The Dungeon Keeper 2 Iceberg
An Iceberg is an exploitable image format used to display levels of knowledge on a given topic. The top of the iceberg is labelled with commonly-known facts and the levels below are labelled with increasingly obscure facts. For any newcomers, this is not my first iceberg! I actually made a previous one on the Petz series of all things...definitely a far-cry from slaughtering innocent townspeople, that's for sure!
The Sky - Well-known Trivia
Section Menu (14 items total)
- Creature Names - Each creature, friend or foe, has a computer-generated name.
- Dead Lords and Keepers - A handful of Lords and Keepers are as good as dead before you can even meet them. The deceased include Keeper Gormagon, Lord Bramble, Lord Brutus and Lord Ronin.
- Glowing Knight Sword - In the intro cut-scene, the knight that fights Horny wields a glowing purple sword. In-game knights don’t have these swords.
- Heroes hate Creatures - With enough torturing, you can convert those pesky heroes to your side. This is a very useful trick, as some hero units are stronger than their creature counterparts. Unfortunately, there is a caveat. Even the most damned, broken souls don't want their roommates to be literal hell-spawns. If you try to house heroes and creatures together, they'll get quite upset about it. The quickest way to get them complaining is to try and make them share a lair. Luckily, the solution is a simple one. Build hero-exclusive rooms, get some doors, move some creatures and you're sorted.
- Horny's voices - Horny in game sounds like the bellowing beast you'd expect him to be. But in the promotional clips, he sounds downright meek. He even has an adorable stammer.
- Imps fighting - Imps are pacifists but under the right conditions they can fight. The most well-known instance of this is if two opposing imps are trying to claim a tile. The lesser known instance is if a dungeon heart's being attacked. They won't do a very good job but it's the thought that counts.
- Jackpot Winner! - When a creature wins a jackpot in the Casino, the Mentor will exclaim "Jackpot winner!". Then, the game will play "Disco Inferno" and everyone will start partying like it's 1999.
- Monks destroy Vampires - Vampires are threatening late-game creatures with a coffin full of nasty surprises. They can drain health, raise the dead, and remain completely fearless in combat. Even when they're bested, any vampires above level 1 will go down a level instead of dying outright. But if a Monk lands the fatal blow, the vampire will die and stay dead, no matter the level.
- My Pet Dungeon - My Pet Dungeon is the game’s sandbox mode. It allows you to build dungeons, slaughter heroes and experiment at your own leisure. The heroes you fight are not set by any kind of timer, and there's no Lords of the Land to best. Instead, you can summon waves of heroes with a single button-press. These waves can happen as single incursions or as a near-constant siege. If defending against sieges isn't your thing, you can toy with them individually. All My Pet Dungeon maps contain a "Hero Room", which is surrounded by bedrock and completely inaccessible. While your creatures can't get to them, you can, so pluck some out with the Hand of Evil. To make them tougher, you can turn a casino-style crank to level them up. Below is a list of the mode's maps, complete with some basic blurbs.
Liberty = Your dungeon is inside a spacious ring of bedrock. Outside of this lie rivers of water and lava, alongside some treats to claim. Firstly, there a large mana seam to the top right. Further down there is an unclaimed workshop to the bottom right. Inside the Workshop there's a level 10 neutral Troll. To the left of the Workshop is an unclaimed Guard Room that'll rapidly fill your dungeon with Dark Elves. Finally, on the top left of the map, the hero gate lies.
Discovery = Your dungeon sprawls across a series of islands. There are seven gem seams, the most in the entire mode.
Bottleneck = Your dungeon remains in a claustrophobic hourglass shape. Worse yet, there is a finite amount of gold, and no Create Gold Spell. Best defeat this one quickly.
Recruits = Your dungeon lies within a ring of water and islands. There is no portal in this realm, so to compensate, there is a wandering bunch of neutral creatures.
Furnace = Your dungeon sprawls across a series of islands. This time, they’re surrounded by lava.
Masterpiece = Your dungeon is a canvas, and you are the artist. There are hardly any limits to building in this realm, so have fun and see what you can come up with. At the northwest point of the map there is a fortified hero-base instead of an unprotected gate.
Torment = Your dungeon dwells in a water-logged realm. You start on two islands, and build out from there. Next to these are two unclaimed island fortresses to take over and build things in. The northern swathes of this realm are full of traps, which will claim many of your imps. But, because this is a nice cosy sandbox mode, there’s plenty of prizes to claim. - Overworking Trolls and Bile Demons - A well-known method for pumping out traps and doors is to lock your Trolls and Bile Demons in the Workshop. Because they won’t be able to escape, they’ll be forced to carry on working. But, if they get too unhappy they’ll smash the doors down and see themselves out. You can prevent this by building a lair and a hatchery in said workshop. Then it’s only an issue of making sure they’re paid…or not!
- Possession is OP - So much so that speedrunners have made a "No Possession" category for the game. Possession, as its name implies, lets you nab one of your creatures and go into a first-person mode. This lasts until you run out of mana or you relinquish control of your victim. Possession’s cheapness, quick cooldown-timer and ease of movement make it very easy to abuse. Most possession spell footage you’ll see is just people circle-strafing things to death. It’s by far the most effective on traps, as they tend to have short ranges and sluggish cooldown timers. While a fast-moving creature will give you the best results, you should be able to outwit the enemy AI just fine. The only problems you'll have is falling prey to your own hubris. No, you should not try to solo that group of giants.
- Slapping - By right-clicking, you can use the hand of evil to slap your creatures. Slap Imps to make them work faster, and slap Mistresses to make them happy. Besides this, slapping puts your creatures in a less-than-stellar mood. If you're feeling especially cruel, you can slap them to death. This can also be done to enemies in your prisons and torture chambers.
