Beginner's guide to Godsdusk Online

Godsdusk Online is a 3D adventure where you play a small chibi hero in the world of Midreach. It plays like a classic online RPG: you fight monsters, gain levels, choose a class and slowly build up better gear. You can play alone, or with other players when Online Play is on.

This guide covers what a new player needs to know, from your first steps on Dawnrest Isle to choosing a class, refining gear, taming a pet and teaming up with friends. You can start playing on the Godsdusk Online page.

Your first hour on Dawnrest Isle

Every character starts as a Fledgling on Dawnrest Isle, at a training camp run by Instructor Bram. The first quests teach the basics. Bram has you defeat three Jellops, Quartermaster Lise explains your bag and equipment, and Healer Mina teaches Patch Up, a small self-heal, once you bring her two Red Herbs.

Soon a light in the tide pools leads you to Pebble, a talking blue stone who joins your journey. To leave the island, reach Class Level 8, raise the Trailcraft skill to Lv 5, then talk to Ferryman Olaf at the pier. He sails you to Aldhaven, the capital.

Controls on computer and phone

On a phone, turn the screen sideways, because the game plays in landscape. Use the joystick to walk, the sword button to attack the nearest monster, and the hotbar for skills and items. Tap an item to see its details, pinch to zoom, and drag with two fingers to turn the camera.

On a computer, left click to move, attack, talk and pick up items, or walk with W, A, S and D. Click a monster once and you keep attacking until it drops. Other useful keys:

1 to 9 or F1 to F9: hotbar skills and items
Tab: target the nearest monster
Space: attack or interact
Z: sit down to recover faster
Right drag and mouse wheel: turn and zoom the camera
C, I, E, K, Q and M: Character, Items, Equipment, Skills, Quests and Map
P: Party, Friends and Guild. N: Essence Codex
Enter: chat

Stats and skill points

Every level gives you Stat Points to spend in the Character window. Raising a stat costs more the higher it gets, so focus on your class's favourite stats. The Auto button can spend points for you, but it can't be undone.

Each Class Level gives one Skill Point. Spend it in the Skills window, then drag the skill onto your hotbar. Some skills need others learned first, and the window shows what is missing. Skills cost MP.

Here is what each stat does:

Might: melee damage and carry weight
Grace: attack speed and dodging
Vigor: HP, defence and recovery
Wits: magic power, MP and magic defence
Aim: accuracy, cast speed and ranged damage
Fortune: critical hits and lucky dodges

Choosing your first class

At Class Level 8 with Trailcraft Lv 5, visit a class master to choose one of six classes. Each class has favourite weapons and stats.

At Class Level 36, each first class can take a test to advance: Vanguard to Lancer, Arcanist to Elementalist, Fletcher to Falconer, Cleric to Luminary, Trader to Forgewright and Cutpurse to Nightblade. Class levels past 36 become bonus Skill Points when you advance.

Vanguard: a frontline fighter with high HP who takes the hits for the team. Best with swords and two-handed swords. Stats: Might, Vigor, Aim. Master: Sir Garrick in the Vanguard Hall.
Arcanist: an elemental caster with fire, ice and lightning bolts. Slow to cast, but strong when the spell lands. Best with rods and staffs. Stats: Wits, Aim. Master: Magister Quill in Lumenspire.
Fletcher: a ranged attacker with bows and skills like Twin Shot and Arrow Rain. Stats: Aim, Grace. Master: Huntress Sable in Brindlewood.
Cleric: the healer and supporter, with Heal and blessings that help the party. Best with maces. Stats: Wits, Vigor, Aim. Master: Mother Celestine at the Cathedral.
Trader: buys cheaper with Haggle, carries more with a Handcart and can run a shop. Best with axes and maces. Stats: Might, Aim, Vigor. Master: Guildmistress Coin in Saltmarrow.
Cutpurse: quick and evasive, can strike twice with daggers and can steal items. Stats: Grace, Might, Fortune. Its guild hides somewhere in Qasirah.

Gear, refining and essences

Monsters drop loot such as Jelly Drops and herbs, and sometimes rarer things. Refiner Hollis can make weapons and armour stronger, one step at a time, for one ore and some gold. Weapons need Tinstone (Tier 1), Copperstone (Tier 2) or Mithrite (Tier 3 and 4). Armour needs Aetherite.

Refines always work up to +5 on Tier 1 weapons and up to +4 on everything else. Past that, each try can fail. A failed refine cracks the metal and the item loses one refine level, but it never drops below the safe limit and is never destroyed.

Almost every monster carries an essence, but essences drop rarely. Gear with a socket shows an empty diamond after its name. Use an essence from your bag to put it in, and its bonus stays in the gear. Hollis can also take essences out again. Your Essence Codex tracks every essence you have found.

Taming a pet

There are nine kinds of pets, from the Jellop and Fluffhop to the Duskbat and Griffin Chick. Buy taming bait from Quartermaster Lise, Tilda or the Harbor Trader, then use it next to the monster it is made for. The lower its health when you use the bait, the better your chances, so weaken it first. Bosses can't be tamed.

A tamed pet lives in an egg in your bag. Choose Call out to bring it along. Feed it its favourite food when it gets hungry, but not when it is already full, because that makes it less happy. A pet grows from Awkward to Shy, Neutral, Cordial and Loyal. Its bonus, like extra HP or a higher stat, starts at Cordial and is full at Loyal.

Playing with others

Turn on Online Play in Options, then tap another adventurer to invite them to a party, add them as a friend, whisper, trade or block them. Party members fighting together share the experience, and a Cleric's Guardian Prayer protects the whole party at once. If you fall while in a party, you can wait for a revive instead of going back to your save point.

You can have up to 40 friends. A guild holds up to 30 members. To found one you need Level 15 and 10,000 gold, or a member can invite you. Traders and Forgewrights with a Handcart can open a shop in town and sell items from their cart to other players.

Sometimes Online Play is resting, or the realm is crowded. The game tells you, and you keep playing offline. Parties, trading and guilds need Online Play. Your characters save in your browser and back up to your Bhayson Games player.

Common mistakes to avoid

Watch out for these early habits:

Carrying too much. Above half your weight limit you stop recovering, and at 90 percent you can't attack or use skills.
Forgetting to sit. Press Z between fights to recover twice as fast.
Spreading stats everywhere. Stats cost more as they rise, so focus on what your class needs.
Leaving new skills in the Skills window. Drag them onto your hotbar so you can use them.
Refining past the safe limit on gear you need right now. A failure lowers its refine level.
Getting lost far from home. A Homing Feather takes you back to your save point, and the Wayfarer Guild in every town saves your spot and keeps your storage.