Overview[]
Dixel Pungeon is a mod based on the just previous than the current (1.9.2) 1.9.1. version of Original PD (stated explicitly in-game) which was first released on May 18th, 2016 by Arfonzo J. Coward. It is an imaginative remake of Original PD that implements a few drastic changes, but keeps the rest of the Original PD’s gameplay intact. The mod's full name is "Dixel Pungeon: Betrayal at Leldorado". In the following sections mostly its changes to the Original PD are mentioned (for a list of the additions and changes until version 1.9.1 of Original PD you can visit this link, but have in mind that this game takes many liberties with its source material).
Disclaimer[]
On October 12th, 2020, in the event "PD marathon" organized by the main PD discord server a major issue with Yog-Dzewa's depth was discovered, which makes Dixel Pungeon unbeatable, at least in its latest version. You can read more details about that in the Major Bugs section below, but in any case have the existence of this issue in mind before you download and try this specific mod.
Classes[]
Two new classes are added and the already existing classes acquire names:
- Warrior - Simon
- Mage - Arfonzo J. Coward
- Rogue - Matteo
- Huntress - Funzetta
- Technoprancer - Jengus Roundstone: New class, starts with the unique ranged flaming pistol Jengo’s Justice and 60 bullets, is proficient with pistols, but only has 9 Strength at start.
- Pepe the Frog: New class, starts with one syringe of each chemical (all identified) and a ring of Mending, but with no melee weapon.
The new classes are incomplete and can’t read the Tome of Mastery - choose a subclass, and although the developer has described his game as completed, it would be more accurately described as almost completed. All classes start with 10 food rations, an Ankh, and a Standard Pistol (ranged Tier-0 weapon that can also be used as melee and consumes bullets) and 10 bullets.
Depths - Food - Loot[]
Some chapter descriptions are slightly changed to refer to the city of LelDorado.
The depths are approximately 4 times bigger and food, along with all other loot, is plenty. All enemies might drop mystery meat/chargrilled meat/frozen carpaccio or all the other food items that exist in Original PD or are added to the mod:
- Food ration, hot dog, lobster sub, sushi > full satiety
- Apple, overpriced food ration > half satiety
There is bad gameplay design in that the hero levels up very much due to the big depths but the sacrificial chambers retain their default demands from Original PD, so the hero’s sacrifices are always unworthy from depth 2 and on. There are few hidden rooms. There is also a minor bug in the caves as the Troll Blacksmith NPC might not appear.
Scrolls of Upgrade are fewer, as only 2 spawn per chapter and scrolls of Enchantment spawn rather randomly, 0-2 per chapter. There is a shop on every second depth but bags can be found only on the default shops at depth 6, 11 etc. Shops do not spawn always on these depths though, and if not, the specific bag of that depth will not spawn in the game, another element of bad design. Due to the big depths and the many enemies that drop loot, there are lots of healing potions and gold available.
A new enemy is added to the Sewers, the Goblin Scout, which is a green version of the Gnoll Scout.
Drugs[]
A peculiar novelty of this mod is that drug items are added, most of which are contained in syringes, are found as random loot on the dungeon floor and at first they are unidentified:
- Syringe with Gwailprin: health down to 1 HP, Invisibility buff
- Syringe with Mamba: Haste buff
- Syringe with Stem Cells: full Healing
- Syringe with Steroids: +1 Strength permanently
- Wannabliss:it is the most common drug as it drops also from high grass. it gets smoked and not injected and offers Mind Vision, while also increasing Hunger (it most probably had a real world equivalent in the developer's mind).
Soulforges - Repairing, Campfires[]
In the game's github the developer mentions the Dark Souls game series as an inspiration for his mod, which is probably related with this added feature. All enemies drop souls, which are used to upgrade and repair items in Soulforges which are found almost always on each depth next to the exit room. Repairing is "cheap" in the consumption of souls but upgrading is "expensive", and even more souls are needed for higher levels. Degradation exists in Dixel Pungeon but it is far easier to manage than in Original PD because of the Soulforges. Wands also degrade at a slower pace than they do in Original PD, on the other hand rings can’t be repaired at all in Soulforges - all the rest are same with degradation in Original PD.
Sometimes near to the Soulforge in the same room there is a Campfire and standing on it offers always full healing and satiety (it is reusable and the campfire never gets extinguished). There is also a minor graphic bug involved with these, as sometimes the Soulforge and Campfire tiles are displayed as white squares, but they work without a problem even in this case.
Major bug[]
As it has been already mentioned in short in the overview on October 12, 2020, in the event "PD marathon" organized by the main PD discord server a major issue with Yog's depth was discovered: the large size of the depths can be rather buggy and make the gameplay lengthy, but the main issues arrive at the very end of the game, specifically at Yog-Dzewa's depth. The Yog-Dzewa's depth was designed in Original PD to be relatively the same between runs, including in the spawn of the "starting room" that disappears after you walk. In Dixel Pungeon, the position of that room was not changed to mirror the new size, so you will almost always get locked into a bugged room that doesn't allow you to proceed to Yog-Dzewa or go back (Yog-Dzewa can still be defeated via mind vision and items like psionic blast and the huntress's skill). In other words although this mod increases generally depth sizes, Yog-Dzewa's arena seems to not be adjusted to that; only vertical size is increased but not horizontal, leaving the hero surrounded by walls, as showcased here: https://imgur.com/gallery/99Q6kZ8. So unless you are lucky enough to get a favorable arena, the game is effectively unbeatable, at least in its latest version.