- Unusual Lose Conditions - You can lose several levels without losing your dungeon heart. These are few and relatively far-between, but they go as follows:
1. Rout/Sweetwater - If Lord Ironhelm escapes into his portal.
2. Ambush/Silverstream - If Lord Voss escapes into his portal.
3. Smash/Woodsong - If Keeper Asmodeus is slain by the Sylvan Elves.
4. Interception/Butterscotch - If any of the three Princes die or escape. - Woodsong Difficulty - Woodsong is widely considered by fans to be the hardest level of the main campaign. Before I proceed, here's what our Mentor says about it.
"Woodsong. The Land of Woodsong has been conquered by that weasel of a Keeper Asmodeus, who dares to claim the Portal Gem for himself. Pursued by the Sylvan Elves, Asmodeus has sealed himself and the Portal Gem in his dungeon and prepares for a long siege." - The Mentor
This might not sound like much at first, after all, you've done a good few sieges before. However, there's two very nasty curve-balls that this level throws at you. First of all, its timer. You only have 45 minutes to assemble a siege force, cross the level and destroy Asmodeus. If the timer runs out, the heroes will destroy him instead and you'll lose. Now onto the second horrible thing, the heroes themselves. In this level, they're especially aggressive, and you have to cross a whole encampment of them. No secret passages this time, we left those back in Sweetwater. Worse yet, their aggression's not just for Asmodeus. The second they spot you, they'll launch constant attacks on your dungeon heart. That is, if the two hero gates to your sides haven't gotten to you first. Have fun now!
The Ice - Gameplay trivia
Section Menu (18 items total)
- Burning Bridge Glitch
- Cheats
- Chicken Possession
- Comedic Mentor Lines
- Fansites
- Fighting Styles
- Firefly Bug Zapper
- Hidden Realms
- Highest Creature Wages
- Horny hates Water
- Maidens
- Mentor Losing Quotes
- Multiplayer only levels
- Prison Escapes
- Rats in the Prison
- Rogues are Not Attracted by Treasuries
- Self-Sacrificing Creatures
- Skirmish Keeper AI
- Burning Bridge Glitch - When the tile of a burnt wooden bridge is sold or destroyed, the rest of the bridge will regenerate to full health. This glitch is exclusive to version 1.7, and is very easy to witness in-game.
- Cheats- Like most games, Dungeon Keeper 2 has its share of cheats.
- Chicken Possession - Creatures are not the only things you can possess. Unlike other instances of possession, you can't do anything with your chicken. All you can do is watch as it mindlessly bobs around until something eats it. Once you're "eaten", you're taken out of Possession and left to watch the remains of your feathery friend. At least she was delicious.
- Comedic Mentor Lines - The Mentor, while being a reliable source of information, can come out with some rather comedic lines. These lines tend to happen at particular times, or if you do something out of the ordinary. Page 137 of the Dungeon Keeper 2 Prima Strategy Guide provides a useful masterlist of all these lines in written form, but I've also put them here for direct reference.
- Fansites - Everything, from video games to spam, can have a fan-site. Dungeon Keeper 2 is no exception to this rule, with the majority of these originating from the 2000s. Nowadays, few DK2 fan-sites remain intact, whether they are live or stored on Archive.org. Sadly for us fans, some of these have inetivably slipped into the realm of lost media.
- Fighting Styles - All creatures (Good and evil) have unique fighting styles that you can exploit in your battles. There's four in total, Blocker, Blitzer, Flanker and Support.
Blockers fight defensively and should be used to hold ground. Blockers consist of Bile Demons, Black Knights, Giants, Goodly knights, Guards, Maidens, Royal Guards, Stone Knights, The three Princes and Trolls.
Blitzers aim for direct assaults and serve as shock troops. Blitzers consist of Dark Angels, Mistresses, Skeletons, Vampires, King Reginald (Not that you can recruit him but the more you know) and Horny.
Flankers try to sneak behind enemy lines, being too weak for direct combat. Flankers consist of Dwarves, Fairies, Fireflies, Goblins, Monks, Rogues, Salamanders and Thieves.
Supports provide aid to the latter two groups with magical spells and ranged attacks, also being unsuited for direct combat. Supports consist of Dark Elves, Elven Archers, Warlocks and Wizards. - Firefly Bug Zapper - Placing fireflies into your torture chamber’s electric chairs will kill them instantly. Very useful if you have a surplus of flies and you need a quick way to dispose of them.
- - Like Dungeon Keeper 1, there are hidden realms to unlock during the campaign. These consist of Golf, Duckshoot, Maze, Bowling and Imp Invasion.
- Highest Creature Wages - Dark Angels and Vampires have the highest wages in the entire game. At level 10, they demand a hefty 1875 pieces of gold each Payday!
- Horny hates Water - Horny, while being an invincible force of pure evil, will groan in pain if he crosses bodies of water. Amusingly this can happen in the end-of-level cutscenes where he arrives to get the portal gems, growling and groaning all the way.
- Maidens - Maidens are a type of creature absent in the Main Campaign but present in other modes. These creatures resemble driders, and were implemented in the 1.7 patch. She's also unique for the distinctive laugh and snort she'll make when entering through a portal.
- Mentor Losing Quotes - The Mentor has some...choice words for you if you lose a level.
- Multiplayer Only Levels - Here there are only two. Islands takes place in a lava-filled level and resembles the Skirmish level Hopping. The other level is Platform, which resembles the Skirmish level King of the Hill.
- Prison Escapes - If your prison is full and you try to put even more creatures inside it, it will result in a gaolbreak. According to the Prima Official Strategy Guide, the chance of a gaolbreak grows to 50% a second.
- Rats in the Prison - In the prison, tiny rats will spawn and scurry about the place. These can be slapped into red goo.
- Rogues are Not Attracted by Treasuries - In My Pet Dungeon, the Mentor erroneously states that Treasuries will attract Rogues.
