Normal preserves the original launch balance. Easy gives creatures 25% less health and makes them deal 50% less damage. Hard gives creatures 25% more health and makes them deal 25% more damage. Difficulty can be changed from the main menu or in-game, so use the mode that matches the run instead of restarting a save.
- Added
- Patch 1.0.9
- Easy health
- -25%
- Easy damage
- -50%
- Hard health/damage
- +25% / +25%
Official modifiers
Easy reduces every creature's health by 25% and incoming creature damage by 50%. Normal is the previous default balance. Hard adds 25% creature health and 25% creature damage.
The patch notes do not claim that difficulty changes prices, lure pools, Drip probability, quest requirements, or achievement availability. Do not assume hidden modifiers without a reproducible test.
How to change difficulty
Open the difficulty option from the main menu or the in-game settings added in Patch 1.0.9. Change one setting at a time and resume the same encounter so the comparison is meaningful.
For co-op, let the host confirm the selected mode before using one-use boss bait. Record the mode when sharing a route because older guides were written only for the original balance.
Which mode should you choose?
Easy is useful for learning boss movement, recovering a story save, or practicing the five-island route. Normal is the best baseline for comparing launch guides. Hard is a replay challenge for groups with established weapons and healing routines.
- Use Easy to learn a boss or rehearse Bean checkpoints.
- Use Normal when validating general guide claims.
- Use Hard only after the group agrees on extra health and damage.
- State the difficulty when posting clear times or boss strategies.
Difficulty and Bean
The Bean achievement requires completing the game within one hour. The official Patch 1.0.9 announcement does not say Easy blocks that achievement, but routes and leaderboard categories can apply separate rules.
For a personal achievement attempt, test on a disposable save and record the mode. For competitive speedrunning, follow the current leaderboard rules rather than assuming an in-game achievement rule applies to verified runs.
Frequently asked questions
What does Easy mode change?
Creatures have 25% less health and deal 50% less damage.
What does Hard mode change?
Creatures have 25% more health and deal 25% more damage.
Can difficulty be changed after starting?
Yes. Patch 1.0.9 added difficulty controls in both the main menu and in-game settings.
Sources
Facts were normalized and independently rewritten from the references below. Community strategies can become outdated after patches.