between deaths. Read the mode comparison before choosing Hardcore.
Why am I still finding the old tier?
Check the Curse selected for your current run, rather than only your highest unlocked Curse. Unlocking a level does not change the tier of equipment you already own, and refining does not raise an item’s tier.