- Self-Sacrificing Creatures - While praying in the Unholy Temple, some of your creatures can fall into the sacrificial pool. Like intentional player-chosen sacrifices, this will kill the creatures. Whether this is a glitch or an intended game-play feature remains unknown to fans.
One argument for it being a glitch is that the Mentor doesn’t “notice” when this happens. He's omnipresent within the confines of your levels and he doesn't miss very much at all. It would also be in-character for this game’s humorous tone to point this out.
One argument for it being intentional is the specific nature of these happenings. Vampires are reportedly the most prone to this unusual demise. Given that all creatures have their own unique statistics, this is not implausible. Vampires will pray by default if they're idle, and there could be something in their AI that makes them do this. Regardless of why it happens, it's a royal pain to deal with unless you lock everyone out the temple. - Skirmish Keeper AI - The enemy Keepers in Skirmish mode have several AI "personalities". How a Keeper will behave depends on what "personality" the player sets them to. There's not a detailed guide on how they work, but their names (and fan anecdotes) give us some help here.
1. Master Keeper is self-explanatory. This AI attempts to replicate what the programmers see as a "competent" Keeper.
2. Stalwart is a description this game's quite fond of. As the name implies, this AI attempts to convey a sturdy, confident personality.
3. Guardian is a more defensive variation of the "Stalwart" personality. This type is not as interested in attacking the Player.
4. Conqueror is the most combative AI personality of the lot. It will train creatures and immediately try to make territorial gains.
5. Thick Skinned plays much like the "Guardian" personality. This type has a penchant for large, developed rooms, which it will watch over quietly.
6. Paranoid has inconsistent tactics, and alternates between offensive and defensive actions.
7. Idiot as a personality is more "eccentric" than stupid. It likes to build small rooms all over the place, but in doing so, it lures in a variety of creatures.
8. Psychotic, in this context, implies an "erratic", "jittery" sort of personality. This type appears to behave much like the "Paranoid" personality.
9. Grayman is the oddest of the lot, as it has no fighting instincts at all.
do not fear the reaper = Wins the current level.
feel the power = All your creatures are instantly levelled up to level 10.
fit the best = All traps and doors become available.
ha ha thisaway ha ha thataway = Gives you 100,000 Mana.
i believe its magic = All spells become available.
this is my church = All rooms become available.
now the rain has gone = Permanently reveals the entire map.
show me the money = Gives you gold.
No user input for 160 seconds = "The very rock yawns with anticipation of your next fascinating move."
No user input for 160 seconds and more than 4 mistresses in the Torture Chamber = "You’ll go blind, you know."
After two hours of play on a level = "If you were any kind of a real Keeper you would have won by now."
If you own more than 10 Mistresses = "You have an excess of Mistresses. There’s a word for Keepers like you."
If you play at Midnight = "It is the Witching Hour. Curses are half-price."
If you play at 1am = "Surely, even Dungeon Keepers must retire to a Lair of some description?" (He yawns)
If you play at 2am = "Hello? Are you still there? The Imps are about to lock up."
If you play at 3am = "You know that low, broad, downy-soft item of furniture in the next room? It has the power to cure fatigue and restore vitality."
If you play at 3:15am = "Your nocturnal perseverance has earned you a hidden gaming tip...Go to bed!"
If you play on Halloween, both at midnight and 6:06pm = "Trick or treat. Keeper! Buwahahahahahaha!"
Random, every 40 minutes = "A lost soul has entered your Dungeon. Oh — no, it’s wandered out again."
Random, every 40 minutes = "A neutral creature sends word that he can’t make it today."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Big monsters! Big prizes! I love it!"
Random, every 40 minutes = "Hungry Demons cannot reach their toes."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Keeper, you have something unpleasant under your fingernail."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Micro-piglets stalk your Dungeon. Beware!"
Random, every 40 minutes = "Never eat anything bigger than your own head. Keeper."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Timing is...everything."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your Dungeon floor is lumpy. Order your minions to jump up and down."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your Dungeon is damp. Install central heating."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your Dungeon is full of yoghurt."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your Dungeon is on an incline. Angry creatures cannot play marbles.
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your Lair has been re-carpeted."
Random, every 40 minutes = "Your minions demand cable."
"You have lost your dungeon heart to the weakest lord in the entire kingdom of Harmonia! And we had such high hopes for you..." - Losing Warcry
"You lost to the lord of the land of Sing-Song, where their motto is You hum it, and I'll join in. Unbelievable!...We really believed in you, but to fall at so pathetic a hurdle..." - Losing Enchantments
"You did all the hard work, built a dungeon and raised all that cash, only to watch someone else leave with it. Not much of a success, were you?" - Losing Greed
"It seems that Lord Ludwig's faith in his followers was justified; they made mincemeat out of your minions and demolished your dungeon! A very poor show indeed..." - Losing Snipers
"A sad end to a promising career, Keeper...If you are ruled by your fears, how can you rule the kingdom? Such a pity..." - Losing Fear
"Truly pathetic, Keeper! You showed real promise! I allowed you to use the dark mistress and you allowed your dungeon heart to be destroyed!" - Losing Besieged
"You have the reactions of a Bile Demon drunk on Snot-Wine! What did I ever see in you?..." - Losing Rout
"You know what they say...If you can't stand the heat, you're a pathetic and broken Keeper. You now await the same fate as Gormagon." - Losing Caverns
"When resources are limited, you use them wisely, not waste them randomly fighting your enemies! I taught you better than that, fallen one." - Losing Aftermath
"The ambushers became the ambushed! You should have learned by now how to destroy someone so weak!" - Losing Ambush
"Defeated by the effeminate elves and a weak Keeper...and you were doing so well...." - Losing Smash
"I am greatly disappointed to see you defeated by this group of pathetic wretches! Perhaps I will offer them an alliance, you are not fit to serve me." - Losing Carnage
"Malachai has proven himself to be your better! Perhaps he needs the guiding hand of a new mentor." - Losing Scavenge
"So, you failed to convert a gaggle of simple-minded religious fanatics to your cause. How disappointing." - Losing Conversion
"Even with the power to summon the great Reaper himself you lie defeated. You are not worthy of him, your end is deserved you pathetic wretch!" - Losing Reap
"Overcome by the glamour of fairies, such a sad end. You will face eternity locked in a cell with your dim-witted Black Knight allies. I hear the fairies believe singing is a great cure for evil, something I'm sure you'll get used to." - Losing Crusade
"Did the pretty little fairies not let you get past them?...Pathetic. I have better things to do with my time than watch you embarass yourself!" - Losing Storm
"It seems the king was correct to face you here...His mighty army now stands poised to reclaim this entire realm, and it is all your fault! You have failed me for the last time, Keeper!" - Losing Creep
"You failed to gain favour with the Dark Angels. Soon this land shall have a new ruler...such a pity it was not you."
