Dungeon branches
The page provides a map of the various dungeon branches and how they interconnect. For tips and tricks on surviving the individual branches, see the walkthrough and the branches' individual pages. You can bring up an in-game overview of the Dungeon and its various branches and portals by pressing Ctrl-O.
Dungeon Overview
New characters start on level one of the Dungeon, except for Delvers, who begin on level 5.
The Dungeon (15 levels)
Ecumenical Temple (Dungeon Level 4-7, 1 level)
The Lair (Dungeon Level 8-11, 5 levels)
The Swamp (The Lair Level 2-3, 4 levels, rune 
)
The Shoals (The Lair Level 2-3, 4 levels, rune 
, may replace the Swamp)
The Snake Pit (The Lair Level 2-3, 4 levels, rune 
)
The Spider's Nest (The Lair Level 2-3, 4 levels, rune 
, may replace the Snake Pit)
The Slime Pits (The Lair Level 4-5, 5 levels, rune 
)
Orcish Mines (Dungeon Level 9-12, 2 levels)
Elven Halls (Orcish Mines Level 2, 3 levels)
The Vaults (Dungeon Level 13-14, 5 levels, rune 
)
The Depths (Dungeon Level 15, 4 levels)
The Abyss (Portals in The Depths or Banishment, 7 endless toroidal levels, rune 
)
The Vestibule of Hell (Portals in The Depths, 1 level)
Cocytus (7 levels, rune 
)
Gehenna (7 levels, rune 
)
Tartarus (7 levels, rune 
)
The Iron City of Dis (7 levels, rune 
)
Pandemonium (Portals in The Depths, infinite number of non-revisitable levels, 5 runes 
)
The Realm of Zot (The Depths level 4, 5 levels, Orb of Zot 
)
In any one game, there is a total of 88 finite levels, plus two infinite realms (Abyss, Pandemonium).
In addition to the standard dungeon branches, all dungeons will contain a randomly selected variety of vaults with a specific design and theme, and portals to fantastic extra-dimensional realms.
Version 0.19 Dungeon Map Diagram
Miscellaneous Portals
Optional portals to fantastic extra-dimensional realms can be randomly found throughout the Dungeon and its branches. While none of these contain runes, they nearly always contain above-average loot and useful experience. If you know how to handle each one's theme, they can often be cleared without excessive risk. All such portals are single-entry only, and after you exit their realm, they will be gone along with anything you left inside.
Unless otherwise noted, all these portals are temporary, and will disappear if not entered within a certain length of time. There are actually two clocks running: a shorter countdown while you're on the level with the portal, and a longer one when you've gone to another level. If you stay on the level, you'll receive increasingly urgent messages as the timer runs out, and the portal's appearance (check with 'x', then 'v') may indicate how much of the timer has expired. When a portal on your current level expires, you will get a message to the effect of, "The walls and floor of the dungeon suddenly vibrate!" Portals will not start closing until you reach the floor that they are on, so there's no need to rush through early floors in order to access them.
Bailey - A keep guarded by gnolls, goblins, and/or orcs.
Bazaar - Shopping spree! A safe area with several shops, make sure you enter with a good amount of gold.
Desolation of Salt - A crumbling wasteland filled with unique constructs and other guardians lurking among its salt clouds.
Ice Cave - Freezing clouds, wild animals, and occasionally icy demons.
Gauntlet - A choice between several arenas. Taking the challenge will get you some loot, but also pits you against a deadly minotaur.
Ossuary - A small tomb filled with mummies and their undead guardians.
The Sewers - Fetid waterways teeming with rats, snakes, and occasionally nastier things.
Treasure trove - Contains several acquirement-level items, but getting in requires giving up a rare and valuable item in return. Is always permanent.
Volcano - Fire and lava everywhere. Also lava-dwelling creatures.
Wizard Laboratory - The abandoned laboratory of one of several famous mages.
Ziggurat - The ultimate challenge: 27 floors of increasingly difficult battles, but with riches untold for those who win through. Ziggurat portals are permanent, but only one spawns naturally in the Depths. They are also created from evoking a figurine of a ziggurat, which can be found on Tomb:3 and on level 27 of a previous ziggurat.
History
- Prior to 0.32, there were non-timed bazaars. You could enter these at any time, but leaving would cause them to disappear as normal.
- Prior to 0.29, the Lair had 6 levels. Also, the Abyss was only 5 levels deep.
- Prior to 0.28, the Depths were 5 levels long.
- 0.23 replaced Labyrinths with the Gauntlet.
- The Desolation of Salt was added in 0.19, and the Lair was shortened to 6 levels and the Slime Pits to 5 levels.
- Prior to 0.19, ziggurat portals spawned randomly in Pandemonium.
- The lair branches were shortened from 5 to 4 levels in 0.17.
- The Hall of Blades was reduced to a subvault in Elf:2 in 0.15.
- The Enchanted Forest was considered for inclusion in 0.14, but was eventually rejected after several months of play-testing in trunk. This branch would have occasionally replaced the Crypt.
- The Spider's Nest was made a full-fledged branch in 0.11.
- The Hive was removed in 0.10.
