Darkest Dungeon: Difference between revisions

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''[[Darkest Dungeon]]'' is a 2016 [[Roguelike]]/[[Dungeon Crawling]] video game by Red Hook Games in which the player takes on the role of an heir to a once-proud but now-fallen noble house. The heir is summoned to the old estate by a letter from his ancestor, which explains that he heard rumors of great power dwelling beneath the manor, spent the family fortune excavating it, and unearthed terrible things. The player then recruits, equips and dispatches teams of heroes into various dungeons surrounding the manor to put down the monsters that have come to dwell there, and clean up the Ancestor's mess.
''[[Darkest Dungeon]]'' is a 2016 [[Roguelike]]/[[Dungeon Crawling]] video game by Red Hook Games in which the player takes on the role of an heir to a once-proud but now-fallen noble house. The heir is summoned to the old estate by a letter from his ancestor, which explains that he heard rumors of great power dwelling beneath the manor, spent the family fortune excavating it, and unearthed terrible things. The player then recruits, equips and dispatches teams of heroes into various dungeons surrounding the manor to put down the monsters that have come to dwell there, and clean up the Ancestor's mess.

DLC content includes The Crimson Court (introduced June 2017) which introduces a new, difficult BonusDungeon that can be tackled alongside the main campaign; The Color of Madness (June 2018) that introduces an Endless side mode with bosses of its own, and The Butcher's Circus (May 2020) which adds


A sequel has been announced for release late in 2021. Confirmed for this sequel is Wayne June reprising his role as the Ancestor, and Grave Robber, Hellion, Highwayman, Leper, Man-at-Arms, and Plague Doctor returning as playable heroes. Promotional material seems to suggest the heroes will be delving far beyond the Hamlet of the first game, that they will be embarking on a "grueling journey" in which they would see the "supernatural apocalypse twisting and distorting the world beyond the estate".
A sequel has been announced for release late in 2021. Confirmed for this sequel is Wayne June reprising his role as the Ancestor, and Grave Robber, Hellion, Highwayman, Leper, Man-at-Arms, and Plague Doctor returning as playable heroes. Promotional material seems to suggest the heroes will be delving far beyond the Hamlet of the first game, that they will be embarking on a "grueling journey" in which they would see the "supernatural apocalypse twisting and distorting the world beyond the estate".
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* [[Arc Symbol]]: The "Stress" symbol (which is, incidentally, an "arc symbol" with lines through it, resembling a thorny halo) begins to figure more and more prominently on enemy attire and the architecture as the heroes plumb greater depths of the dungeons.
* [[Arc Symbol]]: The "Stress" symbol (which is, incidentally, an "arc symbol" with lines through it, resembling a thorny halo) begins to figure more and more prominently on enemy attire and the architecture as the heroes plumb greater depths of the dungeons.
* [[Army of Thieves and Whores]]: The brigands which inhabit the Weald are such an army, and the player's roster of heroes may not be much better.
* [[Army of Thieves and Whores]]: The brigands which inhabit the Weald are such an army, and the player's roster of heroes may not be much better.
* [[Awesome but Impractical]]/[[Boring but Practical]]: There is almost always a trade between effectiveness and reliability when it comes to heroes. The Vestal, for example, has two reliable healing abilities, but only heals for a few HP each turn. The Occultist, on the other hand, can heal a hero up to 100%, or heal for zero HP, or even inflict bleeding, depending on the whims of the [[Random Number God]]. Likewise, heavy-hitting heroes tend to be squishy, inaccurate, or costly or limited in some other way.
* [[Awesome but Impractical]]/[[Boring but Practical]]: There is almost always a trade between effectiveness and reliability when it comes to heroes. The Vestal, for example, has two reliable healing abilities, but only heals for a few HP each turn. The Occultist, on the other hand, can heal a hero up to 100%, or heal for zero HP, or even inflict bleeding, depending on the whims of the [[Random Number God]]. Likewise, heavy-hitting heroes tend to be squishy, inaccurate, or costly or limited in some other way.
* [[Badass Preacher]] : Vestal is the best healer in the game, but she’s no pushover in melee combat either. Of course, you’ll rarely need her for that, as she’s much better in the back, healing the much tougher fighters.
* [[Badass Preacher]] : Vestal is the best healer in the game, but she’s no pushover in melee combat either. Of course, you’ll rarely need her for that, as she’s much better in the back, healing the much tougher fighters.
* [[Body Horror]]: Many of the enemies (especially the swinefolk) are quite horrific. {{spoiler|The Ancestor and Heart of Darkness can also inflict [[Body Horror]] ''on the heroes'' as an attack}}.
* [[Body Horror]]: Many of the enemies (especially the swinefolk) are quite horrific. {{spoiler|The Ancestor and Heart of Darkness can also inflict [[Body Horror]] ''on the heroes'' as an attack}}.
