Die in the Dungeon Beginner Guide — Getting Started (2026)

Die in the Dungeon is a dice-based deckbuilding roguelike by ATICO, released on Steam Early Access in May 2026. Unlike traditional card-based deckbuilders such as Slay the Spire, this game replaces cards with dice: you build a bag of dice, draw them each turn, place them on your board, and trigger their effects to deal damage, block attacks, heal, and apply status effects.

The core loop is simple — fight through floors → collect new dice and relics → upgrade your build → repeat — but the depth comes from dice synergies, relic stacking, and the puzzle of optimizing your board placement every turn. With 24 dice types, 56 relics, 12 bosses, and an endless mode after Floor 12, there is a tremendous amount to discover.

Dice Types

Relics

Bosses

Endless Mode

F12+

Your First Run: Floors 1-5

Walkthrough

Your first run will likely end on Floor 3 or 4 — and that is completely normal. Death is a learning tool in Die in the Dungeon, not a failure. Each run teaches you enemy patterns, dice interactions, and relic priorities. Here is what the early floors look like:

Floor	Enemy Type	New Dice Unlock	Strategy
1	Slimes	Heal Dice	Learn basic combat rhythm
2	Skeletons	Ice Dice	Introduce control mechanics
3	Goblins	Vampire Dice	First sustain option; first mini-boss
4	Dark Mages	Shield Dice	Block becomes essential here
5	Knights	Poison Dice	Damage-over-time introduced

Understanding Dice: The Core Mechanic

Fundamentals

Dice are your cards, your attacks, your blocks, your heals — everything. Each turn you draw a hand of dice from your bag and place them on your board. Placement order matters — some dice effects trigger before others, and positioning affects which enemies are targeted.

Dice Rarity Tiers

Tier	Color	Power Level	Example
Common	Gray	Baseline stats	Basic Attack Dice (1-6 damage)
Uncommon	Blue	+1 effect or higher base	Ice Dice (1-4 + freeze)
Rare	Purple	Unique mechanics	Vampire Dice (damage + lifesteal)
Legendary	Gold	Scaling or multi-effect	Golden Dice (scaling min-roll)

The Best Beginner Dice Setup

For your first successful runs, use this combination:

Vampire Dice — Your primary damage source. Lifesteal keeps you alive without needing to spend turns healing.
Shield Dice — Prevents damage before it reaches your HP. Essential from Floor 4 onward.
Heal Dice — Recovers health lost to attrition. Place last in your combo each turn.
Ice Dice — Freezes enemies, delaying their next attack. Invaluable for boss fights.

This is not the highest damage setup, but it is the most forgiving. It lets you learn enemy attack patterns, experiment with relic choices, and survive long enough to reach the mid-game floors where the real build-defining relics appear.

Relic Basics: How to Build a Synergy

Economy

Relics are permanent passive bonuses you collect throughout a run. They are the equivalent of relics in Slay the Spire or items in The Binding of Isaac. A focused set of relics that all buff the same strategy is dramatically stronger than a random collection of individually powerful relics.

Relic Priority for Beginners

Priority	Relic Type	Why	Example
1. Highest	Dice Draw	More dice per turn = more options	Dice Bag+ (+1 draw)
2. High	Scaling	Gets stronger as fights progress	Philosopher's Stone
3. Medium	Dice Enhancing	Buffs specific dice types you use	Sharpened Edge (+2 min-roll)
4. Situational	Utility	Rerolls, extra inventory, shops	Merchant's Coin

The 5 Most Common Beginner Mistakes

Avoid these

Over-committing dice on turn one. Always keep at least one die in reserve for defense or repositioning. Dumping all your dice for maximum damage on turn one leaves you exposed to the enemy's full attack. Fights in Die in the Dungeon are marathons, not sprints.
Collecting every relic you find. More relics are not always better. Each relic you take dilutes future relic spawns — the game weights new offerings based on what you already own. Skip relics that do not fit your strategy; sell off-synergy relics at shops to fund rerolls.
Ignoring dice placement order. The order you place dice determines the sequence of effects. Shield Dice should be placed first to block damage before your other dice resolve; Heal Dice should be placed last to recover damage taken during the turn. A poorly ordered board wastes a turn of potential.
Not adapting to what the run gives you. If the game drops three Fire Dice relics by Floor 3, pivot to a Fire build even if you planned Golden Dice. Forcing a predetermined build when the RNG pushes you elsewhere is the fastest way to lose.
Skipping Heal and Utility rooms. Rooms labeled Heal, Shop, or Rest are essential, not optional. They often restore hidden resources or provide buffs that make the next floor easier. A skipped heal room on Floor 6 can cost you the run on Floor 9.

After Your First Few Runs

Next steps

Once you can consistently reach Floor 6-8, it is time to start optimizing:

Check the Dice Build Tier List to see which combinations are meta-dominant and why.
Experiment with Golden Dice builds — they scale into Endless Mode better than any other archetype.
Learn boss attack patterns — every boss telegraphs their moves. Knowing when to block vs. when to burst is the difference between a clean kill and a party wipe.
Track which relic combinations feel strongest for each dice type. Personal experience teaches synergies faster than any tier list.
Push into Endless Mode after clearing Floor 12 and see how far your optimized build can go.

FAQ

Common questions

Is Die in the Dungeon just like Slay the Spire?

It plays in the same roguelike-deckbuilder family, but the key difference is that cards are replaced by dice. Instead of drawing a hand of cards, you build a bag of dice, draw them each turn, and place them on your board to trigger damage, block, heal, and status effects. The dice placement puzzle is the heart of the game.

When should I expect my first run to end?

Most first runs end on Floor 3 or 4, and that is completely normal. Death is a learning tool in Die in the Dungeon, not a failure — each run teaches you enemy patterns, dice interactions, and relic priorities that make the next attempt stronger.

What is the best beginner dice setup?

Vampire Dice (primary damage + lifesteal), Shield Dice (block, essential from Floor 4), Heal Dice (recover attrition, place last), and Ice Dice (freeze enemies for boss fights). It is the most forgiving build and lets you survive into the mid-game where build-defining relics appear.

Which relics should I prioritize?

In order: Dice Draw relics highest (more dice per turn, e.g. Dice Bag+), then Scaling relics (stronger as fights progress, e.g. Philosopher's Stone), then Dice Enhancing relics (buff specific dice, e.g. Sharpened Edge), and finally Utility relics (rerolls, inventory, shops, e.g. Merchant's Coin). A focused set beats a random collection.

Does dice placement order really matter?

Yes. Shield Dice should be placed first so they block incoming damage before your other effects resolve, and Heal Dice should be placed last to recover any damage taken that turn. A poorly ordered board can waste an entire turn of potential.