Darkest Dungeon Curio Guide – Curios Interactions Cheat Sheet

Last Updated on July 15, 2023 by Samuel Franklin

Darkest Dungeon Curio Guide – Curios Interactions Cheat Sheet

This Darkest Dungeon curio guide provides players a curios cheat sheet of all interactions to help you determine whether or not to trigger them in a hero expedition. Given curio can bestow a wealth of positive effects on your heroes (generally requiring a specific provision to be used) or seriously harm your heroes knowing the right time to interact with them as you advance is pivotal to your long term survival and progression. While you can memorise them over time and the game does show you the effect of provisions on curio once you have discovered it having a curios sheet like this one can help you with that initial discovery and understand the risks you take if you lack that provision.

In this curio guide we explore all the mechanics of curios in Darkest Dungeon which are fundamental to surviving the harsh expedition difficulty your heroes will face. It also includes an interactions chart split between the various game areas for players to reference while in game at the end of this page. Given this article discusses curio related information there are spoilers for this Darkest Dungeon mechanic below.

Table of Contents:
Curio Overview
Common Dungeon Curios
Ruin Dungeon Curios
Warren Dungeon Curios
Weald Dungeon Curios
Cove Dungeon Curios
Courtyard Dungeon Curios
Farmstead Dungeon Curios (DLC)
Unique Dungeon Curios

Darkest Dungeon Curio Overview

Curios come in a range of forms and are interactable objects of curious nature that players encounter while on an expedition (within rooms and hallways). These include strange altars, library books, fountains, chests, piles of bones and everything in between that has been left behind by past adventurers or part of the scenario. The expedition location you select will impact on the curios you encounter which are randomly spawned although some general themed ones can be found across all locations. Players have the decision to interact with these curio or not and can select provisions that may cleanse the curio for an added bonus. If players select the incorrect provision for curio it will have no effect and once you have discovered the correct provision it will show an icon in your inventory when interacting with that curio underneath that item. For example the gold loot icon shown underneath the shovel in the screenshot below for the shallow grave curio while other provisions show only a question mark.

After interaction with curios within rooms or hallways players are given the choice to use one of their inventory provisions to activate the curio or ignore it entirely and continue on with the expedition. Most curios can have their outcomes improved by selecting the applicable provision which encourages players to bring specific provisions on their expedition. Players also need to be careful of negative hero quirks that may force heroes to activate the curio automatically when in range with certain quirks triggering specific curios.

darkest-dungeon-curio-cleanse

Darkest Dungeon Curio Guide & Interactions Cheat Sheet Chart

The below section details the interactions you can make with each curio and are presented as follows with tables for each expedition type. Note that the loot reward is a generic term that includes any lootable item such as gold, gems, food, heirlooms and in some rare cases trinkets.

  • Curio: The name and image of the curio that appears when interacting with it.
  • Provision To Cleanse: The provision(s) required to activate the cleansed reward.
  • Cleansed Reward: The reward for cleansing the curio with the specific provision.
  • Non-Cleansed Reward: The normal reward if players do not use a provision with the percentage chance shown.

Common Dungeon Curios

These common curios can spawn regardless of your Darkest Dungeon location with these generally having limited cleaning cleansing provision requirements and fairly reasonable non-cleansed rewards.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-crateCrate N/A N/A Heirloom (75%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-discarded-packDiscarded Pack N/A N/A Loot (60%)
Scouting (20%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-eldritch-altarEldritch Altar Holy Water Remove negative quirk +25 Stress (40%)
Remove negative quirk (10%)
Nothing (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-heirloom-chestHeirloom Chest Skeleton Key Heirloom Heirloom (75%)
Bleed (12.5%)
Blight (12.5%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-sackSack N/A N/A Loot (75%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-sconceSconce N/A N/A Torch (100%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-shambler-altarShambler’s Altar Torch Summon Shambler Nothing (100%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-stack-of-booksStack of Books Torch +100 Stress +25 Stress (22.2%)
Positive quirk (22.2%)
Negative quirk (11.1%)
-25 Light (11.1%)
Journal entry (16.7%)
Nothing (16.7%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-unlocked-strongboxUnlocked Strongbox N/A N/A Loot (75%)
Blight (25%)

