What's new at the start in version 1.0
Keen Games wrote in the changelog that it reworked the pacing, guidance and fun of the first hours. The key changes:
| Change | Detail from the changelog |
|---|---|
| 1st level-up at your first altar | "The first level-up is now designed to happen when placing the first Flame Altar" |
| 2nd level-up at the Blacksmith | "the second level-up should then trigger when freeing the Blacksmith" |
| More chests | "more chests to the early game regions in Springlands and Revelwood" — more loot and runes early on |
| Better roads | improved roads and enemy camps, "to reduce the chances of getting utterly lost" |
| Cheaper recipes | "The recipes in the crafting progression have been reworked, especially in the early game. The goal was to reduce the grind" |
| Automatic loot pickup | hold the interact button to collect all scattered loot nearby; a gameplay setting collects it automatically (not containers, enemy drops or quest items) |
| Fast travel from sleep | "It is now possible to fast-travel while sleeping in a bed" |
| Hourglasses | appear in many more places and add about 70% more time in the Shroud |
| Wisp of Light | lasts 10 minutes instead of 5 |
| Gold coins | in chests from the start — you trade them with survivors |
| Armor | craftable armor sets unlock automatically with every Flame upgrade |
| Quests | split into main and side quests; shows whether a quest is personal or world-wide |
Step 1: Cinder Vault and your first Flame Altar
- You wake up in the Cinder Vault. Go to the Flame Shrine and choose "Commune with the Flame" — you get the quest Claim A Spot For Your Base and the Flame Altar recipe.
- The tutorial cave teaches the basics: torch, chest, the first Fell enemies, the Shroud with its time limit and a Return Beacon (respawn point) at the exit. Once outside, you unlock the Workbench and the Construction Hammer.
- The first stone you pick up unlocks the axe and pickaxe (made from stone, twigs and string).
- Craft a Flame Altar from 5 stones and place it anywhere above the Shroud — it doesn't have to be at the spot the quest marks. In 1.0 this gives you your first level-up.
Next to the start is Longkeep — the first village with a campfire, a bed and a well (water for your pouch: water guide).
Good to know about the altar: your base starts at 40 × 40 × 40 m, the altar doesn't work in the Shroud and can't be moved (you extinguish it and place a new one), and terrain changes outside your base disappear after 30 minutes or a restart.
Step 2: the Blacksmith and your second level-up
The quest Find The Sleeping Survivor leads to the Ancient Vault - Blacksmith — according to the wiki, not far from where you leave the Cinder Vault; follow the map marker (there are Scavengers on the way). Freeing the Blacksmith gives you your second level-up in 1.0. You also get the Summoning Staff recipe — use the staff to move rescued survivors into your base (they need shelter and a bed).
The Blacksmith hands out the next quests: a workshop for him, your first weapon or armor, clearing an Elixir Well, the glider, the grappling hook and climbing the Ancient Spires.
Step 3: glider, grappling hook and the Ancient Spire
| Item | Where | Recipe (wiki, pre-1.0) | What for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glider | Workbench | 8 Shroud Wood, 2 Animal Fur, 2 String, 2 Shroud Spores | gliding from heights — the game's main "transport" |
| Grappling Hook | Workbench | 4 Metal Scraps, 7 String, 10 Shroud Spores | climbing at marked points; needed for the Springlands spire |
Gliding uses stamina — if it runs out mid-air, you fall. In 1.0 you can respawn while falling without stamina. The Springlands Ancient Spire stands north of Braelyn Bridge; from the top you unlock fast travel and two new quests.
