Elites enemies Dead Cells Guide
Last update: 21 August 2018
The chapter below contains a lot of data on various types of opponents that can be encountered while exploring the individual levels. You'll learn how to distinguish elite opponents, the overall idea behind both instances of elite encounters, how to counter the individual opponents and what types of rewards can be garnered by defeating an elite.
Basics
Each encountered elite opponent is a stronger version of regular opponent. Fighting them may be a result of an objective, or is simply a random event that sees us encounter a so called "journeyman" elite or an elite chamber where the player approaches a summoning altar to summon his opponent.
It should be mentioned that an elite opponent is much more powerful than a normal opponent and is often supported by smaller aides. Moreover, he is much more resistant to your attacks and may be equipped with additional attacks that work differently in comparison to their standard versions. Each elite fight consists of two phases which determine the difficulty level of an encounter and your ability to retreat from a fight if it doesn't go down as planned.
How to recognize an elite/elite encounter?
Depending on whether you've encountered a journeyman or an elite chamber, the opponent may be presented in two different ways.
Elite chamber is a small room where you'll encounter a summoning altar. Simply approach it to activate the encounter.
Journeyman elites are encountered in various areas around the level. Aside from other opponents, the elites are fixed in place and are inactive without your input. You can recognize such opponents by looking for a label above the opponent's head.
The main difference between these two elite types is the fact that elite chambers are often located somewhere of the beaten road and you need to spend extra time to find them. On the other hand, journeyman elites often guard the pathway to the next part of the level, which forces you to either fight or skip them. Finally, there is always a chance that the elite won't appear in the given version of the level.
Story Elites
Aside from bosses, who received individual sections, Dead Cells sees us encounter two elite opponents during the course of the story. They are always encountered in the same areas i.e. chambers that can be accessed during the course of the given level. Defeating both elites yields access to treasures that offer a number of bonuses and enable us to access alternative paths and rooms found in each level.
You cannot retreat from a story elite. The chamber that serves as a battleground to the encounter can only be left if you managed to defeat the opponent. Even small attempts to retreat to regain your health points (during both static and dynamic phase) will be punished by your opponent.
Undead Archer
Encountered in The Promenade of the Condemned. Defeat him to receive a Vine Rune which will allow you to use vines. The new ability will enable you to access The Toxic Sewers and make your way through the level. Moreover, the vines often grant access to high chambers with additional opponents and treasure.
Your opponent fires two parallel arrows which cannot be dodged. You need to perform a roll right before the arrows strike or jump over them. I recommend the roll, as the new arrows appear so often that you may not be able to reach your opponent using the jump only. It should be mentioned that the skeleton can jump back, increasing the distance between you and the archer, as well as perform a short dodge and appear right behind your back. Finally, the archer is supported by smaller zombies that defend the elite and make you unable to walk freely.
Slasher
Slasher yields a Teleportation Rune, an item needed to access locations such as Prison Depths or Ossuary. The enemy himself is found in an elite chamber in The Old Sewers.
Maintain a safe distance and throw grenades, turrets or other items at your opponent. His melee attacks are very dangerous - a few attacks can dispose you of all of your health points. It should be mentioned that Slasher moves forward and backwards by utilizing small jumps and will attempt to close the distance between you as fast as he can. Jump as often as you can, as Slasher throws an explosive wave with his every third attack. Using rolls is not a viable option, as you may get caught by the wave. The opponent summons smaller zombies, but only next to a summoning altar, so keep him away from the altar to increase your breathing room.
How to battle elite opponents?
The combat consists of two phases - static and dynamic phase.
An encounter begins with a static phase. The opponent sticks to the area here you've spotted him - you can throw some grenades or engage him from the distance. This phase of the encounter allows you to avoid combat and/or retreat to retrieve your health points without being exposed to enemy attacks. Smaller opponents will appear once you've came closer to the elite or found yourself in the range of his attacks. Static phase ends when your opponent has less than 50% of his health points.
Dynamic phase sees the opponent teleport to the same platform you're on. Each teleport summons additional aides - there is a really small chance that you'll be able to heal yourself without being hit and losing additional health points. Enemy attacks are faster, but their overall damage stay the same. Nevertheless, your biggest problem is that the opponent stays on you to the end of the fight, forcing you to fight him with the current state of your health, ammo, or grenades and special abilities. If you've made it to this part of the encounter, there is a small chance that you will emerge unscathed from the battle. In case of a retreat, the elite won't follow you to the end of the level, but any escape attempts will probably end with major wounds that will render your attempt to reach the collector void.
Rewards
Story elites drop additional items - more on them in the next chapter of the guide. You'll receive additional cells - from 10 units multiplied further by the elite's level and the area you've found him in. Of course, some elites leave weapons of a higher level or a blueprint that has to be carried to a collector in order to be unlocked.