Curse 
is a mechanic in Dead Cells where the Beheaded is punished for angering the gods. Curses cause any amount of damage to one-hit kill the player, and they must kill enemies in order to lift it. Curses function as a risk-reward mechanic that can greatly benefit the player with rewards such as Scrolls, Gems and healing.
Mechanics[]
Nearly all sources of damage kill the player while cursed, regardless of their current health or any damage-reducing abilities they may have.
- Curses work off of a point-based system, where killing enemies reduces the total points by one. Each time a curse is inflicted, another set of points is added to the total amount of curse points that are already there.
- Curses have synergies with certain Gear and Mutations.
The following damage sources instantly kill the player while Cursed:
- Any enemy hit that deals at least 1 damage, even while blocking with a shield.
- Any trap hit.
- Jumping into a bottomless pit.
- Damage-over-time due to poison.
- Self-damage from using
Lightning Bolt continuously for too long.
While most sources of damage kill the player in a single hit while cursed, there are a few exceptions:
- Darkness in the Forgotten Sepulcher.
- Damage inflicted by the
Face Flask.
While cursed, the player can not use the Homunculus Rune.
- However, the player can still use the Homunculus Rune if the only source of curse is the Cursed Sword.
Sources[]
There are a few different ways one can be afflicted with a curse:
- Opening a cursed chest (10 points).
- Breaking a golden door (10 points for normal ones, 50 points for the 3 found in the specialist's shop, 15 and 5 points for the doors on the final floor of The Bank and 30 points for the one in the Forgotten Sepulcher that bars access to the Night Light).
- Picking up a Corrupted Artifact (20 points).
- Eating food when having the mutation
Acceptance (5). - Examining the altar for the Machete and Pistol (1).
- Equipping the Cursed Sword (as long as the weapon is equipped or in the backpack).
Synergies[]
- While cursed, the Spite Sword does critical hits.
- Alienation makes it so decreasing the curse counter restores 5% HP but increases the number of enemies required to lift the curse by 50%.
- Acceptance reduces gained curse counter from sources by half, but consuming food inflicts curses.
- Having both alienation and acceptance will reduce curse gain by 25%, rounded up.
Notes[]
- Ice Armor will prevent instant death when getting hit while the skill is active.
- Gaining curse while having the Cursed Sword equipped still gives a curse counter.
- The amount of curse received from cursed chests can be changed using custom mode to any number between 0 and 99. This blocks achievements.
Trivia[]
- Curses are the only mention of gods in the entire game.
History[]
- 0.5: Killing spawned enemies no longer reduces the curse counter.