Dead Cells Guide | Top 10 Builds

No two Dead Cells runs are ever the same, and various weapons and powers exist. However, some builds consistently provide high damage, crowd management, and survivability. These configurations provide a good foundation with room to adapt to what one finds encountered along the way in a run. Below are 10 viable builds that cater to various playstyles and enemy mixes.

Assassin's Dagger/Phaser Build

This build is designed for burst damage and single-target killing. Teleporting into the backs of enemies with the Assassin's Dagger and Phaser and killing them with critical hits is achievable. With the Scheme mutation, which enables more damage to be taken by the target after a skill, the build is even more lethal. 

The build is perfect for killing enemies before they can retaliate, and it's particularly useful against bosses and elite mobs. The Phaser's low cooldown enables spams of teleportation, with the possibility of endless critical hits. The build is easy to play and perfect for players who like an aggressive, high-risk, high-gains style of play.

Area Damage Build

For players who have difficulties with mob-heavy biomes, the Area Damage build is perfect, with its great crowd control and survivability. Symmetrical Lance has long-range melee attacks that kill several enemies in one blow, while Powerful Grenade knocks out tougher enemies, providing safer fights. 

As an added feature with the Necromancy mutation, the build is even longer-lasting because it gives the ability to regenerate health points gained from killing the enemy. It is particularly crucial in tougher runs because enemy crowds can overwhelm unsuspecting players. Such a build is perfect for players who have to conquer biomes that are full of enormous amounts of enemies.

Ice Build-Up

The Ice Build is all about protection and control, freezing your enemy and striking with heavy weapons before they have a chance to strike back. Combine freezing effects with a long-range but heavy survival weapon such as a Broadsword, Heavy Crossbow, or Explosive Crossbow, and you freeze your enemy in place as you strike them with crushing blows. 

Freezing effects give you extra time to complete long-animating attacks without having to pause. The build is effective in biomes and boss fights and is a great one for defensive players to use if they enjoy controlling the fight instead of rushing into it.

Range Root Build

The Ranged Root build is the most effective for players who prefer to avoid direct contact, as it deals the most damage from a distance. Marksman's Bow, which critically strikes if attacked at a distance, complements the Wolf Trap to root enemies and deal reliable high-hitting damage. 

Tranquility mutation gives a damage bonus without sacrificing distance, and the build is great for boss fights and single targets. With the right stance, the setup allows the players to incapacitate the enemies before they even have a chance to notice they're being attacked, and it is one of the most predictable and safest builds in Dead Cells.

Pick up speed

The Speed Build focuses on staying fast and kill chaining. The Swift Sword gives critical damage with a speed bonus that is automatically sustained by killing mobs rapidly. The Velocity mutation sustains the speed bonus longer, and the Frenzy mutation gives lifesteal, i.e., you remain full life even in hard fights. 

The build is excellent for clearing biomes fast and is particularly good for arriving at the exact spot of the timer doors. Since it is versatile in weapon and skill choice, it is adaptable to different biomes and a good all-around build for fast players.

Hem Build

The Bleed Build exploits the bleeding effect of Dead Cells, which kills enemies by having them explode and take in the accumulated damage. The mechanic is incredibly effective in killing normal enemies and bosses. 

Since most weapons and abilities deal with the effects of bleed, it is easy to adapt the build to the weapons that a player finds in a run. With the added application of the bleed effect, the build allows for apocalyptic chain reactions that instantly kill groups of enemies or chip away at a boss's life in seconds.

Build an infantry bow or grappling hook

Similar to the Assassin's Dagger build, this setup excels in single-target burst damage. The Infantry Bow guarantees crits as long as enemies remain in close range, and the Grappling Hook brings the enemy into the target area, facilitating easy crit. Since the hook also possesses a relatively short cooldown, the build allows for fast enemy killing and killing. 

Since it is especially useful in biomes with enemies spawning in groups, it ensures that all encounters end with a decisive conclusion. While this build is more of a melee setup, it also brings an aggressive but not uncontrolled style of combat, thus being excellent for boss encounters as well as exploration.

Giantkiller Build

Optimized to face boss encounters, the Giantkiller Build is focused on the Giantkiller sword that critically strikes bosses and elites. At the higher difficulty levels, elites appear more frequently, and this weapon becomes even more desirable. 

With Giantkiller scaling with Brutality and Survival, the supporting weapon and skills have immense versatility. Since it rapidly cuts down elites and bosses, it is best complemented by an auxiliary weapon to slay normal creatures in the biomes. The build is best suited to the player having difficulty with bosses and wishing to have a dedicated way of killing them efficiently.

Turret Build

The Turret Build is an excellent one for a more passive playstyle. There are six turret setups in the game, and the player can pick and choose their favorites to craft a solid system of automatic damage. Turrets deal damage repeatedly without the player needing to get involved personally, so they do a lot of good against regular enemies and also against monsters. 

The build is rounded out by an assortment of tactics-based weapons, making the player even more versatile. Its ability to provide constant DPS makes it one of the most adaptable and accessible of Dead Cells' builds.

Alchemic Carbine / Hokuto's Bow Build

The Alchemic Carbine / Hokuto's Bow Build is extremely effective in the game that couples poison damage with a damage multiplier. The Alchemic Carbine poisons over time, and Hokuto's Bow marks the enemies, significantly enhancing the efficacy of the poison. 

The build synergizes well with turrets, grenades, or any other skill that multiplies the effects of damage over time. The build is extremely safe since the poison cloud also kills enemies as you reposition or dodge attacks. The loadout is a great one for any Dead Cells player since it works as well in biomes as it does in boss fights.

Final Notes

All of these configurations provide a unique way to experience Dead Cells, depending on your liking for fierce melee fights, accurate distance shots, or smart crowd control. While these configurations provide a great base, they also provide a bit of room to maneuver with the available weapons and your preferred method of play. Experimenting with new pairings will provide even stronger synergies, and no two runs feel the same.

Also, check our Dead Cells Review and other guides below:

• Dead Cells Guide | How To Get All Keys and Door Locations
• Dead Cells Guide | How To Unlock All Crossover Outfits
• Dead Cells Guide | Best Blueprint and Locations