The Catacombs

“	These ancient sepulchers ooze with the gelatinous night-soil of a thousand corpses.	„
	~ The Academic

The Catacombs is a Region in Darkest Dungeon II, as part of the Inhuman Bondage DLC. In the more wholesome times, the catacombs were holding grounds of honorable burial, of royal families and army men alike. As the Kingdom faced its end, the long decayed human matter in the earth pushed into the tomb, of instinct to consume and spread their oozy influence. The once resting generals and poets; fathers and mothers; children are left with no trace in their gelatinous prison, and the long retired armory and heirlooms pilfered for less noble purposes.

Description

The Catacombs is an optional region that does not count towards the number of regions required to reach The Mountain. This option is independent of The Sluice, such that both can be traversed in a single run, and even in sequence. These are also accessible in Kingdoms through Fast Travel, Dwellers within revolve around the proliferation of their kind, either by reanimating corpses, merging into larger slimes, or spreading its disgusting essence to hamper the heroes. Nonetheless, such a well-guarded area is not without its well-deserved loot. Currency and items can be reclaimed from the refashioned dead, be it the many strategic reusables, tools to thrive in low light, and trinkets of powerful passives.

Region Mechanics

Slime Drip

At the beginning of combat, the ooze that lines the walls will start dripping over a random rank on the hero side. After 2 rounds, the hero under the rank receives 2 Slimed. If no Hero has a slime token, Slime drip happens on the next turn if there isn’t one already. This will not occur in Creature Dens, The Chirurgeon's Table, or against the The Collector.

Slimed (Token)

• Heroes: +1 Stress when applied.
• -1 Speed and -33% Healing Received per Token.
• On Move: Remove 1 Slimed
  • Duration: 5 rounds
  • Limit: 3

Note: Should a Slime enemy have such tokens, they instead heal 33% per token and remove them on turn start. They do not suffer from the stat debuffs either.

Corpse Looting

Corpses of the Slime faction may contain loot when destroyed. This can be done either by damaging them or using skills that clear corpses, but removing them by Damage over Time, staying on the field after 3 rounds, or transitioning to a second wave of enemies will not give loot. Necrophagia from Carrion Eaters and Carrion Devourers may also trigger the Corpse looting effect. The loot is subject to Increased Relics/Baubles and item looted chance effects, such as from the Stygian Blaze and Trinket Organizer.

Slime

The primary enemies encountered in the Catacombs are the Slimes.

Enemy	Region	Types	Tiers
Ectoplasmic Effigy	The Catacombs	Slime		5	2	0	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
Ectoplasm	The Catacombs	Slime		17	2	0	50%	60%	20%	10%	10%	10%
Bagman	The Catacombs	Slime		26	2	0	20%	60%	20%	50%	20%	30%
Large Ectoplasm	The Catacombs	Slime		30	2	0	60%	75%	30%	20%	10%	20%
Crypt Keeper	The Catacombs	Slime		48	4	0	20%	75%	20%	40%	10%	30%
Mucilage	The Catacombs	Slime	Champion	21	4	0	50%	20%	60%	10%	10%	10%
Large Mucilage	The Catacombs	Slime	Champion	34	4	0	60%	30%	75%	20%	10%	20%

Enemy tips

• The Slime faction is generally resistant to Blight.
• Attacks of more complex effects are subjected to failing if the parent attack misses, including corpse transformation on Cytokinesis and Expulsion’s Slimed on an adjacent hero.
• Ectoplasms deal mediocre damage with the ability to Bleed, Disease, Blight on heroes with slime, and steal tokens. Their main threat lies more in Cytokinesis and Ectoplasmic Profusions, lengthening a given fight without a proper method. Therefore, removing the corpses quickly or using move skills to displace Ectoplasms away from them and each other is key.
• Large Ectoplasms deals more Bleed Blight DoT and damage as their counterpart, with the addition of a multi-hit attack and partywide Block. Those spawned from Ectoplasmic Profusion inherits all tokens and DoT both Ectoplasms had. Consider removing their Block and Dodge, and apply Stun, Vulnerable, and Combo onto either to make its dispatch more bearable.
• An Ectoplasmic Effigy does not need to be killed to end a combat, and in doing so avoids each hero gaining 2 Slimed, as well as leaving a corpse around. To circumvent the token support from Effusion, Move moving allies around it to have it either in Rank 1 or 4, adjacent to corpses, or both can make its presence more bearable.
• The Bagman is equally problematic up front and in the back. The former sees an attack of high damage, Move knockback, and Daze, while the latter enables a hefty heal, DoT clear, and corpse transformation to any ally in front.
• The Crypt Keeper is the most important priority target, second to any allies supporting him. Between the increasing CRIT at lower flame, a myriad of multi-hit skills, – one of which decreases flame by 5% – and devastating negative tokens on a successful CRIT, one should be ready to use combat items liberally or retreat in Kingdoms.
• The Mucilage can be encountered and will always spawn from transformed corpses on the third region in Confessions or Escalation III in Kingdoms. The Large Mucilage’s higher number of multihit attacks than its base variant makes these champions very dangerous.
• Creature Dens and Chirurgeon Tables are not safe from the slimes! While Ectoplasms and Carrion Eaters may clash on their usage of corpses in the player’s favor, the Chirurgeon will work together with Leuctomy.

