RuneScape Dragonwilds 1.0: Beginner’s Guide

RuneScape Dragonwilds combines survival and crafting with RuneScape’s familiar skill progression. You become stronger by gathering resources, improving skills, crafting better equipment and completing quests throughout Ashenfall.

This RuneScape Dragonwilds 1.0 beginner’s guide explains what to prioritise during your opening hours, from following the first quests and building a base to upgrading your equipment, developing useful skills and staying supplied as you explore Ashenfall.

If you played during Early Access and are returning for the full release, our RuneScape Dragonwilds 1.0 new features and tips guide explains what has changed and what to check before continuing your adventure.

Follow the opening objectives until you meet the Wise Old Man in Bramblemead Village. Speaking to him begins the Dragon Slayer quest, which acts as the game’s main introduction.

The quest teaches you how to build a shelter, hunt animals, craft equipment and prepare for stronger enemies. It eventually leads towards General Velgar, your first major dragon encounter.

Follow the main quest while exploring the surrounding area rather than immediately travelling into higher level regions. You should also check your Journal regularly, as it tracks your objectives and any side quests you discover.

The Wise Old Man will ask you to build a shelter in Bramblemead Village. This is a good location for your first base because it places you near early resources, wildlife and the main quest.

Your first home only needs enough room for a bed, storage and some crafting stations. Make sure it is fully enclosed with walls, a roof and a door, then place and claim a bed inside. This creates your new respawn point.

Begin with a Crafting Table, Campfire and the stations required by the main quest. You can gradually add processing stations such as the Grindstone and Furnace as you unlock them.

For tips on foundations, roofing and expanding your first base, check out our RuneScape Dragonwilds building guide.

Your starting stone equipment should only be temporary. Better logging axes and pickaxes gather resources faster and allow you to harvest materials that weaker tools cannot damage.

After hunting some early animals, Bone weapons and Reinforced armour provide useful upgrades over your starting equipment. You should also craft a bow because it makes hunting deer and attacking dangerous enemies from a distance much easier.

Check the Power Level of your equipment before entering a new region. If normal enemies are taking very little damage or defeating you in only a few attacks, you probably need to upgrade first.

Skills improve by performing their related activities. Chopping trees trains Woodcutting, mining rocks increases Mining and fighting with melee weapons improves Attack.

Woodcutting and Mining are important early because you constantly need logs, stone and ore. Artisan supports your crafting and equipment progression, while Cooking provides the food needed to restore health.

Attack, Ranged and Magic are all worth developing. Melee weapons provide reliable close range damage, while Ranged and Magic give you safer ways to fight from a distance.

Agility gains XP as you run around Ashenfall. Levelling it reduces the Stamina consumed while sprinting and unlocks movement abilities. You can earn additional Agility XP by completing the courses found around Ashenfall.

You do not need to stop and grind a single skill immediately. Gathering, crafting and fighting while completing quests will naturally improve most of the skills needed for progression.

Pick up at least one of every new resource you discover. Obtaining materials and turning them into processed items can reveal additional recipes, equipment and building pieces.

Important early resources include Ash Logs, Stone, Flax, Rune Essence, Animal Bones, Animal Hide and food ingredients. Flax is especially useful because thread is required for plenty of early crafting.

Process new materials whenever possible. Creating your first planks, thread, leather or metal bars may reveal the next items you need for progression.

As you progress beyond your starting equipment, you will need specialised crafting stations. The Blacksmith’s Bench handles tools and melee weapons, the Fletching Bench handles ranged weapons and ammunition, the Armour Bench handles armour, and the Mystic Forge handles staves and advanced upgrades. Check which station makes your next upgrade before collecting its materials.

For help choosing your next crafting station, unlocking recipes and processing materials, check out our RuneScape Dragonwilds Crafting Stations Guide.

Skill Spells are unlocked by improving different skills and can make gathering, travelling and combat considerably easier.

Axtral Projection cuts through multiple trees, while Rocksplosion quickly destroys mineable deposits. Windstep is an Agility Skill Spell that helps you cross gaps, climb difficult terrain and escape danger.

Assign your most useful options to the Spell Wheel and continue collecting Rune Essence to create the runes they require. Some Skill Spells also require the correct tool, such as a logging axe or pickaxe, to be equipped before they can be used.

Food is your main source of healing in Dragonwilds. Eating restores health immediately, with fish generally providing the strongest direct healing while other meals offer additional bonuses.

You can still eat to restore health when you are already fully fed. There is a short cooldown between consumptions, so keep healing food ready and give yourself space to recover during a fight.

Healing potions have been removed, although potions that improve your stats are still available. Always carry several cooked meals and enough water before entering a Vault, fighting a boss or exploring far from your base.

You can permanently increase your maximum health by finding Sanguine Urns, also known as Constitution Shrines. These are scattered throughout Ashenfall and reward you for exploring each region.

Attacking, blocking, sprinting and dodging all rely on Stamina. Repeatedly attacking until the bar is empty can leave you unable to avoid the enemy’s next move.

Use shorter combinations, watch the enemy’s animations and leave enough Stamina to defend yourself. Blocking or dodging at the correct time is much safer than standing still and trading damage.

Ranged weapons can be used to attract one enemy without immediately fighting an entire group. If several enemies begin chasing you, create some distance and allow your Stamina to recover before attacking again.

For a closer look at parrying, Visceral Attacks and weapon specials, see our RuneScape Dragonwilds combat guide.

When you die, your carried items are placed inside a gravestone near where you were defeated. You can return and interact with it to recover your belongings.

Your claimed bed determines where you respawn, making it important to establish one before travelling too far. Keep spare food, tools and a basic weapon at your base so you can safely return to your gravestone.

Death penalties also depend on your world’s difficulty. On Hard difficulty, dying again before recovering your previous gravestone destroys its contents. You also lose skill XP gained since your last level up, so prepare carefully before attempting a recovery trip.

Take your time and avoid rushing directly into higher level regions. Before moving forward, upgrade the equipment you use, repair your gear and bring plenty of food and water.

Once you start travelling further from your base, our RuneScape Dragonwilds fast travel guide explains how to unlock Lodestones and get the Law Runes needed for easier return trips.

Talk to the NPCs you encounter and complete their quests, as they can introduce new activities and unlock useful rewards. Continue collecting Sanguine Urns and experimenting with every new material you find.

Following the Dragon Slayer quest while gradually developing your skills and base will give you everything needed to begin exploring Ashenfall.