Biomes

Biomes are the different areas within Dead Cells which players must progress through. There are currently seventeen biomes, with plans to add more.

Within each run, biomes are procedurally generated within the confines of that biome's set parameters. This puts the focus of gameplay on adaptation rather than memorization, while maintaining each biome's distinct feel. The order in which you'll encounter biomes, and the general location of their exits, are predetermined.

With the exclusion of the Black Bridge, the Insufferable Crypt, the Clock Room, and the Throne Room, each biome always contains a shop and at least one treasure chest.

After exiting each biome, the player will enter the Collector's room. Here, they can turn in blueprints, spend cells, enter Timed and Perfect Doors if they met the requirements and replenish their health and health potions. Time spent near treasure chests and within shops and the Collector's room does not count towards Timed Doors.

Note: scaling of enemy and trap stats with tiers operates somewhat differently compared to scaling of player damage and health with Stats - though damage and health initially scale exponentially using bases of 1.09 and 1.08, respectively, there are also additional factors in the code called "scale multipliers per tier" with values of 0.55 and 0.12 for damage and health, respectively. It is not yet known how these modify the exponential formulas to produce final enemy and trap stats.

You will also find in many Biomes a set of doors with up to four circles on them, in random spread-out locations. These can only be unlocked once you have obtained the necessary number of Boss Stem Cells that are only obtained by doing a complete run, and unlock further challenges.

See Biomes Table for condensed view.

First Stage: The Prisoners' Quarters

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• Enemy Tier: 1
• Gear Level: 1
• Scrolls of Power: 2
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 0
• Enemies: Zombies, Shield Bearers, Grenadiers, Undead Archers; Inquisitors (1+ BSC, replace Undead Archers); Bombardiers (4 BSC, replace Grenadiers).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 0%
• Elite Room Chance: 5%
• Exits: Promenade of the Condemned, Toxic Sewers
• Cell doors: none

Second Stage

The Promenade of the Condemned

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• Enemy Tier: 3
• Gear Level: 2
• Scrolls of Power: 1
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 2
• Enemies: Zombies, Grenadiers, Runners, Bats, Protectors, Bombardiers (1+ BSC, replace Grenadiers), Kamikazes (1+ BSC); Trackers (4 BSC, replace Zombies).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 50%
• Elite Room Chance: 0%
• Exits: Ramparts, Prison Depths, Ossuary
• Timed Door: 2 minutes (Assault Shield blueprint)
• Traps: Spikes, spiked balls
• Cell doors: 1 cell - weapon shop; 2 cells - cells ; 3 cells - chest; 4 cells - chest
• Runes: Vine Rune

The Toxic Sewers

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• Enemy Tier: 3-5
• Gear Level: 2
• Scrolls of Power: 1
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 2 (Brutality/Survival) (Tactics/Survival)
• Enemies: Zombies, Scorpions, Disgusting Worms, Undead Archers; Grenadiers (only while 1+ BSC are active); Bombardiers (only while 4 BSC are active, replace Grenadiers), Purulent Zombie (Sewers) (only while 4 BSC are active, replace Zombies).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 70%
• Elite Room Chance: 5%
• Exits: Ramparts, Ancient Sewers
• Timed Door: 2 minutes
• Traps: Poisoned water.
• Cell doors: 1 cell - chest; 2 cells - cursed chest; 4 cells - chest
• Runes: Teleportation Rune

Third Stage

The Ramparts

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• Enemy Tier: 6-8
• Gear Level: 3
• Scrolls of Power: 2
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 2
• Enemies: Zombies, Undead Archers, Flying Biters, Inquisitors, Shield Bearers; Slashers (only while 1+ BSC are active); Cannibals (only while 4 BSC are active, replace Slashers), Zombies and Undead Archers stop to appear (only while 4 BSC are active).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 60%
• Elite Room Chance: 0%
• Exit: Black Bridge; Insufferable Crypt (only while 3 BSC are active)
• Timed Door: 8 minutes
• Traps: Gaps between towers, water
• Cell doors: 2 cells - food shop; 3 cells - exit to The Insufferable Crypt, cursed chest; 4 cells - cursed chest