Related Quirks

	Negative Quirks		Positive Quirks
Chthonian Fearing	Combat Start: vs Swine or Slime: 1 (50%)	Chthonian Hater	vs Swine or Slime: -20% DMG Taken, +15% DMG Gain On Hit: -1 (25%)
		Chthonian Slayer	vs Swine or Slime: +5% CRIT, Execution 2
		Chthonic Scrounger	"Knows where to find resources in underground regions." Higher Rewards from Academic Studies in The Sluice or The Catacombs 2 Bear Traps, 2 Crow’s Feet, or 4 Oil Flasks after banter in The Sluice or Catacombs.
		Chthonic Tactician	In The Sluice of Catacombs: +5% CRIT Round Start: Dodge+ (15%)

Region Exclusive items

Trinkets

Image	Trinket	Description
	Gelatinous Secretion Indelible	+33% RES Piercing Turn Start: If Last In Turn Order: Add 2 Positive Tokens If Slimeulet item is equipped: Apply On Hit: (66%) Gain When Hit: The Goops (5%) (If the trinket wearer already has The Goops, the trinket will try to apply a stronger version of the disease with the same 5% chance.)
	Slimemulet Indelible	+20% RES Turn End: If Last In Turn Order: 4 If Gelatinous Secretion item is equipped: Apply to Attacker When Hit: Gain When Hit: (5%)
	Ancient Bust Indelible	Gain When Hit: (10%), (10%), (10%), (10%)

Combat Items

Image	Combat Item	Effects
	Black Light Lantern [1 Target] Stacks 4	-15 Flame +1 Add 1 Low Flame Buff (1 Combat) (+20% DMG, +6 SPD, +10% CRIT)
	Packet of Salt [1 Target] Stacks 4	+15% RES (3 Turns) Gain on Resist: -1 (3 Turns) Remove
	Abandoned Buckler Armor, Reusable [1 Target]	Cooldown: 5 turns Add x2
	Coiled Chain Weapon, Reusable [1 Target]	DMG: 1-2 CRIT: 5% Cooldown: 5 turns Pull 2
	Offensive Stratagem Reusable [1 Target] Cannot Target Self	Cooldown: 3 turns Forward 1
	Defensive Stratagem Reusable [1 Target] Cannot Target Self	Cooldown: 3 turns Back 1
	Ragged Coin Purse Reusable [1 Target]	Cooldown: 1 turns 1 DMG -2 relics (95%) or 24 DMG -32 relics (5%)
	Cracked Geode [1 Targets] Stacks 1	CRIT: 30% Apply Gain On CRIT: Random Trinket Deliver to the Hoarder to gain: +16, +16 [Must be in Inventory]

Inn Items

Image	Inn Item	Description
	Rhizanthella	[2 Targets] +10% Resolute Chance per Positive Relationship (1 Region) +10% Meltdown per Negative Relationship (1 Region) Gains up to Rhizanthella Buffs do not stack

Narration Quotes

• When selecting the Catacombs as the next region at an Inn:
  • "The twisting corridors of long-forgotten tombs, choked with the ichor of the dead."
• When entering The Catacombs:
  • "These ancient sepulchres ooze with the gelatinous night-soil of a thousand corpses."
• When midway through The Catacombs:
  • "As the great change took hold, an unaccountable mire pushed up through the trembling earth, liquefying the dead."
  • "Generals & poets. Fathers & mothers. Children. Scores upon scores of our ancestors, blended into horrifying homogeneity."
  • "The corpse-sludge shifts and shudders - animated by some contemptable collective intelligence...or simply an instinctive need to consume."
• Arriving at Slime road battle:
  • "Paint the walls with this necrotic corrosion, and let us be off quickly."
• Arriving at The Stoic's Grave:
  • "Send this suppurating violation back into the earth. It is not welcome here."
  • "More slime, more rot. Destroy it all, that the dead may finally rest."

Trivia

• In the game files, Slime enemies are referred to as vermin.