Dwarves: Glory, Death and Loot - Bards & Alchemists expands the core experience of commanding a clan of dwarves in a roguelike auto-battler. Players recruit and equip up to ten dwarves, assign gear that determines their roles, and send the group into automated side-scrolling battles against waves of orcs and other foes. The addition of two new classes brings fresh options for building synergies through music-based support and volatile alchemy experiments.
Gameplay
The central loop involves selecting encounters, managing resources between fights, and refining a squad before each automated battle. Dwarves start with basic equipment, and players purchase weapons, armor, and artifacts from shops that level up over time to offer higher rarity items. Gear directly shapes each dwarf's profession and abilities, creating distinct roles such as frontline tanks or ranged damage dealers. Formations position the clan to optimize movement and targeting, while meta-progression through the Rune Circle allows permanent upgrades to stats like strength, stamina, and dexterity using gems earned from runs.
The new Bard class channels melodies of light and darkness to inspire allies or disrupt enemies from a supportive position. The Alchemist focuses on mixing unstable potions for elemental effects that can turn the tide in prolonged fights. Unlocking either class grants a bundle of gems that can immediately fund further Rune Circle investments or new equipment experiments. These additions layer onto existing systems like gear rarity weighting and shop rerolls, encouraging players to test combinations that emphasize crowd control, sustained healing, or burst elemental damage.
Game Modes
Three primary difficulty settings shape each run. Loot mode offers a forgiving structure where defeats carry penalties but allow continuation toward rewards. Glory mode increases gem earnings while maintaining standard consequences for failure. Death mode introduces permadeath, where lost dwarves stay gone and demand careful resource management. After reaching certain win thresholds, optional Raids appear as intense single-boss encounters that reward strong builds with rare items.
Additional modes include Eternal for endless wave survival with the option to retreat and bank progress, and Black Market for unrestricted sandbox testing of configurations without gem earnings. Clan selection at the start provides different starting Rune Circle paths, adding variety to long-term progression across multiple saves.
Progression and Builds
Between runs, gems and rune points spent in the Rune Circle unlock stat boosts and new paths that carry forward. In-run decisions center on balancing gold for recruits and gear against the risk of pushing deeper for better loot. Shop upgrades expand available item tiers, and biome-specific modifiers on equipment encourage adaptation to different encounter types. Formations unlock based on clan composition, granting bonuses such as improved ultimate ability effects or stat multipliers when certain profession thresholds are met.
With the Bard and Alchemist integrated, players can explore supports that scale with team size or alchemical effects that interact with elemental damage types. The result is expanded build variety focused on synergies between light and dark melodies, potion chaos, and established roles like knights or mages. Persistent unlocks from the forge and quest rewards further reward repeated play as players refine strategies for higher win streaks or raid clears.
Is It Worth Playing?
Player feedback highlights the addictive loop of incremental upgrades and experimentation with gear and formations. The game rewards time invested in optimizing clans and testing new class combinations, particularly for those who enjoy strategic planning over direct combat control. Multiple difficulty options and optional challenges like Raids provide scalable depth without forcing a single playstyle.
Reception describes solid tactical layers beneath the automated fights, with strong replayability from clan variety and meta-progression. Those drawn to roguelike elements, team management, and build crafting will find consistent engagement across sessions. The Bards & Alchemists update further extends this by introducing mechanics that integrate cleanly with existing systems, making it a worthwhile expansion for players already invested in the core loop or newcomers seeking additional variety from the start.