{{quote|{{spoiler|Ancestor}}: "The flesh is fluid, it could be changed, reshaped, remade!"}}
{{quote|{{spoiler|Ancestor}}: "The flesh is fluid, it could be changed, reshaped, remade!"}}
* [[Bonus Boss]]:
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* [[Blood Magic]]: Blood is a rare drop that can be found anywhere, but it is only usable - via this Trope -Court DLC. during the Crimson
** Should you be curious, confident, or foolish enough to either sacrifice a torch to a Shambler's Altar or wander the dungeons at zero light, you will encounter the Shambler. Its unusual mechanics and introduction of increasingly deadly tentacles make it a very tough boss to fight, and serves as a deterrent to going full darkness. But should you best it, you are awarded with a unique Ancestral Trinket.
** The Shrieker is a giant crow mutated by the corruption of the Weald. Defeating it is very difficult due to its high Dodge and PROT, on top of the fact that [[Time Limit Boss|it escapes in four turns]]. However, your main objective is usually to destroy its nest to reap the fancy items it's collected. Managing to defeat the Shrieker offers little reward other than increased chance of beneficial Shrieker Quirks.
* [[Book Ends]]: "Ruin has come to our family."
* [[Book Ends]]: "Ruin has come to our family."
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* [[Breaking the Fourth Wall]]: One of the apocalyptic logs that the heroes can find is {{spoiler|a note from Red Hook thanking the player}}.
* [[Combat Sadomasochist]]: Flagellant is a sort of extremist monk who becomes stronger via self-mutilation. It's not pretty, but it works, the pain making him a [[Blood Knight]] bruiser who [[Determinator|does not know when to quit.]]
* [[Combat Sadomasochist]]: Flagellant is a sort of extremist monk who becomes stronger via self-mutilation. It's not pretty, but it works, the pain making him a [[Blood Knight]] bruiser who [[Determinator|does not know when to quit.]]
* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Creepy ancient manor? Check. Eccentric ancestor unleashed horrible eldritch things from beneath it? Check. {{spoiler|The end of the world is inevitable, if not now, then some generations later? Check}}.
* [[Cosmic Horror Story]]: Creepy ancient manor? Check. Eccentric ancestor unleashed horrible eldritch things from beneath it? Check. {{spoiler|The end of the world is inevitable, if not now, then some generations later? Check}}.
* [[Damage Over Time]]: The Blight and Bleed effects do this to the heroes, but they can inflict both on monsters too. Bleed doesn't work on skeletons, but it does work on the [[Mushroom Men]] in the Weald.
* [[Damage Over Time]]: The Blight and Bleed effects do this to the heroes, but they can inflict both on monsters too. Bleed doesn't work on skeletons, but it does work on the [[Mushroom Men]] in the Weald.
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* [[Deadly Decadent Court]]: {{spoiler|The Ancestor relates stories of how, in his youth, he attended parties with [[Upper Class Twit]]a like himself, which often lasted days or even weeks, and turned into orgies of lust or displays of physical violence. One guest was known to be such a glutton, he'd eat the leftovers at the buffets long after they'd spoiled. It was one of these parties where he confronted and brutally murdered the Countess - while she was no innocent, being a fiendish temptress, this is where his [[Start of Darkness]] began, as the [[Nasty Party]] entry below shows.}}
* [[Dem Bones]]: Skeletons will likely be the first mooks you encounter in the Ruins, which will likely be the first dungeon you tackle. Bone Rabble are the weakest, followed by Bone Soldiers, Bone Courtiers, Bone Arbalists, Bone Defenders, Bone Captains, Bone Spearmen, and Bone Bearers. [[Necromancy|The Necromancer]] is the boss behind all Dem Bones.
* [[Dem Bones]]: Skeletons will likely be the first mooks you encounter in the Ruins, which will likely be the first dungeon you tackle. Bone Rabble are the weakest, followed by Bone Soldiers, Bone Courtiers, Bone Arbalists, Bone Defenders, Bone Captains, Bone Spearmen, and Bone Bearers. [[Necromancy|The Necromancer]] is the boss behind all Dem Bones.
* [[Diabolus Ex Nihilo]]: The Ancestor's notes give detailed information on most of the bosses, but information on the Collector is sparse. Exactly what it is or where it came from is a mystery.
* [[Diabolus Ex Nihilo]]: The Ancestor's notes give detailed information on most of the bosses, but information on the Collector is sparse. Exactly what it is or where it came from is a mystery.
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* [[Downloadable Content]]: ''The Musketeer'', ''The Crimson Court'', ''The Shieldbreaker'' and ''The Color of Madness''.
* [[Downloadable Content]]: ''The Musketeer'', ''The Crimson Court'', ''The Shieldbreaker'' and ''The Color of Madness''.
