Open Gear, tap the ⚙ cog, and choose under Difficulty. You can change it as often as you like, and it is saved with your run.

  • Gentle: for reading the story. Blows land softer and losing barely stings.
  • Steady (the default): as written. Enemies hurt, and a defeat costs blood and coin.
  • Harsh: every fight is worth avoiding. Losing one really hurts.

Difficulty changes only how hard enemies hit and what a defeat costs. Experience and gold are the same on all three, so turning it down never leaves you behind for the next chapter, and turning it up doesn't earn you more.

Every fight in the game has been checked to be winnable on Harsh, by every hero.