The Unspoken Rules of Endless Co-op

A short list of tips and advice for playing Gauntlet Slayer Edition Co-op.

INTRODUCTION

The veterans of Gauntlet who climb the infinite reaches of Endless Mode have created their own culture with a unique set of expectations in multiplayer. I've made this short guide to help those who wish to understand why they do the things they do as they ascend the limitless dungeon.

This guide is based on a short advice section that I wrote for my Gauntlet review, and it was inspired by the positive feedback I received from it.

I'll include a short explanation for each item. I'll also have a Miscellanea section of weird things you might see veterans do and the reasons that they do it.

Also, please pay close attention to rule #8 and rule #9. Especially #9 :)

Post Script: Please take it only as advice. I do not mean to tell you how to play, only to explain common behaviors that you may see veterans doing, and how best to cooperate with them in their games.

ADVICE

1. DO NOT TAKE THE LAST SKULL COIN.

• Leave it for the host or ask if the host if you can take it. Let them decide who uses it.
  
  
• Coins generate faster when the counter is at zero. If the host is trying to progress to the next portal in Endless Mode, they generally want the player that can generate skull coins the fastest to take the last one. This way the game doesn't end.
  
  
• If you know for a fact that you can generate another skull coin before you die again, then it is probably okay if you use it. However, it's still polite to ask.

2. DO NOT CAMERA LOCK OTHER PLAYERS.

• Watch your screen edges. The camera is not unique to you in multiplayer.
  
  
• It's possible to trap other players if you move so far that they have no room to maneuver.
  
  
• This is especially important in the Hell levels of endless. It's really easy to camera lock people on accident if you're dodging exploding cultists.

3. DO NOT BE GREEDY. SHARE THE GOLD. SHARE THE POTIONS. SHARE THE FOOD.

• There are some general exceptions, but please take these exceptions with a grain of salt. Not everyone plays this way.
  
  
• Generally Questor is considered to have the best group potion (dryad song) and players should prioritize potions for him. Thyra's invincibility potion (divine aegis) is more or less on par with More of Thor. Divine Aegis is better for group survivability. More of Thor is better in a pinch.
  
  
• PRIORITIZED LIST OF EXCEPTIONS
  
  • 1. Questor (Elf) players who have the Dryad Song potion should be given top priority for potions.
    
  • 2. Thor (Warrior) players who have More of Thor potion are the best ace in the hole. These players should save their potions for total party wipes, then revive and pop it.
    
  • 3. Thyra (Valkyrie) players who have the Divine Aegis potion are also great. It requires skill and timing on the part of the player though. A good player with Divine Aegis is better than Questor with Dryad Song IMHO.
  
  
• It's always nice to let Questor players have at least 5000 gold (the cost of a couple of potions), that way they can buy potions at the beginning of the level if they are not full.
  
  
• Spending gold on Skull Coins isn't really needed if your group has a strong last coin player. You should really only buy food or potions. A potion goes further than a Skull Coin pretty much always.
  
  
• If you have a full 5 potions, then you only need about 1500 gold or so to buy food if you take damage (maybe a little more if you're playing Thor). Save the rest of the gold for your fellow heroes. If everyone has 5 potions, let the Questor have the rest for later potions, or the host, or whoever.

4. DO NOT RUSH. MOVE WITH THE GROUP.

• This is especially important on Death levels (Every 6th level in Endless will have Death Incarnate).
  
  
• If you're rushing ahead you might accidentally start to screen pull your fellow heroes, and that could result in the death of one of them.

5. DO NOT FALL BEHIND.

• This is also really important on the Death levels. To fall behind is to die.
  
  
• Falling behind usually results in screen pulling the rest of the group and putting them in danger because of it.

6. USE YOUR POTIONS. DON'T SIT ON THEM.

• Try to use your potions in rooms that are giving you and your team trouble.
  
  
• Here's a good rule of thumb: if there's 3 or more Summoning Stones and a Boss Monster (Lich, Spider Queen, Demon Horror), then use your potion.
  
  
• You might also wait a second to see if someone activates their potions first. Generally only one potion per difficult level is needed.
  