* [[Driven to Suicide]]: The opening cutscene implies that the Ancestor committed suicide after writing the letter to his heir. {{spoiler|The final boss battle implies that this may not have been exactly the case. He also suggests that the Heir may be [[Driven to Suicide]] himself}}.
* [[Driven to Suicide]]: The opening cutscene implies that the Ancestor committed suicide after writing the letter to his heir. {{spoiler|The final boss battle implies that this may not have been exactly the case. He also suggests that the Heir may be [[Driven to Suicide]] himself}}.
* [[Dysfunction Junction]]: As the backstory comics reveal, every hero who comes to the hamlet has their own grim backstory. Made more explicit with the achievement "Dysfunction", earned by defeating a boss while your whole party is Afflicted.
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* [[Evil Is Not Well Lit]]: Naturally, [[Title Drop|these dungeons are pretty dark]]. Exploring them without a light source will actually gain your part more experience and treasure, but will also stress them faster.
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* [[Easter Egg]]: The long winding corridor leading to the [[Final Boss]] has an unmarked secret room. Inside is {{spoiler|a note from Red Hook thanking the player}}.
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* [[Evil Is Not Well Lit]]: Naturally, [[Title Drop|these dungeons are pretty dark]]. Exploring them without a light source will actually gain your party more treasure, but will also stress them faster.
* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: Purposely sending your loyal minions to their deaths is bad enough, Dismissing them - an easy way to get rid of a hero who isn’t worth healing - might be even worse. The Ancestor describes dismissed heroes as [[Empty Shell|“Slumped shoulders, wild eyes, and a stumbling gait]] — this one is no more good to us.”
* [[Fate Worse Than Death]]: Purposely sending your loyal minions to their deaths is bad enough, Dismissing them - an easy way to get rid of a hero who isn’t worth healing - might be even worse. The Ancestor describes dismissed heroes as [[Empty Shell|“Slumped shoulders, wild eyes, and a stumbling gait]] — this one is no more good to us.”
* [[Fish People]]: Most mobs in the Cove are this; that’s another Lovecraft reference, this one to ''[[The Shadow Over Innsmouth]]''.
* [[Fish People]]: Most mobs in the Cove are this; that’s another Lovecraft reference, this one to ''[[The Shadow Over Innsmouth]]''. A set of journal pages also detail the point of view of someone transforming into the fishfolk after being infected in battle with one of them.
* [[Gameplay and Story Segregation]]:
* [[Gameplay and Story Segregation]]:
** Classes in this game are sort of like the characters in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]''. Each of them is a unique individual with his or her own backstory, personality, and motivations. Now you ''will'' lose some (many a lot) of them over the course of the game, and unless you're using Easy Mode, they ''stay'' dead. ''But'', the same class can be recruited multiple times, and you can even have multiple members of a class on the party at one time.
** Classes in this game are sort of like the characters in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]''. Each of them is a unique individual with his or her own backstory, personality, and motivations. Now you ''will'' lose some (many a lot) of them over the course of the game, and unless you're using Easy Mode, they ''stay'' dead. ''But'', the same class can be recruited multiple times, and you can even have multiple members of a class on the party at one time.
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* [[Go Mad from the Revelation]]: Several enemies (Madmen and the Prophet {{spoiler|and perhaps the Ancestor}}) already ''have'', and as stress mounts, the heroes run the risk of following them. Some enemy attacks explicitly revolve around revealing unsettling things to the heroes to increase their stress and ''provoke'' their fall into madness. {{spoiler|In the ending, the Ancestor implies that the Heir is next}}.
* [[Go Mad from the Revelation]]: Several enemies (Madmen and the Prophet {{spoiler|and perhaps the Ancestor}}) already ''have'', and as stress mounts, the heroes run the risk of following them. Some enemy attacks explicitly revolve around revealing unsettling things to the heroes to increase their stress and ''provoke'' their fall into madness. {{spoiler|In the ending, the Ancestor implies that the Heir is next}}.
* [[Heart Is an Awesome Power]]: The Antiquarian, full stop. She’s [[Non Action Hero|not a good fighter]], she only has one skill that can benefit party members other than herself, but she doubles the amount of loot you get from both monsters and Curios. Thus, she greatly reduces the need to grind, one of the most reviled [[Scrappy Mechanic]]s in video games.
* [[Heart Is an Awesome Power]]: The Antiquarian, full stop. She’s [[Non Action Hero|not a good fighter]], she only has one skill that can benefit party members other than herself, but she doubles the amount of loot you get from both monsters and Curios. Thus, she greatly reduces the need to grind, one of the most reviled [[Scrappy Mechanic]]s in video games.
* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]:
* Heroic Sacrifice: On Darkest difficulty, fleeing from a battle requires one of the heroes to stay behind and hold the line, which results in that hero's offscreen death.
** If you have to retreat from a Darkest-level mission, you must sacrifice one hero in your current party to hold the line and ensure that everyone else escapes.
