CODEX · VOLUME I

Field Guide

Everything you need before your first descent: how a run works, what the doors mean, how boons stack and how to get a fallen friend back on their feet.

CODEX.DATENTRIES · 09
> OPEN CODEX
CH.01 · RUN LOOP

The Run

One run is one descent, from the tavern down to the final boss. Win or fall, you come back to the hub a little stronger.

  1. STEP 01HUB
    The Last Lantern
    Gather at the tavern by the dungeon entrance.
  2. STEP 02HUB
    Pick a class
    Warrior, Mage, Healer or Ranger. Take your weapon from the wall.
  3. STEP 038–10 ROOMS
    Act 1
    Forgotten Dungeons. Ends with The Warden.
  4. STEP 048–10 ROOMS
    Act 2
    Fungal Grottoes, then a boss.
  5. STEP 058–10 ROOMS
    Act 3
    Ember Forge, then a boss.
  6. STEP 061–2 ROOMS
    Finale
    The Throne Room of the Void and the final boss.
  7. STEP 07END
    Victory or death
    Either way, the run is over.
  8. STEP 08HUB
    Back to the hub
    Bring Soul Shards home and go again.
25–40MINUTES PER FULL RUN
3 + 1ACTS PLUS THE FINALE
1–4PLAYERS PER PARTY
CH.02 · ROOM LOOP

Rooms

Every act is a chain of rooms. Each one follows the same rhythm, so you always know what comes next.

  1. ENTER Step into the next room.
  2. DOORS SEAL No way out until the room is clear.
  3. WAVES Fight through the enemy waves.
  4. REWARD The room’s reward appears.
  5. PICK 1 OF 3 Each player picks one of three boons.
  6. CHOOSE EXIT Each door previews the next reward.
1–2MINUTES PER ROOM

Everyone picks their boon at the same time, so nobody waits for anyone else.

CH.03 · DOOR SYMBOLS

Exit doors

Not every room gives a boon. The symbol above each exit shows what waits in the next room.

  • CHALICEBoonThe standard reward.
  • COINSGoldSpend it in the dungeon shop.
  • HEARTHealingEveryone heals 30% HP.
  • ANVILUpgradeRaise a boon you own one rarity, e.g. Common to Rare.
  • CRYSTALSoul ShardsCurrency you keep after the run.
  • KEYTreasure roomA guaranteed Epic boon inside.
VOTE More than one exit? Everyone pings the door they want. On a tie, the host or chance decides.
CH.04 · DROP RATES

Boons & rarity

Boons change your hero for the rest of the run. The frame color tells you how rare a boon is.

  • COMMON 60% WHITE FRAME e.g. +10% attack speed
  • RARE 28% BLUE FRAME e.g. +20% attack speed
  • EPIC 10% VIOLET FRAME e.g. Fire Arrows
  • LEGENDARY 2% GOLD FRAME e.g. Every 5th attack calls down a lightning strike

These are base chances. They rise with every act and through unlocks in the hub.

BOON TYPES Stat Element Trigger Class Co-op · not in solo Curse · big reward, with a drawback
CH.05 · DUO BOON COMBINER

Duo boons

Every boon carries tags. Hold two specific tags and a legendary duo boon can show up. Try a pair.

PICK TWO TAGS
DUO SLOT · EMPTY Pick two tags

Builds come together on their own: boons with tags you already own are 30% more likely to be offered.

CH.06 · AFFLICTIONS

Status effects

Many boons add a status effect to your attacks. Combine the right two and they react: the heart of co-op synergy.

EFFECTWHAT IT DOESSTACKS
BURN4 damage per second for 3 sYes, up to 5
POISON2% of max HP per second for 4 sNo, duration refreshes
FROST−60% speed. A target that is already slowed freezes for 1.5 sNo
SHOCKThe next hit jumps to 2 nearby enemiesNo
BLEED3 damage per second, doubled while the target movesYes, up to 3
STUNNo actionsNo · weaker on bosses each time
VULNERABLE+25% damage takenNo

ELEMENTAL COMBOS

BURNFROST
= Steam Explosion
Area damage around the target.
SHOCKPOISON
= Nerve Toxin
Stuns the target for 1 s.
CH.07 · NO ONE LEFT BEHIND

Downed & revive

Hitting 0 HP is not the end. It is a countdown, and your friends can stop it.