"You have defeated many powerful foes, but when it really mattered you proved...a miserable failure. Courage and nerves of steel are vital weapons in the armoury of any Keeper who desires success...A poor time to come up short on both." - Losing Brotherhood
"After defeating countless strong heroes and many demented Keepers, you allow three foppish princes to evade your pitiful clutches! You are obviously not destined to rule." - Losing Interception
"Only now...At the end, do you understand. You had it all, and you let it slip from your grasp. King Reginald has claimed all the Portal Gems for himself, and will use them for the power of good. I must return now to the darkness below. You however, shall remain here as a prisoner of the king...and I was so sure you were the one." - Losing Regicide
The Waters - Mysterious gameplay things
- Boulders can hit Dungeon Hearts - As stated on page 113 of the Prima Official Strategy Guide, Boulder traps can damage Dungeon Hearts. This appears to be unique to this particular trap.
- Butterscotch Secret Door Trick - The penultimate level is a tricky one, as the Princes will bolt at the faintest sign of a threat. The easiest solution to this puzzle is to lure a Prince onto a Stone Bridge. This has to be done with an Imp, as none of the three feel threatened by Imps. Then, once the Prince is on the bridge, sell the tiles he isn’t standing on to create an “island”. Repeat this for the other Princes until all three are ready for torture, and the level is in the bag.
There is, however, another way. Instead of teasing the Princes onto bridges, you can corral them with Secret Doors. As special as they are, they can’t see through these doors. Better yet, because they don’t register imps as threats, the doors can be set up without causing alarm. Once the trap is set, you can take advantage of your shiny new checkpoints and relish in a scheme well done. Oh, how royally humiliating. - Call to Arms Exploit - If you're laying siege and it's coming up to payday, use Call-to-Arms to do a little wage theft. All creatures, regardless of what they are, have to obey the spell. Even if they're absolutely miserable, they have to do it.
- Chickens to Fill - One of the most unusual creature parameters is “Chickens to fill”. This is the number of chickens it takes to satiate a creature’s hunger. Dwarves, Elven Archers, Fairies, Fireflies, Goblins and Salamanders only need one chicken. Meanwhile Bile Demons and Giants are the most hungry creatures, needing five per meal. The more voracious a creature is, the less health it’ll regenerate per chicken.
- Coats of Arms - Each level has its own coat of arms. These tend to appear as plaques in hero fortresses. A keen-eyed Player may notice that some realms share the same designs, these being:
1. Sing-Song and Cherry Blossom.
2. Shadygrove and Heartland.
3. Elmshadow and Sweetwater.
4. Silverstream and Woodsong.
5. Goldenglade and Cherish.
6. Stonekeep and Moonshrine. - Conversion Time - This parameter is the amount of time it takes to break a creature through torture. The most durable creatures are level 10 Royal Guards, which take 1080 seconds to convert. I’ve done the math for you and it takes 18 minutes. I am not joking, this is all in the Prima Strategy guide. Then immediately beneath them, Level 10 Mistresses last 840 seconds, or 14 minutes.
- Custom Maps and Campaigns - Like other games, Dungeon Keeper 2 has its share of modded content. It's mainly custom maps, but there's also some custom campaigns as well. These can range from fun novelties to grueling endurance marathons. Here's a selection of the most well known ones:
The Kasabian Campaign, by Skarok
This campaign takes place in an alternate timeline. The Keeper you played as in the original campaign fell to Lord Pureheart. Nemesis didn't fare much better, he fell to the three Princes not long after. With these two major Keepers dead, you are here to exploit the power vacuum for yourself. Now you must fight on the edges of Harmonia to win the war underground and finally spill the old king’s blood. It can be discovered on this Keeper Klan thread.
The Forgotten One, by Crafty
This campaign also takes place in an alternate timeline. Instead of falling to Pureheart, the original Keeper fell to Reginald himself. Worse yet, he lost all the Portal Gems in the process. Empowered by their victory, the goodly forces strove to massacre the remaining Keepers. In the aftermath of the bloodshed, you persist as The Forgotten One. The shadowy Mentor that advised so many of your dead kin has returned, and this time, to help you. So, as the last Keeper in Harmonia, it’s up to you to finish the deed and avenge your brethren. It can be discovered on this Keeper Klan thread.
The Veteran Version, by Crafty
This is an overhauled version of the vanilla campaign, and it is a sight to behold. The maps are completely remodeled, and they’re teeming with high-level heroes. Your enemies are far more cunning than before, and they're happy to swarm you the second you get too close. No level is a tutorial, no level lets you sit still. It's a dog-eat-dog world, and if that isn't the Keeper lifestyle, I don't know what is. It can be discovered on this Keeper Klan thread. - Dark Angel in Regicide - In the final level, a Dark Angel can be released from the bedrock north of your dungeon. To do this, a firefly, a warlock and a black knight must be sacrificed in succession. The problem with this is the fact you get one piddly little firefly. Yes, one firefly in the entire level. No refunds. Said fly has a penchant for flying north of your dungeon and out of your sight. There, it'll get itself blown the fuck up by all of Reginald's sentry traps. You can prevent this tragedy by nabbing the fly and shutting it in a tiny room. While it'll grumble about having no work to do, it won't cause any mischief while you grab the other creatures.
