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Beginner's Guide

Welcome to the world of Hell Clock, a fast-paced rogue-lite action RPG that blends intense combat with deep progression systems. This guide will give you the essential knowledge to start your journey and conquer the demonic hordes!

What is Hell Clock?

Section titled “What is Hell Clock?”

Hell Clock takes the best elements from games like Diablo III’s fluid combat, Grim Dawn’s intricate constellation trees, and Path of Exile’s expansive skill systems, then wraps them all in a high-octane rogue-lite package. The game is designed for speed and adaptability, pushing you to craft powerful builds on the fly and clear content quickly.

Core Gameplay Loop

Section titled “Core Gameplay Loop”

Your adventure in Hell Clock revolves around two main modes: the Campaign and the challenging Endgame (Ascension Mode).

The Campaign: Your Training Ground

Section titled “The Campaign: Your Training Ground”

Think of the campaign as an extended tutorial. It’s where you’ll learn the ropes, experiment with skills, and start building your power.

  • Acts and Floors: The campaign features three acts, each comprising 21 floors or rooms. To progress to the next act, you must clear all 21 floors in a single run.

  • Softcore vs. Hardcore:

  • Story: Dive into a narrative inspired by Brazilian history, infused with a classic heaven vs. hell conflict.

  • Pacing: The campaign is well-paced, taking around 15-20 hours for a casual playthrough without rushing.

The Endgame: True Challenge Awaits

Section titled “The Endgame: True Challenge Awaits”

Once you’ve mastered the campaign, the Ascension Mode unlocks. This is where Hell Clock truly becomes a pure rogue-like, designed to test your build-crafting skills and adaptability to the extreme.

  • Reset and Retain: When you start an ascension, your gear and most skill tree progress reset. However, you keep your permanent currency (Soul Stones) and, most importantly, your progress in the Constellation Map.

  • Hell Levels: Each ascension lets you choose “Hell Levels,” which are negative modifiers that increase the game’s difficulty. You’ll gain points to invest in these, making enemies tougher, reducing your resistances, and adding new challenges.

  • Limited Attempts: You begin with 7 “runs” per ascension. Successfully completing an act grants you 7 more runs. If you exhaust all your runs before finishing the current ascension, you fail and must start the entire ascension over.

  • Cursed Shrines: During your runs, you might encounter Cursed Shrines. These are incredibly tough wave-based encounters, but completing them rewards you with a valuable point for your Constellation Map!

Powering Up: Progression Systems

Section titled “Powering Up: Progression Systems”

Hell Clock offers several interconnected systems to grow your character’s power.

Currency

Section titled “Currency”
CurrencyUsePersistent?
Soul StonesPermanent currency used for Constellation Map and Infernal Bell skill tree upgradesYes
GoldTemporary currency used only within a run for shops, rerolls, and statuesNo

Gear & Relics

Section titled “Gear & Relics”

  • Gear: Basic equipment pieces like weapons that define core stats such as damage and resistances.

  • Relics: Crucial for amplifying abilities and creating powerful synergies. Relics come in various shapes and affixes, fitting into a grid-based inventory system. You can expand inventory space on your skill tree.

  • Acquisition: Find relics as drops from enemies, in chests, or buy from shops.

  • Upgrading: Use Soul Stones to upgrade relics and boost their stats.

Skills & Skill Trees

Section titled “Skills & Skill Trees”

  • Skills: Unlock more active skills as you progress. Leveling increases power, but also cooldown and mana cost—balance is key.

  • Skill Trees (Bells):

    • Campaign Bell: Skill tree used during the campaign for power growth.

    • Infernal Bell: Separate, extensive skill tree for endgame. Invest Soul Stones here for permanent upgrades like mana, health, damage, and Soul Stone gain efficiency.

    • Constellation Map: Massive passive tree unlocked after completing Act 3. Earn points by completing “promises” (objectives) and clearing Cursed Shrines. Specialize with paths focusing on Dexterity, Strength, Magic, elemental damage types, or specific archetypes.

Strategic Tips for New Players

Section titled “Strategic Tips for New Players”

Embrace the Timer

Section titled “Embrace the Timer”

While “Relax Mode” exists, Hell Clock is designed around a timer. Playing with it forces you to optimize your build and make quick decisions, resulting in a more engaging experience.

Build Adaptability

Section titled “Build Adaptability”

Don’t expect to get every item you want. Adapt your build based on relics and gear drops. Familiarity with build synergies greatly increases success.

Target Red Enemies

Section titled “Target Red Enemies”

Red enemies on the minimap drop more XP and gold, and have higher chances for valuable trinkets and relics. Prioritize them!

Gold Management

Section titled “Gold Management”

Gold is temporary. Spend it in shops for upgrades or save for crucial relics. Use banish options to remove unwanted relic types from shop rolls.

Early Game Build: The Repeater

Section titled “Early Game Build: The Repeater”

The Repeater is a beginner-friendly ranged skill that scales well and has strong early synergy. It deals consistent damage and works well with common relics.

Additional Tips

Section titled “Additional Tips”

  • Invest in Red Portals (floor skips) on your skill tree to speed up clear times in later acts and endgame.

  • Potions drop frequently—use them liberally to maintain health. Upgrade your max potion count when possible.

  • Expand relic inventory space early for more build flexibility.

  • Focus on synergy between skills and relics, not just raw power.