Cove

Loading screen of Cove

“	These salt-soaked caverns are teeming with pelagic nightmares - they must be flushed out!	„
	~ The Narrator on entering a Skirmish expedition in the Cove

The Cove is the second to last dungeon that can be explored. It is a water-logged nightmare filled with pelagic horrors, once used by the Ancestor for unsavory deliveries - and unspeakable pacts.

The Ancestor once used the Cove as a means to deliver some of his more controversial artifacts, as well as a location to perform his pacts with the ancient beings in the water when money was scarce. The ancient fishmen that lived there were roused by the activity around their home, making it a habit to sink and kill any sailors that come near their domain, making them a threat to the marine shipments of provisions that the Hamlet relies on.

Cove Music

The music that plays during combat in the Cove is The Cove Battle.

Cove Strategy

Order of target elimination varies depending on the party's health and stress level. If the party is low on health, consider finishing Groupers first. If the party is reaching high stress, target back-row shamans. It is recommended to kill the Thrall as soon as possible no matter the circumstances, however. Leave maggots, stingers, and heavily armored enemies for last, as they are the least dangerous.

Provisions

• Medicinal herbs are extremely useful to debuff traps and attacks, as well as curios, like Eerie Coral (to heal negative quirks) and the Fish Carcass (which gives you food).
• Bring a few extra shovels for chests and oysters.
• Bandages are useful for occasional bleed attacks, specifically from Uca Crushers, who have "arterial pinch".
• Holy Water may be useful for Fish Idols.
• Antivenom may be useful for Brackish Tide Pools.
• Skeleton Key is occasionally needed for locked chests.
• If you have a Houndmaster in your team, Dog Treats can be used on oysters for a dodge buff.

Party Composition

Bleed is less effective due to fish scales. Conversely, blight damage is extremely useful due to low resistances and the presence of high PROT enemies with the ability to guard weaker foes. Stun resistance is useful as many Cove enemies use stun attacks. Increasing the PROT value of frontline heroes can be invaluable here, due to high damage enemies and lack of DOT attacks. It's also worth noting that the Occultist does increased damage against eldritch enemies, which can be very useful here.

Things to watch out for

• Thrall explosions
• Grouper damage
• Uca bleeds
• Trap debuffs

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List of Cove Monsters

Enemies found within the Cove
Enemy	HP	DODGE	PROT	SPD	Type	Resistances	Abilities
Pelagic Grouper	14	5%	0%	6	Eldritch	Stun - 10% Blight - 10% Bleed - 50% Debuff - 10% Move - 10%	"Seaward Slash" "Spearfishing"
Pelagic Shaman	12	7.5%	0%	10	Eldritch	Stun - 10% Blight - 10% Bleed - 50% Debuff - 20% Move - 10%	"Stress Wave" "Call of the Deep" "Ceremonial Cut" "Sea Breeze"
Pelagic Guardian	25	0%	33%	0	Eldritch	Stun - 25% Blight - 10% Bleed - 60% Debuff - 10% Move - 50%	"Octocestus" "Barnacle Barrier"
Sea Maggot	5	0%	75%	-5	Eldritch	Stun - 50% Blight - 20% Bleed - 40% Debuff - 10% Move - 10%	"Brine"
Deep Stinger	10	12.5%	0%	7	Eldritch	Stun - 50% Blight - 10% Bleed - 50% Debuff - 10% Move - 10%	"Shocker" "Salty Gourge"
Drowned Thrall	14	0%	0%	1	Eldritch Unholy	Stun - 50% Blight - 10% Bleed - 20% Debuff - 10% Move - 25%	"Gargling Grab" "The Revenge"
Uca Major	59	8.75%	50%	1	Eldritch	Stun - 70% Blight - 30% Bleed - 80% Debuff - 40% Move - 70%	"Arterial Pinch" "Tidal Slam"
Squiffy Ghast	55	33.5%	0%	8	Unholy	Stun - 115% Blight - 60% Bleed - 145% Debuff - 60% Move - 50%	"Maddening Shanty" "Offkilter Jig"
Drowned Crew	100	0%	0%	3	Unholy	Stun - 50% Blight - 20% Bleed - 60% Debuff - 20% Move - 200%	"All Hands on Deck!" "Mutiny" "Drink with the Dead" "Boarding Clutch"
Drowned Anchorman	14	0%	0%	0	Unholy	Stun - 25% Blight - 20% Bleed - 60% Debuff - 20% Move - 200%	"Heave To!"
Siren	119	12.5%	0%	5	Eldritch	Stun - 50% Blight - 40% Bleed - 60% Debuff - 40% Move - 25%	"Song of Desire" "High Tide" "Pressure Crash" "Devour"