- Dungeon Keeper 2 Editor - This program lets you create your very own maps and edit all sorts of parameters. It's a fun toy, and unlike other editors of this nature, it doesn't have a steep learning curve.
- Floating Creature Glitch - This glitch can happen when you try to put a creature back into the portal. Instead of vanishing back into the nether, the poor thing just has to sit there in floating purgatory. If you leave it there long enough, it'll grow angry due to its needs going unmet. Once it's angry it'll start rebelling and now you have an enemy creature floating in your portal.
Sorting this problem was challenging for me at first, but I figured it out. You can't grab the creature, so you'll need one of your other creatures to come and knock it unconscious. This can't be done with normal melee combat, as this can't actually hit it. Instead, you'll need to get a projectile-lobbing beasty like a Warlock to do the job. Once it's downed, it'll show up on an adjacent tile and ready for some "re-education". That, or you can leave it to rot. - Levelling Imps quickly - One known method to level your imps is to cast the Tremour spell on your own walls. The imps will repair the damaged walls and gain experience from it.
- Lightning Trap Water Damage - As stated on page 115 of the Prima Official Strategy Guide, the Lightning trap will do double damage if its victim is in water.
- North/South Bug - This bug is most-noticed in multiplayer, and frequently exploited by its players. Any units fighting from the south of the map are stronger than those of the north. When two equally-strong units meet, the creature from below is more likely to win.
- Regicide Gem Seam - In Regicide, you can find a gem seam in the top right confines of the map. Before you can get it, you'll have to deal with a handful of mid-level giants. Defeat these brutes and you’ll give Reginald an even worse time than before.
- Reginald Regeneration - King Reginald regenerates his health as long as he stays on his own land. As you're besieging him, this can be problematic.
- Sacrifice Combinations - If you sacrifice certain things in the Unholy Temple, the Dark Gods shall reward you accordingly...
- Speedruns - If a video game exists, it can have speed-runs. The earliest speedrun dates back to 2013, run by Anthony Malmgren. His run was segmented, and topped off at at 2 hours 13 minutes. The current world record holder as of writing is AlenorEmblem, with a 46:05.
- Stone Knight Names - King Reginald's two pets actually have names, just like any other creature. Apparently "Bez" and "Vegan" were the best ones he could come up with.
- Strongest Creature - The strongest creature is not Horny, King Reginald or the Stone Knights, but the elite Dark Angel Zachariah. He’s also the second-best researcher, tying with Kessler Van Doom.
- That one diagonally-digging-dwarf in Regicide - Now granted, dwarves like doing this as is, but this guy is something else. For some reason, this one bastard dwarf loves ruining the corners of my dungeon. It's the worst breach possible because you can't even plug up the hole with a secret door. There's no double doors, and there's certainly no diagonal doors. I've never seen him dig straight, ever. He always spawns in from the right-hand side and I have to drop everything to kill him specifically.
- "This isn't a wishing well, Keeper" - If you try to sacrifice gold to the Unholy Temple, the Mentor will tell you just that.
- Threat Points - This parameter judges how intimidating an individual creature is. The higher the number, the more frightening it is to its enemies. The most terrifying units in the game are Horny and King Reginald, both standing at 280 threat points. Beneath them are Lords of the Land at 160 threat points, and Dark Angels at 140 threat points.
Click here to see the lot:
| Creature | Creature | Creature | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Vampires | -- | -- | Bile Demon |
| 2 Trolls | -- | -- | Warlock |
| 2 Salamanders | -- | -- | Mistress |
| 2 Dark Elves | -- | -- | Troll |
| 2 Warlocks | -- | -- | Goblin |
| 2 Rogues | -- | -- | Salamander |
| 2 Skeletons | 1 Firefly | -- | Dark Elf |
| 2 Black Knights | -- | -- | Vampire |
| 2 Bile Demons | -- | -- | Rogue |
| 2 Mistresses | -- | -- | Skeleton |
| 1 Guard | 1 Mistress | -- | Black Knight |
| 1 Black Knight | 1 Warlock | 1 Firefly | Imp |
| Creature | Creature | Spell | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Black Knight | -- | Turncoat | Knight |
| 1 Goblin | -- | Create Imp | Dwarf |
| 1 Bile Demon | Salamander | Tremor | Giant |
| 1 Warlock | -- | Inferno | Wizard |
| 1 Dark Elf | -- | Sight of Evil | Elven Archer |
| 1 Mistress | -- | Create Gold | Thief |
| 1 Vampire | Guard | Heal | Monk |
| 1 Mistress | Firefly | Thunderbolt | Fairy |
| 1 Rogue | Dark Elf | Call to Arms | Guard |
| Creature | Creature | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Imp | 1 Bile Demon | Gas Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Giant | Boulder Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Warlock | Sentry Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Dark Elf | Alarm Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Salamander | Fireburst Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Mistress | Lightning Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Fairy | Freeze Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Skeleton | Fear Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Troll | Trigger Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Black Knight | Spike Trap |
| 1 Imp | 1 Thief | Wooden Door |
| 1 Imp | 1 Guard | Braced Door |
| 1 Imp | 1 Knight | Steel Door |
| 1 Imp | 1 Wizard | Magic Door |
| 1 Imp | 1 Rogue | Secret Door |
| 1 Imp | 1 Elven Archer | Barricade |
Deeper Waters - Secretive gameplay things
- Elite Creatures - Elite creatures are more powerful versions of their normal counterparts. Each elite creature has a unique name and appearance, making them easy to distinguish. When one of these creatures arrives, a loud trumpet sound will herald their arrival. To attract them, you must build rooms in a very particular way. This can be found on wikis and other resources, but I've created a list down below.