Ancient Sewers

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• Enemy Tier: 7-10
• Gear Level: 3
• Scrolls of Power: 4
• Enemies: Zombies, Purulent Zombies (Sewers), Corpse Worms (spawned by Purulent Zombies (Sewers)), Shield Bearers (rare), Flying Biters, Scorpions, Disgusting Worms, Kamikazes, Spikers (with 1+ BSC, Kamikazes spawn in packs of 2-3).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 10%
• Elite Room Chance: 100%
• Exit: Insufferable Crypt
• Traps: Poisoned water, spiked balls, spikes.
• Cell doors: 2 cells - Cursed Chest; 4 cells

Ossuary

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• Enemy Tier: 8-10
• Gear Level: 4
• Scrolls of Power: 3
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 1
• Enemies: Zombies, Shield Bearers, Slashers, Shockers, Lacerators, Thornies, Spawners, Corpse Juice (spawned from Spawners); Dark Trackers, reduced Zombie spawns (only while 1+ BSC are active).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 20%
• Elite Room Chance: 80%
• Exits: Black Bridge
• Timed Door: 8 minutes (Marksman's Bow Blueprint)
• Runes: Ram's Rune

Prison Depths

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• Enemy Tier: 7-9
• Gear Level: 3
• Scrolls of Power: 1
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 0
• Enemies: Zombies, Thornies, Slashers, Foggers, Hammers, Kamikazes, Lacerator, Corpse Biters (spawned by Hammer); Lancers (only while 4 BSC are active, replace Undead Archers).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 20%
• Elite Room Chance: 80%
• Exit: Ossuary
• Traps: Spiked balls, spikes, and some slowing water.
• Cell doors: 2 cell - chest, 3 cell - Cursed Chest

First Boss

The Black Bridge

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• Enemies: The Concierge
• Enemy Tier: 11
• Exit: Stilt Village, Slumbering Sanctuary
• Timed Door (after the fight): 15 minutes (Root Grenade blueprint)
• Perfect Door (after the fight): Flawless fight (Legendary item)
• Runes: Challenger Rune

Insufferable Crypt

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• Enemies: Conjunctivius
• Enemy Tier: 11
• Perfect Door (after the fight): Flawless fight (Legendary item)
• Exit: Slumbering Sanctuary, Graveyard

Fourth Stage

Stilt Village

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• Enemy Tier: 11-13
• Gear Level: 4
• Scrolls of Power: 3
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 1
• Enemies: Purulent Zombies (Sewers), Corpse Worms (spawned from Purulent Zombies (Sewers)), Weaver Worms (spawns from worm eggs), Pirate Captains, Kamikazes, Zombies; Maskers (only while 1+ BSC are active); Inquisitors, no more Zombie spawns (only while 2+ BSC are active); Runners (only while 4 BSC are active)
• Wandering Elite Chance: 75%
• Elite Room Chance: 0%
• Exit: Clock Tower, Forgotten Sepulcher

Graveyard

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• Enemy Tier: 12-14
• Gear Level: 4
• Scrolls of Power: 2
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 3
• Enemies: Purulent Zombies (Graveyard), Inquisitors, Catchers, Bats, Kamikazes, Corpse Biters, Maskers, Slashers (rare); Protectors, Kamikazes appear in packs of 2-3 (1+ BSC); Cannibals (4 BSC).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 0%
• Elite Room Chance: 0%
• Exit: Forgotten Sepulcher, Cavern
• Timed Door: 19 minutes, 30 seconds
• Traps: Spikes, spiked balls, and water.
• Cell doors: 1 cell - chained items; 2 cells - cells; 3 cells - cells; 4 cells - chained items