** Flagellant is a hero that [[Death Seeker|seems ''too'' eager]] to make a Heroic Sacrifice, and even seems made for this purpose. He’s not easy to kill and can recover from wounds and stress pretty easy (seeing as he benefits from both), but if he actually dies, the other heroes are buffed AND the monsters are stunned! Talk about a [[Dying Moment of Awesome]].
** Flagellant is a hero that [[Death Seeker|seems ''too'' eager]] to make a Heroic Sacrifice, and even seems made for this purpose. He’s not easy to kill and can recover from wounds and stress pretty easy (seeing as he benefits from both), but if he actually dies, the other heroes are buffed AND the monsters are stunned! Talk about a [[Dying Moment of Awesome]].
* [[Hearing Voices]]: Maybe, maybe not. It is left ambiguous whether the Ancestor's words are being read from a text or whether the Heir is hearing his voice due to an actual curse, [[Sanity Slippage]] or both.
* [[Hearing Voices]]: Maybe, maybe not. It is left ambiguous whether the Ancestor's words are being read from a text or whether the Heir is hearing his voice due to an actual curse, [[Sanity Slippage]] or both.
* [[Holy Burns Evil]]: Zigzagged. Holy Water is a common item in this game, but you don't use it on monsters. Rather, you use it to sanctify cursed altars (which you can then use to buff or heal your party) or on piles of bones (to gain loot from them) or to give them protection against conditions.
* [[Holy Burns Evil]]: Zigzagged. Holy Water is a common item in this game, but you don't use it on monsters. Rather, you use it to sanctify cursed altars (which you can then use to buff or heal your party) or on piles of bones (to gain loot from them) or to give them protection against conditions.
* [[Human Shield]]: A common strategy in this game. You should ''always'' have the tanky bruisers in the front two slots and the healers and spellcasters in the back two. This is why attacks that shuffle your positions are such a pain. Monsters tend to use this strategy too, but the shuffling techniques can also work for the heroes.
* [[Human Shield]]: A common strategy in this game. You should ''always'' have the tanky bruisers in the front two slots and the healers and spellcasters in the back two. This is why attacks that shuffle your positions are such a pain. Monsters tend to use this strategy too, but the shuffling techniques can also work for the heroes.
* [[Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels]]:
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* [[Idiosyncratic Difficulty Levels]]: Dungeons are labeled as Apprentice (balanced for heroes of resolve level 0-2), Veteran (2-4), Champion (4-6) and [[Harder Than Hard|Darkest]] (challenging even for 6's). The game itself can be played in Radiant, Darkest and Stygian modes. Radiant isn't really "easy", ''per se'', but some mechanics are changed to allow the game to be completed more rapidly (e.g. experience gain is increased, reducing the number of missions required to level up heroes). Darkest is the normal difficulty, and Stygian (the former [[New Game+]] mode) makes the enemies tougher, locks the difficulty options to maximum, and places a timer and death limit before {{spoiler|the Heart of Darkness wakes up and the player loses}}.
** Dungeons are labeled as Apprentice (balanced for heroes of resolve level 0-2), Veteran (3-4), Champion (5-6) and [[Harder Than Hard|Darkest]] (challenging even for 6's).
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** The game itself can be played in Radiant, Darkest and Stygian modes. Radiant isn't really "easy", ''per se'', but some mechanics are changed to allow the game to be completed more rapidly (e.g. experience gain is increased, reducing the number of missions required to level up heroes). Darkest is the normal difficulty, and Stygian (the former [[New Game+]] mode) makes the enemies tougher, locks the difficulty options to maximum, and places a timer and death limit before {{spoiler|the Heart of Darkness wakes up and the player loses}}.
* [[Interchangeable Antimatter Keys]]: Not only are they single-use, but each one costs money during provisioning. Sometimes the [[Random Number God]] will smile and bestow extras during a dungeon, but in general, it's up to the player to guess how many they will probably need for the coming mission and purchase accordingly.
* [[Interchangeable Antimatter Keys]]: Not only are they single-use, but each one costs money during provisioning. Sometimes the [[Random Number God]] will smile and bestow extras during a dungeon, but in general, it's up to the player to guess how many they will probably need for the coming mission and purchase accordingly.
* [[Inverse Law of Sharpness and Accuracy]]: The Leper is a class you'll have accuracy from the start, and while he is ''very'' strong and deals a lot of damage when he hits an enemy, his accuracy isn't so hot, and he tends to miss his target about a fourth of the time.
* [[Inverse Law of Sharpness and Accuracy]]: The Leper is a class you'll have accuracy from the start, and while he is ''very'' strong and deals a lot of damage when he hits an enemy, his accuracy isn't so hot, and he tends to miss his target about a fourth of the time.