Click here to see the lot:
Grubb the Goblin
“Keeper, meet the Goblin known as Grub - he's got a flaming sword with which he can hurl fireballs.”
Description: Grubb, unlike normal Goblins, wears armour. His armour is dull, and the sword he wields is golden.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 3x3 Lair with 1 tile Hatchery in each corner.
Bzzt the FireFly
“We are honoured with the presence of a special creature in your ranks. A speedy Firefly known as Bzzt, he’s distinguished in appearance by his purple haze.”
Description: Bzzt, unlike normal Fireflies, is black instead of brown. He also has a purple stinger instead of a yellow one.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 3x3 Hatchery with 1 tile Lair in each corner.
Almeric the Warlock
“Behold - a Warlock wise, whose name is Almeric. He’s born of ice, his speciality is all things cold. His spells will prove invaluable when cooling down your foes is your desire.”
Description: Almeric, unlike normal Warlocks, wears red instead of purple. He also has orange highlights, such as on his robe and staff. Also, unlike the normal goatees of his brethren, he has a long white beard.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 library with 1 tile lair in each corner.
Furnace the Salamander
“Behold amongst your minions, a Salamander of special might and unknown talents. He will serve you well in this land of fire.”
Description: Furnace, unlike normal Salamanders, has a series of black and gold stripes on his back.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 training room with 1 lair tile in each corner.
Knud the Troll
“Meet Knud the Mad, a famous Troll, prodigious in his work, but worse than all in temperament. Still, his toil bears fruits which balance his unpleasant moods.”
Description: Knudd, unlike normal Trolls, is lighter-skinned. He also has specks lining his body, a nipple piercing and a rusty hammer.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 workshop with 1 tile lair in each corner.
Bloz the Bile Demon
Description: Bloz, unlike normal Biles, has dark-tipped horns with golden flails on their points. He also has a piercing pair of orange eyes.
Layout required: A 5x5 hatchery surrounded by a single layer of workshop tiles.
Zenobia the Dark Elf
"Meet Zenobia, the Dark Elves' sharp-eyed Queen. Cruel and swift and ruthless, she'll serve your forces well.”
Description: Zenobia, unlike normal Dark Elves, wears a head of blonde hair. She also wears a breastplate.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 3x3 guard room surrounded by a single layer of training room tiles.
Bane the Skeleton Lord
"Keeper, pause for introduction to the special creature known as Bane. A bony Skeleton arisen from a smitten Lord. He keeps his former courage for he fights foes face to face. Alert and ready, Bane recovers fast when stunned so move him as you will from place to place.”
Description: Bane, unlike normal skeletons, has more yellowed bones. He also has two “eyes” instead of one. Finally, he wears a gold crown and holds an equally lavish gold shield.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 prison with 1 tile’s worth of treasury in each corner.
Dominique the Mistress
"Keeper, feast your eyes on Dominique - A Mistress most impressive in her talents, one who thrives on pain extreme inflicted and endured, distinguished in her striking regal white, she’s undisputed expert in the sinful pleasures of the night.”
Description: Dominique, unlike normal Mistresses, wears almost no clothing at all. She wears a silver breastplate, a matching “underwear” piece lower down, and the normal boots and gloves. Finally, her plume is purple instead of red.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 3x3 prison surrounded by a single layer of torture chamber tiles.
Gervaise the Rogue
“Meet Gervaise, a rogue of considerable prowess. Make him welcome and he will doubtless bring his skills to bear on your enemies.”
Description: Gervaise, unlike normal Rogues, wears much darker clothing. He wears a black mask, a black breastplate, dark-blue trousers and a similarly dark undershirt.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 casino with 1 treasury tile in each corner.
Kessler Van Doom the Vampire
"And now there walks among your forces, a veritable prince of the undead. His name is Kessler van Doom. His range of spells extended past the norm of his dark brethren. Specialising as he does in Necromancy. Use him well.”
Description: Kessler Van Doom, unlike normal Vampires, wears purple and red robes instead of black robes. He also has a full head of black hair.
-The Mentor
Layout required: First, build a 7x7 library. Then in the middle, build two 3x3 graveyards. Make sure they’re diagonal to each-other. Once that’s done, make sure the gaps are filled with more library tiles.
Kaleb the Black Knight
“Now here’s a find. The Black Knight Kaleb joins your cause. He’s hard as nails and now he will be yours!”
Description: Kaleb, unlike normal Black Knights, wears bright purple armour instead of black armour.
-The Mentor
Layout required: A 5x5 combat pit surrounded by a single layer of training room tiles.
Zachariah the Dark Angel
"Zachariah, unlike normal Dark Angels, has a handful of unusual features. He has duller skin, a beaked face and black wings. He also wears a breastplate and a golden belt.
Description: Zachariah, unlike normal Dark Angels, has a handful of unusual features. He has duller skin, a beaked face and black wings. He also wears a breastplate and a golden belt.
-The Mentor
Layout required: First, spend 75,000 pieces of gold on a 5x5 temple. If your coffers aren’t hurting, proceed. Then, add a strip of treasury down the left side. On the opposite side, strip of training room. On top, add a strip of lair, and on bottom, a strip of torture chamber. - Harmonia is Rebuilding - On page 10 of the Prima Strategy Guide, King Reginald reveals some lore to us. In a public statement to his subjects, he asks them to resettle Harmonia. You see, according to him, it was "tragically marred by Monsters and Infernal creatures". Thus, it can be inferred that Harmonia has only scraped by with the help of the Portal Gems. Why is your goal only to reach the surface? The question answers itself. Harmonia's on borrowed time and it's unable to defend itself for any longer.
- Horny is an author - Page 11 of the Prima Strategy Guide reveals that Horny's written a book. It's "Getting in touch with your Inner Screaming Lethal Hellspawn: An Executive Guide".
