Curse 
is a mechanic in Dead Cells where the Beheaded is punished for angering the gods. Curses cause any amount of damage to one-hit kill the player, and a certain number of enemies must be killed in order to lift it.
The amount depends on the source of the curse and the amounts stack. There are a few different ways to gain a curse. Curse sources are risk-reward choices that can greatly benefit the player with rewards being Scrolls, Gems and healing. Curses also have synergies with some weapons and mutations.
Sources
- Opening a cursed chest (10).
- Breaking a golden door (10 for regular, 50 for specialist shop, 30 for crypt door).
- Picking up a Corrupted Artifact (20).
- Eating food when having the
Acceptance mutation (5). - Equipping the Cursed Sword (As long as the weapon is equipped).
Instant Death
The following damage sources instantly kill the player while Cursed:
- Any enemy hit that deals at least 1 damage, even while blocking with a shield.
- Any trap hit.
- Jumping into a bottomless pit.
- Poison damage-over-time.
- Damage from using Lightning Bolt too long.
While most sources of damage kill the player in a single hit while cursed, there are a few exceptions:
- Darkness in the Forgotten Sepulcher.
- Malaise damage, such as through the consumption of infected food.
Synergies
- While cursed Spite Sword does critical hits.
Alienation makes it so decreasing the curse counter restores 5% HP but increases the number of enemies required to lift the curse by 50%. Reducing a curse 5 times removes 2 Malaise.
Acceptance reduces gained curse counter from sources by half, but consuming food curses you.
- Having both equipped will reduce curse gain by 25% rounded up.
Notes
- Ice Armor will prevent instant death when getting hit while the skill is active.
- Gaining curse while having the Cursed Sword equipped still gives you a curse counter.
- The Cursed Sword does not synergize with other abilities that benefit from benefit from being cursed.
- While cursed, the player can not use the Homunculus Rune.
- However, the player can still use the Homunculus Rune if the only source of curse is the Cursed Sword.
- The amount of curse received from cursed chests can be changed using custom mode to any number between 0 and 99. This blocks achievements.
Trivia
- Curse is the only mention of gods in the entire game.