Summary
The popular turn-based roguelike RPG,Darkest Dungeon, takes players into the high-stakes world of adventuring heroes. Unlike most RPGs though,Darkest Dungeondelves deep into the minds of these so-called heroes and presents them as people living on the very edges of sanity. The game confronts the true psychological nature of conflict and its effects on everyday people.
As players explore the various dungeons in the game, the characters they take along will slowly gain stress from the many obstacles they encounter. When a character reaches a stress level of 100, they gain an affliction. These debuffs affect the characters in different ways and can even lead to death by heart attack. Players can cure these afflictions in town by sending the character to the church or tavern.Darkest Dungeonpresents players with agrim reality of life and death, where conflict has consequences, and not everyone will make it home alive. These arethe worst afflictions players can get inDarkest Dungeon.
Stat Changes
- 25% DMG, -20 DODGE, +3 SPD
The first DLC released forDarkest Dungeonoffers players the chance to use an entirely new character class, the Flagellant. This frontline healer isunique in the game, as they are unable to gain any affliction other thanRapturous.
The Rapturous affliction causes a reasonably high chance of act-outs, with all actions having an 8.3% chance, including party stress, moving forward, using random skills, attacking an ally, and attacking themselves. There is a lower chance of the hero being attacked, at 20%, but this is certainly an affliction that could cause issues for players in the thick of battle.
Exclusive Only With Color of Madness DLC
+20% Stress, -5 SPD, +15% Bleed Skill Chance, +15% Blight Skill Chance, Ignore Stealth.
Refractedis another affliction that is only available through theDarkest Dungeon’s downloadable content. The “Color of Madness” was the third DLC to be released for the game and came with a whole host of new features. Central to this was the Farmstead, a new survival mode that pits players against waves of enemies.
For any characters who have been to the Farmstead, they are now able to receive the Refracted Affliction. This affliction has a lower percentage rate for act-outs, with a 2.4% chance of attacking an ally. This debuff can also lead to characters refusing to be healed, refusing to eat at a camp, and refusing a camping skill.
-25% DMG, +10 DODGE, +2 SPD
Characters exploring the depths of these darkest dungeons are under constant stress, withdangers lurking around every corner. It is no wonder a hero may becomeFearful. This affliction gives a higher percentage for characters to act out, with a 10.5% chance of causing the party stress, moving back 1 place, or passing a turn.
While it may not be the most damaging affliction in the game, as it does not cause characters to attack or hurt themselves, becoming fearful can lead to missed turns and lower damage. When fighting for their lives, these traits can have a big impact when they are close to death.
-5 ACC, -5 DODGE, -3 SPD
Whilefacing down the many monstersfound lurking in the dark places of theDarkest Dungeon, it is understandable if a hero loses all confidence and becomesHopeless. This affliction has a lower chance of act-outs, with only a 5% chance, but these can include attacking themselves and marking themselves.
Any affliction that can cause damage to one of the party members is a dangerous one to receive. While the chances of act-outs are smaller, at 33%, the hero may also refuse to retreat and refuse buffs or heals. This may lead to dangerous moments for the entire party.
-25% DMG, -5 ACC, +10 DODGE, +2 SPD
With dangers lurking at every corner, heroes exploring the dungeons of the game may fall victim to paranoia. When the lights go out,anything could be waiting in the dark. For characters that becomeParanoid, even fellow party members can be seen as enemies.
While the buffs to dodging and speed are a plus of this affliction, the lower amounts of damage can become an issue when taking down tougher enemies. With a 9.4% chance of act-outs, as well as a 3.1% chance of attacking an ally, this affliction may not be the most damaging, but it can cause serious problems for the group.
-15 DODGE
The high stakes of adventuring and the constant stress of combat can lead manyheroes down a dangerous path. As their anger turns inward, characters can becomeMasochisticand become a danger to themselves.
Although this affliction has fewer overall stat changes, with only a debuff to dodge, leaving a hero with Masochistic traits in a dungeon can endanger the whole party. With an 8.3% chance of act-outs, which can include moving forward and attacking or marking themselves, this affliction can cause chaos in combat. It also makes the character interact with torture curios more often.
-5 ACC, -10% DMG, -5 DODGE, +2 SPD
When the stress of constant attack becomes too much for a hero to handle, their choices in situations can become dangerous. Characters that gain theIrrationalaffliction can be a danger to not only themselves but the whole party.
This debuff can cause many act-outs, including a 5.2% chance of attacking or marking themselves, as well as moving forward or back 1. With only a 1.7% chance of attacking an ally, the danger to others is less than some afflictions. Becoming irrational can also lead to a 33% chance for the hero to refuse to retreat, heal, use items, receive food, or camp skills.
-5 ACC, -10% DMG, +5 DODGE
In stressful situations, the worst sides of people’s nature can emerge. When theirlives are at stakeand riches are to be gained, heroes can becomeSelfish. This affliction has a lower chance of act-outs at 8.3%, but these can include passing turns, moving back 1, or using a random skill.
For heroes who become Selfish, their only goal is themselves, which increases the chance the party will turn against them. The most damaging of these traits is a 50% chance that they will steal any loot found in the dungeon, which can increase the stress of every member of the party.
-5 ACC, +20% DMG, -15 DODGE
For some, the stresses of combat become all too much, and they start to act out on others. For heroes living with death always around the next corner, the stress can lead them to becomeAbusiveto other members of the party.
The Abusive affliction can be one of the most damaging to the party inDarkest Dungeon, as it can cause high levels of stress for the rest of the heroes. Although there is a 20% boost to damage, this stat can easily turn against the party, as the afflicted hero has a higher chance of attacking allies.
