Why Did I Die?

The death screen names the enemy that landed the killing blow. Combined with the Run tab of the detailed stats (damage received by source), it tells you exactly which defense was missing.

Common causes

• A pile-up of melee enemies hitting at once.
• Vampire drain or poison ticking straight through your shield.
• Ranged enemies accumulating while you are blocked.
• A boss ability landing during a shield gap.
• Returning from background play into a much harder wave.

What to invest in

• Shield, shield regen and shield respawn against bursts.
• Damage reduction and armor against sustained melee pressure.
• Drain and poison resist — the only defense that works on them.
• HP regen and lifesteal to recover between spikes.
• More DPS: enemies that die before reaching you deal no damage.