Pool of Madness cue upgrades: how to reforge your cue
Quick answer
Collect cue parts by pocketing a special equipment ball that appears in rituals, then open the Equipment screen to swap the tip, shaft, or wrap/handle on your cue. The cue is divided into three parts—tip, shaft, and wrap/handle—that you can switch individually to combine effects.
| Cue part source | Collect cue parts by pocketing a special equipment ball that sometimes appears in the rituals.Official Steam store page: Pool of Madness |
|---|---|
| Cue structure | The cue is divided into three parts: tip, shaft, wrap/handle.Official Steam store page: Pool of Madness |
| Upgrade flow | Quickly upgrade your cue with collected parts and try out the upgraded build on the Equipment screen.Pool of Madness on Steam |
Pool of Madness cue upgrades let you collect cue parts from a special equipment ball in rituals and swap tip, shaft, or handle on the Equipment screen.
Table of Contents
Pool of Madness cue upgrades start with loot dropped in rituals: Collect cue parts by pocketing a special equipment ball that appears in rituals, then open the Equipment screen to swap the tip, shaft, or wrap/handle on your cue.
The cue is divided into three parts—tip, shaft, and wrap/handle—that you can switch individually to combine effects. Developer Bit Golem describes the system as a way to replicate the “ooh, what did I get?” moment of ARPG loot, letting you build an evolving weapon used alongside the Orbcaster gun.
Overview
Pool of Madness is a horror pool roguelite where pool tables are altars and the cue is a ritual instrument. The short description on the official Steam page calls it a “horror pool roguelite with upgradable cues, guns and procedural rituals.” The longer “About the game” section repeats “UPGRADE YOUR CUE WITH NEW LOOT” and “quickly upgrade your cue with collected parts and try out the upgraded build.”
This confirms cue upgrades are a foundational, already-implemented mechanic for the Early Access launch. Each roguelite run follows “CHALK - LOAD - HUNT”: you rise, reload, and hunt as rituals begin anew. Cue upgrades feed that loop. You perform rituals, collect parts, reforge the cue, and face Void horrors.
Dying returns you stronger, and your collected parts persist to enable further reforging. The developer notes the cue should make the next ritual easier, though it will certainly make it different. The Orbcaster gun is separate, but seamless cue-gun interplay is advertised for addictive flow.
Prerequisites
Before you can upgrade, you must own the game (Steam Early Access opens November 13, 2026 per the official store page) and enter a ritual. A ritual is a pool-table encounter where you shoot balls, perform tricks, and lure Void horrors. The special equipment ball that yields cue parts is not present in every ritual; the developer says it “sometimes appears.”
You also need at least one collected part before the Equipment screen swap becomes useful. The game requires Windows 10/11 64-bit according to system requirements, but that is a platform need, not a cue-specific block. As of the official Steam page on 2026-11-11, the fun core loop and strong foundation are already implemented, and all core mechanics listed are present.
Workflow to upgrade your cue
Follow the ordered actions below. Each step is supported by the developer’s Steam announcement and store text.
Enter a ritual
Load any available ritual from the game’s rotation. The official description confirms rituals are procedural or custom pool-altar encounters where you shoot and loot. You must be in active play to encounter the equipment ball. The Steam page lists “perform deadly pool rituals” and “complete procedural and custom rituals to lure out ancient horrors” as the core activity before any upgrade.
Pocket the special equipment ball
During the ritual, watch for a distinct equipment ball. The developer states: “You collect cue parts by pocketing a special equipment ball that sometimes appears in the rituals.” Pocket it as you would any scored ball to add parts to your inventory. This ball is separate from standard numbered balls and appears occasionally, not on a fixed timer.
Open the Equipment screen
After collecting parts, navigate to the Equipment screen. The 2026-09-30 update shows this screen with cue parts equipped; the store page urges you to “quickly upgrade your cue with collected parts and try out the upgraded build.” The exact menu click path is not described in text. The screen displays the three cue slots and your current parts.
Swap tip, shaft, or wrap/handle
The cue has three slots: tip, shaft, wrap/handle. Select a collected part for any slot to change its effect. You can switch each part independently to combine different bonuses, as the developer explains. This mirrors ARPG weapon customization where each component contributes a modifier to the whole cue’s behavior in rituals.
Test the upgraded build
Return to a new ritual and use the reforged cue. The store page says your ever-evolving cue should make the next ritual easier or at least different. Repeat the loop to refine synergies. If you die, you come back stronger and keep the ability to reforge, reinforcing the roguelite progression.
- Launched Pool of Madness on Steam (Windows, per official page).
- Entered a ritual and located the special equipment ball.
- Pocketed the ball and confirmed cue parts collected.
- Opened Equipment screen and selected a cue part slot.
- Swapped tip, shaft, or wrap/handle and saved the build.
Result and verification
When the swap succeeds, the Equipment screen shows the new part in the chosen slot and the cue’s described effects change. The developer’s screenshot in the 2026-09-30 announcement depicts the three parts in action, confirming visual feedback. In the next ritual, shot behavior or synergy should reflect the swapped component.
If the slot still shows the old part, reopen the screen; the text does not mention a separate confirm button, so a failed swap may mean the screen was exited early. The game also unlocks new powerups and haunted totems as you progress, but those are outside the cue-part swap itself. Your upgraded cue carries into future runs within the same save.
FAQ
How do Pool of Madness cue upgrades work?
Pool of Madness cue upgrades work by collecting cue parts from a special equipment ball in rituals, then opening the Equipment screen to swap the tip, shaft, or wrap/handle. The developer confirms the cue is split into three interchangeable parts.
What are the three cue parts I can upgrade?
The cue divides into tip, shaft, and wrap/handle. Each can be switched individually, letting you mix effects from different collected parts for a custom build that changes how rituals play out.
Where do I find cue parts for upgrades?
You find cue parts by pocketing a special equipment ball that sometimes appears during rituals. The developer’s Steam update explicitly states this is the collection method; no other source of cue parts is listed.
Check note
This guide is based on the official Steam store page for Pool of Madness and the Pool of Madness Steam product page, both fetched 2026-11-11. The developer’s 2026-09-30 announcement within the store page provides the cue-part loop and three-slot structure. The exact in-menu navigation steps inside the Equipment screen stay unconfirmed because the text only shows the screen and does not describe clicks.
Related guides for this game
Pool of Madness equipment
Pool of Madness haunted totems: how unlocking works
Pool of Madness haunted totems are unlockable powerups. This page explains how you unlock them through the ritual loop: upgrade your cue from collected parts.
Pool of Madness powerups and how to unlock them
Pool of Madness powerups unlock through completed rituals and cue upgrades with collected parts; the official Steam page has not listed each item yet.
Pool of Madness gun guide: the Orbcaster and rituals
Pool of Madness gun guide: learn what the Orbcaster does, how to shoot and pull balls, and when to draw it during a ritual run.
Pool of Madness guides
Pool of Madness boss fights guide: how to defeat them
Pool of Madness boss fights are void horrors you lure out by completing rituals, then hunt with your cue and gun. This guide explains the ritual loop.
Pool of Madness Engine Room Location and What Is Inside
The Pool of Madness engine room location guide covers the second area Bit Golem has shown, introduced in a 2026 Steam announcement as work in progress tables.
Pool of Madness community
Join Pool of Madness discord for updates and tests
Join the Pool of Madness discord through the official Steam store page and developer announcements to reach closed beta tests, updates and feedback.