  1. At 0 HP you are downed instead of dead. You can still crawl slowly.
  2. An ally revives you by staying close and holding Interact for 2 s. You get back up with 30% HP.
  3. No revive within 15 s and you die for the rest of the act. You return as a ghost with 50% HP at the start of the next act.
  4. If every player is downed at the same time, the run ends.
  5. Solo: once per run, a Phoenix Feather (Last Breath) revives you automatically with 50% HP.
DOWNED15 S TIMER
15 S0 S · OUT FOR THE ACT
ALLY · HOLD 2 S TO REVIVE
X / SquareorE
Revived by an ally
30% HP
Ghost, next act
50% HP
Phoenix Feather (solo)
50% HP
CH.08 · INPUT

Controls

Built gamepad-first. Mouse and keyboard are fully supported.

ACTIONGAMEPADMOUSE & KEYBOARD
MoveLeft stickWASD
AimRight stick otherwise move directionMouse cursor
Basic attackRT / R2Left mouse button
Ability 1LB / L1Right mouse button
Ability 2RB / R1Q
UltimateLT + RT together, or YR
DodgeA / CrossSpace
InteractX / SquareE
Ping / markD-pad upMiddle mouse button
Pause / menuStartEsc

AIM ASSIST

With a gamepad, a light aim assist (a cone of about 15°) helps you hit. You can adjust it in the menu.

DODGE

A short dash of about 3 tiles with 0.25 s of invulnerability and a 1 s cooldown. Every class has its own variant.

STEAM DECK

Steam Deck is a target platform. Verification status: [TBA].

CH.09 · THE HUB

The Last Lantern

A tavern at the entrance of the dungeon. Every run starts and ends here.

  • Weapon wall

    Choose your class by taking its weapon.

  • NPCs

    Unlock new boons, class variants and more.

  • Training dummy

    Test your class before you head down.

  • Co-op lobby

    Your party gathers in the hub before the run starts.

THREE CURRENCIES

  • Gold
    RUN ONLY

    Spend it at the shop in the dungeon. It is gone when the run ends.

  • Soul Shards
    RUN > HUB

    Earned in the run, kept in the hub. Spend them on permanent unlocks.

  • Boss Trophies
    FIRST BOSS KILL

    Earned the first time you beat each boss. Unlocks class variants and hub upgrades.

END OF CODEX

Ready for your first descent?

CODEX · VOLUME I

Field Guide

Everything you need before your first descent: runs, doors, boons and revives.

CH.01 · RUN LOOP

The Run

One descent: three acts and a finale, in 25–40 minutes.

  1. STEP 01 · HUBThe Last LanternGather at the hub tavern.
  2. STEP 02 · HUBPick a classTake your weapon from the wall.
  3. STEP 03Act 1Forgotten Dungeons · 8–10 rooms + The Warden
  4. STEP 04Act 2Fungal Grottoes · 8–10 rooms + boss
  5. STEP 05Act 3Ember Forge · 8–10 rooms + boss
  6. STEP 06FinaleThrone Room of the Void · final boss
  7. STEP 07 · ENDVictory or deathEither way, the run is over.
  8. STEP 08 · HUBBack to the hubBring Soul Shards home, go again.
CH.02 · ROOM LOOP

Rooms

Every room follows the same rhythm.

  1. ENTERStep into the next room.
  2. DOORS SEALNo way out until it is clear.
  3. WAVESFight through the enemy waves.
  4. REWARDThe room’s reward appears.
  5. PICK 1 OF 3Each player picks one of three boons.
  6. CHOOSE EXITEach door previews the next reward.

1–2 minutes per room. Everyone picks their boon at the same time, so nobody waits.

CH.03 · DOOR SYMBOLS

Exit doors

The symbol above each exit shows the next room’s reward.

