Gameplay Guide ============== Use the numbered menu to explore rooms, fight monsters, visit shops, and descend deeper into the dungeon. At any time choose **8. Show Map** to display the dungeon grid. The map marks your location with ``@``, visited rooms with ``.``, and unexplored or blocked rooms with ``#``. Progress is automatically saved whenever you clear a floor. Retiring & Scoring ------------------ Upon reaching the end of Floor 9 you may retire early to bank your score or descend toward the late-game debuffs. Retiring immediately records your current score and writes a breakdown to ``scores.json`` in the operating system specific data directory (``AppData/Local`` on Windows, ``~/Library/Application Support`` on macOS or ``~/.local/share`` on Linux) before returning you to the title screen and clearing the active save. Descending keeps the adventure going and applies standard floor scaling. Classes, Guilds and Races ------------------------- Characters grow through three axes of customization. A **class** supplies a stat block and unique abilities that consume stamina. For instance, the Barbarian begins with 130 health, 12 attack power and can unleash *Rage* ``(30)`` or a sweeping *Whirlwind* ``(40)``. Druids wield nature magic through *Wild Shape* ``(35)`` and *Entangle* ``(20)`` while maintaining balanced stats. Joining a **guild** applies permanent perks. The **Shadow Brotherhood** grants +4 attack power and reduces all skill costs by 5 stamina, turning members into efficient assassins. Other guilds focus on raw power, magical prowess or supportive talents. Selecting a **race** provides innate bonuses. Tieflings gain +2 attack power and the *Infernal resistance* trait, whereas Dragonborn receive +2 health, +2 attack power and the *Draconic breath* trait. Boss Encounters --------------- Each floor culminates in a boss battle against a foe unique to that level. Bosses telegraph their intentions so observant players can react to heavy attacks or defensive postures. Defeating a boss now awards the entire loot table associated with that encounter, guaranteeing meaningful rewards. Special Events -------------- To break up the routine of combat, each floor draws exactly one signature event from a curated pool: * **Shrine Gauntlet** – fight successive waves to earn blessings. * **Puzzle Chamber** – solve puzzles or riddles for unique gear. * **Escort Mission** – protect an NPC for a substantial reward. These events introduce variety and appear once per floor. Enemy Intents ------------- Foes now telegraph their behaviour each round. Every enemy rolls one of three intents—Aggressive, Defensive or Unpredictable—weighted by its archetype. The selected intent is announced before the action resolves, for example:: Goblin steadies a heavy strike… Beetle curls into its shell. Pay attention to these tells to decide when to Defend or attempt a Feint. Aggressive telegraphs often precede a heavy attack that deals roughly 50% more damage. Unpredictable intents may unleash wild attacks which suffer a 20% accuracy penalty but have a small chance to inflict double damage. Floor Descriptions ------------------ The dungeon grows more dangerous the deeper you travel. * **Floors 1–3** – Small layouts introducing core mechanics. The opening level features water hazards, shifting walls and a merchant hub overseen by the Rat King. * **Floors 4–6** – Medium sized caverns with added traps and broader enemy variety. * **Floors 7–9** – Large maps with elite enemies and richer treasure preparing you for the late game. * **Floors 10–18** – Each subsequent floor adds a persistent debuff described below. High Floor Debuffs ------------------ Beginning on Floor 10, the dungeon introduces persistent penalties that accumulate with each descent. Every new floor adds its own challenges while retaining all previous debuffs. * **Floor 10** – healing effects are halved and a relentless sandstorm reduces vision to four tiles, persisting on later floors. * **Floor 11** – trap density rises and enemies adopt a Disarm Stance capable of riposting, on top of all Floor 10 effects. * **Floor 12 – “Hunted”** - *Blood Torrent* – Minor DoT that persists through healing; enemies gain increased vision and aggro radius while active. Stacks to three, each intensifying the trail and damage. Counter with Scent-mask Spray or Absorbent Gel; bandaging ends the DoT but leaves a faint trail for three turns. - *Compression Sickness* – After teleportation, blinking or using launch pads suffer −10% speed, −10% accuracy and increased fumble chance for five turns. Waiting a turn halves the remaining duration; an Anti-Nausea Draught removes it. * **Floor 13 – “Anti-Magic”** - *Mana Lock* – Spells cost 50% more resources and cleanse or dispel effects have a 25% chance to fail. Mundane kits and consumables are unaffected, and a **Suppression Ring** can mitigate the effect at the risk of overheating. - *Hex of Dull Wards* – Shields and blocks are 30% less effective and critical hits cannot pierce them. Purifying or resetting wards, or opting for offense, counters it. * **Floor 14 – “Entropy”** - *Entropic Debt* – Each action adds a stack dealing 1% of max HP per turn, up to 10 stacks. Skipping or bracing consumes two stacks. Venting or draining the debt into a nearby totem or using an **Entropy Vent Stone** clears stacks but may spawn an add. - *Spiteful Reflection* – 20% chance to bounce any new debuff back to its applier, including the player. Use proxies, pets or throwables to avoid self-infliction. * **Floor 15 – “Pestilence”** - *Brood Bloom* – Timed infection that spawns a Broodling on expiry and reapplies a weaker stack. Cleansing only delays the spawn; fire dispatches Broodlings quickly. - *Miasma Carrier* – Entering a room applies a one-turn −50% healing received aura to nearby allies and enemies. **Filter Masks** or **Air Filters** consume on entry to negate it; suppression rings protect only their bearer. * **Floor 16 – “Time Weirdness”** - *Temporal Lag* – 15% chance your last action repeats on the next turn with a new target, refunding resources but wasting the turn. Taking short, deliberate turns or consuming an **Anchor** clears it. - *Haste Dysphoria* – Speed buffs invert into a penalty if total haste exceeds 25%. Cap haste or purge to avoid the slowdown. * **Floor 17 – “Oaths & Curses”** - *Fester Mark* – Healing beyond 50% overheal converts to a DoT dealing 5% of the overheal each turn for five turns. Small, frequent heals or cleansing mitigate it. - *Soul Tax* – Each kill while taxed reduces your primary stat by one for 10 turns but increases loot chance. Donate 50 credits at an altar to remove stacks. * **Floor 18 – “Broadcast Finale”** - *Spotlight* – Entering a room pings your location on the floor map; elites home in with +10% damage. A **Signal Jammer** or **Smoke Bomb** breaks the ping. - *Audience Fatigue* – Using the same ability three or more times in five turns applies −10% damage/healing for three turns, stacking to −40%. Rotate skills or use a **Rewrite** consumable to clear it. Scoring ------- Runs are ranked on a leaderboard using the following point values: * **Level** – 100 points per character level. * **Inventory** – 10 points for each item carried. * **Credits** – Each credit adds one point. * **Style bonuses** – Special feats such as finishing without damage or hoarding at least 100 credits grant an extra 50 points each. Boss rush modifiers may add further bonus points. Notes ----- Progress saves whenever a floor is cleared and debuffs from higher levels stack with previous effects. Rotate abilities to avoid penalties like Audience Fatigue and manage resources carefully for the deeper floors.