This build centers around Elsbeth, transformed into her poisonous form via the transform Potion, and it's been tested in Tower mode with a 2/2 success rate—both runs reaching the top floor and completing it. It’s a consistent, snowballing strategy that uses the Sharpshooter's free attacks triggered by poison damage into overkill.

With the right units and positioning, poison becomes a win condition all on its own earning a place on the Winners podium along Hope and Golden Emperor.

Which Hero to select?

You must start with Elsbeth, the one who starts with 2 random artifacts. Try to have at least one Poison related, although its not mandatory it saves you the grind to find those you need. If both artifacts are totally irrelevant, restart or try your luck.


Is not a Poison using Hero originally, with a transform potion she turns to Poisonous Elsbeth that can poison two enemies at battle start.
Must have artifacts to acquire are Hero attacks twice and Battle Start: Hero attacks (Campfire first refresh is free)

The lizard Elder Gryx, the poisonous version, is handy as well. As long as you follow the other build parameters that will be shown.



A side note about the Lizards.

When having Lizard Hero you will find a Venom sword that applies poison to non-poisonous lizardfolk attacks. Use it to try other Poison Team combinations.


Sharpshooter

The Key of the Build is Sharpshooter. Acquire him asap and overlevel him constantly.


Without him the Build is useless. Find him the sooner the better. At first or second camp. If for some reason you cant find him, Abandon and Restart.




Rogue, Gnome

A starting companion and thus a must have, he is fast, poisonous and inexhaustible.




Assassin, Gnome

A gnome that is imitating that guy from Modern Warfare, he is poisonous and enhances poison damage foes receive when they do action (from 1 to 3, 5 even if you have the artifact Enemies Receive +2 From Poison) At Overlevel he puts +1


A solid option for front lines, even though he isnt inexhaustible.
While it may seem a smart move to overlevel, Sharpshooter needs it more.

Venim Witch
While double damage looks ideal, she does not inflict poisonous damage so the Sharpshooter to be triggered. She does Manacast summon a Poisonous Slime though, making her a solid option, moreso if you somehow have +1 to Mana artifact



Ven the Eldest, Elemental

Looks tough and gets tougher with every poisonous character that dies, foe or friendly, but its biggest drawback is that it isnt poisonous. His + to attack will cap usually at 6 or 7.



Poisonous Slime

Just stands there without attacks, absorbing damage and summons additional poisonous unit.
Has no position in a fast hitting team. Could work on a more slower but resilient team. But be careful of Doom foes.



Venim Drinker

Poisonous Lizardfolk that gains Health when Poisoned Characters die. Good option for the start and can find a Lizardfolk Egg that Andromalius turns to Poisoned Lizardfolk Egg. But then again why waste an item slot for an ability some Poison users have with Manacast.



Venomancer

Poisonous with a Follow up that damages every Poisoned foe is a solid option as well.



Xerxis

Last but not least, a Lizard that is a) Poisonous b) Archer c) can summon Poisonous ally. A Keeper.
If you find it and you lack a Multiclass to benefit from the Allied Archers attack twice, get it asap.

To win the Tower you need:

• Battle Start: Hero attacks (camp and store first refresh is free)
  This artifact lets your Hero strike as soon as combat begins. For Poison Elsbeth, this means poison is applied before the enemy has a chance to move. That first tick of poison softens up frontliners or starts spreading damage early. It also triggers any on-attack effects immediately, which can snowball the fight in your favor.
  
  
• Eldic Boots: Hero attacks Twice
  This artifact upgrades your Hero’s Battle Start attack into a double strike, which means double poison application if you’ve already transformed Elsbeth.
  
  
• Battle Start: Poison two random enemies
  Self explanatory and crucial.
  
  
• Poison Elsbeth: Poison two random enemies at battle start
  Once Elsbeth transforms, the build starts to shine. Her passive—poisoning two random enemies at the start of each combat—adds with the other Battle Start Poison 2 randoms + her Battle start Attack + every Two Attacks from each of your Poisonous Multis. Each one is followed by a Sharpshooter arrow. The Damage is staggering.
  
  
  
• Every ally Multiclassed or Archer (Xerxis)
  So they synergize with Sharpshooter.

Finally here is a video of how the build works. This team beat the Final boss.

https://www.reddit.com/r/TheDungeonBeneath/comments/1kxqbmd/poison_build/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button



This team differentiates from the Elsbeth fast hitting team by using the Cube as a meat shield that also summons (a lot of) poisonous slimes. Since this team lacks 3 poison attacks (2 by Poisonous Elsbeth and 1 by not finding the Battle start hero attacks artifact) it needed a sturdy ally to hold the line until the deed is done.

This team also defeated the Final Boss in 1/1 occasion although a bit harder than the standard Elsbeth build.

One thing that becomes clear the higher you go: the Tower isn’t random. It learns. Or at least, it reacts.

In all of the runs, in every build made, there is a pattern—like the game was sniffing out the weak spots and dialing up the pressure exactly where it hurt.

If you have a fragile ally—say, some mage sitting at 4 HP or less—you’ll start running into Golems that explode for 1 damage more often. One explosion isn’t a problem. But four or five? Suddenly your squishiest unit is gone, and the rest of the comp is thrown off balance. It's seen with the Doom build, where Haruspex is the squishiest yet most powerful member. Here in Poison build its usually another mage.

Same thing if your Hero’s HP drops to 3 or below. That’s when the Bomb Statues start showing up more. They look harmless—until one of your units triggers a free attack and sets them off. No counterplay, no warning. Just boom, and you’re restarting your run. It was discussed in the Golden Emperor/Poison build combo.

In the 1/2 run Elsbeth was granted Battle Start: 2 Spectral Hammers appear. Although it hampered the Manacast by Xerxis that summons the Poisonous scale, it kept the team safe from the foes the 2/2 run encountered: the Cobras that Paralyze a random ally on Death. That ally was somehow always the Sharpshooter. This stopped the Battle start Poison-Free Attack chain and almost meant team wipeout.