Step 4: the other craftspeople — in what order
The order follows the quest chain (wiki, pre-1.0):
| Order | Craftsperson | Quest from | What they give |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blacksmith | a Flame quest | weapons, armor, upgrades, furnaces |
| 2 | Alchemist | after climbing the Springlands Ancient Spire | potions, Shroud Core, spells |
| 2 | Hunter | after climbing the Springlands Ancient Spire | bows, arrows, backpack, drying furs |
| 3 | Carpenter | the Alchemist's quest "Carpentry Assistance" | furniture, chests, the well |
| 3 | Farmer | the Hunter's quest "Growing Stronger Together" | seedlings, kitchen, animals |
You can free the Alchemist and the Hunter in either order. Each craftsperson sleeps in a separate Ancient Vault. In 1.0, before placing a survivor for the first time, you set how far they can wander around your base (at least 2 m).
The Shroud: timer and hourglasses
- Entering the Shroud starts a timer at the top of the screen — at first you have about 5 minutes (according to the wiki). When it hits zero, you die.
- Your time grows with Flame upgrades, skills, hourglasses (in 1.0: about +70% time, found in many places, also dropped by large Fell enemies) and food from night plants. In 1.0, Shroud time bonuses stack less effectively than before.
- Red Shroud is a higher tier — without the right Flame level it kills you very quickly.
- The Shroud has Return Beacons and Shroud Roots — destroying a Shroud Root gives you a skill point.
Flame upgrades and altar upgrades — two different things
- Strengthen the Flame (Flame level) — more time in the Shroud, access to deadlier Shroud, more altars and attributes. It costs Sparks (from Flame Shrines) and resources.
- Upgrade Altar — a bigger base (up to 160 m). It costs Shroud Cores (from Fell bosses at Elixir Wells and Shroud Roots, or from the Alchemist).
For Flame level 2 the wiki lists 1 Spark, 5 Resin, 5 Bones, 5 Shroud Liquid and 5 Animal Fur, among others; older guides add the head of the Fell Thunderbrute boss. 1.0 changed the recipes — check the list at the altar. In 1.0 you can have up to 15 altars (16 after Flame level 11).
Food, rest and the bed
- Food: at the start you have 3 slots for meals — each gives a different bonus (meat: health, sweets: melee, mushrooms: magic, vegetables: ranged, drinks: stamina). A skill unlocks the fourth slot. The bonus wears off without an obvious warning — keep an eye on it.
- Rested: sit or lie down somewhere warm (campfire, altar), under a roof and with some comfort — you get more stamina and faster stamina regeneration.
- Bed: sleeping speeds up the night, and since 1.0 you can fast travel from your bed. Your first mattress is made at the Workbench.
The skill tree at the start
You get 2 points per level, 1 per Shroud Root and 3 per Elixir Well. Players usually start with movement skills (the double jump in the middle of the tree) and stamina, then invest in one weapon. Which branch to pick is covered in our guide on which class to start with.
Common beginner mistakes
- Walking into the red Shroud unprepared and without an exit plan.
- Getting the grappling hook and glider too late — many places are unreachable without them.
- Moving to a higher biome without upgrading the Flame and your gear.
- No chests in your base — since 1.0 you can upgrade chests in place, without moving items.
- Forgetting about food and rest.
- Breaking a well in the ruins with a pickaxe or axe (in Early Access it couldn't be repaired).
- Old save in 1.0: unspent points after the skill tree reset and wiped custom key bindings (changelog: "it was necessary to reset custom bindings to the default").
FAQ
Should I start over in 1.0 or keep my old save?
Your old save will work — the game backs it up and converts it to the new format. In the Launch FAQ the developers "strongly encourage you to start over", because 1.0 changes the world and the first hours. More: saves and characters after 1.0.
When do I get my first level?
In 1.0 — after placing your first Flame Altar. You get the second level for freeing the Blacksmith if you follow the main quest.
Which craftsperson should I free first?
The Blacksmith — the first quest leads to him. After climbing the Springlands Ancient Spire you unlock the Alchemist and the Hunter, and their quests lead to the Carpenter and the Farmer.
How long can I stay in the Shroud?
About 5 minutes at first. Flame upgrades, skills and hourglasses (about +70% in 1.0) give you more.
Where do I get resources at the start?
Stone, wood, twigs and plant fiber are right there in the Springlands; everything else is in our guide on where to find resources.