Ruin Dungeon Curios

These curios only appear when adventuring in the ruins with holy water, skeleton keys and shovels being a recurring theme to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-alchemy-tableAlchemy Table Torch
Medicinal Herbs
100 Light
Loot
Blight (50%)
Loot (25%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-altar-of-lightAltar of Light Holy Water +30% damage until camp +20 damage until camp
darkest-dungeon-curio-bookshelfBookshelf N/A N/A Scouting (20%)
+15 Stress (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-confession-boothConfession Booth Holy Water -30 Stress +15 Stress (50%)
Loot (25%)
Remove negative quirk (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-decorative-urnDecorative Urn Holy Water
Shovel
Loot
Negative quirk ‘Guilty Conscience’
Loot (44.4%)
Blight (22.2%)
Disease ‘Creeping Cough’ (7.4%)
Random disease (3.7%)
Nothing (22.2%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-holy-fountainHoly Fountain Holy Water -20 Stress, cure status effects and +12 HP heal -10 Stress, cure status effects and +5 HP heal (50%)
Loot (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-iron-maidenIron Maiden Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (40%)
Negative quirk ‘Claustrophobia’ (20%)
Disease ‘Tetanus’ (66.7%)
Random disease (6.7%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-locked-display-cabinetLocked Display Cabinet Skeleton Key
Shovel
Loot
Loot
Bleed (50%)
Blight (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-locked-sarcophagusLocked Sarcophagus Skeleton Key
Shovel
Loot
Loot
Bleed (50%)
Blight (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-sarcophagusSarcophagus N/A N/A Loot (60%)
Negative quirk ‘Thanatophobia’ (20%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-suit-of-armorSuit of Armor N/A N/A +15% Protection and +10 dodge until camp (75%)
Positive quirk ‘Ruins Adventurer’ (12.5%)
Positive quirk ‘Ruins Tactician’ (12.5%)

Warren Dungeon Curios

These curios only appear when adventuring in the warrens with holy water and medicinal herbs being a recurring theme to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-bone-altarBone Altar N/A N/A +15% Damage, +10 accuracy and 5% critical until camp
darkest-dungeon-curio-dinner-cartDinner Cart Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (37.5%)
Blight (25%)
Disease ‘Black Plague’ (12.5%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-makeshift-tableMakeshift Dining Table Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (25%)
Blight (25%)
Disease ‘Tapeworm’ (25%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-moonshine-barrelMoonshine Barrel Medicinal Herbs +30% Damage until camp Loot (33.3%)
Blight (33.3%)
Negative quirk ‘Tippler’ (11.1%)
Nothing (22.2%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-occult-scrawlingsOccult Scrawlings Holy Water -20% Dodge Random positive quirk (33.3%)
+25 Stress (25%)
Random negative quirk (16.7%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-pile-of-bonesPile of Bones Holy Water Loot Loot (25%)
Random disease (25%)
Negative quirk ‘Bloodthirsty’ (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-pile-of-scrollsPile of Scrolls Torch Remove negative quirk Scout (26.8%)
+15 Stress (14.3%)
Journal entry (14.3%)
Random positive quirk (9.5%)
Random negative quirk (4.8%)
Nothing (28.6%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-rack-of-bladesRack of Blades Bandage Loot Loot (40%)
Bleed (40%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-sacrificial-stoneSacrificial Stone N/A N/A +50 Stress (50%)
Remove negative quirk (25%)
Positive quirk ‘Warrens Explorer’ (12.5%)
Positive quirk ‘Warrens Scrounger’ (12.5%)

Weald Dungeon Curios

These curios only appear when adventuring in the wealds with holy water, antivenom and bandages being a recurring theme to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-ancient-coffinAncient Coffin N/A N/A Loot (50%)
Positive quirk ‘Weald Adventurer’ (8.3%)
Positive quirk ‘Weald Explorer’ (8.3%)
Nothing (33%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-beast-carcassBeast Carcass Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (42.9%)
Disease ‘Rabies’ (25%)
Random disease (19%)
Negative quirk ‘Zoophobia’ (14.3%)
Nothing (14.3%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-eerie-spiderwebEerie Spiderweb Bandage Loot Loot (40%)
Negative quirk ‘Slow Reflexes’ (10%)
Negative quirk ‘Slowdraw’ (10%)
Nothing (40%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-left-luggageLeft Luggage Skeleton Key
Antivenom
Loot
Loot
Loot (50%)
Blight (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-mummified-remainsMummified Remains Bandage Loot Loot (40%)
Blight (40%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curios-old-treeOld Tree Antivenom Loot Loot (50%)
Blight (25%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-pristine-fountainPristine Fountain Holy Water -30 Stress -20 Stress (100%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-shallow-graveShallow Grave Shovel Loot Blight (50%)
Random disease (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-traveler-tentTraveller’s Tent N/A N/A Loot (37.5%)
Scout (37.5%)
+25 Stress (12.5%)
Nothing (12.5%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-troubling-effigyTroubling Effigy Holy Water Random positive quirk Random positive quirk (18.8%)
Random negative quirk (18.8%)
Bleed (18.8%)
Blight (9.4%)
+15 Stress (9.4%)
Nothing (25%)