  • CHALICE Boon The standard reward.
  • COINS Gold Spend it in the dungeon shop.
  • HEART Healing Everyone heals 30% HP.
  • ANVIL Upgrade One of your boons goes up a rarity.
  • CRYSTAL Soul Shards Currency you keep after the run.
  • KEY Treasure room A guaranteed Epic boon inside.

VOTESeveral exits? Ping the door you want. Ties: the host or chance decides.

CH.04 · DROP RATES

Boons & rarity

The frame color tells you how rare a boon is.

  • COMMON60%WHITE FRAMEe.g. +10% attack speed
  • RARE28%BLUE FRAMEe.g. +20% attack speed
  • EPIC10%VIOLET FRAMEe.g. Fire Arrows
  • LEGENDARY2%GOLD FRAMEe.g. Every 5th attack calls down lightning

Base chances. They rise with every act and through unlocks in the hub.

TYPES Stat · Element · Trigger · Class · Co-op (not in solo) · Curse

CH.05 · DUO BOON COMBINER

Duo boons

Hold two specific tags and a legendary duo boon can appear. Try a pair.

PICK TWO TAGS
DUO SLOT · EMPTYPick two tags

Boons with tags you already own are 30% more likely to be offered.

CH.06 · AFFLICTIONS

Status effects

Combine the right two and they react: the heart of co-op synergy.

BURNSTACKS ×5
4 damage per second for 3 s.
POISONREFRESHES
2% of max HP per second for 4 s.
FROSTNO STACK
−60% speed. Already slowed targets freeze for 1.5 s.
SHOCKNO STACK
The next hit jumps to 2 nearby enemies.
BLEEDSTACKS ×3
3 damage per second, doubled while the target moves.
STUNWEAKER ON BOSSES
No actions.
VULNERABLENO STACK
+25% damage taken.

ELEMENTAL COMBOS

BURNFROST
Steam Explosion
Area damage.
SHOCKPOISON
Nerve Toxin
Stuns for 1 s.
CH.07 · NO ONE LEFT BEHIND

Downed & revive

0 HP starts a countdown. Your friends can stop it.

  1. At 0 HP you are downed, not dead. You can still crawl slowly.
  2. An ally holds Interact next to you for 2 s: you get up with 30% HP.
  3. No revive in 15 s? You are out for this act and return as a ghost with 50% HP next act.
  4. If every player is downed at once, the run ends.
  5. Solo: once per run, a Phoenix Feather (Last Breath) revives you with 50% HP.
DOWNED15 S TIMER
ALLY HOLDS 2 SX / SquareorE
CH.08 · INPUT

Controls

Gamepad-first. Mouse and keyboard fully supported.

Move
Left stick
Aim
Right stickotherwise move direction
Basic attack
RT / R2
Ability 1
LB / L1
Ability 2
RB / R1
Ultimate
LT + RTtogether, or Y
Dodge
A / Cross
Interact
X / Square
Ping / mark
D-pad up
Pause / menu
Start

AIM ASSIST

With a gamepad, a light aim assist (a cone of about 15°) helps you hit. Adjustable in the menu.

DODGE

A dash of about 3 tiles with 0.25 s of invulnerability and a 1 s cooldown. Each class has its own variant.

STEAM DECK

Steam Deck is a target platform. Verification status: [TBA].

CH.09 · THE HUB

The Last Lantern

A tavern at the dungeon’s entrance. Every run starts and ends here.

  • Weapon wall

    Choose your class by taking its weapon.

  • NPCs

    Unlock new boons, class variants and more.

  • Training dummy

    Test your class before you head down.

  • Co-op lobby

    Your party gathers here before the run.

THREE CURRENCIES

  • GoldRUN ONLY

    Spend it at the dungeon shop. Gone when the run ends.

  • Soul ShardsRUN > HUB

    Earned in the run, kept in the hub. Spend them on permanent unlocks.

  • Boss Trophies1ST KILL

    Earned the first time you beat each boss. Unlock class variants and hub upgrades.