* [[Last Chance Hit Point]]: If any hero goes to 0 HP, they don't immediately die, and instead fall to Death's Door and take several combat penalties. From there, any hit they take has a 33% chance (at base) to inflict a Deathblow which instantly kills them. Receiving any amount of healing will take them out of Death's Door but still saddle them with a Mortality debuff, which is a lesser version of the Death's Door debuff.
** Averted with the signature move of the [[Final Boss]], {{spoiler|"Come Unto Your Maker". When it triggers, you ''must'' choose a hero to sacrifice. The chosen hero ''will'' die, and there's no preventing it.}}
* [[Limited Move Arsenal]]: Each hero can learn up to seven skills (both combat and camping) but can only activate four of each. If you're outside combat, you can switch a hero's skills on the fly, but there's no telling what kind of non-boss enemy you'll be facing, and when.
* [[Lovecraft Lite]]: If you're a fan of [[Cthulhu Mythos]] stories, it's easy to see the references in this game. To give one example, the questline at the Farmstead is a clear [[Homage]] to ''[[The Colour Out of Space]]''.
* [[Lovecraft Lite]]: If you're a fan of [[Cthulhu Mythos]] stories, it's easy to see the references in this game. To give one example, the questline at the Farmstead is a clear [[Homage]] to ''[[The Colour Out of Space]]''.
* [[Luck-Based Mission]]: Dungeon layouts are randomized, and while they have "Apprentice", "Veteran" and "Champion" designations, there is still a wide variation of difficulties within each, and party and trinket choices add even more variables to the pot.
* [[Luck-Based Mission]]: Dungeon layouts are randomized, and while they have "Apprentice", "Veteran" and "Champion" designations, there is still a wide variation of difficulties within each, and party and trinket choices add even more variables to the pot.
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** Crusader has a skill called Smite which is extra-effective against undead foes, making him very useful in the ruins, especially against the Necromancer.
** Crusader has a skill called Smite which is extra-effective against undead foes, making him very useful in the ruins, especially against the Necromancer.
** Antiquarian isn’t a good fighter, but having her in the party increases the treasure you gain. So she’s an excellent choice when going up against the Siren, seeing as its no big deal if she is hypnotized and turned against the party, and Bosses tend to have a lot of treasure.
** Antiquarian isn’t a good fighter, but having her in the party increases the treasure you gain. So she’s an excellent choice when going up against the Siren, seeing as its no big deal if she is hypnotized and turned against the party, and Bosses tend to have a lot of treasure.
* [[Martial Medic]]: Plague Doctor is this, ''full stop''. She's a decent healer who can cure diseases or blights (bleeding too, but only when healing herself) but also has AOE attacks that can stun enemies, blight them, or even shuffle their positions.
* [[Martial Medic]]: Plague Doctor is this, ''full stop''. She's a decent healer who can cure disease, bleeding, and blight, but also has AOE attacks that can stun enemies, blight them, or even shuffle their positions.
* [[Marathon Level]]: The penultimate mission is so long that its length is labelled "Exhausting" (one step above "Long") and you get ''four'' sets of firewood for the occasion! It involves traversing a massive map that is guarded by mini-bosses that love to teleport you to another corner of the map, disorienting you on your journey to reach the goal.
* [[Metal Slime]]: To be frank, the first time you fight the Collector isn't going to be the last. The Shambler is almost as bad, but at least you are guaranteed to gain an Ancestral Trinket if you defeat him.
* [[Metal Slime]]: To be frank, the first time you fight the Collector isn't going to be the last. The Shambler is almost as bad, but at least you are guaranteed to gain an Ancestral Trinket if you defeat him.
* [[Mysterious Backer]]: The Ancestor starts out this way. As your heroes explore, however, you find out more and more about him, and probably wish he had ''stayed'' "mysterious".
* [[Mysterious Backer]]: The Ancestor starts out this way. As your heroes explore, however, you find out more and more about him, and probably wish he had ''stayed'' "mysterious".
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* [[Nasty Party]]: {{spoiler|Emphasis on "nasty". After killing the Countess, the Ancestor drained her blood, bottled it into wine bottles, and at the next gathering, served it to the other nobles. Whether this was out of disgust towards them for their behavior or him viewing them as parasites living off his wealth is hard to say, nor is it known what he hoped to accomplish. Possibly he just assumed her corrupt blood would prove a poison that would give them a slow, agonizing death. But it didn't quite go the way he'd hoped. When his guests drank it, they turned into demonic abominations like the Countess, and all turned on each other. In his horror, he dropped his own glass (which of course, he never intended to drink from) and a single drop flew into his mouth. That one small taste opened his eyes, letting him see the horror that lurked below the Hamlet, a vision that gave him the urge to learn more...}}
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* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: For one thing, they're [[Not Using the Z Word|Not Using the V Word]]. Vampirism is referred to as the "Crimson Curse", and enemy vampires have the "Bloodsucker" type. The bloodsuckers themselves are themed after insects rather than bats. Some of the enemies are simply giant insects, while others initially appear human but then morph into insectile forms after drinking the heroes' blood.
