Curse System - FAQ

[Dark Jay Studio]

With The Cursed Update, I've introduced a new mechanic designed to make higher difficulties more challenging and add another layer of strategy to your runs.

Here's how the Curse system works.

What are Curses?

Curses are negative modifiers that make your run more challenging. They can affect various aspects of gameplay, including your character, weapons, and enemies.
Unlike temporary effects, Curses remain active until the end of the current Act.

When do I receive Curses?

Curses appear during specific waves. You can see exactly when they will occur on the new timeline in the Crusade screen. For example, if Curses are scheduled for waves 2, 4, and 6, you'll have to select a Curse during each of those waves.
Once selected, a Curse remains active for the rest of the Act.

Can I skip a Curse?

Yes and No. When you reach a Curse wave, you must select one of the available Curses. However, you can unlock upgrades that give you more control over your choices, and you have one SKIP available, allowing you to avoid choosing a Curse once.

How many Curses will I encounter?

The number of Curse events depends on your difficulty level. Higher difficulties introduce more Curses, making each run progressively more challenging.

Are all Curses equally powerful?

No. Curses are divided into three tiers:

• Minor Curse - the weakest penalties.
  
• Greater Curse - stronger penalties.
  
• Major Curse - the most severe penalties.

The Curse tier you choose also affects the probabilities of future Curse selections.

How do Curse probabilities work?

The strength of the Curse you select influences the probability of Curse tiers appearing in your future choices.

Choosing a weaker Curse increases the chance of encountering stronger Curses later.

Choosing a Major Curse increases the chance of encountering weaker Curses later.

Taking an easier option now may lead to tougher choices later, while accepting a more difficult Curse can improve your future odds.

These are probability changes, not guarantees. You can check the current probabilities at the top of the Curse selection screen.

Can I influence which Curses appear?

Yes! New upgrades in the Cathedral's Statue give you more control over the system.

You can unlock:

• Additional Curse Choices: Increase your selection from 2 to 3, and eventually 4 options.
  
• Curse Reroll: Reroll your available Curses once per run.
  
• Curse Weakening: Reduce the strength of a Curse once per run.
  
• Improved Starting Probabilities: Two upgrades that improve your initial chances of receiving weaker Curses.

Do Curses stack?

Yes. Each selected Curse remains active until the end of the Act, so their effects accumulate as you progress through the waves.

What is the difference between Curses and Cursed Shrines?

These are two separate mechanics.
Curses are persistent negative modifiers selected during designated waves.
Cursed Shrines are quest events that can appear during gameplay. Activating a shrine applies a temporary Curse effect for the current wave, but rewards you with double Ashes earned from killing demons while the shrine is active.

Where can I see my active Curses?

All currently active Curses are displayed on the redesigned Crusade screen, alongside the wave timeline and upcoming events.

What's the best strategy for choosing Curses?

There's no single best approach.
You can choose weaker Curses early to make your immediate survival easier, but this increases the risk of facing stronger Curses later. Alternatively, accepting Major Curses early may make the beginning more difficult while improving your chances of receiving weaker options in subsequent selections.

The key is balancing immediate survival against future risk.

Good luck, Templars!