Darkest Dungeon is a gothic roguelike that punishes overconfidence and rewards careful resource management. Your heroes explore procedurally generated dungeons while accumulating stress from combat, darkness, and eldritch horrors. At 100 stress, heroes develop Afflictions — becoming selfish, paranoid, masochistic, or abusive — sabotaging your party from within. The art style (Mike Mignola-inspired comic panels) and Wayne June's legendary narration create an atmosphere unmatched in gaming. Death is permanent, heroes are expendable, and the Darkest Dungeon itself requires sending heroes to their likely doom. The Crimson Court DLC adds a vampire faction, and Color of Madness adds an endless mode.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ancestor's Pen | S | Vestal | An Ancestral trinket that reduces stress by 15% for the equipped hero. |
| Dismas' Head | A | Highwayman | An Ancestral trinket exclusive to the Highwayman that gives +15% DMG and +5% CRT. |
| Sun Ring | A | Man-at-Arms | A common trinket that adds +10% DMG and +5 ACC but reduces Dodge by -10. |
| Flesh's Heart | B | Hellion | A trophy trinket dropped by the Flesh boss in the Warrens. |
| Crystal Skull | B | Highwayman | A trinket from the Color of Madness DLC that provides +15% DMG but causes +20% stress damage taken. |
S-Tier: Ancestor's Pen
An Ancestral trinket that reduces stress by 15% for the equipped hero. Stress management is the hardest challenge in Darkest Dungeon, making this one of the most valuable trinkets. Found as a rare drop from certain dungeon missions.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Vestal |
| Key Mechanic | stress system |
| Recommended Build | Vestal |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Ancestor's Pen: Pairs naturally with Vestal thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Dismas' Head
An Ancestral trinket exclusive to the Highwayman that gives +15% DMG and +5% CRT. Named after the canonical first Highwayman. One of the strongest damage trinkets in the game for this class. Combine with the Ancestor's Pistol for devastating ranged damage.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Highwayman |
| Key Mechanic | trinket management |
| Recommended Build | Highwayman |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Dismas' Head: Pairs naturally with Highwayman thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Sun Ring
A common trinket that adds +10% DMG and +5 ACC but reduces Dodge by -10. The damage boost is significant for any physical damage dealer. The dodge penalty is acceptable on high-HP frontliners who can absorb hits. Best on Man-at-Arms or Crusader.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Man-at-Arms |
| Key Mechanic | quirk system |
| Recommended Build | Man-at-Arms |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Sun Ring: Pairs naturally with Man-at-Arms thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Flesh's Heart
A trophy trinket dropped by the Flesh boss in the Warrens. Provides +15% DMG vs. Eldritch enemies, which include many of the hardest bosses. Situationally powerful in Cove runs and the Darkest Dungeon itself where Eldritch enemies are common.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Hellion |
| Key Mechanic | dungeon length selection |
| Recommended Build | Plague Doctor |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Flesh's Heart: Pairs naturally with Plague Doctor thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Crystal Skull
A trinket from the Color of Madness DLC that provides +15% DMG but causes +20% stress damage taken. High-risk, high-reward option for heroes with good stress resistance or parties with strong stress healing. The damage boost is worth the stress trade in short missions.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Highwayman |
| Key Mechanic | affliction and virtue |
| Recommended Build | Hellion |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Crystal Skull: Pairs naturally with Hellion thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Ruins
- Dismas' Head → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Sun Ring → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Ancestor's Pen → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying — one strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Never send a level 0-2 hero to a Champion dungeon — they'll be traumatized and likely killed. Match hero level to dungeon difficulty: Apprentice (0-2), Veteran (3-4), Champion (5-6).
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Darkest Dungeon Guides
- Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon Overview
- Darkest Dungeon Best Builds
- Darkest Dungeon Tier List
- Darkest Dungeon Walkthrough
- Darkest Dungeon Beginner's Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Tips & Tricks
- Darkest Dungeon Combat Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Boss Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Maps & Locations
- Darkest Dungeon Crafting Guide
- Darkest Dungeon Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Darkest Dungeon, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Dead Cells Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
