Dead Cells: Walkthrough & Boss Guide
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🗺️ Main Story Walkthrough
Tick off each step as you go — your progress saves locally, no account needed.
This is a route and progression overview for Dead Cells based on the community wiki (Dead Cells Wiki on wiki.gg). It covers the main route, the key runes, the Boss Stem Cell difficulty system and the main bosses. It does not recommend specific builds, because we have not verified build advice.
Every run starts in the Prisoners' Quarters. From there the wiki shows three exits: the Promenade of the Condemned (no rune needed), the Toxic Sewers (needs the Vine Rune) and the Dilapidated Arboretum (needs the Teleportation Rune). Early on the Promenade is the open route.
Runes are permanent upgrades that open routes. Per the wiki: the Vine Rune is in the Promenade of the Condemned, in a hall under an overpass, dropped by an elite Undead Archer; it opens the Toxic Sewers from the Prisoners' Quarters. The Teleportation Rune is in the Toxic Sewers, in a room with an elite Slasher, and unlocks teleportation monoliths plus several routes. The Ram Rune is in the Ossuary, in a special room with an elite Slasher; it lets you break through certain floors and opens the Ancient Sewers from the Toxic Sewers. The Spider Rune is in the Slumbering Sanctuary, in a room with an elite Caster, and lets you cling to walls. The Challenger's Rune drops from the Concierge on the first kill. The Homunculus Rune is awarded automatically after defeating the Hand of the King in the Throne Room.
The wiki's standard route is: Prisoners' Quarters, Promenade of the Condemned, Ramparts, Black Bridge (the Concierge), Stilt Village, Clock Tower, Clock Room (the Time Keeper; the Clockmaker's Key is found in the towers), High Peak Castle and the Throne Room (the Hand of the King; two Castle Keys, dropped by elites in the Castle Key doors, are needed).
From the Ramparts you can also reach the Insufferable Crypt, where Conjunctivius waits, but only with 3 or more Boss Stem Cells active; the Crypt can also be reached from the Ancient Sewers, and the wiki says the main path through it requires the Ram Rune. With The Bad Seed DLC, the Morass of the Banished (reached from the Promenade with the Teleportation Rune) leads to the Nest, where Mama Tick is the alternative first boss.
Between runs, the Collector in the Passages takes the cells you gather and sells upgrades in four categories (general improvements, mutations, weapons and skills); blueprints brought to him unlock more items, and purchases carry over between runs. Boss Stem Cells are separate: each one you activate makes the game harder (stronger and more varied enemies, limited healing) in return for more cell drops, higher item levels and new unlocks. At 1 Boss Stem Cell the doors to the Ancient Sewers and the Ramparts open, at 2 the Cavern and Guardian's Haven doors open, and at 3 the Insufferable Crypt door opens, with higher levels adding more. The Hand of the King drops a Boss Stem Cell on his first to fourth kills when you have activated all your existing cells; the fifth comes from the Giant on 4 Boss Stem Cells.
The Predator mutation gives brief invisibility after a melee kill (1 second at base, up to 2.8 seconds with high Brutality, and attacking again ends it). We have not verified advice on other mutations.
The Giant is a tier 2 boss from the Rise of the Giant DLC, fought in Guardian's Haven. His skeleton lies in the Prisoners' Quarters until you beat the Hand of the King; afterwards he wakes and breaks down a door after the starting items. Following him leads to a cutscene, after which you can find a Cavern Key. He can be fought at any Boss Stem Cell level, but the fifth Boss Stem Cell is only awarded on 4 Boss Stem Cells.
⚔️ Boss Guides
The Concierge
Attack Patterns
The Concierge, the first tier 1 boss, is fought at the Black Bridge. Stab: a frontal stab with a long, clear windup that can be parried, blocked or dodge-rolled. Fire Strike: he slams the ground and fire runs along the arena in both directions; jump or block it. Leap: he crouches and jumps at you; crouch at the peak or parry it (after Aura of Laceration, crouching no longer avoids damage). Shout: a defensive move at phase transitions that stuns nearby players, cannot be blocked, parried or dodged and makes him briefly immune; avoid it by staying out of range. Aura of Laceration: a charge that creates a damaging red aura you roll through with precise timing; the wiki says ranged attacks are safer.
Rewards
The first kill drops the Challenger's Rune and Flint.
