Tales of Iron may wear its charming visuals proudly, but beneath the cozy art style lies a punishing, tactical souls-like experience. If you’re just stepping into the world and feeling like Master Splinter being repeatedly wrecked by Shredder, you’re not alone. Here are five beginner-friendly tips — with a bonus trick — to help you settle into the rhythm of battle, exploration, and resource management in this brutal, yet rewarding game.

Tip #5: Equip or Store — Make Smart Early Decisions with Gear

In the early stages of Tales of Iron, you’ll find gear before you find a chest — this is intentional. When you discover new equipment, you’re given a choice: equip it right away or wait until you gain access to a chest to store or swap it later. While this decision might seem minor at first, it becomes more meaningful during quests and side missions where you won’t have immediate access to your chest again for some time.

Think beyond just the raw stats. The gear you pick up affects your resistances (for different enemy types), total weight, movement speed, and damage potential. If you’re about to enter unfamiliar territory or a tough fight, equipping the new item may be your best bet. On the flip side, if you’re comfortable with your current setup and don’t know what’s coming, holding off can be smarter. Don’t just equip everything on sight — weigh your options.

Tip #4: Death Isn’t That Bad — Save Often and Be Strategic

Tales of Iron takes inspiration from souls-likes, but it eases the pain of death considerably. You won’t lose your gear, gold, or progress — and even better, enemies don’t respawn unless they’re part of an active quest or specific bug types like mozzies and grubs. Once you’ve cleared an area, it stays clear.

This opens up some breathing room. After fighting your way through a difficult stretch, feel free to backtrack and save your progress. Use a rest point to refill bug juice, adjust your equipment, and plan for the next encounter. It’s especially worth doing if you’ve just survived a hard fight or collected valuable loot. Don’t power through recklessly — take time to regroup.

Tip #3: Use Bugs for Bug Juice — Farming Basics

The bugs in Tales of Iron aren’t just cannon fodder — they’re practical. Killing mozzies and grubs will let you loot their bodies, which refills your bug juice meter slightly. This becomes a valuable trick when you’re far from a bug juice keg or simply need to top up during exploration.

You can even go back and forth between screens to reset enemy spawns and farm bug juice. It’s a simple loop that can be a lifesaver before a tricky fight, especially if you want to avoid backtracking all the way to a refill station. Take note: not all bugs respawn, but the ones that do can be used strategically.

Tip #2: Check Your Map and Visit Towns Often

Your map isn’t just a place marker — it’s a tool. It displays main quests, side quests, refill barrels (for poison and arrows), equipment chests, and rest areas. Check it regularly to plan routes, avoid backtracking, and keep your momentum up.

That said, not everything appears on your map. Some NPCs sell unique or rare items and aren’t marked, so it pays to revisit villages and the castle now and then. Occasionally, story progression or quest completions will unlock new items in these shops. Don’t assume everything you need is shown on the map — exploration still matters.

Bonus Tip: Need Gold? Do Side Quests and Explore

Gold can be a bottleneck in Tales of Iron, especially when upgrading gear or starting higher-tier quests. The best way to gather gold early on is to take on side quests. These often send you out to kill bugs or explore hostile zones, and the rewards include loot, crafting resources, blueprints, and yes — gold.

Exploring outside of the main quest path can also lead to hidden stashes or valuable gear. Even repetitive fights can pay off with tradeable items and a few extra coins. If you’re short on funds, it’s not a grind — it’s a good excuse to become a wandering knight.

Tip #1: Collect and Use Blueprints — Your Path to Powerful Gear

Blueprints are essential in Tales of Iron. They’re used to craft weapons and armor, and some of them unlock unique or powerful items like a samurai sword (yes, really). Blueprints come in varying rarities:

• Brown – Common
• Blue/Turquoise – Uncommon
• Purple – Rare
• Yellow – Unique or Legendary

You can buy blueprints from shopkeepers with basic currency, and they’re often rewarded after completing boss fights or main story quests. Anytime you see a blueprint, don’t pass it up. Crafting unlocks more options, which in turn makes it easier to adapt your playstyle or counter specific enemy types. The more gear you can build, the more flexible you become.

Final Thoughts

Tales of Iron is a game that rewards preparation and strategic choices more than brute force. Use your map, swap your gear with purpose, make bug juice your friend, and farm side quests when you need to build up resources. The game might feel punishing at first, but the more tools you learn to use, the more satisfying your victories will become.

So grab your spear, strap on that armor, and don’t forget to loot the mozzie. You’ve got a kingdom to reclaim.