Follow your current quest, choose one useful upgrade, and gather for that upgrade. Run a compatible crafting task alongside gathering when available. If you hit a wall, identify the blocker before grinding more levels.
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Start with one useful goal
Read the current main quest and name the thing stopping you. Is it a target enemy, a missing ingredient, or an item you cannot equip? That answer determines your next session. A level going up is satisfying, but it does not always remove the blocker.
- Check the quest’s exact target, including the stage if one is shown.
- Pick one craft or equipment improvement that helps with that target.
- Find the materials that improvement needs and train the relevant gathering skill.
- Set a compatible crafting task alongside gathering when available.
- Return to the quest or encounter and check whether the change helped.
Let your next craft choose your training
Open a recipe you can actually use, then work backward from its ingredients. This keeps your gathering and production pointed at the same result. If the recipe is out of reach, compare a currently available alternative before training toward a distant tier.
| Your blocker | Next useful action | Read next |
|---|---|---|
| Missing materials | Train the skill supplying the recipe you chose. | Skill hub |
| Not enough gold | Reserve recipe ingredients; inspect remaining sale candidates. | Keep vs sell |
| A combat wall | Observe whether the problem is survival, damage or a locked area. | Combat checks |
| Unspent points | Compare reachable bonuses against the task you are actually running. | Build directions |
There is no verified universal first skill or first recipe here. Exact recipe costs and your current equipment matter more than a blanket “always train Mining” rule.
What to craft first
Compare the displayed benefit of a usable tool or equipment upgrade with what you already own. Prefer a craft with an immediate job: supporting a gathering task you will run, or addressing the combat problem you observed. Check the requirement before using materials.
Crafted tools had their equip-level restriction removed in Hotfix #3. That change does not establish that every recipe is available immediately, or that non-tool equipment has no requirements. Check the patch ↗
Keep the next upgrade within reach
Reserve materials for the recipe you selected and items needed by your active objective. Compare duplicate equipment before selling it. When an item’s use is unclear, inspect its tooltip and relevant recipes rather than assuming that a low sale price makes it disposable.
Choose points for the task ahead
The skill tree supports different specializations. Before acquiring a node, check its complete effect, prerequisites and whether the activity it improves is part of your current plan. A gathering bonus does little for your immediate goal if you are only trying to solve a fight.
Hotfix #5 added a hold-to-acquire prompt. Follow the game’s tooltip if a click alone does not acquire an accessible node. Exact allocations and reset costs are currently unverified; see build priorities before committing.
Go back to the actual quest target
If progression appears stuck, compare the main quest’s stage with the area where you are fighting. Hotfix #5 made these target stages clearer. Hotfix #3 also corrected quest advancement that occurred without the required enemy defeat.
Use the stage displayed in your quest rather than an old walkthrough’s assumption. If a lock remains, follow the locked-area checks; repeating an unrelated battle is not a verified solution.
Before you close the game
Offline progression is a confirmed feature. To make it useful, leave with a purpose rather than an arbitrary activity.
- Choose a task whose output contributes to your next goal.
- Check the materials for your selected production task and review inventory space.
- Confirm the intended activities are running.
- Check the game’s save indicator and let Steam finish syncing before switching devices.
- On return, compare actual rewards with what you expected before planning a longer absence.
Three detours worth avoiding
- Training everything equally. Revisit the next useful unlock instead of leveling for symmetry.
- Following demo numbers. Recent patches changed requirements, XP and prices. Check dates before acting.
- Changing several things at once. Make one targeted adjustment and observe the result so you know what helped.
Keep the progression checklist open next to your game to carry the plan between sessions.
Common questions
What should I train first?
Train toward the material required by your next usable craft or current objective. A universally fastest starting order is not verified.
Can gathering and crafting run together?
Yes. The official Early Access launch announcement explicitly confirms simultaneous gathering and crafting.
Why does an older guide show a different level requirement?
Hotfix #5 lowered requirements for several resource tiers. Use the verified milestone table and check your installed version.
Sources & verification
Game facts are checked against the sources below. Priorities and checklists are editorial advice, not measured optimal routes. Early Access details may change.