---
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-02
type: mechanic
id: roguelike--family-02
lang: en
title: 'Death, defeat and aftermath'
summary: >-
  Defeat ends an attempt or removes some progress. Loss rules determine the
  price of risk and what the player brings into the next attempt.
updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
status: active
url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-02/'
jsonUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-02.json
markdownUrl: >-
  https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/roguelike--family-02.md
aliases:
  - Defeat and consequences
tags:
  - Roguelikes and roguelites
  - Mechanics catalog
sourceIds:
  - source-7f09c8a736762f4f
sources:
  - id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f
    title: Slay the Spire
    url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
    verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
  - catalogId: roguelike
    id: family-02
    title: Roguelikes and roguelites
    url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/roguelike/#family-02'
    categoryIds:
      - section-1
supersededBy: []
attributes:
  preview:
    updatedAt: '2026-10-21'
    title: Defeat and consequences
    description: >-
      Defeat ends an attempt or removes some progress. Loss rules determine the
      price of risk and what the player brings into the next attempt.
    image:
      src: images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-defeat.webp
      width: 1440
      height: 810
      game: Slay the Spire
      sourceUrl: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
      originalUrl: 'https://www.megacrit.com/images/ss25.jpg'
      credit: Mega Crit
      rights: © Mega Crit. All rights reserved.
      caption: Death ends the current run
      alt: >-
        Slay the Spire: the character’s health reaches zero and a Death screen
        confirms the end of the attempt.
      markers:
        - x: 23
          'y': 3
          label: The health pool is exhausted
        - x: 50
          'y': 25
          label: The game explicitly confirms defeat
    tips:
      - Explain loss rules before the player takes a risk.
      - Help explain the cause of defeat and offer a quick restart.
    examples:
      - title: Slay the Spire
        url: 'https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
  Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on
  2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are
  preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire
  classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and
  editorial review.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/roguelike
---
# Death, defeat and aftermath

id: roguelike--family-02
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/roguelike--family-02
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/roguelike--family-02/

Defeat ends an attempt or removes some progress. Loss rules determine the price of risk and what the player brings into the next attempt.

## At a glance

![Slay the Spire: the character’s health reaches zero and a Death screen confirms the end of the attempt.](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/slay-the-spire-defeat.webp)

[Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) · © Mega Crit. All rights reserved.

1. The health pool is exhausted
2. The game explicitly confirms defeat

- Explain loss rules before the player takes a risk.
- Help explain the cause of defeat and offer a quick restart.

- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/)

## How it works

Failure determines what is lost, what is retained, and what new conditions the next attempt will gain.

## Variants

### Variants and applications

<a id="family-02-variants"></a>

- Permadeath: final character demise <a id="variant-roguelike-02-01"></a>
- Complete loss of run build <a id="variant-roguelike-02-02"></a>
- Partial loss: only part of the items, money or experience disappears <a id="variant-roguelike-02-03"></a>
- Limited Lives <a id="variant-roguelike-02-04"></a>
- One-time death prevention <a id="variant-roguelike-02-05"></a>
- Resurrection per resource or penalty <a id="variant-roguelike-02-06"></a>
- Near-death state: the opportunity to escape before final death <a id="variant-roguelike-02-07"></a>
- Falling with the opportunity to rise: independently or with the help of an ally <a id="variant-roguelike-02-08"></a>
- Returning to the place of death for a lost resource <a id="variant-roguelike-02-09"></a>
- Saving pre-sent loot <a id="variant-roguelike-02-10"></a>
- Inheritance of property or features to the next hero <a id="variant-roguelike-02-11"></a>
- Continuing the campaign after the death of an individual squad member <a id="variant-roguelike-02-12"></a>
- Change of the world due to defeat <a id="variant-roguelike-02-13"></a>
- Encountering the remains or ghost of a previous character <a id="variant-roguelike-02-14"></a>

## Context and limits

A wide author's map of classic turn-based roguelikes, modern roguelites and hybrids. Families describe options for organizing a run, and not mandatory features of the genre. Constant metaprogression is not found in all roguelikes. Related systems can be combined; the list is not a closed standard.

## Connected materials


## Sources and provenance

Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review.

- [Slay the Spire](https://www.megacrit.com/press-kits/slay-the-spire/) (id: source-7f09c8a736762f4f)

CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors