Difficulty Settings Guide
As of September 5, 2026, The Blood of Dawnwalker has four preset difficulty modes plus a granular custom option. Difficulty can be changed at any time from the Settings menu (Gameplay tab → Difficulty Preset) — it isn't locked in at the start.
Which Difficulty Should You Pick?
The right answer depends on what you're playing for, not a single "best" setting:
- Casual / story-focused players: Story mode. More stamina and slower enemies keep combat from getting in the way of the narrative — turn on Auto Block too if the directional combat system trips you up, so a mistimed block still connects (at a stamina cost) instead of failing outright.
- First-time players who know action RPGs: Fair gives a balanced, default experience. If you want more of a test while you learn the systems, Challenging raises enemy aggression and tightens stamina management without going all the way to Duelist.
- Speedrunners: Story mode clears mandatory fights fastest. For an even quicker time-to-kill without raising enemy aggression, a custom mix of Duelist's RPG setting (lower enemy health) with Story's Action setting (passive, slow enemies) is the combination this page's source recommends.
- Veterans wanting a real challenge: Duelist. No directional attack indicators at all — you read enemy animations instead — on top of tougher, faster, harder-hitting enemies and much less of Coen's own stamina.
The Four Presets
| Difficulty | What Changes |
|---|---|
| Story | Easiest. Enemies are weaker and slower; Coen has more stamina. Good for a narrative-focused playthrough — turn on Auto Block if directional combat feels frustrating. |
| Fair | Standard. All of Coen's and enemies' stats sit at default values. |
| Challenging | Hard. Enemies are more aggressive and hit harder; Coen has less stamina. |
| Duelist | Hardest. No on-screen directional attack indicators at all — you read enemy animations instead. Enemies have less health but are far more aggressive and hit much harder; Coen has much less stamina. |
Custom Difficulty
Beyond the four presets, the Gameplay settings menu lets you mix and match: RPG Difficulty (enemy health/damage and Coen's stamina) and Action Difficulty (enemy attack speed and how hard perfect blocks are to land) can each be set independently using the same four preset names, plus separate toggles for the directional attack indicator, damage numbers, Auto Block, mid-combat consumable use, simplified special-attack inputs, combat finishers, and the perfect-block slow-motion effect.
Does Difficulty Change the Story?
No — choosing a difficulty does not change how Coen's story plays out. It does, however, gate one trophy: Uphill Battle, unlocked by completing the entire game on the Duelist preset while saving the people of Laslea.
FAQ
What's the hardest difficulty in The Blood of Dawnwalker?
Duelist — no directional attack indicators, tougher enemies, and much less stamina for Coen.
Does difficulty affect the ending?
No. Difficulty doesn't change the story outcome, though the Uphill Battle trophy specifically requires finishing the game on Duelist.
Can I change difficulty mid-game?
Yes, any time from Settings → Gameplay → Difficulty Preset. One thing to watch for: the Uphill Battle trophy requires completing the entire game on Duelist, so if you're going for it, switching away from Duelist at any point — even briefly — risks not counting. If that trophy matters to you, it's safer not to touch the preset once you've started on Duelist.