* [[Pig Man]]: The Swine King and his minions are incredibly ugly versions of this found in the Warrens. According to the Ancestor, these are the result of his attempts to summon beings from the "outer spheres" using common pigs as vessels. Clearly, it didn't go as he planned... This area is not based on a Lovecraft work, but on William Hope Hodgson's ''[[The House on the Borderland]]'', a work that did inspire Lovecraft.
* [[Pig Man]]: The Swine King and his minions are incredibly ugly versions of this found in the Warrens. According to the Ancestor, these are the result of his attempts to summon beings from the "outer spheres" using common pigs as vessels. Clearly, it didn't go as he planned... This area is not based on a Lovecraft work, but on William Hope Hodgson's ''[[The House on the Borderland]]'', a work that did inspire Lovecraft.
* [[Police Are Useless]]: Downplayed. At first, the Ancestor was able to bribe the constabulary, but as his atrocities became more blatant and more horrendous, they turned against him. This led to him making deals with the Brigands and their cruel leader Bloodletter, who would quickly become corrupted by the horrors of the Dungeon.
* [[Police Are Useless]]: Downplayed. At first, the Ancestor was able to bribe the constabulary, but as his atrocities became more blatant and more horrendous, they turned against him. This led to him making deals with the Brigands and their cruel leader Bloodletter, who would quickly become corrupted by the horrors of the Dungeon.
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** The default name of the Occultist is "Alhazred", named for the author of the Necronomicon in the [[Cthulhu Mythos]].
** The default name of the Occultist is "Alhazred", named for the author of the Necronomicon in the [[Cthulhu Mythos]].
** The default Houndmaster's name is "[[Scooby-Doo|Shag and Scoob]]".
** The default Houndmaster's name is "[[Scooby-Doo|Shag and Scoob]]".
** Losing a hero to Wilbur earns the achievement "[[Babe|That'll do, pig...]]"
** Defeating a Squiffy Ghast with a Jester earns the achievement "[[This Is Spinal Tap|Mine Goes to 11]]".
* [[Simple Yet Awesome]]: Never underestimate the usefulness of a simple shovel, which can be bought in the Hamlet or found as treasure. Clearing debris blocking your path by hand can exhaust your party quickly, and shovels can do it much quicker.
* [[Simple Yet Awesome]]: Never underestimate the usefulness of a simple shovel, which can be bought in the Hamlet or found as treasure. Clearing debris blocking your path by hand can exhaust your party quickly, and shovels can do it much quicker.
* [[Sistine Steal]]: The icon of the Occultist's "Unspeakable Commune" skill shows his finger reaching out towards a tentacle. {{spoiler|Appropriate, given the allegation that humanity is born from the eldritch Thing that the Ancestor discovered}}.
* [[Sistine Steal]]: The icon of the Occultist's "Unspeakable Commune" skill shows his finger reaching out towards a tentacle. {{spoiler|Appropriate, given the allegation that humanity is born from the eldritch Thing that the Ancestor discovered}}.
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* [[Start of Darkness]]: ''The Crimson Court'' DLC reveals that the Ancestor was never a morally upstanding individual, but that his encounter with the Crimson Curse was what specifically set him on the path to {{spoiler|discovering the Heart of Darkness and attempting to harness its power}}.
* [[Trauma Inn]]: Enforced. The tavern - be it the Bar, Brothel, or Gambling Hall - is the fastest but most expensive way to stabilize a hero's [[Sanity Meter]].
* [[Trauma Inn]]: Enforced. The tavern - be it the Bar, Brothel, or Gambling Hall - is the fastest but most expensive way to stabilize a hero's [[Sanity Meter]].
* [[Tome of Eldritch Lore]]: The Ancestor's journals, definitely.
* [[Tome of Eldritch Lore]]: The Ancestor's journals, definitely.
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* [[Unwinnable]]: Averted (outside of NG+): no matter how many heroes die, there will always be more, and while it costs money to ''upgrade'' them, they will join your roster for free. As the game says, "Heroes are a renewable resource."
* [[Unwinnable]]: Averted (outside of NG+): no matter how many heroes die, there will always be more, and while it costs money to ''upgrade'' them, they will join your roster for free. As the game says, "Heroes are a renewable resource."
* [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon]]: The Darkest Dungeon itself, with twisting passages, [[Alien Geometries]] and enemies that tax the heroes' (and the player's) sanity. Theoretically, it is accessible from the very beginning of the game, but it's not recommended to tackle it without leveling up some heroes to max in the other dungeons first...
* [[The Very Definitely Final Dungeon]]: The Darkest Dungeon itself, with twisting passages, [[Alien Geometries]] and enemies that tax the heroes' (and the player's) sanity. Theoretically, it is accessible from the very beginning of the game, but it's not recommended to tackle it without leveling up some heroes to max in the other dungeons first...
