How to Play Depth Spelunking
Starting a Run
From the lobby, configure your loadout before boarding the elevator. Select up to three starter items—these are permanent unlocks that define your playstyle with passive and active abilities. Add up to fifteen consumables from your inventory; consumables are single-use items found in runs or purchased between attempts. When ready, enter the elevator with your team or solo and the descent begins on Floor 1.
Each floor pulls a layout from the Atlas, a large pool of environments ranging from offices and maintenance tunnels to conditional boss arenas. Floor size tiers influence entity spawn budgets under the point-based system used since v0.6.5. Larger floors offer more routing options but may host more or deadlier entities depending on depth and modifiers.
Tasks and Completion
Tasks are the primary objective on every floor. They vary by map and may include collecting objects, entering codes on keypads, pulling levers, or interacting with terminals. Some floors replace standard tasks with special objectives—Envy’s Coliseum on Floor 20 requires collecting thirteen information papers instead of normal task types.
Complete tasks as a team without unnecessary delay. Slow tasking in multiplayer can queue the Sin of Sloth if one player goes multiple floors without contributing. In solo, extended periods without task completion also trigger Sloth on a timer that scales with current depth. Efficient routing—splitting tasks by zone while maintaining communication—separates successful teams from wipes.
Entities and Fear
Entities spawn based on floor depth, map size, and the point budget system. Each of the twenty-nine Bestiary entries has a Mercer Danger Level (MDL) reflecting threat severity. Common entities appear frequently on early floors; uncommon and rare threats emerge deeper; boss entities and Deadly Sins occupy conditional floors or guaranteed depth milestones.
Fear is a survival resource affected by darkness, entity proximity, and certain events like blackouts. High fear can impair decision-making and trigger mechanical penalties depending on items equipped. Use light sources, crouch-walking, and line-of-sight breaks to manage encounters. Never assume an entity behaves like another—study individual pages in our Entities section.
Reboarding and Progression
When all tasks finish, the reboarding phase starts. Delvers have sixty seconds to reach the elevator. The timer is strict: players outside the elevator when it closes are stranded. Stranded Delvers must survive on the current floor until rescued on a future attempt or die trying. Coordinate loudly during reboarding—nothing ends a good floor faster than one player looting consumables across the map.
Clearing floors earns money and information. Money buys starter items and consumables at the Lobby Shop; reaching Floor 30 once unlocks the Black Market operated by Kingpin. Badges and Bestiary completion grant exclusive items and bragging rights. There are no promo codes—every unlock comes from playing the game.