- Interview with Nick Goldsworthy - Nick Goldsworthy was a producer for Dungeon Keeper 2. This brief and dry-humoured interview can be found here on Archive.org.
- Interview with Sean Cooper - Sean Cooper was the Project Leader for Dungeon Keeper 2. This brief but energetic interview can be found here on Archive.org.
- The Prima Official Strategy Guide - This is an incredibly useful manual for the game, and it contains a healthy mixture of gag pages, narrative reveals and raw in-game number data. A scanned copy can be found here on Archive.org.
- 1 Dark Angel = 1 Vampire - Creating vampires is done by having five corpses (Hero or creature) rot in the graveyard. But if you use a Dark Angel corpse, you can get a vampire instantly. The pseudo-immortality of the vampire makes this a decent deal if you create enough of them.
The Depths - Cut content, extraneous material and theories
- Cut Chicken Arrow Spell - This gruesome version of the Chicken spell launches a live chicken at the enemy. Upon contact, it’ll explode into bloody giblets. The reason for its removal remains unknown, but it’s unlikely to have been a balancing issue. It could have been an early version of the in-game chicken spell, or a companion to it.
- Cut Coats of Arms - As mentioned in this page, there are coats of arms within the game. What I didn't mention was that there are a total of twenty, but five of these go unused. You can see the remaining five for yourself in the game's files. The reason for their removal remains unknown, but it could have been due to time constraints.
- Cut Dark Angel Spell - Dark Angels do not have the Firebomb spell in-game, but in the Dungeon Keeper 2 Level Editor, it is present.
- Cut Invulnerability Spell - Like the other two entries, this spell is in the confines of the Dungeon Keeper 2 Level Editor. When cast onto a creature, it will create a ring of blue shapes around them until it wears off. The reason for its removal was never revealed by Bullfrog, but the fans have their own theories. Most will agree that it was cut because of balancing issues. I personally think this, in tandem with Possession, would basically be a "win-button".
- Cut Magical Items - There are two of these in game, these being "Kill Creature" and "Transfer Creature". The former, as its name suggests, allows the Player to kill a creature of their choosing. The latter, Transfer Creature, allows the Player to transfer creatures to other levels. As with the cut spells, the reason for their removal remains unknown. But, given their attributes, they would have likely caused balancing issues. "Kill Creature" could be cast onto a Lord of the Land, ending the level in an instant.
"Transfer Creature" is less overpowered, but the game's lower difficulty makes it out-of-place. Dungeon Keeper 1 is full of scenarios where Transfer Creature is outright crucial. Tulipscent is infamous for its challenge, and many players transfer creatures to it. Meanwhile, in Dungeon Keeper 2, Woodsong's difficulty is due to a time-limit. Presumably, the programmers noticed this and decided to cut the spell as a result. - Cut Mentor Lines - The Mentor has a vertiable wealth of cut-dialogue. His lines refer to various creatures, items, rooms, and other bits. The Cutting Room Floor hosts audio files of these on its Dungeon Keeper 2 page.
- Cut Room - There is one cut room in Dungeon Keeper 2, this being the Crypt. Knowledge of this lies in strings within Text.str. This data also includes unused, un-recorded Mentor lines about it.
You have taken over an enemy Crypt."
"You have destroyed an enemy Crypt
"Your Crypt has been destroyed
"One of your Crypts has been destroyed
"The enemy has taken your Crypt
"You have claimed a Crypt
"Your Crypt is under attack
"Your Crypt is still not functional! You must enlarge it."
"Your Crypt is full."
"Crypt."
"Your creatures are unable to get to a Crypt."
"Zoom To Crypt."
"Select Crypt."
"Crypt."
"Crypt. Cost: %21 Gold."
"Crypt."
"Crypt. Health: %37%%. Tolling the Bell is %90 the %30."
Its exact function remains unknown, but fans speculate it was a beta version of the Graveyard. The tolling of a bell lends strong credence to this theory, despite its purpose being unknown. As of now, I have no guesses for what this bell was for. - Green Salamanders - In a 1998 trailer for Dungeon Keeper 2, there are green salamanders. How long they were green in development or when they got changed to orange remains unknown.
- How is Horny special? - This is one of our oldest questions about the game. Why is it that the reapers were in this mysterious Dungeon Keeper 1 but not here. As with other cut content, I theorise this was steeped in balancing issues. But surely, one can ponder about the nature of Horny? Is he a reaper prince? An especially ruthless general? Or simpler than both of these, is he the only reaper around?
- Keeper Proxy War Theory - It’s no secret that evildoers love to fight evildoers. Dungeon Keeper 2 takes this idea from its predecessor and goes further with it. In 1, you were a lone Keeper clawing your way through the realm. You had two mentors, but they both served you. The enemy Keepers you met were few, far-between and not particularly bright.
In 2, it’s a different story. Here you’re an up-and-coming Keeper that’s been hand-picked for the bloodbath. Your Mentor isn’t a loving underling this time, he’s a commanding force that wants you to do his bidding. But he’s not alone, there’s others watching from afar as he pulls the strings. Notice how all throughout the campaign he uses “We”? His use of “We” implies that he’s in a sort of in-universe faction, and thus, the picture completes itself. Older, more experienced Keepers are fighting elaborate proxy wars with one another. You just so happen to be one of their shiny new toys. - King Reginald is a Usurper - You think Reginald would be the epitome of all things good and virtuous. Everyone's so tropey and saccharine, he'd have to be. Unfortunately for his subjects, page 69 of the Prima Strategy Guide begs to differ. Instead, Reginald became king through some good old fashioned patricide.
"When Reginald was a boy, he was sat upon his father’s knee and told that one day, he would be king. He was told of the riches that he would earn, the power he would wield, and also of the hardship and work he would have to put in to be a wise and just king. Then King Colin, Reginald’s father, took him to the highest point in Harmonia, and showed him what would be Reginald’s after his father’s death. The young Reginald’s eyes lit up, and as he drew out the dagger from his father’s back, he knew that he was now ready to be a king."