Curios

Curios found within the Cove
Curio & type	Description	Cleansing	Without cleansing
Barnacle Crusted Chest Treasure.	"A treasure chest blanketed in barnacles." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Shovel. "The shovel makes easy work of the barnacles." Any Loot x3	50% Any loot x2. "There's still booty inside!" 25% Bleed. "The hero received a nasty gash." 25% Nothing. "Nothing inside."
Bas-Relief Knowledge; Worship.	"A puzzlingly ancient sculpture of dizzying implication..." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Shovel. "The bas-relief is crushed with the shovel. Doesn't feel right..." Stress +100	66.7% Positive Quirk. "The message has a lasting impact on the hero..." 22.2% Negative Quirk. "The message has a lasting impact on the hero..." 11.1% Disease
Brackish Tide Pool Drink; Fountain.	"A pool of water cupped in smooth stone. Its color looks sightly off..." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Antivenom. "The water is purified and cleanses the hero." Antivenom. "The water is purified and cleanses the hero." Heal 5 HP (50%) Stress Heal 6 (50%)	75% Buff +33% Blight, Bleed, Disease, Debuff Resistances until Camp. "The hero's resilience is heightened!" 25% Random Disease. "The water is contaminated..."
Eerie Coral Knowledge.	"There is something odd about this coral." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Medicinal Herbs. "Cleansing the coral brings out its profound healing qualities." Purge Negative Quirk	50% Stress Heal 10. "This coral is soothing to the mind." 25% Stress +25. "The coral is abrasive and unnerving" 25% Nothing. "Nothing here after all."
Fish Idol Unholy; Worship	"A strange presence is felt near this statue of worship." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)	Holy Water. "An aura of strength engulfs the hero!" Buff +18% DMG until Camp	50% Debuff -25% DMG, -10 ACC until Camp. "An evil force strength engulfs the hero!" 50% Debuff -12 DODGE until Camp. "An evil force strength engulfs the hero!"
Fish Carcass Food.	"A stuffed sea creature has washed ashore. Wonder what it ate..." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Medicinal Herbs. "The gut is cleansed, allowing a safe search of its contents." Gem/Trinkets x2 + Gem/Gold x1 + Supplies x2	16.7% Gem/Trinkets x1 Gold/Gem x1 + Supply x1. "The fish ate more than its fair share." 16.7% Disease: The Red Plague. "The creature is harbouring a dangerous infection." 11.1% Blight. "It's a trap!" 5.6% Bleed. "It's a trap!" 50% Nothing. "Only digested fish inside."
Giant Oyster Treasure; Scrounging.	"A live oyster. Who knows what value it hides..." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)	Shovel. "The shovel prevents the oyster from closing." Dog Treats. "The oyster seems to like these..." Gold/Trinkets x3 Buff +25 DODGE until Camp	40% Gold/Trinkets x2. "There are treasures hidden inside!" 40% Bleed. "The oyster slams shut!" 20% Nothing. "Someone has already cleaned house."
Ship's Figurehead Reflective.	"The figurehead emits a marvelous aura." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)		66.7% Stress Heal 25-30. "The great artifact inspires the hero!" 33.3% Buff +20% DMG, +4 SPD until Camp. "The great artifact inspires the hero!"

Curios found within all dungeons
Curio & type	Description	Cleansing	Without cleansing
Crate Treasure.	No description. (This curio can only appear along corridors.)		75% Heirloom. "The crate contains stashed heirlooms!" 25% Nothing. "The crate is empty."
Discarded Pack Scrounging; Treasure.	No description. (This curio can only appear along corridors.)		60% Supplies x1 + Gold/Gems x2 + Journal Entry. "The pack contains loot!" 20% Scouting. "The pack has a map inside it!" 20% Nothing. "The pack has already been looted."
Eldritch Altar Haunted; Unholy.	"An altar dedicated to unholy abominations. Perhaps a great power lies within." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)	Holy Water. "The holy water purifies the altar!" Purge Negative Quirk	40% Stress +25. "A terrifying presence is felt nearby!" 10% Purge Negative Quirk. "The hero is absolved of a sin." 50% Nothing. "The altar's purpose is purely decorative."
Heirloom Chest Treasure. (First Variant)	A chest with your family's sigil. (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)	Skeleton Key. "The key unlocks a hidden compartment!" Antivenom. "The antivenom neutralizes a poison trap in a hidden compartment!" Heirloom x4 Heirloom x3	75% Heirloom x2. "The contents are yours!" 12.5% Bleed. "It's trapped!" 12.5% Blight. "It's trapped!"
Heirloom Chest Treasure. (Second Variant)	"A chest with your family's sigil." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)	Skeleton Key. "The key unlocks a hidden compartment!" Shovel. Any loot x3 66.6% Any loot x2 33.3% Nothing	50% Any loot x2. "The contents are yours!" 25% Blight. "It's trapped!" 25% Bleed. "It's trapped!"
Sack Scrounging.	No description. (This curio can only appear along corridors.)		75% Gold. "The sack's contents are yours..." 25% Nothing. "The sack is empty."
Sconce Scrounging	No description. (This curio can only appear along corridors.)		100% Torch x1. "You salvage the unburned torch."
Shambler's Altar None.	It says: "The sacrifice of fire is the gate to ruin! Place a torch if you crave the void!" (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Torch. "A terrifying figure emerges from the darkness!" Summon Shambler	100% Nothing. "Touching the altar has no effect."
Stack of Books Knowledge.	"A stack of literary treasures in an unlikely location." (This curio can only appear along corridors.)	Torch. "The hero destroyed knowledge, and now must bear the guilt of it!" Stress +100	22.2% Stress +25. "The hero reads a most unsettling passage." 22.2% Random Positive Quirk (66.67%). "Reading a few pages has a lasting effect on the hero..." 11.1% Random Negative Quirk (33.33%). "Reading a few pages has a lasting effect on the hero..." 11.1% Decrease Light Meter by 25. "The hero reads a most unsettling passage." 16.7% Journal Entry. 16.7% Nothing. "The volumes are desiccated and unremarkable."
Unlocked Strongbox Treasure.	"A long-forgotten strongbox sits on the cold stone floor, its contents unknown." (This curio can only appear inside rooms.)		75% Any Loot x2. "The contents are yours!" 25% Blight. "It's trapped!"

Trivia

• The Cove was the only one of the main four areas not initially released in Early Access
• While every other area gets two extra monsters at Veteran level, the Cove only gets one: the Uca Crusher.
• The pelagic monsters may be based on the fish-human hybrid monsters from H. P. Lovecraft's novella The shadow over Innsmouth.