Slumbering Sanctuary

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• Enemy Tier: 12-14
• Gear Level: 4
• Scrolls of Power: 3
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 1 (Brutality/Survival)
• Enemies:
  • Before activating AT switch: Zombies, Catchers, Foggers, Casters; Cannibals (only while 4 BSC are active).
  • After activating AT switch: Grenadiers, Inquisitors, Protectors (already spawned), Kamikazes (already spawned), Golems (3+ BSC, Kamikazes spawn in packs of 2-3 rather than singly); Bombardiers (2+ BSC, replace Grenadiers).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 20%
• Elite Room Chance: 80%
• Exit: Clock Tower, Forgotten Sepulcher
• Traps: Spikes, spiked balls
• Cell doors: 1 cell - cursed chest, 2 cell - food seller
• Runes: Spider Rune

Fifth Stage

Forgotten Sepulcher

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• Enemy Tier: 15-17
• Gear Level: 5
• Scrolls of Power: 5
• Enemies: Trackers, Inquisitors, Lacerators, Cleavers, Kamikazes, Shockers (3+ BSC, Kamikazes spawn in packs of 2-3), Shield Bearers (1+ BSC), Inquisitors appear more often (4 BSC).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 50%
• Elite Room Chance: 50%
• Exit: Clock Room
• Timed Door: 26 minutes
• Traps: Spikes, breaking lamps
• Cell doors: 1 cell - cursed chest; 2 cells - chained items; 3 cells - cursed chest; 4 cells - chained items

Clock Tower

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• Enemy Tier: 16-18
• Gear Level: 5
• Scrolls of Power: 2
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 3
• Enemies: Dark Trackers, Cannibals, Bombardiers, Bats, Undead Archers (1+ BSC Dark Trackers spawn more frequently and in pairs).
• Wandering Elite Chance: 100%
• Elite Room Chance: 40%
• Exit: Clock Room
• Traps: Spikes, and spiked balls
• Cell doors: 1 cell - Weapon Seller, 2 cells - cells, Bell, 3 cells - chest
• Bell Tower Key: Look for the 4 Bells and hit them once from low to high pitch.

Cavern

Unfinished stage. Its biome data has not been implemented yet, however graphical assets exist in game.

• Enemy Tier: 13
• Gear Level: 7
• Exit: The Guardian's Haven (speculative)

Second Boss

Clock Room

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• Enemies: The Time Keeper
• Enemy Tier: 21 (the Time Keeper's Brutality and Survival tiers are set to 17)
• Perfect Door (after the fight): Flawless fight (Legendary item)
• Exit: High Peak Castle

The Guardian's Haven

In-game assets suggest that another second boss called the Guardian is currently in development which would dwell in a place called the The Guardian's Retreat. The Guardian's Scroll may be related to this boss, similarly to how the Assassin's Scroll may be related to its namesake boss.

Sixth Stage: High Peak Castle

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• Enemy Tier: 22-24
• Gear Level: 6
• Scrolls of Power: 1
• Dual-Stat Scrolls: 2
• Enemies: Guardian Knights, Lancers, Catchers, Inquisitors.
• Wandering Elite Chance: 60%
• Elite Room Chance: 0%
• Exit: Throne Room
• Traps: Spikes and spiked balls

Third Boss: Throne Room

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• Enemies: The Hand of the King
  • Mobs summoned by The Hand of the King (1 or 2 will be Elites): Zombie, Inquisitor, Grenadier, Lacerator, Scorpion, Disgusting Worm, Cleaver. Slasher
• Enemy Tier: 26
• Exit: The Fountain

Scrapped biomes

Repository of the Architects

Technically inaccessible stage. The entrance was behind the door that required 5 boss cells to open in the Graveyard. Upon altering the number of inoculated boss cells and entering the stage it could be seen that it had the same 'darkness' mechanic as the Forgotten Sepulcher. Only enemies present in the stage appeared to be Cannibals, which were a lot stronger than usual. The majority of the stage was locked behind a door that required the 'Key' key to open.