Enshrouded beginner’s guide: 10 tips and tricks for starting out

Level up.

Man holding a staff standing on a cliff in Enshrouded
Image via Keen Games

Keen Games have crafted a deep, rich, and intricate world with Enshrouded, which means that there is a lot to learn for the players just getting their hands on this game.

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From grinding to fast traveling to the most optimal skills, there’s a lot you can improve on to make your time in this tough world of Enshrouded a little easier. We’re here to help you on that journey.

10 beginner tips and tricks in Enshrouded

Flame Altars are your best bet for fast traveling

The screen for building a Flame Altar in Enshrouded.
These are a heavensent for traveling long distances. Image via Keen Games

Embervale’s expansive world may lack abundant fast travel options, but you can rely on five permanent ones. These include the Cinder Vault, your initial location, and an Ancient Spire in each of the four diverse biomes: the Springlands, Low Meadows, Revelwood, and Nomad Highlands.

Additionally, you have the flexibility to fast travel to any Flame Altar, which is the soul of any base you construct in the beginning. Initially, you can construct two Flame Altars, and through upgrades, you can expand this number. While this limits your early-game fast travel locations to a base and an outpost, you can modify your network by destroying and rebuilding Flame Altars. Constructing a Flame Altar is cost-effective, requiring only five readily available stones, enabling you to establish your temporary fast travel connections.

Apart from this, always keeping an available Altar slot proves invaluable in your journey. This ensures the flexibility to place an altar in distant areas lacking nearby spires for convenient return trips. Ancient Spires stand out conspicuously in Enshrouded’s landscape as distinctive tall towers, making them easily recognizable as vital points of interest.

Reset the game for optimal grinding

A man in Enshrouded chopping down a tree.
You gotta do what you gotta do. Screenshot by Dot Esports

For solo players looking to expedite their progress in Enshrouded, there’s a handy trick to accelerate any grinding endeavors. Simply return to the main menu and relaunch your game. This action triggers a respawn of all bosses, monsters, resources, loot, and even quest items, swiftly resetting the environment for optimal farming.

Additionally, strategically placing an Altar near your designated farming spot proves immensely beneficial. This ensures that upon relaunching the game, you spawn directly at the Altar’s location, eliminating the need for time-consuming travel back to the desired resource or monster location.

Awaken all the survivors

The player character in midst of finding the Alchemist in Enshrouded.
Unlocking them will prove highly beneficial. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Five different survivors dwell in the Ancient Vaults across the Springlands. The quicker you get them all, the better, as each of them has different skills which will expand your recipes and crafting abilities significantly.

  1. Blacksmith
  2. Hunter
  3. Alchemist
  4. Farmer
  5. Carpenter

The initial craftsman you unlock is the Blacksmith, followed by the Hunter and the Alchemist. To secure the Farmer and the Carpenter, you will need to work together with the Hunter and the Alchemist, completing their quests to recruit all the five survivors. After establishing them in your base, you will need to meet the Sheltered condition for them to make their initial appearance. Ensure you have a roof and walls around your Flame Altar to meet these requirements.

Complete the optional early quests

Man standing on ledge above Shroud in Enshrouded
They’re not too much of a challenge. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Enshrouded, despite its core as an open-world survival crafting game, seamlessly integrates RPG elements. Quests, assigned by diverse characters like the Farmer, Carpenter, or the enigmatic Flame itself, provide a structured narrative within the expansive world.

Although the game grants the freedom to embark on independent adventures, prioritizing early quests is strongly recommended. These quests not only unlock key NPCs but also furnish crucial items, weapons, and equipment. Notably, the quests lead to acquiring two indispensable tools—the Glider and Grappling Hook.

Craft a Grappling Hook and a Glider

Enshrouded character talking to the Blacksmith
The Blacksmith will be of great help. Screenshot by Dot Esports

Navigating the expansive world of Enshrouded becomes significantly more efficient with the proper traversal gear. For newcomers, crafting the Grappling Hook and Glider is crucial. These tools empower you to reach elevated spots and traverse the landscape swiftly by gliding from great heights, compensating for the absence of mounts or vehicles in Enshrouded

Neither item occupies inventory space; instead, they attach directly to your character in the Character screen, similar to Shields. As a bonus, you can even create custom grapple points for your base, offering a superior alternative to traditional ladders.

Unlock the essential skills

The player character in Enshrouded walking up a flight of stairs.
You will have to work for the Skill Points. Screenshot by Dot Esports

For swift progression in Enshrouded, engaging in mining, discovering points of interest, and facing various enemies will lead to rapid leveling. Within the Skill Tree, centered around general skills in gold, consider investing in the following five skills with 10 Skill Points.

