See a penny, pick it up
Turn on “auto pick up gold” in settings. When enabled, walking over coins automatically adds them to your wallet, which is handy in dark areas like swamps.
Head straight to your shells
After your first NPC talk in Marrow Keep, the map marks shells Tiel and Proxima. Head to one as soon as you step into the open field. Shells are your main classes and boost attack and defense.
Proxima pennies
Proxima shell shines in open fields because it makes enemies drop sellable items, easing late‑game money worries. It’s a tier‑3 skill, so invest points carefully.
Warning: Glimpses are finite
Glimpses, used to upgrade shells and unlock skill trees, are limited per playthrough. In the pre‑release build they sufficed for two maxed shells with a few left. Spend wisely on shells you’ll keep long term; they can also be burned to locate other shells or summon NPCs, but those uses are less valuable.
Walls are sometimes only a suggestion
False walls appear throughout the game, marked by a glyph on doors, tombstones, or any surface. If you see the symbol, swing at the wall—it often hides a secret.
Your inventory is more versatile than you think
Consumable items serve two purposes. Use them directly for instant effects like health regen, or place them in a passive slot for ongoing benefits such as slow health regen or damage reduction. The more you collect, the stronger the passive bonuses become.
Sheep. Yes, sheep
Early on you’ll face a boss that summons a flock of sheep. Defeating it grants the Sheephead Totem, which can be consumed to turn into a weak sheep and provides a passive HP reduction for enemies. Look for additional sheep throughout the game to collect more totems and boost the effect.
Cleansing Beacons
Most beacon checkpoints are also mini‑dungeons that must be cleansed. Do this at every beacon; rewards range from weapons and Tarstones to stray Ova that accelerate end‑game progression. They are always worth the effort.
Easy mode
Equip the Slayer Seal found past Merrick the vendor in Marrow Keep. It disables trophies and achievements but boosts sidearm damage and heals you with each riposte, helping you survive without using items.
Hard Mode
For a greater challenge, activate Night mode after reaching Marrow Keep by using the Gloombound Flame at Widow’s Overlook beacon, turning around to the sandy graveyard behind you, and grabbing the Gloombound Flame from one of the headstones. Use it at the top of Marrow Keep.
Tarstones
There are over 70 Tarstones to find. Slot them into weapons, passive effects, or special attacks, and swap them once they reach experience thresholds to keep leveling up. Some are tied to specific weapons obtained near boss gates; maps can be purchased from Merrick if you need guidance.
Early grinding
One of the best early‑game grinding spots is just in front of the Mushroom Village Gate. From the beacon (don’t forget to cleanse it), cross the bridge to a tall, mandible‑bearing monster that stuns easily and drops large amounts of gloom. This spot provides steady XP to boost your attack or shell points before tackling major bosses.