* [[Video Game Cruelty Potential]]:
** A common tactic to rack up resources and break out of [[Early Game Hell]] is to make a team of fresh recruits from the stagecoach, run a mission without spending anything on supplies, and try to get as much loot as you can before you either complete the mission or are forced to retreat. Spend nothing on maintaining those recruits; if they're no longer of use to you, just dismiss them and repeat the cycle.
** There is a Steam achievement, "Lambs to the Slaughter", obtained by sending a team of Level 0 recruits to the Darkest Dungeon.
* [[Villain Protagonist]]: In many ways, the Ancestor is far more the central character of this story than the Heir is.
* [[Villain Protagonist]]: In many ways, the Ancestor is far more the central character of this story than the Heir is.
* [[Villainous Glutton]]: The Pig Men of the Warrens will gladly consume their victims, but they also steal any other foodstuffs they can get their hands on, like grain. A possible Quest for the Warrens is to rob their grain pantries to starve them out and bolster the Hamlet’s supplies.
* [[Villainous Glutton]]: The Pig Men of the Warrens will gladly consume their victims, but they also steal any other foodstuffs they can get their hands on, like grain. A possible Quest for the Warrens is to rob their grain pantries to starve them out and bolster the Hamlet’s supplies.
* [[Wake Up Call Boss]]: The Collector is a boss who is not tied to any specific location, whom you have a chance of encountering if your inventory is at 85% capacity or more. You can ''literally'' encounter him on your first quest, and if that happens, it won't be pretty.
* [[Wake Up Call Boss]]: The Collector is a miniboss that can show up at any location as any random encounter if your inventory is at least 85% full. If you have ways to target or pull out enemies at the back of the formation, he's manageable. If you don't, you'll be quickly reminded of its importance.
* [[Warmup Boss]]: The Old Road could be considered a [[Warm Up Dungeon]], but it's hard to call two "rooms" a "dungeon". Its an encounter with two characters - a Crusader and Highwayman - fighting a Brigand Cutthroat, with the fighting system explained during the fight.
* [[Warmup Boss]]: The Old Road could be considered a [[Warm Up Dungeon]], but it's hard to call two "rooms" a "dungeon". Its an encounter with two characters - a Crusader and Highwayman - fighting a Brigand Cutthroat, with the fighting system explained during the fight.
* [[We Have Reserves]]: You will see your heroes die quite a bit, but there will ''always'' be more to fill their role, and the more you upgrade the Stagecoach, the more experienced new recruits will be.
* [[We Have Reserves]]: You will see your heroes die quite a bit, but there will ''always'' be more to fill their role, and the more you upgrade the Stagecoach, the more experienced new recruits will be.
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* [[You Are Already Dead]]: You'll quickly learn exactly when it is safe to ignore a foe and focus on another; if a monster is low on health inflicted with Blight or Bleeding condition, said condition will do it in within a round or so, unless the group has a [[Mook Medic]].
* [[You Are Already Dead]]: You'll quickly learn exactly when it is safe to ignore a foe and focus on another; if a monster is low on health inflicted with Blight or Bleeding condition, said condition will do it in within a round or so, unless the group has a [[Mook Medic]].
* [[Xanatos Gambit]]: {{spoiler|If you hadn't answered the Ancestor's summons, the Heart would have escaped in the future when the stars were right, and because you ''did'' answer, the resulting bloodshed and chaos have accelerated its awakening}}.
* [[Xanatos Gambit]]: {{spoiler|If you hadn't answered the Ancestor's summons, the Heart would have escaped in the future when the stars were right, and because you ''did'' answer, the resulting bloodshed and chaos have accelerated its awakening}}.

{{tropelist|page=The Crimson Court DLC}}
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* [[Blood Magic]]: Blood is a rare drop that can be found anywhere, though it is only useful for dealing with the cravings caused by the Crimson Curse.
* [[Climax Boss]]: The Countess is the final boss of the Crimson Court, and her defeat unlocks the ability to treat the Crimson Curse as you would any normal disease. Prior to this point, anyone afflicted with the Crimson Curse is stuck with it until you beat one of the Crimson Court bosses.
* [[Cursed with Awesome]]: The Crimson Curse adds another layer of management, as you must collect vials of The Blood to sate the cravings of your heroes when they inevitably get affected by it. Giving The Blood to anyone in the craving stage of the Curse temporarily puts them in Bloodlust, which bestows potent buffs but also causes them to act erratically as if they were Afflicted.
