Biome route
Black Forest progression guide
Bronze, burial chambers, portals, trolls, and The Elder prep.
Field note
What to do next
Find burial chambers for surtling cores, mine copper and tin, build bronze tools, then prepare fire arrows for The Elder.
Route sketch
Black Forest field plan
First safe Black Forest loop
Treat the first Black Forest nights as scouting, not conquest. Your goal is to mark copper, burial chambers, troll caves, berries, and shorelines while keeping a clear path back to Meadows safety.
- +Enter from a Meadows edge in daylight with rested buff and three foods active.
- +Mark copper deposits and burial chambers, then leave before inventory weight forces a bad fight.
- +Avoid chasing greydwarfs deeper into the forest; they are trying to pull you into shamans, brutes, or trolls.
Burial chambers before big mining
Surtling cores unlock the production loop that makes every copper trip useful. Clear enough chambers for a charcoal kiln, smelter, and early portals before committing to long ore hauls.
- +Bring shield, torch or light source, spare food, and space for cores.
- +Use doors and corridors to control skeleton pulls instead of fighting every room in the open.
- +If a chamber is messy, mark it and come back after repairs rather than losing the whole run.
Bronze priorities
Bronze is expensive because each bar costs a copper-heavy mix. The beginner mistake is spending the first batch on nice-to-have armor before the tools that unlock better routes.
- +Build forge infrastructure first, then craft bronze axe for fine wood and stronger woodcutting.
- +Craft cultivator early so carrots become a renewable food upgrade before The Elder.
- +Choose either troll armor mobility or selective bronze defense; full bronze armor can wait unless you are getting hit often.
When to fight The Elder
The Elder is ready when your recovery plan is ready. A nearby portal, cleared altar area, fire arrows, and replaceable food matter more than squeezing one extra bronze upgrade.
- +Find the altar and place a portal far enough away that roots and greydwarfs will not break it.
- +Clear spawners, nearby trolls, and patrols before offering Ancient seeds.
- +Keep spare bow, arrows, and food at the portal so a death does not become a long reset.
Before entering
- +Eikthyr power available.
- +Shield or bow ready for greydwarfs.
- +A marked path back to base.
- +Enough food to survive trolls and shamans.
First objectives
- +Search burial chambers for surtling cores.
- +Build kiln and smelter near a safe base.
- +Mine copper and tin to start bronze production.
- +Craft bronze axe, cultivator, and better armor or troll armor.
- +Find The Elder altar and build a portal nearby.
Checklist
- +Collect surtling cores.
- +Build kiln and smelter.
- +Craft bronze axe.
- +Craft cultivator.
- +Find The Elder altar.
- +Defeat The Elder and collect the Swamp Key.
Recommended gear
- +Finewood bow
- +Bronze buckler
- +Troll armor or bronze armor
Food and meads
- +Queen's jam
- +Carrot soup
- +Deer stew
Common mistakes
- +Mining copper with no portal or cart plan.
- +Skipping burial chambers and delaying smelting.
- +Summoning The Elder without clearing nearby enemies.