Debuffs are a unique gameplay element introduced in Spelunky 2. They can dramatically change gameplay for the player depending on when/where they get one.
Non player characters are also able to receive debuffs and will assume the same effects.
Drinking the Elixir will provide a buff that grants a one-time resistance against debuffs.
Curse[]
Curse is a debuff that sets the player's HP to 1 and disables all healing. Curse also does the following:
- Lowers the time it takes for The Ghost to spawn by 30 seconds (She will spawn at 2:30, or 4:30 with a Four-leaf Clover).
- Lets the player see Ghists, and as a result allows access into the Ghist Shopkeeper's shop. Only one player needs to be cursed to grant access inside for all players.
- Will spawn Beg on an Kali Altar after meeting him once before. He will award the player The True Crown in this encounter.
Curse can be obtained through four means:
- Making contact with the floating skull which surrounds a Witch Doctor.
- Being hit by a cursed gale from a Cat Mummy.
- Destroying a Kali Altar three times.
- Being hit by a thrown/falling Curse Pot, or being launched into one.
Curse can be applied to non-player entities through either methods 2 or 4.
Poison[]
Upon obtaining, Poison will deal 1 HP to its victim every 30 seconds.
Poison can be obtained through four means:
- Being stung by a Scorpion.
- Being spit at by a Cobra.
- Being hit by a Poison-Tipped Arrow.
- Being hit by toxic bubbles emitted from Hermit Crabs or Pangxie.
Curing Debuffs[]
Curing Curse:
- Drinking the Elixir gained from completing the Stars Challenge in 4-2 of Temple of Anubis (Doing the Stars Challenge in Tide Pool will reward the Clone Gun instead).
- Sacrificing enough entities to a Kali Altar for her to produce a reward. She will instead uncurse the player.
- This can only be done after the initial reward for 8 favor points.
- Doing this will replace the reward Kali would normally give you (eg; after reaching 16 favor, Kali will award a curse removal instead of awarding the Kapala.).
- If the Kapala is replaced in order to uncurse the player, it will be given to them as the next reward.
- Dying with the Ankh and reviving.
- Dying in Co-op and having a fellow player revive the player by breaking open a Coffin.
Curing Poison:
- Being kissed by a Pet at the end of a level. The Pet will inherit the poison for the player instead of healing them.
- Drinking the Elixir gained from completing the Stars Challenge in 4-2 of Temple of Anubis (Doing the Stars Challenge in Tide Pool will reward the Clone Gun instead).
- Sacrificing enough entities to a Kali Altar for her to produce a reward. She will instead cure the player.
- Unlike curing curse, Kali can cure the player of poison even before fulfilling the initial first 8 favor, and she will still grant the original award along with the cure.
- Dying with the Ankh and reviving.
- Dying in Co-op and having a fellow player revive the player by breaking open a Coffin.
It is a common misconception that Royal Jelly or Giant Food may cure poison. This is not the case, and the only consumable that will heal the player of poison is the Elixir. This myth was likely formed after players received both a poison cure and a Royal Jelly from a Kali Altar, leading some to believe that the Royal Jelly cured them of the poison.