Dead Cells

This achievement is for beating the final boss while having the cursed sword equipped. What makes this tricky is the cursed sword will cause you to die in one hit, but getting the achievement doesn't require MLG skills thanks to a save exploit outlined below.

Cursed Sword blueprint drops from killing Conjunctivitis the first time. When you get it DO NOT BUY IT FROM THE SMITH UNTIL YOU ARE IN THE BREAK AREA BEFORE THE FINAL BOSS (throne room) AND ARE GOING FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT!!!

The Cursed Sword costs 50 cells to unlock. You can either save up that many (that door that won't let you past unless you spend all your cells? it can be destroyed), or invest 30-40 so you need to spend fewer cells when you're ready. The smith will drop the cursed sword when you purchase the blue print so you don't need to fret looking for one leading up to the final boss

recommendations:

- play on easiest setting (no active stem cells)

- spend every upgrade scroll you can on TACTICS (purple lightning bolt)

- upgrading the forge to increase +, ++, and S % as much as you can for weapons helps out tremendously

- For weapons I would recommend a good, high level ranged weapon (I used multiple-nocks bow for this) and I always used wolf trap to control the final boss and double crossbow-o-matic. This was my loadout - use whatever you prefer.

- mutations I would strongly suggest are:
Ammunition (for ranged)
Support
(your choice for 3rd)

The save exploit:

Dead Cells has a sort of quick save/save state system. This is at any time you press , the game will save at exactly that point wherever you are. The moment you die, this save feature is disabled so if you press , dashboard, and quit the game you will continue off the last time you pressed while alive. If you never did, you will restart at the very start of whatever level you made it to. This exploit will allow you to retry as many times as you want without having to restart from the beginning of the game.

note: be extra cautious to not screw yourself over with a bad save

Getting this achievement is easily possible using this exploit.

Strategy:

If you're familiar with the final boss, he will freeze and summon minions after taking enough damage - this is the perfect opportunity to quick save. If you have a high tactics level and a good ranged weapon, it is possible to hit him so hard, you'll get to the 3rd part of the battle before he even has a chance to attack.

This 3rd part is tricky since he will have enough health allowing to attack. Worse that he is more aggressive and throws attacks with higher frequency in this 3rd phase. Its really luck dependent if he throws something easy to dodge or jump over, or he throws some long range hard to avoid bullshit that will kill you.

Luck willing with having a high level ranged weapon and a high tactics level, you can still kill him quickly. He was only able to get off 2 attacks before I finished him off.

Archer Spense's solution is excellent. I just want to add a visual representation how The Hand of the King can be defeated easily with the Cursed Sword. As expected I went all in with tactics. My gear was Quick bow, Cursed sword, wolf traps & crowbow o matic. Mutations: Ammo, Support & Hunters Instinct. I was able to destroy him so fast he only got to swing his sword once.. Very easy if you follow the vid.

It's also worth noting that by re rolling the cursed swords perks it can get the deal x2 dmg while receiving x2 dmg making it a monster weapon.. I've been using it with great success on the next higher difficulties.



Any thoughts or comments please let me know..

SETUP
This achievement becomes significantly easier if you obtain the backpack perk under general upgrades and wait to obtain the cursed sword right before the final boss. It should be mentioned that you do not have to actually kill the boss with the sword in your inventory, but instead you just need to go down the well with it after the fight concludes.

The backpack becomes unlockable for 100 cells after purchasing 15 items with cells. With the backpack you are allowed to carry 1 more weapon with you (not including 2-handed weapons), providing an easy way to cheese this achievement.
The cursed sword blueprint unlocks after defeating Conjunctivius for the third time and can be unlocked for 50 cells.

Like other guides have said, try to put enough cells into the cursed sword until it requires just 1 more cell, DO NOT unlock it completely. Instead, wait until the final boss fight before spending the last cell which spawns the sword allowing you to pick it up. If you have already gotten the upgrade to unlock the cursed sword I would recommend storing it in your backpack once you find it so you can travel across zones with it, but be careful. WARNING: Even though the cursed sword is in the backpack you will still die in one hit. To avoid this, once in a new zone simply throw it onto the ground until you find the exit, then simply pick the sword back up and store it in the backpack then leave the zone. I believe items dropped onto the ground do not despawn, but I have never tested this to be certain.

EXECUTION
Once the cursed sword is obtained, pick it up and store it in the backpack with 'Y'. Again, even though the cursed sword is in the backpack you will still die in one hit. However, since it is in your backpack, you can drop it at any point by holding RB. This means right when the fight with The Hand of the King starts, toss that thing out of the backpack and onto the ground. Now that the Cursed Sword is NOT in your inventory, you will no longer die in one hit. Don't worry it shouldn't despawn in the time it takes to kill the boss. Once the boss is defeated simply pick up the cursed sword and equip it for either 'X' or 'Y' (it should not be in your backpack just to be safe). Then detach your head and go down the well back to the beginning of the game. The achievement should unlock upon respawning.