Dens and Artifacts
Dens are not side content. They are one of the main bridges from normal mountain damage into artifacts, mithril, PP, and late-game scaling.
Den Strategy
Section titled “Den Strategy”| Stage | Target | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Early | Goblin Den and Dark Castle | Clear cheap dens when they die without slowing the main mountain. They are early artifact and mithril lottery tickets. |
| Mithril blocked | Mithril Vein | Target it when mithril matters more than artifact chance. It is not the best general artifact den. |
| Mid-game | Troll Cave | Clear it when den damage is strong enough that the health does not stall normal progress. |
| Late | Ancient Vault | Prioritize it when you can handle the health; it has the best all-around mithril/artifact profile. |
| Ignore dens | Skip or delay dens that take longer than the current mountain goal. | A den that stalls the whole run is not a reward engine yet. Come back with den damage, artifacts, or prestige support. |
Why Dens Matter
Section titled “Why Dens Matter”| Use | Player Impact |
|---|---|
| Artifacts | Destroyed dens can drop artifacts, with each den carrying its own artifact chance and max artifact tier. |
| Mithril | Some dens guarantee mithril and others can add extra mithril rolls. |
| Loot volume | Higher loot ranges mean more chances to turn a den clear into useful currency and ore value. |
| Progression gates | Special artifacts and late-game paths are much easier to pursue when den rewards are reliable. |
| Artifact drops | Clear more dens, improve den artifact bonuses, and prioritize dens with better artifact chance when artifacts are the bottleneck. |
|---|---|
| Artifact selection | Normal den rewards cannot replace boss-only or gate-only artifacts. If a relic is missing, check whether it has a specific source first. |
| Artifact choices | The game avoids offering artifacts you already own, so repeated choices usually mean you need a different source or higher artifact volume. |
Den Comparison
Section titled “Den Comparison”| Den | Health | Artifact | Mithril | Loot | Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ancient Vault | Den HP rolls between 14% and 19% of mountain max HP. After mountain level 100, both ends are reduced by late-game scaling but floor at 1%. | 16%, max tier 3 | 1 guaranteed, 2 extra max | 5-8 | Best den to prioritize when you can handle the health. |
| Dark Castle | Den HP rolls between 11% and 16% of mountain max HP. After mountain level 100, both ends are reduced by late-game scaling but floor at 1%. | 9%, max tier 1 | 0 guaranteed, 1 extra max | 4-6 | Early den target; clear it when cheap, then scale toward stronger dens. |
| Goblin Den | Den HP rolls between 9% and 14% of mountain max HP. After mountain level 100, both ends are reduced by late-game scaling but floor at 1%. | 8%, max tier 1 | 0 guaranteed, 1 extra max | 4-6 | Early den target; clear it when cheap, then scale toward stronger dens. |
| Mithril Vein | Den HP rolls between 11% and 15% of mountain max HP. After mountain level 100, both ends are reduced by late-game scaling but floor at 1%. | 1%, max tier 2 | 1 guaranteed, 2 extra max | 1-4 | Target when you specifically need mithril more than artifacts. |
| Troll Cave | Den HP rolls between 12% and 17% of mountain max HP. After mountain level 100, both ends are reduced by late-game scaling but floor at 1%. | 11%, max tier 2 | 0 guaranteed, 2 extra max | 4-7 | Good mid den with extra mithril potential and max tier 2 artifacts. |
Artifact Drop Advice
Section titled “Artifact Drop Advice”| If You Need | Do This |
|---|---|
| Any artifact early | Clear cheap dens and take Fated Finds once available. |
| Higher-tier artifacts | Push mountain level, improve den clear speed, and target dens with higher max artifact tier. |
| Mithril plus artifacts | Favor Ancient Vault and mithril support over low-reward dens. |
| Safer expedition artifact play | Stonewarden's Pact makes Spelunkers and Treasure Hunters survive failed outcomes. |