  
• EXCEPTION: It's always a good idea to keep 1 or 2 potions in your back pocket for total party wipes at 1 skull coin. That way you can revive and generate that skull coin quickly.

7. WORK WITH THE GROUP.

• Protect your team.
  
  
• Attack their targets.
  
  
• Don't wander off.

8. HOST IS GOD!

• Go along with whatever the host wants. If he/she is asking too much, then leave. Go host your own game or join a different one.
  
  
• If your host says that these rules are a worthless pile of ♥♥♥♥, then they are right because they are God.

9. HAVE FUN!!!

• If you aren't having fun, what is the point?

MISCELLANEA

Here's some weird stuff you might see veterans do. I'll try to explain why they do it here.

1. KILLING THEMSELVES ON PURPOSE AT THE END OF THE LEVEL

• Veterans do this to reset their health. It's a math equation based on skull coins.
  
  
• You always start the next floor with at least one skull coin.
  
  
• You also always start with max health if you were dead at the end of the last floor.
  
  
• If the group has zero or one skull coin, then it's to the benefit of the party if everyone but the player with the highest health dies before you go to the next floor. Those that died will start the next floor with max health.
  
  
• NEVER KILL YOURSELF IF THERE ARE ZERO SKULL COINS, UNLESS SOMEONE ELSE IS ALIVE TO WALK THROUGH THE END OF THE LEVEL.
  
  
• If you you are at the end of the level and you are not at max health, you should...
  
  • Kill yourself if there is 1 skull coin. Or if there is zero and another player is alive with more health.
    
  • Kill yourself if 1 person is currently dead and there are 2 or less skull coins.
    
  • Kill yourself if 2 people are currently dead and there are 3 or less skull coins.
    
  • Kill yourself if 3 people are currently dead and there are 4 or less skull coins.
    
  • Don't kill yourself if there are 5 or more skull coins.

2. NOT REVIVING AFTER THEY DIE

Sometimes veterans choose not to revive after they die. They let the existing players continue to fight, and join back in later on, or on the next floor. They could be doing this for a few reasons.

• Not risking damage. If it looks like the other players have this room, then its better to let them clear it and revive when its safe. No sense risking a quick death or some damage.
  
  
• Getting out of the way. Sometimes your revival would only get in the way of the other player(s), like in a Demon Horror room.
  
  
• If it looks like it will be a party wipe and there is enough skull coins, its better to revive everyone at once, as opposed to one at a time.
  
  
• Taking a break. Especially true for Void Wizards (click click click).
  
  
• It's close to the end of the level and they know their party will make it there. Rather than risk damage, they wait for the next level to reset.
  
  

• Originally posted by Siopilos:

  I try to keep it safe and save some coins. There is no need to use a coin after you die while you are running between locked rooms. No need to risk a hero taking damage or lose a coin (Hell floors are especially risky and it's important not to risk coins). Let the living heroes reach as far as they can. If they die, then one player can revive and go further. When I die, I will only use the coin if I can see that I will be helpful in that room, or I will use the coin on the next locked room.

  
  
• Personally, if I find myself dying a lot and burning through the group skull coins, then I start to limit myself by allowing the current progress on the skull coin counter to complete before reviving. That way I'm not wasting too many skull coins.

3. SKIPPING MONSTERS VS FIGHTING MONSTERS

• When you join an endless game, you should either ask or intuit whether the group is skipping or fighting.
  
  
• Some veterans skip fights, like hallways and locked rooms, in order to finish the 18 floors faster. It's generally considered safer in most cases as well.
  
  
• Just in case you wanted to know, I'm steadfastly in the camp that says that fighting is more fun than skipping. But I won't harass you if you are a skipper.

4. STANDING ON THE SIDE OF SCREEN SPAMMING THE HELP EMOTE

• This means that they saw something was left behind, like a potion or food, and they want to go back and get it.
  
  
• Veterans who are spamming help while standing in front of an item, like a potion or food or gold, are trying to draw the attention of someone else that they think should pick it up. Just do a quick check of your stuff. If you have the least of whatever thing they are standing in front of, then they are probably talking to you.

