Some of the best mutations in Dead Cells to round out any build.
Ah, Dead Cells. A glorious roguelike produced by Motion Twin in 2017 with a nearly endless array of builds. A part of what makes each build unique are the mutations, a set of 46 passive bonuses ranging from damage buffs to healing to increasing your movement speed every time you run into a trap (No, that one is not on this list).
Some scale with a specific skill and others are colorless, providing their boon in equal measure every time you brave the dangerous world of Dead Cells. Here is a list of the ten best mutations, and why these are your best bets for staying alive out there.
10. Frenzy (Best for Sustain)
Lifesteal is a rock-solid mechanic in many titles, and Dead Cells is no exception. This brutality mutation rewards you with a little bit of health back on every attack as long as you have a speed buff active. The stronger the attack, the more health you regain.
Why Frenzy is Great
- Best for higher BC difficulties where flask management becomes more important.
- Perfect for running through enemy biomes and saving health flasks.
- Allows you to absorb a hit or two and still make it through the biome at full health.
Frenzy Details
- Melee attacks give back a small amount of HP proportional to attack damage while you have an active speed buff.
9. Necromancy (Best for Sustain)
Necromancy is similar to Frenzy, with a few different strengths. It scales with survival and gives back a small percentage of health for every enemy killed. The big downside is that the healing caps at 50% max. The sustain from this mutation becomes more important in higher BC difficulties when the health fountains between biomes are no more.
Why Necromancy is Great
- It is an excellent addition to survival builds with heavy weapons, where dodging attacks becomes more difficult.
- Takes advantage of the Sudden Death Prevention mechanic. (When above 25% health, a hit that would normally kill instead leaves the player at 1 health.)
- Works with every survival build, not just melee ones.
Necromancy Details
- Recover some HP when an enemy dies, up to 50% HP.
8. Support (Best for Turret Buffs)
This tactics mutation gives a damage buff when the player is close to deployed skills. This mutation works with both campy, long-distance builds and up close and personal ones. It also is equally effective in boss battles as well as normal enemy biomes since all you need to trigger the buff is a trusty turret at your side.
Why Support is Great
- An easy buff to obtain.
- Open to versatile playstyles, working with ranged and melee weapons.
- Obtainable in both boss battles and normal biomes.
Support Details
- Damage buff if you’re close to a deployed skill.
7. Crow’s Foot (Best for Slowing Enemies)
This is a tactics mutation that builds off of one of the game’s main mechanics: rolling. Every roll leaves behind slowing caltrops that enemies trigger when they step on top of them. It is a simple and low maintenance mutation, and one that will always aid you. Whether rolling away from enemies to get some distance or rolling through them to dodge an attack these caltrops will be laid right at their feet.
Why Crow’s Foot is Great
- Dropped on every roll, which is to say, all the time.
- Slowing enemies, even for only a second, is crucial.
- Gives you time to set up an attack, heal, or dodge.
Crow’s Foot Details
- Rolling leaves 3 caltrops behind you (with a maximum of 9).
- Inflicts a little damage and slows enemies for 1.5 seconds.
6. Scheme (Best for Burst Damage)
This mutation is a great addition to any brutality build. Like many mutations on this list, it works well against waves of enemies as well as bosses. It is an easy buff to damage on melee weapons, activating every time you use an ability. The damage buff lasts for 8 seconds, allowing time to set up attacks.
Why Scheme is Great
- Synergizes with low-cooldown abilities.
- Turns the tide in many battles, shredding through normal enemies.
- Like Crow’s Foot, it will always help.
Scheme Details
- Your next melee attack after using a skill inflicts extra damage.
5. Instinct of the Master of Arms (Best for Versatile Cooldown Reduction)
This is the only cooldown reduction that works with every build. A colorless mutation, it gives a slight cooldown reduction every time a weapon inflicts a critical strike. The amount it is reduced is nowhere near as much as the other cooldown reduction skills but it is often a welcome addition.
Why Instinct of the Master of Arms is Great
- Works in boss battles and normal biomes.
- Easy to synergize with many builds.
Instinct of the Master of Arms Details
- Reduces the cooldown of your skills with each critical hit.
4. Heart of Ice (Best for Massive Cooldown Reduction)
Besides having a badass name, heart of ice is a fantastic mutation to bring on any survival build. It is a massive skill cooldown reduction that procs any time you strike a frozen or rooted enemy at close range. Pair that with skills that freeze or root your enemies and it turns into a vicious cycle of spamming abilities.
Why Heart of Ice is Great
- Works at full capacity in every engagement.
- Allows the rest of the build to shine.
- Keeps enemies frozen or rooted, keeping you safe.
Heart of Ice Details
- Attacking a frozen, stunned, or rooted enemy at close range reduces skill cooldowns.
- Works with both melee and ranged weapons (At close range).
3. Tranquility (Best for Long-Distance Attacks)
A tactics mutation that gives you a buff when no enemies are nearby. Pairs well with long-distance tactics builds, and in this case “nearby” is when enemies are almost on top of you. It is also a massive damage buff, letting you bring enemies down with ease at a distance. The tactics tree is full of bows just waiting to be put to use with this buff active.
Why Tranquility is Great
- It is an easy buff to maintain, especially in normal enemy biomes.
- Gives a huge (25% base) buff.
- Pairs well with the Marksman’s Bow, making those crits even more insane.
Tranquility Details
- Damage buff when no enemies are nearby
2. Gastronomy (Best for Versatile Sustain)
Gastronomy is an amazing mutation, doubling the effectiveness of food and on top of that, it gives a 5-minute damage boost when food is recycled. Food, in the form of kebabs and chicken, is always a welcome sight in the bleak world of dead cells. The game’s two food items go from healing 15% and 50% HP to 30% and a whopping 100% heal with the aid of this mutation.
Why Gastronomy is Great
- Works with every build. Doubling food effectiveness never goes out of style.
- Dead cells players are greedy. This is the perfect mutation to stay greedy and keep every health flask intact.
- The damage buff from recycling food lasts for five minutes and stays between levels.
Gastronomy Details
- The effect of food increases by 100%.
- If you recycle food you deal increased damage (+10% base, scaling with survival) for five minutes.
1. Disengagement (Best for Staying Alive)
This mutation is hidden in the starting room, requiring a mix of runes and abilities only available after beating the game for the first time. Understandably so because this mutation is amazing. Most of the mutations in this game function best either in boss battles or biomes, but this one is great in both.
Why Disengagement is Great
- Unlike Ygdar Orus Li Ox, Disengagement can be used over and over again.
- The invulnerability gives you ample time to plan your next moves, be it to get in a quick heal or lay waste to the enemies around you.
- It is a colorless mutation, making it usable in every build.
Disengagement Details
- When HP falls below 20% it generates a protective force field for 5 seconds.
- Can be activated once every 120 seconds.
