Dungeons

Dungeons in Stoneshard are the lair of the enemy. Containing various monsters from Giant Rats and Thugs to Vampire Lords and Necromancers, these areas are the most dangerous (and also most interesting) places to explore.

Dungeon Basics

Dungeons are tied to certain Contracts offered by the vilage elders. The elder will always mention the Dungeon name in his speech. Dungeon names can be both randomly generated and fixed, therefore it is a good idea to check out the Dungeon names and their Danger level before accepting a Contract.

Every dungeon is visible on the Local Map from the start of the game. When you mouseover a dungeon, the map displays its name and the Danger level, which ties to your current character's level.

All dungeons will reset every 4 in-game days.

Dungeon Tier

The dungeon tier, or dungeon difficulty, is a hidden value that affects which enemies spawn as its inhabitants and the loot that can be found. Currently the only way to get any reading on the dungeon difficulty is to check the Danger Level displayed on the Local Map.

Currently, the possible danger levels are:

• High
• Medium
• Low

There is no level-scaling in Stoneshard. A low level character will see more dungeons with High danger and might face impossible battles if you decide to enter. Similarly, a high level character might see dungeons only as Medium or Low Danger. Keep in mind that the Danger level doesn't take your gear into account. A low level character with very good items might find even High Danger dungeons somewhat easy.

The detailed mechanics of dungeon tier generation are currently unknown.

Dungeon Types

The dungeon type is decided at the start of a New Game. There are three main dungeon types.

• Bastion
• Crypt
• Catacombs

In the current version of Early Access, Stoneshard always generates 7 dungeons, usually three Bastions, two Crypts and two Catacombs (need further confirmation). Their placement is randomized, but their entrance, tileset, inhabitants and contents are strictly tied to the selected dungeon type. You won't find Bandits and food supplies in a Crypt, similarly you won't find Skeletons and Sarcophagi in a Bastion.

Dungeon Layout

Any dungeon can have between 1-3 floors. Dungeons in Stoneshard use pre-made tilesets to construct each floor, but their configuration is randomly generated. A new dungeon is constructed each reset cycle, therefore if you cleared a Bastion once, the same Bastion on the same spot will look different next week. You might find the same-looking hallway, but you will find it in a different place.

Dungeon tilesets can vary from small storage rooms to big open hallways. Different rooms are connected either by open space or by doors. All doors are randomly generated as locked or unlocked, and all rooms are always filled with randomly selected decorative objects and loot Containers. The selection of objects and containers is also specific to the Dungeon type.

The mechanics of layout generation are currently unknown.

Secret Rooms

Any dungeon type can also generate with a Secret Room. Secret Rooms are special rooms that are not connected to other dungeon tilesets by normal means, and cannot be discovered with Vision alone. Instead, the player must passively detect the Secret Room, either by walking past it or by using the Examine Surroundings basic skill.

On a successful detection, the character will say that found something and a Combat Log message "X has found a Secret Room" will be displayed. Only then will the Secret Room become visible and accessible, usually through a crack in the wall.

Not all dungeons generate with a Secret Room. The mechanics of Secret Room generation are currently unknown.

• 

  Secret room in the Bastion

• 

  Secret room in the Catacombs

The Bastion

Bastions are old fortifications or broken down towers from the war period, abandoned by the factions who had to divert their resources elsewhere. When deserted, these forts became the ideal hideout for bandits and rebels, who use them both as their bases of operations as well as the place to store their valuables and their captives. Humans (and their guard dogs) are the usual inhabitants. The places are commonly filled with beds, cupboards, shelves and storage boxes. Usually there's at least one kitchen with a nearby storage room. You can expect to find supplies like Water, Food, Beverages and some Medicine.

Bastion is most likely the first dungeon type that you'll enter in the Adventure mode. Current Early Access version contains three Bastion-type dungeons, each with a different difficulty level.

Difficulty	Enemies	Contracts
Low level Bastion	TODO
Medium level Bastion	TODO
High level Bastion	TODO

The Catacombs

Catacombs are usually basements or underground rooms of abandoned buildings or destroyed churches during the war. Proselytes of the Crimson Covenant often seek them out and turn them into slaughterhouses where they hold unwilling human captives and perform their bloody rituals. If you dare to enter these places, expect to find lots of blood, some torturing machines and a bunch of very angry vampires.

Catacombs can come with two difficulty levels.

Difficulty	Enemies	Contracts
Medium level Catacombs	TODO
High level Catacombs	TODO

The Crypt

Crypts are underground graveyards and tunnels that once perhaps served a different purpose, but now only the restless dead and their masters roam these cold corridors. However, daring adventurers might seek the riches buried in the coffins of wealthy deceased. Crypts are usually filled with sarcophagi and vases with belongings of the dead. However, with the rise of Necromantic magic in Aldor, these Unholy practitioners have entered the Crypts to test their magic powers, raising Skeletons, Zombies, Ghouls and the like to do their bidding. Expect foul stench, battle-ready corpses and perhaps some incorporeal beings if you decide to enter.

Crypt can spawn with two different difficulty levels.

Difficulty	Enemies	Contracts
Medium level Crypt	TODO
High level Crypt	TODO

Page last edited during patch: 0.6.0.17