A surgical instrument includes a body portion, a shaft, and an end effector that is operable to compress, staple, and cut tissue. The end effector includes an anvil and a staple cartridge. The anvil has a rigid bent tip configured to contact an angled surface of a nose portion of the staple cartridge. The staple cartridge includes gripping features along a staple deck that assist in gripping tissue during clamping. The staple deck of the cartridge may include multiple levels. The anvil further includes a slot with lateral portions having curved ends for receiving portions of a firing beam to guide the firing beam during a cutting and stapling action.
