Let's Make Darkest Dungeon Harder

[RedRockRun]

Out of some sick curiosity and probably some low self-esteem too, I recently decided that despite having restarted Darkest Dungeon over a dozen times [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-4SlPZzfME], Darkest Dungeon is still too forgiving. Yes, the game is still kicking my ass, but some things are still too fair. This might seem like I'm kidding, but hear me out. These could all be logical changes in my opinion and could really ramp up difficulty:

-Heroes can only use one item in combat such as torches per turn, and doing so consumes the turn.
-Heroes' HP is not replenished upon finishing a mission and must be regained by sending them to a new Hospital building. This costs gold and may be upgraded using busts and deeds to increase the amount healed.
-Upgrading buildings costs gold as well as heirlooms.
-Heroes afflicted by stress can randomly attack each other in addition to themselves.
-A new negative status quirk, "Xenomania" would cause heroes to automatically activate Shambler Altars with torches, thus forcing you into Shambler fights.

 

[Frission]

-Heroes can only use one item in combat such as torches per turn, and doing so consumes the turn.
-Heroes' HP is not replenished upon finishing a mission and must be regained by sending them to a new Hospital building. This costs gold and may be upgraded using busts and deeds to increase the amount healed.
-Upgrading buildings costs gold as well as heirlooms.
-Heroes afflicted by stress can randomly attack each other in addition to themselves.
-A new negative status quirk, "Xenomania" would cause heroes to automatically activate Shambler Altars with torches, thus forcing you into Shambler fights.

Why not just pay someone to whip you if it's going to be so masochistic?

Well seriously, these ideas sound good and might work for a higher difficulty version of Darkest Dungeon, although Xenomania would be super broken.
One update I'll like to see if have dead heroes come back as the Undead, punishing players who are too flippant with the lives of the characters and adding some extra challenge, not to mention it fits in well with the corrupting aesthetic of the game.

There's also extra synergy in upgrading or sanctifying graveyards so that doesn't happen.

 

[RedRockRun]

One update I'll like to see if have dead heroes come back as the Undead, punishing players who are too flippant with the lives of the characters and adding some extra challenge, not to mention it fits in well with the corrupting aesthetic of the game.

I honestly thought that would be the case with the Collector. Speaking of which, I don't get why Dismas' Head is an item, despite the high likelihood of obtaining it while Dismas is still alive. Also, I don't know who Barristan and Junia are and if they're supposed to have some kind of significance in the game. I've never seen any recruitable heroes show up with those names.

There are some other changes I'd like to see, these making the game easier, but I think they're fair and make sense as opposed to simple buffs and nerfs:

-More context-based acquiring of perks. For example, have quirks like Warrens Explorer only obtainable in the Warrens. Similarly, negative quirks relating to specific zones and enemy types would only be acquired in those specific zones.

-Remove Brackish Pools and Meat Carts from triggering the Dipsomania perk. After all, meat and standing water can't possibly count as alcohol.

-Include stat buffs for stress afflictions. Just as some afflictions cause heroes to automatically attack or move in the lineup, they could also increase damage, speed, etc. like how rabies and the fits increases damage and speed, respectively.

-Dodging would result in a small stress heal.

-Change Cry Havoc to a stress heal version of Divine Comfort, giving a small stress heal to the whole party.