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* [[Deadly Decadent Court]]: {{spoiler|The Ancestor relates stories of how, in his youth, he attended parties with [[Upper Class Twit]]a like himself, which often lasted days or even weeks, and turned into orgies of lust or displays of physical violence. One guest was known to be such a glutton, he'd eat the leftovers at the buffets long after they'd spoiled. It was one of these parties where he confronted and brutally murdered the Countess - while she was no innocent, being a fiendish temptress, this is where his [[Start of Darkness]] began, as the [[Nasty Party]] entry below shows.}}
* [[Knight Templar]]: The Fanatic is a zealous monk who's been excommunicated by the church and now operates alone in his crusade against the Crimson Curse. He can randomly show up if your party has two or more Cursed heroes, his presence hinted at by the level introduction screen bearing his shadowed face. Any Cursed hero he finds is sentenced to a quick [[Burn the Witch|sentence on the pyre]].
* [[Marathon Level]]: Levels in the Crimson Court can get ''long'', and are labelled "Epic". You can even abort a Crimson Court mission midway and save your progress for a subsequent attempt. Some curios can also be smashed with Shovels to gain Firewood so that you can camp.
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* [[Nasty Party]]: {{spoiler|Emphasis on "nasty". After killing the Countess, the Ancestor drained her blood, bottled it into wine bottles, and at the next gathering, served it to the other nobles. Whether this was out of disgust towards them for their behavior or him viewing them as parasites living off his wealth is hard to say, nor is it known what he hoped to accomplish. Possibly he just assumed her corrupt blood would prove a poison that would give them a slow, agonizing death. But it didn't quite go the way he'd hoped. When his guests drank it, they turned into demonic abominations like the Countess, and all turned on each other. In his horror, he dropped his own glass (which of course, he never intended to drink from) and a single drop flew into his mouth. That one small taste opened his eyes, letting him see the horror that lurked below the Hamlet, a vision that gave him the urge to learn more...}}
* [[One-Curse Limit]]: If anyone is afflicted with the Crimson Curse, it overrides any other diseases they would have and prevents them from getting any other disease.
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* [[Our Vampires Are Different]]: For one thing, they're [[Not Using the Z Word|Not Using the V Word]]. Vampirism is referred to as the "Crimson Curse", and enemy vampires have the "Bloodsucker" type. The bloodsuckers themselves are themed after insects rather than bats. Some of the enemies are simply giant insects, while others initially appear human but then morph into insectile forms after drinking the heroes' blood.
* [[Set Bonus]]: Each hero can acquire a pair of unique Trinkets that can only be found in Crimson Court missions. Using both Crimson Court Trinkets together bestows an additional boon to the hero.
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* [[Start of Darkness]]: ''The Crimson Court'' DLC reveals that the Ancestor was never a morally upstanding individual, but that his encounter with the Crimson Curse was what specifically set him on the path to {{spoiler|discovering the Heart of Darkness and attempting to harness its power}}.

{{tropelist|page=The Butcher's Circus DLC}}
* [[Circus of Fear]]: While the setting of the Circus is portrayed like this, it's more in line with a gladiator arena, where teams of heroes are pitted against each other in fights to the death.
* [[Comeback Mechanic]]: When either side is down to their last hero, that hero gains increased damage, accuracy and Deathblow resistance to help the losing player turn the battle around.
* [[Divergent Character Evolution]]: In single player, the Arbalest and Musketeer have functionally identical skill sets. Here, while their main attacking skills are still the same, their support effects are different; for instance, the Arbalest's Illuminating Flare can clear Marks and debuffs, while the Musketeer's Skeet Shot clears Stealth and provides mild stress heal. However, because you can only use one copy of a hero in each team, fielding an Arbalest with a Musketeer means you can operate with two snipers.
* [[No Saving Throw]]: In this mode, if a Jester's [[Finishing Move|Finale]] brings anyone to below 0 HP, they die right away without even hitting Death's Door.
* [[PVP-Balanced]]: Multiple changes are made to most heroes' skill sets to standardize them for PVP play.
** Every hero of the same class is identical; there are no Quirks.
** Players equip their heroes with Trinkets from a standardized pool. Though a new player will have a limited selection, they can eventually unlock the entire library of Trinkets after playing enough.
** Rather than speed determining turn order, each player decides which of their heroes takes the next action.
** Several moves that used to stun now inflict Daze, a less potent version that forces a hero to act after all other non-Dazed heroes on their side. Stun and Daze are still governed by the same resistance.
** Several skills now inflict Stress on top of what they normally do. Every hero also has a base 0% Virtue chance to make inflicting Afflictions a viable end goal for Stress-based builds. If a hero is Virtuous but still hits 200 Stress, they will suffer from a Heart Attack normally like everyone else.
** Bleed and Poison no longer cause Deathblows; the opponent must deal the killing blow by themselves. Repeated Deathblow attempts will deplete a hero's Deathblow resistance until they get taken off Death's Door, such that five consecutive attempts ''will'' kill a hero. Several skills also gain a bonus to inflicting Deathblows to make it easier to finish anyone off.


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