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Dead Cells

Elite Rework and Gameplay Enhancements

Patch1.3
Quick Take4 changes

Dead Cells update 1.3 reworks the Thunder Shield, replaces the Arbiter on the hardest difficulties with the new Rampager mob, and overhauls Elite enemy behavior.

  • New: The Rampager mob replaces the Arbiter at BC3+ across all levels, with a damage profile that hits harder than zombie variants.
  • Updated: Thunder Shield gets a full rework where parrying charges the shield to deal AoE damage and stun on discharge, while holding the shield still inflicts frontal damage.
  • Updated: Elite enemies lose their minion summons and the enrage knockback, and the weapons and activables they drop now always carry a starred affix.
  • Fixed: Mob-ability collision bugs cleaned up across Shield plus shielding pylons, Failed Experiment plus rotating laser, and Bomber plus rotating laser combos.

Important features

  • Thunder Shield rework:
    – Parrying charges you up, dealing damages all around you.
    – Using the shield again when charged up discharge instantly, stunning ennemies.
    – Keeping the shield up still deals damages in front of you.
  • Community suggestion We nerfed arbiter.
    That's all folks!
    And locked them up in the Cavern in all difficulties, for good measure.
  • New mob: the Rampager. Think Zombies, but deadlier.
    Replaces the Arbiter for difficulties BC3+ in all levels.
  • Community suggestion Elite rework:
    – Removed minions
    – Removed the bump when the Elite enrages
    – Weapons and Activables dropped by Elites always have a starred affix.
    – Prevented some mob + ability combos : Shield + Shielding pylons, Failed Experiment + Rotating laser and Bomber + Rotating laser
    – Fixed elites seeing you through walls when climbing one-way platforms.
  • Thunder Shield rework:
    – Parrying charges you up, dealing damages all around you for 8 seconds.
    – Using the shield again when charged up discharge all damages left instantly, stunning ennemies.
    – Keeping the shield up still deals damages in front of you.
  • Two new Brutality mutations:
    – Adrenalin: Dodge an ennemy attack at the last second and gain lifesteal on melee damages for a few seconds.
    – Frenzy: Gain lifesteal on melee damages while in speed boost.
  • New affix on amulets: Reveal invisible ennemies.
  • Community suggestion Added an option to remove screenshake.

Balancing

  • Community suggestion Arbiters nerf:
    – Now only attacks horizontally.
    – Added a deadzone in close range where the hero is safe.
    – Removed them from all levels in BC3+ and put them in Cavern.
  • Flawless buff: Reduced cooldown before crits from 30 seconds to 15 seconds.
  • Javelin buff:
    – Cooldown before the weapon comes back automatically reduced from 15 to 10 seconds.
    – The weapon comes back immediately if it falls in spikes or lava.
  • Bombers nerf:
    – Increased charging time before melee attacks.
    – Removed them entirely from Toxic Sewers.
  • Demons nerf:
    – Slightly reduced density in Castle.
    – Stunned on contact with the hero when in mid-air.
    – Slightly increased stun time.
  • Golems nerf/fix:
    – No longer stunlock to death.
    – Elite Golems can no longer teleport next to the hero. But they can still teleport the hero next to them.
  • Knifes Throwers nerf:
    – Stunned on contact with the hero. Elite Knifes Throwers are not though, be careful!
  • Added Flask recharges where the Fountain is broken in BC1.
  • Community suggestion Spikes in Beholder‘s Pit are now retractable.
  • Community suggestion Timed Doors now open if you reach them at the exact last second.
  • Community suggestion [Custom Mode] level modifier Blood no longer resets the kill counter.
  • Community suggestion Added a tiny time frame of invulnerability after opening a chest or picking up a scroll. Less unfair deaths, yay!

Level design

  • Community suggestion Fixed some lore rooms never appearing in Astrolab.
  • Community suggestion Fixed a challenge room being impossible to finish.
  • Community suggestion Fixed Cavern sometimes generating an unescapable corridor under entrance bridge.
  • Community suggestion Added Lanterns in boss arena when the Darkness modifier is active (from [Twitch] or [Custom mode]).
  • Lantern are now spawned in multi-treasure rooms when the Darkness modifier is active.

Graphics & UI

  • The Broadsword now glows yellow on the second and third strike.
  • Community suggestion Fixed a gap sometimes appearing in Astrolabbetween the shops roof and its decoration.
  • Community suggestion Fixed Arbiter being stuck in an animation and sliding on the ground.
  • Community suggestion Fixed color of Treasure rooms spilling out a little in outside levels on the minimap.

Music & Sfx

  • Changed SFX for the Forgotten Map.
  • Added a SFX on Failed Experiment dodge.

Bug fixes

  • Community suggestion Legendary altar can no longer spawn in front of doors.
  • Community suggestion Fixed an elevator not going high enough in Astrolab.
  • Community suggestion Fixed a small gap sometimes appearing in Cavernentrance.
  • Community suggestion Fixed meta settings being ignored in [Custom mode]. Speciality shop, random equipment at the start, etc.
  • Community suggestion Fixed attack indicator on slowed ennemies.
  • Community suggestion Fixed Hayabusa boots range on the last hit. Did you know that it used to push everyone in the level? Yeah, we didn't either.
  • Community suggestion Fixed the cooldown for the Owl being inconsistent.
  • Community suggestion Fixed turrets shooting at Giant‘s hands after its death. My immersion!
  • Community suggestion Fixed Failed Experiment hitbox and hurtbox.
  • Community suggestion Fixed some walls with auto-rectractable spikes being climbable.

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