💡 Dungeon Clawler tips and beginner guide
Read enemy intent before choosing a target, then collect items according to how Metal, Wood and Plastic behave. This guide also covers using transmutation to support Magnet collection and defense, and checking why a collected item did not produce its original effect.
4 checks before dropping the claw
You are not guaranteed to collect the item you need. Reassess priorities using enemy intent and the items you actually collect, rather than counting damage alone.
- Read enemy intent. If you cannot win this turn, keep defense or healing.
- Choose one role for this grab. Look first for an item that fits enemy intent, such as your main attack, defense or Poison setup.
- Check the target’s position and material. Aim differently for items on the water’s surface and Metal that has sunk.
- Check the effects after collection. If a visible item falls back or you miss the defense you wanted, change the next claw’s goal.
3 materials: collection and combinations
Check an item’s description for its material. These 3 practical examples are not a complete material compendium. Changing material affects both collection and which material-specific effects apply.
| Material | Water and magnets | Combinations | Claw decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metal | Sinks in water. Attracted by magnets. | Collect together with a Magnet. Whetstone strengthens attacks from Metal items within range. | Check below floating items. See whether you can bring essential items close to the Magnet. |
| Wood | Floats on water. Not attracted by magnets that target Metal. | Wood Oil increases Block from Wood items. With Beaver Dam, account for items being consumed. | Water changes item positions, so do not repeatedly drop the claw in the same place without checking. |
| Plastic | Floats on water. Not attracted by magnets that target Metal. | Recycling Bin consumes nearby Plastic to increase its damage. | Check whether an item you need will be recycled. Collecting it does not guarantee its original effect will activate. |
Alchemist transmutation: choose a purpose first
The Alchemist changes item materials. Decide which claw or material-specific effect you want to support; transmutation itself is not simply a damage upgrade. Check the in-game prices and options.
| Current problem | Possible transmutation | Check before transmuting |
|---|---|---|
| You have a Magnet, but an essential shield is not Metal. | Turn the shield into Metal to include it in a Magnet-based collection plan. | A Wood shield supported by Wood Oil will lose that material interaction. |
| You want to collect a sinking essential item at the surface. | Turn it into Wood or Plastic so it floats with the other floating items. | It will no longer be attracted by the Magnet. A crowded surface still does not guarantee collection. |
| You want to build Recycling Bin’s damage. | Turn items intended for consumption into Plastic. | Keep this separate from plans that need the item’s original effect. Do not transmute essential healing or defense items indiscriminately. |
| Beaver Dam consumes a Wood item, preventing its original effect. | Change items whose original effects you need to a material other than Wood. | Supporting the dam with Block/healing and using the original item are separate outcomes. Keep some Wood for the dam. |
5 checks for missed grabs or missing effects
- Magnet not working: check whether the target is Metal, including its displayed material after transmutation.
- Missing after adding water: reassess where floating and sinking items have moved.
- Wood item’s effect missing: check whether Beaver Dam consumed it.
- Plastic items disappearing: check whether they are within Recycling Bin’s consumption range.
- A large Magnet bundle falls back: check clearance through the exit and the collection result before adding more Magnets. Adjust to this run’s shapes and physics rather than assuming one optimal Magnet count.
Glass and Cloth buoyancy, material weight coefficients, fixed room prices and current binaries on every platform remain unverified. Older source values have not been substituted for current values.
Choose a role before collecting
Choose whether the run will win through damage, Poison, Spikes, defense or coins, using the items and abilities available early. Focusing on effects you want to activate each turn gives the claw a clearer target than adding unrelated items without a plan.
Set priorities before dropping the claw
Set an order such as main weapon first, defense second and nothing else needed, then aim. Choosing what the current enemy and next action require, rather than grabbing everything available, helps compensate for unpredictable physics.
Remove unnecessary self-damage and mismatched items
Items with no reason to stay in the deck, especially costly self-damage items, are candidates for the Shredder. Room fees become more burdensome at higher difficulty, increasing the value of cost-reducing abilities such as coupons.
Build Poison to unlock Toxicarl
The condition requires more than 20 Poison on one enemy. The exact boundary has not been tested in-game, so also check the character-selection screen. Collect Poison-applying weapons and build stacks before finishing the enemy.
