The difficulty menu
The game offers a set of difficulty options before a run. Each one changes enemy health, damage, and how fast the threat level climbs.
The choice sets the baseline. Your items and your routing still decide the run.
Drizzle and Rainstorm
Drizzle is the gentler option. Enemies are softer and the clock is kinder, which makes it a good place to learn stage layouts.
Rainstorm is the middle setting and the usual default. It presses you without crushing a solid build.
What Monsoon changes
Monsoon starts harder and climbs faster. Enemies hit harder, and the difficulty bar rises sooner than on Rainstorm.
That shorter grace period forces faster routing. On Monsoon you cannot afford long detours for a single chest.
Monsoon also pairs with the unlock path for high-difficulty challenges. Clearing it is a milestone in its own right.
Eclipse layers rules
Eclipse is a separate ladder of difficulty levels. Each level adds one rule on top of Monsoon, and the rules stack as you climb.
Later Eclipse levels change how healing, health, or the environment behave. Your build has to answer each new rule, not only out-damage it.
Preparing for Eclipse
Treat Eclipse as a routing test. Plan the stage before you land, spend gold fast, and know which items your build needs.
Builds that rely on one trick fall apart when a rule removes it. Flexible builds that stack a few solid items survive the climb.
Continue with survivor ability basics or review stage routing.