Dead Cells blends the progression of Metroidvania with roguelike permadeath, creating a fast-paced action game where every run teaches you something new. Combat is tight and responsive with dodge-rolling, parrying, and juggling enemies between dual-wielded weapons and two skill slots. The permanent upgrade system (spending Cells at the Collector between runs) ensures progression even after deaths — new weapons, mutations, and Flask charges carry over. The Boss Cell system adds 5 difficulty levels that fundamentally change the game by adding harder enemies, removing healing fountains, and introducing Malaise (a disease that kills you if it reaches 10 stacks). The game received multiple free DLCs adding new biomes, bosses, and weapons.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key synergies |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Prisoners' Quarters
Key resources: Starting gear, first scrolls, timed door bonus (cells + item) Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Electric Whip upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Toxic Sewers
Key resources: Higher scroll density, unique drops, route to Ramparts or Ancient Sewers Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Electric Whip upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Stilt Village
Key resources: Mid-tier gear, challenging combat encounters, route variety Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Electric Whip upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Clock Tower
Key resources: High-level scrolls, blueprint drops, route to Castle Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Sadist's Stiletto max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
The Throne Room
Key resources: Boss Cell unlock, completion, ending cutscene Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Sadist's Stiletto max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Prisoners' Quarters — Toxic Sewers)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials — you'll need them later
- Focus on Electric Whip once accessible
Mid Game (Stilt Village)
- Push Electric Whip to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Sadist's Stiletto
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Clock Tower — The Throne Room)
- Max out Sadist's Stiletto — this is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment — Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials — Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear — Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Stilt Village farming — This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early — Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- When choosing scrolls, always pick the one matching your primary stat color (Brutality/Tactics/Survival) for the bonus HP. Off-color scrolls give stats but no HP, making you a glass cannon.
- Farm Stilt Village during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build — some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Dead Cells Guides
- Dead Cells Dead Cells Overview
- Dead Cells Best Builds
- Dead Cells Tier List
- Dead Cells Walkthrough
- Dead Cells Beginner's Guide
- Dead Cells Tips & Tricks
- Dead Cells Weapons Guide
- Dead Cells Combat Guide
- Dead Cells Boss Guide
- Dead Cells Maps & Locations
- Dead Cells Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Dead Cells, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Crafting Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
