I've moved this to the top now, no I won't change the numbers. DO WHATEVER IS ON THE WAY. If you want to go to the church to get a flask, do whatever ruins, camps, evergaols, forts, or great churches are on the way, same with the castle, same with sorcerer's rises, same with anything. YOU WANT UPGRADES. DOING LOCATIONS GETS YOU UPGRADES. DO NOT SKIP THEM. The ONLY time I'll accept skipping locations is if we really need to get to the shifting earth ASAP. All other times, you can fit it in.


I've seen some debate about the first camp, and some people don't even seem aware of the camp at all. Whenever you drop in, you're dropped right next to a small unmarked camp of enemies, and these enemies will have enough souls to get you from level 1 to level 2. The jump from 1 to 2 is pretty big, especially when it comes to health so I would recommend you do it, BUT you don't HAVE to. I've seen a few people act like skipping the camp is run suicide, but it's really not, in fact most single decisions aren't run ending. Making bad choices over and over again is run suicide, but one non-optimal choice isn't something you can't bounce back from. If you want to go to a great church, or large camp, or Fort first, you'll probably be fine. I recommend great churches first, because the bosses in them are usually pretty easy with just one person, and piss easy with 3.

DON'T DO IT! It's just not worth it! EVER! You want to get as many loot drops as possible on your first day, quantity over quality. Doing powerful field bosses day 1 will take way too much time, for rewards that aren't worth it. Normal field bosses are fair game, but try and attack them as a group so you can kill them in a timely manner.

Yes even if it has trolls, Yes even if it has the bell bearing hunter. The castle is a great source of runes and loot, especially the trinket chest you can open after beating the basement boss. I've seen people say you shouldn't do it until day 2, but that's just cowardly. I would leave it for the 2nd half of day 1 though, if you do plan on doing it day 1. Start with the basement and work your way up.

You are not a pro player, you are going to get hit. Even if you are a pro player, your teammates probably aren't, and they'll get hit. When getting his is inevitable, healing is a necessity. Go get flasks, stop arguing about it.

Each shifting earth map has a special bonus, DO IT! The only one I'd say is fine to skip is the mountain, resistance to frostbite is only good if you're fighting the frostbite dragon. Every other shifting earth map has a really good bonus, especially Noklateo, which has a revive for each of you! The circle will always close in on the shifting earth location, so you'll always have time on the 2nd day to go visit and get the bonus, but I'd recommend starting on it BEFORE the circle closes in, especially Noklateo, because the boss is right next to the night border.

You see those mines on the map? They're tunnels! They go places! A lot of you don't seem to know this, and would rather scale a mountain, then run across a loot-less wasteland to get to where you want to be, instead of taking the nice tunnel route, and getting an easy smithing stone.

You don't have to make much time, but try and go to one at least once and pick up an item pouch. Merchants spawn at Forts, Camps, and the castle. There's also a special merchant at the town, that sells more items, more rare gear, and even trinkets.

Use 'em if you've got 'em. Fighting evergaol bosses is quick and rewarding, if you have a key use it. Try and find one that's on the way to another objective though, don't go off in the opposite direction.

I said earlier that you should go to churches and get flasks, and I meant it. You should even go if it's covered in the storm, because it's safe to do so. Using the flask at the church recharges all your flasks, adds a new one, and refills your health, so running out into the storm to pick up a flash is actually pretty low risk.

This guide is dedicated to all the idiots who take the lead when they have no idea what they're doing. Please stop that.