Starting your adventure in Caves of Qud can feel overwhelming at first. With its simple pixel graphics, mysterious conversations, and minimal direction, having some handy tips can greatly help you navigate its challenging terrain.
These tips won’t cover every question you may have when you first enter Qud, but they should give you a boost in confidence and encourage you to explore without feeling lost. So, let’s get you started on your journey, water-sib.
Important Update: December 6, 2024: The long-awaited 1.0 version of Caves of Qud has finally been released. We’ve added some new tips to this guide to help you traverse this unforgiving land. Surviving can be tough, and these pointers will help you find your footing more easily.
Begin Your Journey in Joppa
When selecting your starting point, opt for Joppa. Almost everything in Caves of Qud is procedurally generated, meaning choosing any other starting area will leave you in a random settlement within that biome, where the resources and opportunities can be completely unpredictable.
In contrast, Joppa offers a consistent layout and familiar NPCs, which provides a reliable base as you start your quest. By interacting with the villagers, you’ll learn how the game works, pick up your initial quests, and engage in some trading to equip yourself for your first adventures.
Once you’ve gained some experience in Qud, feel free to create a new character and try starting from a random location.
Engage with Key NPCs
One vital tip in Caves of Qud is to be social. If you come across any non-hostile characters, speak with them! This includes the Leaders (like Mayors or Elders), the Warden (the local security figure), the Dromad (the trader), and any other notable characters.
Key NPCs are usually more vibrantly colored than regular villagers, and legendary NPCs will have their names displayed in purple. Engaging with them allows you to initiate a Water Ritual, which can be immensely beneficial.
Utilize the Ovens
Most settlements have an oven hidden away somewhere, which serves as an unlimited source of food. When you discover one, make sure to eat up to three times if you’re still hungry.
Just be cautious of the effects of the local cuisine, as each settlement’s oven provides dishes specific to its culture. If you’re interested in learning to make the food yourself, you can ask a legendary NPC during the Water Ritual.
Pay Attention to Local Artifacts
Observing statues, monuments, and engraved objects can yield important knowledge about the history and events of Qud. This information may highlight locations of legendary items or quests.
When auto-exploring, your character will stop to study significant objects automatically.
Trade with NPCs
Fresh water is a priceless resource in Qud, essential not only for hydration but also as the universal currency. Avoid trying to survive without engaging in trade, as managing your water supply becomes crucial.
Understanding how to negotiate effectively is key. Factors like your character’s ego stat and their reputation with different factions can impact trading prices. A poor reputation can make buying more expensive, while high ego can help you secure better deals.
Dromads are the main traders you’ll encounter, recognizable by their brown or white cloaks. However, you can trade items with any sentient creature in the game.
Boost Your Faction Reputation
Your reputation with various factions plays a significant role in your journey. The primary way to improve it is by participating in Water Rituals with legendary beings. Your ability to partake in these rituals may vary based on your current standing with a faction.
During these rituals, you can offer information gathered on your travels in exchange for reputation boosts. Notable findings can come from examining engraved or painted items and discovering significant sites.
Be cautious—killing an NPC you’re bonded with will significantly decrease your reputation across all factions.
Not all characters accept water for rituals. Robots might prefer oil, and cannibals may require blood.
You can also enhance your reputation through actions like completing quests, eliminating legendary creatures, or equipping specific items.
Stay Oriented
Using the world map effectively can save your life. The map not only records the locations you’ve been to but also reflects the quests associated with each area. Importantly, you can fast travel, which allows you to move without engaging in battles and automatically quenches your character’s thirst.
However, the risk of getting lost increases with each step taken while fast traveling. If you do lose your way, you can regain your bearings by retracing steps to familiar areas, conversing with guides, or simply wandering until you re-establish your location.
Keep in mind that the map isn’t viewable while underground, though underground paths may help you bypass dangerous areas on the surface.
Create Camps While Exploring
To ensure you stay well-fed during your travels, take advantage of campfires. Building a campfire incurs no cost, and they persist indefinitely. There can only be one campfire per screen, so check first if any are already present.
Campfires enable you to cook meals and preserve food, with the added benefit that crafting a meal costs no resources. Thus, you should use camps regularly to maximize your survival.
Manage Your Inventory Wisely
In Qud, it’s easy to collect a multitude of trinkets, but your carrying capacity is limited. Prioritize items essential for survival, and consider the weight-to-value ratio when deciding what to keep or leave behind.
Items denoted with a yellow dollar sign maintain a stable value regardless of who you trade with, such as copper, silver, gold nuggets, and gemstones.
You can trade freely with recruited followers, but be aware they might equip any gear you give them, making it challenging to reclaim those items later.
Consider storing excess items in chests or on tables if you find yourself overburdened.
Evaluate Your Environment
When entering a new area, creatures won’t react to you until you move. This gives you a chance to retreat if you stumble upon a hostile cluster, or to attack first for an advantage.
Understanding the abilities of legendary creatures can mean the difference between life and death, so take your time to assess the situation before engaging.
Don’t Underestimate Plants
The game features various dangerous plants, so it’s wise to be cautious. If you encounter unfamiliar flora, examine it first before getting too close. Fungal entities can release spores that may cause infections. Watch for messages indicating skin irritation, as you’ll have only a short window to treat any resulting infection before it worsens.
You have about two in-game days to address these spores, as neglecting them might severely impact your character’s stats.
Embrace Death
In Caves of Qud, dying is part of the experience. You may find yourself meeting an untimely demise early on, especially after tutorials. That’s okay— it happens to everyone. If you’re concerned about starting over, you can choose a mode that allows you to return to your last settlement.
Overall, death in this game should be viewed as a learning opportunity. Once you grasp the mechanics, you can explore more hardcore gameplay styles.
If you find yourself near death in combat, don’t hesitate to retreat—recovering health can be as simple as taking a step back and resting.
These tips will help you navigate the intricate world of Caves of Qud more confidently and effectively. Enjoy your adventure!
