Beginner guide: four priorities for your first run
Choose a difficulty, learn a short combat loop, and explore with a reason to return.
Quick answer
Choose a comfortable difficulty, practise a short attack-and-defend loop, and keep two main weapons ready. Note blocked routes and revisit them when new abilities open them.
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Choose a difficulty you can learn on
S-Game describes Wayfarer as a story-focused option and Hellwalker as a challenge with more advanced, adaptive enemy AI. Start where you can recognise your mistakes, rather than judging yourself by a difficulty label.
When comparing weapons, keep the enemy, difficulty and upgrade level as consistent as possible. Otherwise, a tougher encounter can make a useful weapon feel weak.
Practise one attack, then one response
- Use a short attack sequence in an ordinary encounter. Watch for the enemy starting a counterattack.
- Practise your defensive response while checking your own Sha-Chi, rather than watching only the enemy health bar.
- With two main weapons equipped, try a swap as your attack sequence ends. Build a repeatable rhythm.
Your first goal is to stop attacking deliberately and respond. If you keep pressing attack until you take damage, it becomes harder to identify the decision that failed.
Keep a return list for blocked paths
Some exploration routes require Phantom Edge abilities earned later. Record the nearest landmark and the obstacle, then revisit after gaining a suitable ability. This is more useful than repeatedly searching the same closed route.
Side quests also develop the world and its characters. To limit spoilers, read the beginner and combat guides first, then open a named boss guide only when you need it.
Choose your next guide by the problem
Getting staggered? Read combat basics. Unsure whether to change your loadout? Read the weapons guide. Facing Cangang in the opening valley? Open that encounter guide. Change one part of your approach at a time.
Cannot find the difficulty setting?
Use the Difficulty settings for the in-game menu, applying changes and the locked 66 Days option.
The opening cliff chest can wait
Look back after waking: the body of Gu Lingran and a chest lie across the cliff. The red prompt requires the Phantom Edge 追命锁镰, obtained later after defeating Zhuiming. Mark it and return with the tool. Original location guide by GamerSky / Agent ↗
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Sources
Checked October 30, 2026. Source-based guidance; not a claim of an in-house playthrough.