Climbing

THE POINT IS... YOU THREE... ARE MORE DIFFERENT, THEN THE OTHERS.
YOU ARE KAIND. MERSIFULL. AND, MOAST OF ALL...
YOU DOAN'T KNOW HOW TO CLAIMB.

Jackenstein, Chapter 4

Climbing is a mechanic introduced in Chapter 4 of Deltarune. Using the ClaimbClaws, the party can climb marked wall tiles. In Chapter 5, climbing can also be done in Castle Town.

Overview

After obtaining the ClaimbClaws, Kris jumps onto any climbable wall by interacting with it. They can climb onto the wall tile adjacent to them in the direction that the player is holding. If the [CONFIRM] button is held, Kris charges up a jump, which enables them to jump across gaps up to three tiles between climbable sections. Their climbing speed increases after charging a jump, with farther jumps granting more duration to the climbing speed increase.

Party members do not normally appear when Kris climbs a wall, with a few exceptions, such as the Dark Fountain climbing section. In certain sections from the 2nd Sanctuary on, Kris can also charge jump into Susie's arm for her to throw them up to another section.

Hazards

When climbing, various hazards attempt to impede progress through each section. Most climbing hazards ignore defense when dealing damage, and will let Kris survive usually fatal hits with 1 HP until they are hit one extra time. The following hazards are present:

Hazard	Location	Behavior
Water bucket	Dark Sanctuary 2nd Sanctuary 3rd Sanctuary Castle Town Clifs	Water periodically pours from the bucket. If it hits Kris, they fall a distance of at least three tiles until they find something to grab or land on the ground. The water can be jumped over with good timing.
Black sword	Dark Sanctuary	The Knight manifests a sword at the top of the screen, letting it fall shortly after. Deals 40 damage if Kris's HP is more than half of their maximum HP, 30 damage if their HP is between 50 and half of their maximum HP, and 25 damage if their HP is less than 50.
White bullet	2nd Sanctuary 3rd Sanctuary	Follows a set path. Deals 18 damage.
Climb enemy	2nd Sanctuary 3rd Sanctuary	Follows a set path or moves in a single direction until it disappears. Can be destroyed by jumping into it. In the 2nd Sanctuary it deals 38 damage, does not ignore defense, and does not let Kris survive fatal hits with 1 HP. In the 3rd Sanctuary it deals 30 damage, ignores defense, and lets Kris survive fatal hits with 1 HP.
Enemy cloud	2nd Sanctuary	A cloud of enemies slowly creeps up from below. If it reaches Kris, it deals 38 damage and retreats a few steps. This damage does not ignore defense and does not let Kris survive fatal hits with 1 HP.
Eye enemy	3rd Sanctuary	Black liquid periodically pours from the eye. Deals 10 damage and cancels a jump mid-charge. The liquid can be jumped over with good timing.
Rising cloud	3rd Sanctuary	A cloud of darkness containing Titan Spawn slowly creeps up from below. If it fully covers Kris, it deals 50 damage and retreats a few steps.
Falling peaches	Cliffs
Thorns	Top of Castle

Rewards

When climbing, various rewards can appear. These range from giving Dark Dollars to simply cosmetic. The following rewards are present:

Reward	Location	Behavior
Silver coin	Dark Sanctuary	Receive 5 Dark Dollars on contact.
Gold coin	Dark Sanctuary	Receive 20 Dark Dollars on contact.
Trophy	Dark Sanctuary	Decorates the overworld with a sense of achievement. Requires completing both challenges in the Mizzle room containing the PowerBand under a specific timeframe, less than or equal to 182 frames (6.0 seconds) for the first challenge, and 302 frames (10.0 seconds) for the second challenge.

Main story

The climbing section in the Dark Sanctuary's Library

Chapter 4

The ClaimbClaws are obtained from Jackenstein after Susie heals him. The party subsequently climbs out of the Dark Zone through a short maze of winding paths. The maze features a hanging bell in between a gap, signifying that Kris can jump through it. An optional offshoot to the east grants the party a chest containing 500 Dark Dollars.

After escaping from the Dark Zone, many optional and required climbing segments become available. A required climbing segment occurs in the East Belltower. After climbing the pillar leading into the belltower, Kris is met with a tall climbing room with many water buckets. An eastern offshoot leads into a timed climbing segment that eventually rewards the party with a PowerBand.

The southeast and southwest belltowers are both accessed by climbing their respective walls. While the southeast belltower has no further climbing segment, the southwest belltower has another climbing segment within that leads to a battle against Miss Mizzle.

When confronting the Knight on the path to the Dark Fountain, Kris is met with another climbing segment in which they must avoid the swords thrown by the Knight. It is a one-way trip, meaning they cannot access it again.

The rotating tower climbing segment in the 2nd Sanctuary

In the 2nd Sanctuary, Kris and Susie climb a rotating tower. While Susie's path is relatively straightforward, Kris's is more complex, with many water buckets and white bullets. Their path takes them both upward and downward, and the tower rotates as they move.

At the base of the cliff below the Study, Kris and Susie are confronted by a wave of "chase enemies" that encroach upon them. The wall periodically gives way as Kris is climbing it, forcing them to a lower elevation. Susie is available to throw Kris to a higher elevation. Kris, in turn, saves Susie from a pair of chase enemies by jumping into them.

In the 3rd Sanctuary, a hidden offshoot east of the library passage leads to a horizontal climbing segment. Kris must navigate to the right as fast as possible, jumping across nine gaps whilst avoiding being struck by the water pouring above. After clearing it, the party is rewarded with the PrincessRBN.

Jackenstein helps the party climb the tower past the Stairs area. The Knight interferes and destroys the tower before they can reach the top, and the party makes it up on their own.

Kris, Susie, and Ralsei each climb onto the Titan's pillar formed from the Knight's Dark Fountain. There are two separate sections, separated by a midpoint, during which the tower periodically crumbles away and forces Kris to take alternate paths.

Chapter 5

In Castle Town, Kris can engage in a climbing minigame for different rewards. These rewards change depending on the time spent climbing.

In Flower Kingdom, there are various places for the party to climb. Climbing sections are most common in the cliffs, where the climbable features are usually vines.

At the end of Flowery's battle, Susie throws Kris up onto the vine to reach the Dark Fountain. Kris uses blue bamboo as speed boosts to evade Flowery, who sends thorny cactuses towards them.

Creation and development

According to Toby Fox, movement during the climbing segments used the standard overworld movement with climbing graphics. Toby felt that the system felt "mushy", so he programmed an entirely separate climbing system himself.

Gallery

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  Kris's climbing animation
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  Susie's climbing animation
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  Ralsei's climbing animation
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  Ralsei's hatless climbing animation
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  The Cuptain's climbing animation
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  The Annoying Dog's climbing animation
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  Jackenstein's climbing animation