- Lord Bramble Vampire Theory - An especially niche theory revolves around Lord Bramble of Goldenglade. I found this theory on the Dungeon Keeper Wiki, specifically its Lord of the Land article. The theory goes as follows:
“Theoretically Lord Bramble in-universe could have become a Vampire who may have survived the keeper vs keeper feud in the area and left though a portal once Malachai was defeated.”
Ignoring whether this was the intent of the game’s creators, I’ll give it plenty of points for creativity. But, I doubt our Mentor would get things wrong. To me, Lord Bramble got turned into vampire food. - Mentor Promotion Theory - The Mentor in this game is more like a master and he's not afraid to remind you of it. If you fail a level, you won't just lose, you'll be lambasted. If you fail Stonekeep, he'll say "You've failed me for the last time, Keeper!". Contrast this to his previous appearance in Dungeon Keeper 1, wasn't he so tender? In 1, he was downright affectionate in his tone, even going so far as to call you "Master". Now this is where the theory comes in. Judging by this contrast, would it be outlandish to assume that he got promoted to a higher position? Interestingly enough, I'm not even the only fan who believes in this theory.
"The relationship between you and him seems to be different to before: while it seems similar or even more intimate most of the time, should you displease him by failing to meet his expectations, some of his lines suggest that you are answerable to him in some fashion, as opposed to him merely being your guide." - The Dungeon Keeper Wiki's Mentor Page
Besides the wiki, several users on Keeper Klan speak about this on a 2010 forum thread. Below are some of the most interesting posts.
"Dk2 Mentor definitely has the feel of a mentor. You can get that from just listening to the briefings and debriefings. You got the feel that there was some kind of powerful partnership between Mentor and Keeper. That is one of the reasons I always thought Horny was the DK2 Mentor. That and the fact he has the necessary power and evil credentials." - User MeinCookie
"Maybe the mentor could be a keeper but just can't be bothered to do all the work. Or he does not want to end up killed by a bunch knights in shiny armor." - User Heineken
"I always saw the mentor as like an older keeper who wasn't powerful enough to do conquesting any more or had been defeated and was helping you as a way of getting revenge." - User Stephanos
- Mistresses are Succubi - Would you be surprised?
- Salamanders are Prehistoric - On page 44 of the Prima Strategy Guide, a salamander gives us some lore. For the question "What do you want to get out of your position?", the reptile replies with: "To see the blood of the world once more run red and hot, as it did in the ages before the mammals came". This implies that salamanders are comparable to real-world dinosaurs.
- Salamander Demonspawn Subspecies Theory - Salamanders are mechanically identical to the previous game’s Demon Spawn. They’re both projectile-spitting reptiles that love to train. Could they be the result of speciation? Or with the above theory in mind, are Salamanders ancestors of the Demon Spawn?
- Sleeping Creature Glitch - This glitch was discovered by German speed-runner and former world-record holder Oberdulli. By casting Possession onto a sleeping creature, you can make it invisible.
- The Mentor's Favourite Creature - I personally think he favours Mistresses and Salamanders. He speaks with a very fond tone when he introduces them in My Pet Dungeon. To add some weight to this, he'll react with shock if you sacrifice any mistresses to the Unholy Temple.
- Warlocks are Elves - In the 3D-animated cutscenes, the Warlocks are shown to have elven ears. Are they elves that became evil?
- What actually are the Dungeon Keepers? - There are no canonical depictions of Keepers in any shape or form. Are they evil sorcerers, hideous demonic creatures or ethereal ghost-like entities? The closest sign of appearance is the Hand of Evil, the player's cursor. Now onto what is known about Keepers. When dungeon hearts are destroyed, Keepers don't seem to be outright killed. The terms "banished" and "defeated" are used more than "killed". An exception to this is Nemesis, who'll cry that his sons have been "slain" when you destroy their dungeon hearts. As for you, the mentor can still scold you when you fail a level. If you fail Storm, he'll tell you that Reginald's forces will have you imprisoned. So, dungeon heart destruction isn't so much a "death" as much as it's a banishment, or a reduction of a Keeper's strength. As for Nemesis' sons, these two are implied to be young, inexperienced keepers. As a result, they could have been too weak to endure having their hearts destroyed. Onto the term "banishment", perhaps Dungeon Keepers use them as anchors to the mortal plane. This would also help to explain why the term "banished" is used the way it is, at least, in some instances of keeper defeat.
- What are the Dark Gods? - Dark Gods are mentioned throughout the game, but we don't know what they are. Are these the patron gods of Keepers and creatures? Did they create the portals that you get your creatures from? Did they create the plane that your creatures come from? They never seem to cross over into the mortal realm, is this out of choice or is it because they're unable to? Are there hero gods stopping them? Do they need the keepers to invade the hero realms on their behalf?
- What happened to the Princes? - We never learn of what happened to Balder, Felix and Tristan after their torture. Did they settle into their new lives, or did they outlive their usefulness?
- What happens to sacrificed creatures? - Are their bodies torn asunder by the magical waters? Are they consumed by the Dark Gods themselves? What happens to their energies? After all, energy can't be created or destroyed, only transferred. Perhaps they reincarnate to the creatures that come out from the pool? Or, maybe it's more abstract. Maybe they turn into the very mana that courses through the temple?
- What is the Netherworld? - The place creatures come from is dubbed "The Netherworld". But what actually is it? Is it merely a shelter for evil, or the very bowels of hell itself? Given the Salamanders are ancient creatures that used to roam the mortal realm, perhaps it's more the former?
Conclusion
The Dungeon Keeper 2 Prima Strategy Guide and the previously-mentioned Dungeon Keeper wiki were my main sources for this one; outside my own experiences as a fan. I'll also add new things to the iceberg, when I find them.