So many things can go wrong! I've only managed a hard ending once so far and that was as a pair, with both spelunkers somehow surviving intact.
One thing I must remember is to discard my jetpack (or any explosive backpack) at the start of World 6. It's just not worth the risk. Was on for a good Daily today, for a change: 40+ bombs, made peace with the shopkeepers and was lining up for a hard ending. Then I got hit once. Ouch, my feelings.
Somehow I've gone back to this again. I think the recent patches might have helped because it feels slightly easier now, and more varied. I'm getting further more often and most deaths don't seem quite so harsh.
The patches are mostly technical stuff, they've tweaked Dwelling a little, enemy spawns are down basically but it doesn't feel like a huge tweak. Most annoying thing about Dwelling is the way the Udjat Key/Room spawn and getting Large levels on that same level.
Kicking myself for still not having completed the regular ending on this. I feel like I've been ready for about the last 200 runs, but something always goes wrong.
Got to the final boss yesterday with a shotgun in hand and thought that would be the one. But somehow managed to miss a rope and fall to my death with probably just a couple of hits left.
Got there again now with plenty of life, bombs and ropes, but not much else. Very hard to damage it without something else to help.
Continuing out of stubbornnes now. I'm not letting this thing beat me.
Argh, today's was a daily with a lot of potential! I tried to rob the black market and got taken down by one of the assitant geezers with a shield. Didn't realise he wasn't on my side!