5. NOT TAKING THE PORTALS ALL THE WAY TO THEIR MAX LEVEL

• Veterans do this to gather potions and gold to make the 18 floors on their max portal easier to beat.
  
• They might only check the first room, being careful not to trigger it; or they decide to clear the entire level and then go back and take the portal.
  
• The first level of every 37+ portal is what I call a “Lich Level.”
  
  • Instead of summoning stones, the game typically summons anywhere from 1-5 Lich bosses.
    
  • Up to 7 Lich bosses are possible but it is rare.
    
  • Most groups cannot beat a 5 Lich room without any potions (I can only do it on Wizard and Necromancer), so they gather potions to prepare for this room.
• For veterans that have mastered Lich bosses, the last six Hell floors are the most dangerous to their party.
  
  • Hell floors can literally spawn more monsters than some computers can handle (mine just freezes for a few seconds if I am not hosting).
    
  • The combination of Exploding Cultists and Red Wizards (with the occasional Demon Horror boss) makes it likely that multiple deaths will occur, so veterans might also be gathering potions and gold to prepare for these floors.
• There is no reason to clear the entire floor if your max portal is 1500+. There will be plenty of first rooms in which to find potions and gold.

CONCLUSION

I hope this helps anyone who wants to jump into the world of Endless, but is confused about why veterans do what they do.

If you think there is anything I missed, feel free to comment. I'll also update this guide as I think of more things and as I receive more feedback.

Thanks to Dan for Miscellanea #4.

Have a great day, Heroes!

[Venuminostrates]

Hey, @DryRubberChicken. Sorry it rubbed you the wrong way. That wasn't how I intended this guide to be interpreted.

For context, this guide was written years ago when there were a lot of people in multiplayer hosting games. Back then, there were a lot of forum posts inquiring why they kept seeing people do certain things (Such as skipping monsters, spamming help on the side of the screen, or killing themselves at the end of the level). There used to be an active discord community, and I polled a lot of the active players to made this little advice packet, in addition to my own experiences.

This guide is old and dated for sure, given that there are less active players, but it was only ever meant to be advice, as I stated in the introduction.

[DryRubberChicken]

i have literally never smashed a downvote so hard in my life. Your idea of playing right is other people doing exactly and only what you demand. Because the only reason they are playing is to serve you...If everyone else is the issue, its a you thing.

[Roshambo]

@FriendlyFire #staytogether

[Friendly Fire]

Looks about right.
Don't rush and don't fall behind, 100% contradictory.

Either people are not rushing so no-one falls behind, or people are rushing (they're always rushing).
And that's why I solo.

[PopsAlurien]

Hey, gotta thank you for this..I've yet to try hosting but may now...well written!!

[Folger419]

The now spoken unspoken rules. Pay special attention to how exactly we distribute the turkey.

Questor and Merlin are only allowed to eat hams. Eat some turkey, see what happens.. lol

[Quadstronaut]

As an old veteran player I can confirm these are all true. I generally lead my game on a rush strategy, stopping to fight only when needed or if some other benefit comes of it. It's safer, faster, and when you (PS4) spent an hour climbing down into the several thousands, you don't wanna screw around. I understand the frustrations of people like @Major Doom but skippers play this way for a reason. It's tested, it's effective, and I've played into the dozens of thousands with friends using this method simply splendidly.

[Venuminostrates]

@Rex Yup. You find jerks like that who want to ruin or control everyone's fun.

[Rex Reefer Raptor]

Not all host's is god, some are just jackass's who just leave there game on and don't move for hours. and there's one player who just kicks other players after joining he's/her's game. :(

[Venuminostrates]

@Major Doom

There is a nice middle ground between not rushing and not falling behind. Depending on your host, the speed could be different as well - going back to that "Host is god" thing. It sounds like you got into some games with an arrogant and impatient host.

I'm a lot more laid back in games I host since I enjoy fighting more than climbing... but I've already climbed 16,000 endless levels, so that particular appeal has come and gone for me.