Cove Dungeon Curios

These curios only appear when adventuring in the coves with medicinal herbs and shovels being a recurring theme to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-barnacle-crusted-chestBarnacle Crusted Chest Shovel Loot Loot (50%)
Bleed (25%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-bas-reliefBas-Relief Shovel +100 Stress Random positive quirk (66.7%)
Random negative quirk (33.3%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-brackish-tide-poolBrackish Tide Pool Antivenom +5 HP heal (50%)
-6 Stress (50%)
+33% Debuff resistances (75%)
Random disease (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-eerie-coralEerie Coral Medicinal Herbs Remove negative quirk -10 Stress (50%)
+25 Stress (25%)
Nothing (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-fish-idolFish Idol Holy Water +18% Damage until camp -25% Damage and -10 accuracy until camp (50%)
-12 Dodge until camp (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-fish-carcassFish Carcass Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (16.7%)
Disease ‘Red Plague’ (16.7%)
Blight (11.1%)
Bleed (5.6%)
Nothing (50%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-giant-oysterGiant Oyster Shovel
Dog Treats
Loot
+25 Dodge
Loot (40%)
Bleed (40%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-ship-figureheadShip’s Figurehead N/A N/A -25-30 Stress (66.7%)
+20% Damage and 4 speed until camp (33.3%)

Courtyard Dungeon Curios (Crimson Court DLC)

These curios only appear when adventuring in the courtyard with the blood, holy water, torches and shovels being a recurring theme to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-bloodflowersBloodflowers The Blood
Holy Water
Shovel
Nothing
+15 Stress
Loot
+15 Stress (38.5%)
Scout (23.1%)
Loot (15.3%)
Disease ‘Tetanus’ (5.3%)
Random disease (2.5%)
Nothing (15.3%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-damned-fountainDamned Fountain Holy Water
Torch
-30 Stress
+5 Stress
Bleed (60%)
Disease ‘Crimson Curse’ (20%)
Loot (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-disturbing-diversionDisturbing Diversion Shovel Loot +25 Stress (40%)
Random positive quirk (15%)
Random negative quirk (15%)
Loot (10%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-forgotten-delicaciesForgotten Delicacies Medicinal Herbs Loot Loot (20%)
Negative quirk ‘Stress Eater’ (20%)
Blight (20%)
Disease ‘Crimson Curse’ (13.3%)
Random disease (6.7%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-hooded-shrewHooded Shrew The Blood Loot +15 Stress (42.8%)
Loot (28.5%)
Random disease (7.6%
Nothing (14.2%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-wizened-shrewWizened Shrew The Blood Loot Random disease (7.6%)
Scout (50%)
Nothing (58.3%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-strange-bonesPile of Strange Bones Bandage
The Blood
Loot (50%) / The Blood (50%)
Summon a Supplicant, Sycophant and Esquire
Bleed (50%)
Loot (20%)
Disease ‘Crimson Curse’ (10%)
Nothing (20%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-throbbing-cocoonsThrobbing Cocoons Torch -30 Stress (Courtyard only) Summon a Supplicant, Sycophant and Esquire (75%)
Loot (12.5%)
Nothing (12.5%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-thronging-hiveThronging Hive Torch Loot Loot (75%)
Blood (25%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-wine-crateWine Crate Antivenom
Shovel
-30 Stress
Firewood
Loot (41.7%)
Negative quirk ‘Tippler’ (16.7%)
Disease ‘Crimson Curse’ (16.7%)
Scout (8.3%)
Bleed (8.3%)
Nothing (8.3%)

Farmstead Dungeon Curios (Colour of Madness DLC)

These curios only appear when adventuring in the farmstead with only the skeleton key used to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
darkest-dungeon-curio-gleaming-shardsGleaming Shards N/A N/A Shards
darkest-dungeon-curio-fresh-harvestFresh Harvest N/A N/A +90% HP heal
darkest-dungeon-curio-stockpileStockpile Skeleton Key Loot Loot (66%)
Nothing (33%)
darkest-dungeon-curio-rotted-fareRotted Fare N/A N/A -100 Stress
darkest-dungeon-curio-miller-hearthMiller’s Hearth N/A N/A Activate camping
darkest-dungeon-curio-corrupted-harvestCorrupted Harvest N/A N/A -60 Stress (party)
darkest-dungeon-curio-plentiful-bountyPlentiful Bounty N/A N/A +65% HP heal (party)
darkest-dungeon-curio-mildredMildred N/A N/A Mildred’s Locket trinket or trinket/shards after initial encounter

Unique Dungeon Curios

These curios only appear during unique situations with only the skeleton key used to activate cleansing.

Curio Provision To Cleanse Cleansed Reward Non-Cleansed Reward
Ancestor’s Knapsack (Darkest Dungeon or Wolves at the Door) N/A N/A Loot
Trinket Chest (Boss Quest Courtyard) Skeleton Key Loot Loot
Forgotten Strongbox (Boss Quest Courtyard) N/A N/A Coloured key
Ancient Artefact (Secret Rooms) Skeleton Key Loot Loot

Written by
Samuel Franklin
Samuel Franklin is the founder and lead editor of the Games Finder team and enjoys video games across all genres and platforms.

Darkest Dungeon is one of the most played roguelike games in Sam’s gaming library as he regularly returns to the dark atmosphere and brutal difficulty that it offers. Favouring a team that prioritises safety through healing, stuns and stress management his team of stalwart heroes are rarely put at risk during their expedition into the varied map locations.

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