Prioritize spreading Poison
Build sufficient Poison on the front enemy and prioritize an ability that transfers Poison from a defeated enemy if available. Against a group, preparing the first enemy to die to Poison can also put pressure on the rest.
Keep survival options alongside Poison
Poison takes turns to finish a fight, so secure Block, Dodge or healing. At higher difficulty, enemy Dodge and self-damage items can also cause failure; remove unnecessary self-damage items early.
Unlock and progress one level at a time
Completing a run lets you progress to the next Debt Level. Learn each added penalty and expand the builds and characters that work, rather than assuming the highest difficulty from the start.
Reassess defense and room use from Level 10
Restrictions change familiar assumptions: enemies gain Dodge at Level 10, and boss victories stop healing you at Level 11. Prioritize defense and healing that can last until the next boss, as well as offensive items.
Prepare for consecutive fights at Level 20
At Level 20, normal bosses from floor 8 onward come in 2 consecutive fights. Damage sufficient only for the first fight is not enough. Choose by lasting defense, healing and how reliably you can repeat key effects.
Set one condition for each run
Unlock goals involving defense, coin balance, Poison, Spikes or identical-item counts can conflict with an ordinary winning build. Focusing on one goal, such as reaching 40 Block or applying more than 20 Poison, makes it easier to pursue.
Separate the goals of the two floor-20 rooms
The left room leads toward unlocking Hare L. Quinn, while the right leads toward an additional boss after you assemble specific collectibles. Check your unlock progress across runs rather than forcing every key or collectible goal into one attempt.
Try Lucky Paws after clearing with a character
After clearing with a character, you can equip Lucky Paws at the start. Trying 1, 2 and 3 in sequence helps work on their conditions alongside character clears.
How many achievements are there?
The Steam version had 44 achievements when checked on 2026-10-02. Check the achievement page for conditions after updates.
What should beginners prioritize?
Read the enemy’s next action first, then prepare both attacks and items for Block or healing. Also judge whether the claw can collect the item you want.
How many characters are there?
Version 1.1.1 added 3 characters to the 25 available through 1.0. See the character roster for all 28 in the covered version.
Who is the strongest character?
No ranking based on measured win rates has been established. Suitability changes with claw control, the items you find and Debt Level, so the comparison page organizes choices by goal.
How many new items were added?
Version 1.0 added 11 items: 10 publicly named items and 1 secret unlockable item. Version 1.1.1 added 4 more. They are listed in the update-based index.
What should I prepare for at Debt Level 20?
Prepare for 2 consecutive normal-boss fights from floor 8 onward. Avoid spending all your resources in the first fight; build for sustained damage and survival.
What should I check when using Spikes?
Version 1.0 adjusted Spikey Shield to grant 3 Spikes normally and 5 when upgraded. Do not plan around older values.
When should I reconsider a high-difficulty build?
Add defense or healing if you die on turns when you miss a key item. Remove unused items if you cannot collect what you need. Keep adapting rather than waiting indefinitely for one finished build.
What changed in the latest covered update?
The August 2026 1.1.1 update added Necronancy, 2 secret characters, 4 items, 3 perks and the enemy Stomptrunk. The following 1.1.2 update fixed image-switching issues and the transfer of pet buffs and debuffs.
What is transmutation for?
Use it to meet material requirements: collect Metal with a Magnet, combine Wood defense with Wood Oil, or supply Plastic for Recycling Bin to consume. Check which combinations you lose when changing material.
Why did a collected Wood item not activate its effect?
With Beaver Dam, Wood items may be consumed to support the dam. One option is to change only the items whose original effects you need to another material, keeping separate Wood items for the dam.
Does turning items into Metal improve every build?
It can suit a Magnet-based plan, but Metal sinks in water and no longer qualifies for Wood- or Plastic-specific effects. Choose your claw and supporting items before transmuting.
Xbox ¥1,500
Balance to compare for individual Xbox games, eligible Microsoft Store purchases or a Game Pass budget. Check eligible items, subscription conditions and payment methods; a saving is not guaranteed.
Affiliate links to Amazon Japan. We may earn a commission on purchases. Listed prices are indicative and may change.