Runes and upgrades

Runes are permanent upgrades which enable the player to travel to locations and Biomes which are not accessible otherwise. Once acquired, the player's collected runes can be viewed in the saved game slot (in the main game menu, under "play"). The only way to acquire runes is to travel to specific zones and defeat a Boss or an Elite enemy, which spawn from certain Elite obelisks.

There are currently 8 runes in Dead Cells: the Vine Rune, the Teleportation Rune, the Challenger Rune, the Ram Rune, the Spider Rune, the Homunculus Rune, the Customization Rune, and the Explorer's Rune. All runes will drop after the guardian is defeated and can be picked up afterwards, save for the Homunculus rune, which is acquired automatically after The Hand of the King is defeated.

List of runes

Icon	Name	Biome	Description	Location	Elite Guardian or Boss	Grants access to
	Vine Rune	Promenade of the Condemned	This permanent rune causes climbing vines to grow.	In a room accessed by entering a door found at the base of a large overhang	Undead Archer	Toxic Sewers, Ramparts
	Customization Rune	Ramparts	This permanent rune unlocks the Custom Mode.	In a room close to the entrance of the Ramparts	Undead Archer or Zombie	Custom Mode
	Challenger’s Rune	Black Bridge	This permanent rune provides access to the daily challenge (Prisoners' Quarters).	Defeat the Concierge	The Concierge	Daily Run
	Teleportation Rune	Toxic Sewers	This permanent rune lets you use teleportation monoliths.	In a room found beneath a switch-operated door with the switch directly behind the door	Slasher	Ossuary, Forgotten Sepulcher, Dilapidated Arboretum, Morass of the Banished
	Ram Rune	Ossuary	This permanent rune lets you break through certain floors.	In a room with spikes that is in front of a switch-operated door	Slasher	Ancient Sewers
	Explorer's Rune	Forgotten Sepulcher	This permanent rune reveals the whole map and its points of interest (scrolls, merchants, etc.) once you've explored most of the level.	In a room that is after two elite room, which is at the end of the biome	Two Dark Trackers	N/A
	Spider Rune	Slumbering Sanctuary	This permanent rune lets you cling to walls.	In a room with a dropdown and a banner	Caster	Slumbering Sanctuary (if entered from Black Bridge/Nest), Graveyard, Prison Depths, Corrupted Prison
	Homunculus Rune	Throne Room	This permanent rune lets you leave your body.	Defeat the Hand of the King	The Hand of the King	Cavern

Notes

• The Ram Rune will also buff the player's dive attack damage and range (long fall dive attack only).
• The Homunculus Rune allows the player detach their head and control it separately from their body to access certain areas. It can latch on to a single enemy, dealing damage to them and leaving the player with full control of the player's body. The damage is scaled on the player's highest stat. The head can also climb walls indefinitely.
  • Upon reaching max distance away from the main body, the player takes damage while the head is latched onto an enemy, it defeats an enemy, or if the player hits the assigned button again, it will return to the body instantly, going through all obstacles.
  • The cooldown for this rune will not start unless the head attaches to an enemy but returns before the enemy is defeated. The cooldown is instantly reset if the enemy is defeated, should the head be still on that enemy.
  • The head can also take items and blueprints before bringing them back to the player. However, they will be dropped if they encounter any enemy.
  • Using the rune breaks invisibility.
  • This rune can't be used if the player is affected by curse, except if the only source of curse on the player is the Cursed Sword.
• For the Explorer's Rune, once the player has explored 80% of the biome's map, the entire map of the biome and the map inside BSC doors are revealed, showing all points of interest, enemies, as well as items and scrolls of power (but not blueprints).
  • Additionally if an enemy is carrying precious loot, like an item or scroll, it will be marked in map with a star, but it doesn't reveal layouts and terrain.

Footnotes

Navigation wiki