Shady Forest Walkthrough

01Quick facts

02Terrain and weather

There are ×1.6 as many trees as on a normal map, clearings are often cut off by thickets, and ponds slow you down. When monsters are chasing you, don't back into a dead end in the thickets.

From 2:00 on, each minute there's a 30% chance the weather changes, lasting about a minute. Weather affects you and the monsters alike:

03Monsters you'll meet (15 types)

Monsters change in waves over time, and the later ones are stronger. Each run draws part of the list, so you won't necessarily meet every one. The brackets show when each mainly appears; click a name to see its weaknesses and behavior in the bestiary.

Spiderling0:00–4:20Antlion Hatchling0:00–4:20Goblin0:00–4:20Fire Ant1:10–8:20Hobgoblin1:10–8:20Shadow Assassin1:10–6:20Goblin Shamanfrom 1:10Goblin Miner2:40–8:20Hobgoblin Archerfrom 2:40Elite Goblinfrom 2:40Spider Matriarchfrom 2:40Antlionfrom 4:20Armored Antlionfrom 6:20Minotaurfrom 6:20Wind Wyvernfrom 8:20

04Which elements to bring

The table shows, for the 15 monster types in this stage, how many each element is effective against and how many resist it. Effective means ×1.6, resisted means ×0.6, and Undead take only ×0.3 from poison.

In Shady Forest, Fire pays off the most. For the full matchup rules, see Element Chart.

05Bosses

• 3:00 mid-boss: Necromancer, Grisbon, one at random.
• 6:00 mid-boss: Grisbon, Scathelocke, Skeleton Knight, one at random (never the same as at 3:00).
• 9:00 guardian: The Butcher. At 8:00 you get a warning that the guardian arrives in one minute.

The guardian enrages at half health, moving faster and attacking more often. When it falls, it drops a legendary item on the spot and a blue portal opens next to it: you only clear the stage once you step into the portal, and dying before that doesn't count.

For the guardian's attacks, warning areas and weaknesses, see the The Butcher guide.

06Strength on the three difficulties

Each stage comes in three difficulties: Normal, Nightmare and Hell. The multipliers below already include this stage's own difficulty (stage 1; later stages are tougher):

Normal is especially forgiving: half the health and damage, 20% fewer monsters, and later stages scale up only half as much. Nightmare unlocks after clearing all five stages on Normal, and Hell after clearing all five on Nightmare. Legendary drop rates are ×1.5 on Nightmare and ×2 on Hell; see Legendary Gear.

07Story chapter 1: The Lost Huntress

The Lost Huntress

Goblins in the Shady Forest have taken Wren the huntress. Follow her trail to the ruins in the forest and bring her back.

The first time you take on Shady Forest on Normal, solo, while Wren the Ranger hasn't joined your town yet, the run turns into the story.

On your first trip into the forest you find signs that goblins carried Wren off. At 3:30 ruins appear ahead; search three houses, then go down into the cellar beneath the roots and cut the four knots binding Wren to free her. Until then the clock stops at 7:59 and the Butcher doesn't appear.

Beat the guardian and step into the portal, and Wren joins your town; from then on you can switch to the Ranger at the campfire. If you fail and try again, the story is told more briefly. Once the hero has joined, talk to the militia guard at this road's exit to replay the chapter. For the full walkthrough, see the story guide.

08Tips

• Fire works best: this stage is almost all Beasts and Insects, and Fire hits both for ×1.6. The exception is the Fire Ant: it's Fire-type itself and resists fire.
• Kill the Goblin Shaman first: it raises fallen monsters. When a shaman dies, nearby monsters flee in fear for a few seconds, perfect for chasing them down.
• The Spider Matriarch keeps spawning Spiderlings: they're fast, and you'll never clear them while she's alive.
• Switch to Shadow and Holy skills in fog: fog boosts both to ×1.3, and it lasts about a minute.
• Get ready at 8:00: when the screen warns that the guardian arrives in one minute, clear the monsters around you and leave yourself room to circle the Butcher.

New to Endless Curse? Read How a Run Works first to learn what happens during those 9 minutes.

09FAQ

When do bosses appear in the Shady Forest?

A mid-boss at 3:00 and another at 6:00, then the guardian, the Butcher, at 9:00. At 8:00 you get a warning that the guardian arrives in one minute.

I can't beat the Butcher in the Shady Forest. What now?

Play a few more runs on Normal to level talents and upgrade your gear. All the Butcher's attacks have ground warnings, so dodging sideways and circling him makes them easy to avoid. See the Butcher guide for details.

What's the best element for stage 1?

Fire. Most of this stage is Beasts and Insects, and Fire hits both for ×1.6.