How this tier list is ranked
The best builds in Dead Cells are ranked by consistency at high Boss Cells. A build that clears a run in a controlled test still fails if one mistake ends it, so safety carries weight here.
Consistency means the build holds up across biomes, not only in an ideal setup. The criteria behind every row:
- Survivability: how much damage the build can absorb before a mistake ends the run.
- Damage uptime: how often the build deals damage while staying safe.
- Setup cost: how much gear the build needs before it works.
- Gear dependence: how badly a run suffers without its main item.
- Scaling: how well the build grows as scrolls stack.
The full build table
Every archetype below is ranked on those five criteria. The tier shows where the build sits once your scrolls are invested.
| Tier | Build | Why it ranks there |
|---|---|---|
| S | Tactics turret build | A ranged weapon plus a turret adds damage while you keep distance, so the build rarely stands in danger. |
| S | Survival parry build | A shield, a heavy weapon and parry mutations turn a block into healing or damage. |
| S | Brutality melee build with a shield | Fast melee damage paired with one shield covers the gap a pure offence build leaves open. |
| A | Bleed build | A bleed weapon and bleed mutations stack damage over time, so a target keeps losing health after a swing. |
| A | Freeze-control build | A freezing weapon holds enemies still, so a crowd fight becomes a single fight. |
| A | Fire build | Burning ground and burn on hit damage a group, and the damage continues after you step back. |
| A | Poison build | A poison source tags enemies, and a follow-up weapon finishes what the cloud started. |
| A | Hokuto’s mark build | A marking bow lifts the damage of a second weapon, so two picks act as one. |
| A | Grenade-heavy Brutality build | Two grenades front-load damage, so a room clears in the opening seconds. |
| A | Hybrid melee-ranged build | Melee and ranged share the work, and a mutation such as Kill Rhythm rewards the swap. |
| B | Damage-over-time build | Stacked lingering effects deal steady damage, though the build needs time to set up. |
| B | Turret camping build | Two turrets hold a room while you hide, which slows a run and risks a corner. |
| B | Shield tank build | A shield and heal mutations absorb damage, but the damage output stays low. |
| B | Vampirism sustain build | A heal skill keeps a run alive, at the cost of a damage slot. |
| B | Trap-control build | Roots and stuns hold enemies, so the build controls a room instead of killing it quickly. |
| C | Sword-only melee build | No shield means no answer to a hit you cannot dodge. |
| C | Splash-colour build | Scrolls spread across three stats keep damage low, so every fight drags on. |
| C | Cursed Sword glass cannon | Huge damage with a fatal drawback, because any hit taken ends the run. |
| C | Full-ranged no-escape build | Range helps until an enemy closes the gap, and then the build has no answer. |
| C | Skill-dependent build | Power sits on cooldowns, so a room between casts is dangerous. |
S-tier builds
An S-tier build keeps working when a room goes wrong. It deals damage from a safe spot or turns a mistake into a recovery.
- A Tactics turret build keeps you at range while a deployable fights, so few attacks reach you.
- A Survival parry build converts a blocked hit into healing or damage, which rewards a patient run.
- A Brutality melee build with a shield pairs fast damage with one answer to a hit you miss.
A-tier builds
An A-tier build is strong and readable. It wins rooms without a rare drop, though one bad fight can still cost more than an S-tier setup.
- A bleed build stacks damage over time, so a target keeps losing health after your swing ends.
- A freeze-control build holds enemies still, so a crowd fight becomes a series of single fights.
- A fire build damages a group through burning ground, and the damage continues after you step back.
- A poison build tags enemies with a cloud, and a follow-up weapon finishes the job.
- A Hokuto’s mark build uses a marking bow to lift a second weapon, so two picks hit like one.
- A grenade-heavy Brutality build front-loads damage, so a room clears in the opening seconds.
- A hybrid melee-ranged build shares the work between two weapons, and a mutation rewards the swap.
B-tier builds
A B-tier build works, but it needs care to stay consistent. Take it when its gear drops early in a run.
- A damage-over-time build trades burst for steady pressure, so it needs time before it bites.
- A turret camping build hides behind deployables, which slows a run and risks a corner.
- A shield tank build absorbs damage well, but its damage output stays low.
- A Vampirism sustain build keeps a run alive through a heal, at the cost of a damage slot.
- A trap-control build roots and stuns, so it controls a room without killing it quickly.
C-tier builds
A C-tier build can carry a low-difficulty run and struggles higher up. Each one trades a core safety net for damage or simplicity.
- A sword-only melee build has no shield, so a hit you cannot dodge lands unanswered.
- A splash-colour build keeps damage low, because no single stat rises high enough.
- A Cursed Sword glass cannon ends the run on a single hit taken.
- A full-ranged build struggles once an enemy closes the gap.
- A skill-dependent build leans on cooldowns, so a room between casts is dangerous.
Best builds for beginners
A beginner build survives a mistake and teaches good habits at the same time.
- A Brutality melee build with a shield pairs damage with an answer to hits.
- A Survival parry build teaches fight timing while it heals through blocks.
- A Tactics turret build keeps a beginner at range, where fewer attacks reach.
Builds to avoid at high Boss Cells
A build that ignores safety clears low difficulty and stalls higher up. On high Boss Cells, one mistake can end a run.
- A sword-only melee build drops fast once a single hit ends the run.
- A splash-colour build stops scaling, so damage falls behind enemy health.
- A Cursed Sword build ends on one hit, which is a large risk on the hardest routes.
How to adapt a build mid-run
A build is a plan, not a fixed list. Adjust it as gear drops and biomes change.
- Match every weapon to one scroll colour, so damage keeps rising.
- Keep one defensive slot, whether that is a shield or a safety skill.
- Swap mutations between biomes to cover a weakness you noticed in the last fight.
What to read next
A build is only as good as the gear behind it. Read the scaling page before you commit scrolls to a plan.
Next: Weapon scaling explained, Weapon tier list, and Mutation tier list.