Dark and Darker Ice Cavern

The Dark and Darker Ice Cavern map is a map that rounds out the current offerings from IRONMACE’s experience. The Crypts host trio-based dungeon experiences while the Goblin Cave provides a solo experience. However, the Ice Cavern is a map that caters specifically for duos! Let’s take a look at the map’s theme, layout and special locations plus mechanics.

Ice Cavern Map

The Ice Cavern operates differently from the other two available maps in Dark and Darker. For example, both the Crypts and Goblin Caves utilize Blue and Red portals to escape or move down a floor. However, in the Ice Cavern, your only method of escape is by using a static escape exit on the map! Another unique feature to the Ice Cavern is the noticeable lack of battle royale circle zone closing in. Instead, the later it gets into the Ice Cavern match, players begin to take damage over time from the frost. If the timer reaches zero, every player still inside the map becomes a block of ice, dying and losing everything.

Monsters Unique to Ice Cavern

The Ice Cavern is home to several unique variants of existing mobs, and some entirely new mobs:

Skeletons

Frost Skeleton Archer – An Archer that also Frostbites the player with arrows (Frostbite slows a player). Has a unique melee shove at close range that is fast in animation.
Frost Skeleton Crossbowman – A typical dangerous Crossbowman, however, also applies Frostbite on Bolt hits.
Frost Skeleton Footman – The Footman Frostbites players on Sword hits, also has access to a couple of unique attacks. One is a forward lunging stab that has a long range, the other is a wide diagonal swing.
Frost Skeleton Guardsman – The Guardsman has the exact same properties as the Footman but with a shield equipped.

Other Monsters

Frost Walker – Instead of creating a gas cloud like their normal counterparts, they instead create a close-proximity ice shroud. If you touch the ice shroud you take DoT damage and receive the Frostbite de-buff.
Frost Wolf – A typical wolf, re-skinned as a Frost variant.
Frost Giant Berserker – A huge humanoid monster found in the Ice Cavern. The Berserker wield two weapons, has a ton of HP and deals pretty significant damage. As a result, be careful when fighting one as they’re not slow either!
Frost Giant Shielder – A huge humanoid monster found in the Ice Cavern. Unlike the Berserker, the Shielder uses a door-sized two-handed Shield! The Shielder can concuss players for 5 seconds, rendering you helpless and in danger.

Ice Cavern Mini-Boss

The Mini-Boss that is unique to the Ice Cavern is the terrifying Wendigo monster. The Wendigo can be found in various locations of the map. While the Wendigo is not the tankiest of mini-bosses in Dark and Darker, it makes up for that with large damage and fast movement speed. As a result, be sure to go for the kill sooner rather than later as this monster can chase you down in a heartbeat.

The Wendigo can be found in the following locations on the map:

Points of Interest

Within the Ice Cavern there is a decent amount of rooms to visit, due to the 5×5 nature of the map. However, some rooms yield far better average loot or EXP for leveling than others. Two rooms within the map also have a unique escape mechanic!

Ice Pyramid

The Pyramid room may initially be familiar to players that’ve explored the Crypt map. However, the Ice Pyramid is actually a far better room for loot overall. The main floor of the room is host to several Skeleton monsters, small chests and a static escape gate. A key trait of this particular room is at the very top and below the Pyramid itself. At the top of the Pyramid, there is a guaranteed spawn for a Blue rarity weapon EVERY match. This fact alone can provide a nice steady loot income each match.

On the West side of the Pyramid is an entrance leading to below the Pyramid. This spot is fantastic too for grabbing a ton of extra loot and kill EXP. Many of the monsters below drop valuables such as Rings and Necklaces.

dark and darker ice cavern map pyramid under

Treasure Hoard – Central Room

The very centre of the 5×5 Ice Cavern is home to an otherwise hard to come by type of looting method in Dark and Darker. Defended by a Wendigo and several other monsters, the central room of the map includes a Treasure Hoard! For those that have less experience with Dark and Darker, a Treasure Hoard is an interactable gold pile that lets you infinitely loot! Each successful interaction with the Treasure Hoard puts a random amount of items and quality of items into your inventory. As a result, this location is without a doubt a hotspot for both loot and PVP!

Unique Extraction Mechanics

In the Ice Caverns, a couple of rooms in the map has a unique escape mechanic brand new to the Ice Cavern. There is a little boat icon on one the rooms map, and this is not just for show. At a certain point of the match, a raft spawns in this particular room, additionally, if a player jumps onto the raft and rides it to its destination – you extract from the dungeon! This raft also lets multiple players to escape on it at the same time, due to the duo nature of the map.

Elevator Extraction

The second unique extraction on the Ice Cavern map is also able to extract multiple players. Towards the north of the map, a single room has a blue square icon on the map in the middle of the room (refer to the map image at the start of the guide). The elevator itself is gated off until a certain point of the match and can be protected by a Wendigo. However, once the gates open up you can jump down to the Elevator, pull the lever next to it and ascend out of the map!

In every room, however, be sure to watch out above you as glacial spikes can form and fall down onto you.

Duo Class Recommendations

For Duos, we currently recommend the following class compositions on Ice Cavern:

Cleric and Fighter – This comp has it all and is very high tier right now. Healing, ranged damage both physical and magical, tankiness – you name it! This comp is easy to pull off too so make the most of it.
Wizard and Warlock – A magical double threat with the potential of frontline due to the Warlocks melee prowess. This comp clears rooms fast and melts players just as quickly.