Conjunctivius (Insufferable Crypt)
Attack Patterns
Per the wiki, her primary attacks are a Body Slam (she projects a red line and charges along it; it can be blocked, parried or dodged), Magic Bolts (a burst of eight green bolts, with an extra burst after each tentacle phase), Aura of Laceration (cannot be blocked or parried; dodge-rolling works only if you exit the area) and a Rain of Bolts (platforms retract and she fires a barrage). She is chained to the walls by three chains, one per phase. At certain health thresholds she breaks a chain and summons tentacles: three in the first phase and one more for each later phase. Tentacles use Piercing Strike (burrow, then pop up under you) and Area Sweep (phases two and three). Defeating one tentacle makes her take instant damage, and the rest speed up. With 1 or more Boss Stem Cells she skips straight to phase two.
Rewards
The first kill gives Tentacle; later kills give Cursed Sword (third), Gastronomy (fourth), Recovery (fifth) and Advanced Forge I (sixth).
The Time Keeper (Clock Room)
Attack Patterns
The wiki calls her the first tier 2 boss. Phase 1: sword slash, shuriken throws, hook and slash, a teleport, and a shuriken shield at about 70% health. Phase 2: an enhanced two-hit slash combo, a shuriken combo (3 to 5 shurikens) and a lightspeed dash; at about 50% health she teleports away and summons another shuriken shield. Phase 3: sword rain, a three-hit slash combo, a larger shuriken combo (5 to 7) and a triple lightspeed dash.
Strategy
The wiki suggests staying just in range to bait her combos, then dodging away and re-engaging after the combo ends. Parrying is generally the best response, and parrying a shuriken sends it back. Freeze, slow and root effects (such as Wolf Trap, Frost Blast and ice weapons) work well, though repeated use shortens their duration. Against the shuriken shield, stand still and counter the single shuriken aimed at you.
Mama Tick (The Bad Seed DLC — the Nest)
Where and How
Mama Tick is a tier 1 boss in the Nest, an alternative to the Concierge and Conjunctivius, and is part of The Bad Seed DLC. The main path to the Nest requires the Teleportation Rune. You can skip the fight by sacrificing Mushroom Boi! at the altar in the Morass of the Banished, but this forfeits the usual boss rewards and the flawless achievement.
Attack Patterns
Phase 1: only her eye is exposed and she uses a single claw stab. At 75% health she submerges and uses rapid, randomly aimed stabs. Phase 2: her body is revealed and she uses slash, spit bomb, lightspeed claws and slasher. At 50% health she submerges again for rapid stabs. Phase 3 keeps the earlier attacks and adds an extra lightspeed claw stab. With 1 or more Boss Stem Cells she skips straight to phase 2.
Rewards
The first kill drops the Scythe Claw.
The Hand of the King (Throne Room)
Attack Patterns
Per the wiki, phase 1 has a lance sweep, a bomb flurry and a summon at about 85% health. Phase 2 adds a three-hit swipe combo, a jab into Telluric Shock, a charge, explosive banners and a second summon at about 40% health. Phase 3 adds a double charge and Super Telluric Shock. The bomb flurry is three pairs of short-fuse bombs, six in total, each pair aimed at your location. The lance sweep comes after a noticeable delay. Three banners drop and explode after six seconds if not destroyed. During a summon he becomes invulnerable and floats while an ice platform and enemies appear, including one elite; he returns once the elites die. With 1 or more Boss Stem Cells he skips straight to phase 2.
Rewards
The first kill gives the Symmetrical Lance and Telluric Shock, and his first to fourth kills drop a Boss Stem Cell. The Homunculus Rune is awarded automatically after the fight.
The Giant (Rise of the Giant DLC — Guardian's Haven)
Attack Patterns
Per the wiki, phase 1: Charge (a fist charges), Punch (sweeps the arena and can push you into lava), Energy Salvo and Slam Fist (follows you, then slams and creates fire waves). At 75% health he roars into phase 2, which adds Eye Lasers that close inward. At 50% health phase 3 adds Double Slam Fist, which triggers a Crystal Collapse. If a fist charges three times uninterrupted it uses Multi Slam Fist or Energy Volley.
Rewards
The first kill gives Giantkiller; the third kill gives the Giant Whistle; the fifth Boss Stem Cell comes only on 4 Boss Stem Cells.
Sources & fact-check
Release facts, mechanics and boss details on this page were checked against these sources on 12 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.
- Dead Cells Wiki: Runes
- Dead Cells Wiki: Biomes
- Dead Cells Wiki: Boss Stem Cell
- Dead Cells Wiki: The Collector
- Dead Cells Wiki: Predator
- Dead Cells Wiki: The Concierge
- Dead Cells Wiki: Conjunctivius
- Dead Cells Wiki: Mama Tick
- Dead Cells Wiki: The Time Keeper
- Dead Cells Wiki: The Hand of the King
- Dead Cells Wiki: The Giant