The Dead Cells Runes are some of the most sought-after collectibles in the recently released roguelike Metroidvania. The Runes offer permanent upgrades and traversal skills that open up new levels and gameplay options for the player. They also allow access to some hard-to-reach equipment that you may have passed by before getting them. So let’s find out what the Runes are and where to find them.
Dead Cells Runes: What are the Dead Cells Runes?
As mentioned before, the runes in Dead Cells are permanent upgrades to your character that offer new traversal options that lead to levels you can’t get to without them and higher grade weapons. The first you will most likely encounter is the Vine Rune. This upgrade will allow you to grow vines from green blobs found in most levels, which give you access to high ledges that you couldn’t get to before. The next rune is the Teleportation Rune which gives you the ability to teleport between two yellow stone statues.
After that, you are likely to receive the Challenger Rune which opens up the daily challenge in the starting area. Then you are most likely to receive the Ram Rune which lets you break through specially marked floors with your stop, and increases the damage dealt by the player’s stomp. Next, you will the Spider Rune which gives you the ability to climb walls, as well as wall-jumping. Then finally, you will most likely get the Homonculus Rune which allows you to detach your head and control it separately from your body. This will also allow you to disable one enemy’s movements while your body can take it down.
Dead Cells Runes: Where to find the Dead Cells Runes?
You will find the Vine Rune in the Promenade of the Condemned, which is the second level you will encounter without any runes. To get this rune, you need to find a room with an Elite Undead Archer and defeat it. Since the levels are procedurally generated, there is no consistent spot to find this room. Once you beat the Undead Archer, you will receive the Vine Rune and be able to leave the room with your newfound horticultural powers.
For the Teleportation Rune, you need to head to the Toxic Sewers level. This will be accessible from the Prisoner’s Quarters (the first level you will encounter in every run) via one of the vines you can now grow from the green blobs with your Vine Rune. You will find it after defeating an Elite Slasher in a room underneath a switch operated door. Again, the levels are randomized, so you have to keep an eye out for the markers that indicate one of these rooms holding runes is about.
The Challenger Rune is probably one of the easiest to find, but difficult to obtain. You will be able to grab it once you defeat what is most likely the first boss you will encounter, The Concierge, at the Black Bridge level. You will find this level either after the Ramparts level, Ossuary level, or the Promenade of the Condemned, depending on what runes you have found so far. Since this is a boss battle, come prepared with whatever is your best build. The easiest way to defeat the Concierge, however, is with various weapons and skills that will stop the boss from moving, as well as a skill that will constantly damage it.
The Ram Rune (or in previous versions of the game Belier’s Rune) can be found in the Ossuary level. To access this level, you will need to have already obtained the Teleportation Rune. Once you have the Teleportation Rune, get to the end of the Promenade of the Condemned, and rather than taking the elevator, keeping going right until you find a teleportation statue which you can then use to access the entry to the Ossuary level. From there you need to find a room with a metal door and various spikes. In this room, you will need to fight an Elite Slasher again to obtain the Ram Rune.
The Spider Rune is the most complex find so far since the level it resides in is a bit further than previous runes. First, you have to go to the to the Toxic Sewers and find the entryway to the Ancient Sewers by using the Ram Rune on a breakable piece of floor. From there you need to get to the Insufferable Crypt which holds the Conjunctivitus boss.
To defeat it, the best course of action is to have a freezing ranged weapon, a melee weapon that has high DPS and range, a stationary skill that is able to do ranged damage automatically since the boss releases tentacles on the ground level of the room that move about, and a skill that does persistent damage (such as a Fire Grenade) since the boss moves around the whole room a lot. After that ordeal, you will have access to the Slumbering Sanctuary level where you will find a room with an Elite Caster. The same gear you have from the Conjuctivitus boss fight should work well here since the Elite Caster also moves around the room a lot. After you have defeated it, you will be rewarded with the Spider Rune.
The final rune to find is the Homonculus Rune. This will become available to you at the very end of the game in the Throne Room level. To obtain it, you must defeat the Hand of the King boss. Since it is the very final boss of the game, come prepared. The best option for this boss is to have as many AOE skills as possible to damadge from afar, and a shield to parry its various attacks. Once you have defeated the Hand of the King, you will gain the power of the Homonculus Rune.
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