SkillCost
Merciless Attack2 Skill Points
Power Parry2 Skill Points
Sneak Attack3 Skill Points
Backstab Damage2 Skill Points
Well Rested1 Skill Point

These skills provide buffs upon resting at your base and introduce two attack types. Merciless Attack pairs well with Power Parry, complementing your Shield and its Parry Power. Meanwhile, Sneak Attack benefits from increased backstab damage.

After acquiring these foundational skills, explore the diverse branches of the Skill Tree tailored to the Ranger, Mage, or Warrior classes available in the game.

Become the best fighter you can be

A team running through the woods together.
Doing so will maximize your chances of survival. Image via Keen Games

Ensuring success in the challenging world of Enshrouded requires a strategic approach to combat. Understanding the weaknesses and resistances of monsters is key, prompting the need to carry a variety of weapons to adapt to different situations while also regularly upgrading them using salvaged Runes to keep them in peak condition for encounters. Kiting, or leading enemies away to minimize damage and potentially increase damage per second (DPS) for various enemies, is also an important maneuver during combat.

In a party setting, players should stick to their designated roles for optimal performance. Whether adopting a support role with a focus on healing or a DPS role to eliminate foes, playing to the strengths of each role ensures a better party.

Eat well and rest better

The inside of a well-made base in Enshrouded.
Your base is the best area to get some rest. Image via Keen Games

Before setting off on your adventures, make it a ritual to eat the best food and pack the right assortment of snacks. Seek out water sources for Stamina replenishment, whether it’s near your base or scavenged from enemies. Hunting animals and transform the acquired meat into food to enjoy a revitalizing health boost. Keep a stash of Purple Berries handy, especially for those crucial moments of healing in the initial stages. As you venture into Revelwood, broaden your snack repertoire with the addition of Strawberries for health regeneration and throw in Hazelnuts to amplify your strength.

Then comes resting, which takes center stage. Whether nestled beside your Flame Altar or any cozy spot meeting the warmth and comfort criteria displayed in the top-left corner of your screen, a brief snooze will recharge your “Well Rested” timer. This boost significantly enhances your maximum Stamina throughout its active period, proving invaluable in every facet of your Enshrouded endeavors.

Prepare well for the Shroud

An Enshrouded screenshot showing the player character standing in front of a Shroud Root.
The Shroud holds invaluable treasures for players. Screenshot by Dot Esports

The Shroud, aptly described as a “ruinous fog” within the game, typically blankets low-lying regions of the map, occasionally manifesting in random locales. Stepping into the Shroud initiates a countdown timer, and once it ends, your demise awaits. While the Shroud harbors more formidable enemies and imposes a time constraint, it really isn’t that dire of a challenge. In fact, within the Shroud lies a trove of valuable resources that you won’t encounter elsewhere.

Craft some basic equipment and supplies before heading into the Shroud—below is what you’ll need to make in the Crafting menu:

  • Axe
  • Pickaxe
  • Workbench
  • Construction Hammer
  • Campfire
  • Tiny Chest
  • Shield
  • Bow
  • Wooden Arrow x20
  • Ragged Shirt
  • Ragged Boots

Most of these items are self-explanatory for any adventure in Enshrouded, including entering the Shroud. The Axe and Pickaxe will let you gather resources, while other elements are important for combat or building. The Campfire will allow you to cook food, while the Tiny Chest will allow you to safely store the resources you’ve collected before you leave for the Shroud. 

Keep a keen eye out in ruins

The sun peeking through a ruined landscape in Enshrouded.
There will be secrets you’ll want to uncover. Image via Keen Games

Enshrouded harbors numerous secret areas tucked away in almost every dilapidated settlement across the map, each concealing valuable treasures.

These covert zones in ruins typically feature a concealed wall, often marked by a protruding button. A simple interaction with the button unveils the hidden space. Keep a keen eye out, as these buttons might be cleverly disguised amidst pots, plants, and other miscellaneous items. There’s also a variant with fake floors where triggering the mechanism reveals a concealed staircase.

Even in the absence of these secret spots, taking a deliberate and unhurried approach to exploring Enshrouded’s points of interest can yield a bountiful harvest of resources.

Author
Image of Yash Nair
Yash Nair
Yash is a freelance writer based in the tropical state of Goa, India. With a focus on competitive Pokémon, he also writes general guides on your favorite video games. Yash has written for sites like Dot Esports and TouchTapPlay, and has a distinct love for indie video game titles.