Stage Guide

01The six maps

Stage 1 · Chapter 1Shady ForestGoblins, spiders and beastsGuardian: The Butcher Stage 2 · Chapter 2Deep CavernInsects and plague deadGuardian: Plague Lich Stage 3 · Chapter 3Frozen PlainsFrozen dead and ice beastsGuardian: Frost Lord Stage 4 · Chapter 4Forgotten RuinsAssassins, mages and cursed tombsGuardian: Mirror King Stage 5 · Chapter 5Burning CryptFire and undeadGuardian: Abyss Lord Secret stageSecret Cow LevelA meadow infested with hell bovinesGuardian: The Cow King

02Unlock order

Set out from town: stage 1 through the east exit, stage 2 south, stage 3 west, stages 4 and 5 north; the Secret Cow Level is the red portal in the top-right corner. Walk to the end of the road, pick a difficulty and go.

The first time you clear stages 1 to 5 on Normal, solo, a hero joins your town for each. For the heroes, see the hero overview; for the story, see the story guide.

03How a run unfolds

• From 0:00: every so often a stronger wave of monsters takes over (1:10, 2:40, 4:20, 6:20, 8:20).
• 3:00 and 6:00: one mid-boss each.
• From 2:00: the weather may change, shifting element damage.
• 8:00: warning that the guardian arrives in one minute.
• 9:00: the guardian arrives. It always drops a legendary; step into the blue portal to clear the stage.

For leveling up, skill cards and Fury, see How a Run Works.

04The three difficulties

Each map has three difficulties. The table shows the difficulty multipliers themselves; monsters also get tougher on later stages (each stage page lists its actual numbers).

• Normal: the difficulty for new players; later stages also scale up only half as much.
• Nightmare: monsters have 5 times the health of Normal, and Nightmare-only legendaries start dropping.
• Hell: Elites always have two affixes (golden unique Elites have three), and Hell-only legendaries drop.

Your first clear of each stage also pays a first-clear bonus of "300 × stage number × difficulty number" coins.

05Random events

An event happens roughly every 4–5 minutes in a run (never while a boss is on the field):

• Type horde: for 30 seconds, every monster that spawns is the same race or element (say, all Insects or all Fire-type). If your elements are effective against them, it's a great time to farm experience.
• Golden hour: for 30 seconds the monsters on the field turn golden, experience is doubled, and they may drop coins when killed.
• Treasure goblin: 1–2 times per run, a Goblin Thief carrying coins appears nearby. Kill it within 15 seconds and it spills coins everywhere; otherwise it escapes.

Weather also differs by stage: the Shady Forest is often foggy, and the Frozen Plains only gets snow. See each stage page for details. These events make every run of Endless Curse a little different.

06FAQ

How many stages does Endless Curse have?

Five story stages plus the Secret Cow Level, six maps in all. You clear a stage by holding out until 9:00, beating the guardian and stepping into the portal.

Do I have to play the stages in order?

Yes. On every difficulty you have to clear the previous stage to open the next one. Clearing all five on Normal unlocks Nightmare, and all five on Nightmare unlocks Hell.

How long does a stage take?

The guardian appears at 9:00; beat it and step into the portal and you're done, usually around 10 minutes. Monsters keep coming until the guardian falls.

How do I unlock the Secret Cow Level?

Clear the five story stages on the same difficulty and a red portal appears in the top-right corner of town.

Do I get coins if I don't clear the stage?

Yes. Coins are based on survival time, kills, bosses defeated and coins picked up; only the first-clear bonus requires stepping into the portal.

What's the difference between Nightmare and Hell?

Nightmare monsters have ×2.5 health and ×1.6 damage; Hell has ×6 health and ×2.4 damage, and Elites always have two affixes. In return you get more coins, a higher legendary drop rate and legendaries that only drop on higher difficulties.