For fans of challenging roguelikes, few games scratch that itch likeDarkest Dungeon. Its unforgiving gameplay and focus on strategy force the player to sacrifice beloved heroes, suffer retreats and ambushes and make the most of a bad situation. For those who decided that wasn’t enough, the Crimson Court was made.
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Epically long quests, brutal boss fights, and two new scourges:the Crimson Curse, and The Fanatic who seeks to cleanse it. This expansion is not for the faint of heart, but for those who brave the Courtyard’s crumbling walls, some heroes will hold their own better than others.
6Flagellant
The Flagellant was, quite literally, made for the Courtyard. Released alongside the expansion, Flagellant flourisheswhere others fall. Being below 40% health boosts his stats, being on Death’s Door even more so, and even dying will stun enemies and heal allies. Flagellant’s generous access to bleed, sustain, and extreme durability makes him great for the Courtyard.
It’s hard to go wrong with his abilities, with the options of a generic bleeder, an unorthodox support, or something in-between. When afflicted, he always becomes Rapturous and boosts his stats, though his act-outs will still affect his team.Darkest Dungeondiscourages risky play, but that’s where Flagellant truly shines, as long as the player watches their other heroes.
5Jester
Most players ready to tackle the Courtyardwill know Jester. He’s the best stress healer in the game, has one of the best team buffs in the game, has the potential for the highest burst damage in the game, and his bleed is nice too. As the Crimson Curse is transmitted through attacks, Jester’s high dodge usually leaves him as the last healthy member of his team. Crimson Court’s abundance of bosses and high-health enemies also makes Finale a great pick.
Jester’s incredible stress healing, buffs, and damage potential make him incredible for the Courtyard. Even when he has little synergy like in marking parties, his skills still find use.
4Houndmaster
Naturally, Houndmaster is great in the Courtyard. While there aren’t any beasts likehis favorite haunt, Houndmaster fits into a strong niche for the area: mark and bleed. In fact, he’s the only hero in the game that uses both. Mark can be used to tackle the many tougher enemies in the Courtyard, while bleed can chip or one-shot the weaker ones.
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Due to Courtyard enemies having low bleed resist, it’s often a good idea to open with Hound’s Harry. This is especially true when using his Crimson Court set, which boosts his damage against bleeding targets. Players should also remember to use his dog treats, as they give a 50% damage buff and are very easy to forget.
3Hellion
Plague Doctor does poorly in the Courtyard (as poorly as an A-tier hero can), so abilities that cure bleed are rare. This is where Hellion comes in, with Adrenaline Rush’s cureandbuff performing beautifully in the Courtyard. In position 1, she can decimate front liners with Bleed Out, or she can pick off the backline with Iron Swan. She has a double-stun with Barbaric YAWP!, and her high crit chances stave offoncoming stress.
Hellion is a damage dealer. She has access to bleed, has massive damage potential, and synergizes well with Jester’s Battle Ballad. When in doubt, bring a Hellion.
2Highwayman
Highwayman works everywhere. There are few parties or locations where Highwaymandoesn’t excel, and the Courtyard is no different. He only has one bleed skill in Open Vein, but it debuffs bleed resist. While that not may seem important, seeing “Resist” after Flagellant’s Exsanguinate isn’t fun. As Flagellant is practically required, it’s usually a choice between Hellion and Highwayman, but not always.
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Highwayman can also take more of a “support” role in position 3. While he won’t want his movement skills, he can still use Open Vein, Pistol Shot for cleanup or Grapeshot Blast for more crits. HisCrimson Court setis also incredible, especially when the player has an afflicted Flagellant on their team.
1Vestal/Occultist
Unfortunately, players can’t have two Flagellants in one party, so a healer will have to do. Although, it’s hard to pick a winner between the Vestal and Occultist for who performs the best in the Courtyard. On one hand, Vestal can stun from position 3, leaving space for front liners like Hellion and Flagellant. She has consistent healing and a group heal, as well as Judgment to pick off enemies. Some of her camping skills also give bonuses to religious characters, which includes Flagellant.
On the other hand, Occultist can work anywhere in the party, though he can only use his stun in positions 2 and 1. On that note, his stun is more likely to hit than Vestals, albeit not by much. His single-target healing is better, if inconsistent, and its bleed can be used by Flagellant to hit Exsanguinate range. His mark synergy is always helpful, Weakening Curse is nice for bosses, and corpse clear is always helpful.
Both are as useful as each other. Players are encouraged to try both, experimenting with different parties to find what works for them.
