Use Matrix
Pick the usable route
Use this as a quick navigation board: scan each fight or build decision, then jump to the full breakdown and source frames below.
Unlock logic
The unlock pattern is relationship first, resource second. Give Nectar to open affinity, keep talking after runs, complete the character-specific favor when it appears, then spend Ambrosia. If nothing progresses, the missing step is usually dialogue timing, another run, or a broader story prerequisite rather than a secret room you failed to find.
How to use companions
Companions are strongest when they solve a predictable danger: burst a boss phase, delete a crowded elite room, or stabilize a bad Styx tunnel. Do not fire them just because the button is available. Save them for places where one instant swing preserves health or revives.
How to use this page in a run
Use this page as a quick decision aid before the next chamber or boss attempt. First identify the immediate problem, then pick the recommendation that solves that problem with the least extra execution. If the page is about a weapon or resource, treat it as a route choice rather than a trivia entry: the goal is a more stable run, not just knowing the item exists.
Quick Verdict
Build affinity with the right characters, complete their favor requirements, then spend Ambrosia to unlock companions. Do not expect Secret Stash to fill from normal chamber rewards.
Companions are tied to specific relationships and favors.
Ambrosia is the key late resource, so Nectar planning matters earlier.
Each companion has use limits and encounter restrictions; treat them as tactical tools.
Field Guide
How to use this page
Chthonic Companions and Secret Stash should not be treated as a trivia entry. Use it as a route decision before the next run: identify the current wall, then choose the lowest-execution answer that solves that wall.
If the problem is survival, prioritize safer spacing, keepsakes, Mirror choices, or weapon rhythm. If the problem is damage, identify which button carries the build. If the problem is resources, spend on upgrades that improve several future runs instead of only the current attempt.
Screenshots and video references are support material: they help you read tells, spacing, reward locations, or build direction. The written conclusions are the part to carry into the run.
Before entry
Use this Resource page to name the real job first: survival, damage, resources, or route clarity. A specific job keeps the run from being pulled off course by rarity, flashy clips, or tempting side rewards.
During the fight
Compress the advice into one action rule: wait for the tell, preserve spacing, clear adds first, take the core boon, or leave before greed damage begins. Good guidance should survive a messy screen.
After failure
Do not only ask whether the damage was high enough. Ask where health started disappearing, which reward did not serve the route, and whether the next run needs a different keepsake, Mirror setup, aspect, or starting god.
After reading Chthonic Companions and Secret Stash, do not jump straight to an unrelated entry. Test the advice in one run by changing a single variable: starting keepsake, primary damage button, boss phase plan, resource spending order, or the positioning shown in the reference frames. That makes the next review cleaner because you can tell which change actually improved the route.
If you only remember one rule: Chthonic Companions and Secret Stash is useful because it reduces hesitation in the next run. Anything that helps you decide when to attack, retreat, reroute, or preserve resources is what actually improves clear consistency.
A database page works best when it turns small decisions into a stable route. Read this page, follow the related entries, then test the idea in one escape attempt so the guide becomes practice rather than trivia.
Takeaways
- 01
Companions are tied to specific relationships and favors.
- 02
Ambrosia is the key late resource, so Nectar planning matters earlier.
- 03
Each companion has use limits and encounter restrictions; treat them as tactical tools.
Best Picks Breakdown
Actionable notes by section
Entry 1
Unlock logic
The unlock pattern is relationship first, resource second. Give Nectar to open affinity, keep talking after runs, complete the character-specific favor when it appears, then spend Ambrosia. If nothing progresses, the missing step is usually dialogue timing, another run, or a broader story prerequisite rather than a secret room you failed to find.
Visual Note
Secret Stash collection
Empty slots point to relationship progression, not random chamber drops.
Entry 2
How to use companions
Companions are strongest when they solve a predictable danger: burst a boss phase, delete a crowded elite room, or stabilize a bad Styx tunnel. Do not fire them just because the button is available. Save them for places where one instant swing preserves health or revives.
Visual Note
Companion route planning
Treat companion unlocks as a long-term social checklist with combat payoff.
Entry 3
How to use this page in a run
Use this page as a quick decision aid before the next chamber or boss attempt. First identify the immediate problem, then pick the recommendation that solves that problem with the least extra execution. If the page is about a weapon or resource, treat it as a route choice rather than a trivia entry: the goal is a more stable run, not just knowing the item exists.
- If survival is the problem, choose safety before damage.
- If the run lacks direction, choose one primary button or resource goal.
Visual Note
Secret Stash collection
Empty slots point to relationship progression, not random chamber drops.