- Ichorous S rank runs depend on aggressive Ichor collection and clean boss execution.
- Blood purity is the core scoring lever — the more you take, the harder enemies hit back.
- Trinket priorities matter more than raw stats when chasing high grades.
- Curse management: accept curses that scale your damage, refuse ones that slow your clears.
- Demo practice: the two-level free demo (out since October 31, 2026) is the ideal S rank training ground.
What S Rank Means in Ichorous
Ichorous is a 2D dark fantasy action roguelike from Monster Crate where you play a Warlock harvesting Ichor — the blood of the god known as The Patron — for power. The game's signature twist is that every upgrade you take can also strengthen the enemies around you, which means top grades are earned by managing risk, not just stacking damage.
An Ichorous S rank run generally comes down to four scoring pillars:
| Pillar | What It Measures | S Rank Target |
|---|---|---|
| Ichor Collected | Total divine blood gathered during the run | Maximize every fight, avoid skipping encounters |
| Blood Purity | Efficiency of your combat healing and upgrades | Keep purity high by healing through aggression, not passively |
| Clear Speed | Time spent per level and per boss | Fast, decisive clears without backtracking |
| Damage Taken | How cleanly you handle enemies and curses | Minimal hits, few or no deaths |
The Patron rewards greed, but punishes carelessness. S rank runs balance aggressive Ichor farming with the fact that empowered enemies hit harder — every upgrade you claim can make the next room deadlier.
Because Ichorous launched its free demo on Steam on October 31, 2026, with two levels, 75 trinkets, 15 buffs, and 15 curses, the best place to practice S rank fundamentals right now is the demo's two levels. Master them before the full release and your scoring instincts will transfer directly.
Blood Purity and Ichor Farming for S Rank
Blood purity is the heart of Ichorous's scoring system. You heal through combat — meaning passive, defensive play actively hurts your grade — and the Ichor you collect feeds both your power and your final evaluation.
Aggressive Healing Loop
- Fight to heal: combat restores your health
- Standing back wastes healing windows
- Keeps blood purity climbing during every encounter
Ichor Collection Route
- Clear rooms fully before advancing
- Skip nothing — skipped enemies are skipped Ichor
- Farm respawned or empowered enemies when safe
Upgrade Discipline
- Take upgrades that speed clears
- Watch which upgrades also empower enemies
- Decline power you cannot survive using
| Practice | Purity Impact | S Rank Value | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full room clears before moving on | High | ★★★★★ | Low |
| Fighting while damaged to heal via combat | High | ★★★★☆ | Medium |
| Taking extra curses for more Ichor | Very high | ★★★☆☆ | High |
| Skipping fights to save time | Negative | ★☆☆☆☆ | Low |
| Pure defensive kiting | Negative | ★☆☆☆☆ | Low |
Every time you strengthen yourself, the enemies around you can be strengthened too. Chasing purity blindly into over-empowered enemies is the number one reason promising S rank runs collapse in the demo's second level.
Step-by-Step S Rank Run Flow
Follow this sequence through each level to keep all four scoring pillars green. It is built around the demo's two levels but applies to any Ichorous run structure.
Open Aggressive, Establish Rhythm
Start each level fighting actively. Learn enemy telegraphs early — dodging at the right moment matters more than raw stats. Take hits deliberately only when combat healing will restore them.
Farm Ichor in Every Room
Clear each room completely before advancing. Resist the urge to rush: clear speed is scored, but skipped Ichor tanks your purity score harder than a slightly slower clear.
Select Offerings That Compound
When The Patron offers upgrades, prioritize options that speed up your kill rate — damage, attack speed, and mobility. These compound across the whole run and keep both speed and purity rising.
Pick Trinkets for Consistency
Choose trinkets that reduce variance: anything that smooths healing, mitigates curse downsides, or guarantees damage on dodgy enemies. Consistency is what separates S from A.
Handle Curses Selectively
Accept curses whose downsides you can neutralize or whose power spikes your damage. Refuse curses that slow your clears or force you to take avoidable hits.
Execute the Boss Cleanly
Boss fights are where grades are decided. Learn attack patterns from the demo, dodge through telegraphs, and stay aggressive enough to keep healing through combat. A clean, fast boss kill locks in S rank.
After each attempt, identify which pillar failed — Ichor total, purity, speed, or damage taken. Fixing the weakest pillar each run improves your grade faster than grinding attempts blindly.
Trinket and Curse Priorities
With 75 trinkets, 15 buffs, and 15 curses in the current demo, you cannot take everything. Prioritize by how each pick affects your scoring pillars.
| Pick Type | Prioritize When | Avoid When | S Rank Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage trinkets | Kill rate feels slow | You die in 2–3 hits | Speed directly feeds clear time |
| Healing/lifesteal trinkets | Purity is dropping | You already outheal damage | Sustains the aggressive loop |
| Mobility trinkets | Bosses outpace your dodges | Movement is comfortable | Clean dodges mean less damage taken |
| Curse amplifiers | You can control enemy scaling | Enemies already overwhelm you | High risk, high purity payoff |
| Defensive trinkets | You rely on face-tanking | You dodge most attacks | Passive play hurts purity scores |
Keep the two systems separate in your planning: Offerings are The Patron's major upgrades and define your build's direction, while trinkets are smaller reinforcements. Pick an Offering theme first, then choose trinkets that patch its weaknesses.
S Rank Checklist and Common Mistakes
Before you consider a run "S rank ready," confirm every item below:
S Rank Run Checklist:
- Clear every room fully — no skipped enemies or Ichor
- Maintain combat healing instead of passive recovery
- Choose Offerings that compound clear speed
- Accept only curses you can survive or neutralize
- Learn both demo boss patterns until dodges are automatic
- Track damage taken per run and reduce it each attempt
The most common mistakes that cost players S rank:
| Mistake | Why It Fails the Run | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Rushing levels for speed | Skipped Ichor tanks purity score | Full clears, brisk pace within rooms |
| Stacking pure defense | Passive play lowers purity and speed | Trade defense for lifesteal and mobility |
| Greeding every curse | Empowered enemies end the run early | Take curses only when they fuel damage |
| Ignoring enemy empowerment | Upgrades make enemies hit harder | Re-learn enemy damage after each power spike |
| Resetting after one bad room | Comebacks are still scoreable | Play out the run, note the weak pillar |
The free Steam demo is the ideal place to test trinket and curse thresholds without pressure. Every S rank habit you build in its two levels carries straight into the full version.
FAQ
Q: What is an Ichorous S rank run?
An Ichorous S rank run is a top-graded clear built on four pillars: total Ichor collected, blood purity maintained through combat healing, fast clear times, and minimal damage taken. You need strength in all four, not just one.
Q: Should I accept curses when going for S rank?
Selectively. Curses can raise your power and scoring ceiling, but every upgrade in Ichorous can also empower enemies. Accept curses that accelerate your damage, and refuse any that slow your clears or force avoidable hits.
Q: Can I practice S rank runs in the free demo?
Yes. The demo released October 31, 2026 on Steam includes two levels, 75 trinkets, 15 buffs, and 15 curses — enough depth to build and refine a full S rank run flow before the full release.
Q: Is speed or purity more important for S rank?
Purity generally matters more. Skipping fights to save time tanks your Ichor total and purity score. Keep a brisk pace within full room clears, and let clean boss execution carry the speed pillar.