How to defeat the Shambler in Darkest Dungeon

In Darkest Dungeon, the Shambler is one of the most iconic and terrifying enemies. This eldritch abomination is inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s legendary monster, Cthulhu. Just like the old god, it also has dark tentacles that it uses to snatch its prey. The Shambler is the only ‘Cosmic’ enemy in the game and is considered the most dangerous type of enemy in the series.

The Shambler makes an appearance in both Darkest Dungeon as well as the sequel. In both games, it is one of the toughest mini-bosses. The Shambler can kill parties in a single sweep. To assist you, we discuss strategies and instructions to defeat the Shambler in Darkest Dungeon.

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Best ways to summon the Shambler in Darkest Dungeon

The Shambler is a creature of the dark. It prefers lurking in pitch-dark corners of the world, waiting for its next prey. In both games, the Shambler has a chance to replace any road battles in the later regions if the flame/torchlight level is less than 30.

Thus, it is advised to maintain adequate flame when traveling through later regions of the game because there are chances for the Shambler to spawn multiple times in a single expedition.

The Shambler tentacles (Image via Red Hook Studio)

The other method for summoning the Shambler is using Shambler’s Altar, which is available in both games. When interacted, this Altar summons the Shambler, after which it will spawn Shambler Tentacles. They are fairly weak enemies, but the Shambler will keep on spawning them until the end of the battle.

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How to defeat the Shambler in Darkest Dungeon

How beat the Shambler (Image via Red Hook Studio)

Killing the Shambler and its tentacles is no easy feat. The tentacles may not pose much of a threat early on, but they gradually increase their attack. So if you leave them unkilled for a long time, they will soon become a threat. The first thing is to kill the tentacles as soon as they appear.

The Shambler and its tentacles generate a lot of block and block+ tokens. Due to this, these creatures are extremely hard to kill using regular attacks. This can be tackled by using damage over timed attacks and skills. Usually, two hits from damage over timed attacks or skills are enough for any tentacle.

Before tackling the Shambler, try to use as many characters with Riposte as possible, irrespective of your chosen starting class. Riposte is a great skill against the Shambler because, with its party-wide attacks, you can hit both the main monster and the tentacles. Do note that in the sequel, you can increase the flame levels while fighting the monster. Using Glimmer of Hope will give your party the upper hand in the fight.

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