Queen's Domain does not hold your hand, and two early habits decide most fights: wait for your Power Meter before you swing, and save whenever you pass a Crystal Monument. The rest of this page covers the first weapons, the first boss and the early secrets worth grabbing.
How does combat work?
There is no block, parry or dodge roll. You win by keeping your distance, stepping in for one strong hit and stepping back out, as the player typo explains in a Steam beginner guide.
The yellow bar under your health is the Power Meter. TechRaptor's guide explains that a swing with a full meter does full damage, while a swing with an empty meter does almost nothing. Running drains the meter and it will not refill until you stop running, so avoid sprinting in a fight.
Hold the attack button to charge: the meter turns blue, and a fully charged hit does the most damage. While you charge you cannot run, dash or throw, but you can start charging before the meter has refilled.
Which damage type beats which enemy?
Every weapon deals Slash, Pierce or Impact damage, and every enemy is weak or resistant to some of them. Once you have killed an enemy type, its weaknesses and stats appear in the Bestiary (press Esc).
The early enemies, according to typo's guide:
| Enemy | Weak to |
|---|---|
| Ratty Bug | Slash |
| Chicket | Pierce |
| Skeletons | Impact |
| Chilopoda | Pierce |
Forest Eyes, the flower-like enemies on walls and trees, die to a single Throwing Dagger. Keep Chilopoda at range: both guides warn that their poison is the real danger. For more, see the Bestiary guide.
How do saving and resting work?
There are no automatic checkpoints. You save manually at a Crystal Monument, and if you die you reload that save and lose everything since. TechRaptor's advice is simple: save every time you can, and walk back to a monument rather than push on with a lot of unsaved progress.
Resting at a monument restores your health and removes debuffs, but it also brings every enemy back. Later you unlock Wing Altars, one per region, for fast travel; a Wing Stone Fragment takes you to any altar, and a Travel Crystal Fragment returns you to your last save.
Where are the starting weapons?
- Rusted Short Sword (Slash). Follow the path from the beach and talk to the soldier sitting by the campfire near the big doors.
- Dagger Belt. Break the wooden barricade with two charged swings (the first Crystal Monument is just past it). Go up the stairs to the left, run down to the beach and jump across two small islands; the belt hangs on the far one. It gives three Throwing Daggers that recharge over time.
- Rusted Spear (Pierce). Back up the stairs, clear the area and open the chest in the ruined tower. Its special attack moves you backward.
- Wooden Club (Impact). Shoot a dagger into the diamond-shaped socket to open the crypt door, then find the club in a chest inside. The crypt also holds the key to the Endu Shrine gate.
Both typo and Digitol's 100% guide give the same order for these pickups.
How do you beat the first boss?
The Shrine Guardian waits behind the gate at the end of the stone causeway on the beach; the key comes from the crypt. It is a skeleton, so bring the Wooden Club. Keep your distance, and when it raises its sword overhead, run to one side and around its back before you hit it.
Defeating it gives you a Stone Duck figurine, which unlocks the shop at Crystal Monuments, and opens the way to the Holy Sword Endu. Endu's Wind Dash lets you dash through the air between platforms; more dashes come from Wind Gems. See Bosses for the fights that follow.
What early secrets should you grab?
- Pandora Blade: in the open room of the crypt, press E on the wall to the right to open a secret room.
- Food and Meal Tickets: several hidden walls hold food that permanently raises a stat. TechRaptor notes that Broiled Meat raises Attack Power; Digitol adds that Roasted Poultry raises Life. Keep the Meal Tickets for the cook Gagi later.
- Life Charm: a chest in the crypt's open area; typo reports it adds about 12 Life.
- Witch's Grimoire: behind the large tree in front of you at the very start. Typo reports that writing BLINGE in it gives a Ring of Fire and the Witchcraft achievement.
Typo also warns that after you take Endu, the well next to the soldiers' campfire opens into a much harder area. Leave it until you have at least three dashes.
What should you do next?
Light the three beacons around the island, then head for Obmuer Temple and the Tower of Knowledge. Our walkthrough gives the full area order.