The Former Soldier is one of the more challenging backstories in We Who Are About to Die. While it starts with solid combat gear and high health, the reduced stamina and goal of earning 100,000 gold for victory makes it a grind-heavy run with limited early momentum. But with the right mindset and strategy, you can build a dominant character and hit your victory condition without feeling like you’re stuck in a slog. Here’s a full breakdown on how to win with this background.
1. Early Priorities: Get a Real Weapon and Start Stamina Training
The starter gear that comes with the Former Soldier isn’t great. Like other backstories, your top priority should be securing a good weapon. Sell off anything you don’t need—even gear—if it helps fund that weapon. Once you’ve got something solid, you can start taking fights more confidently.
After that, stamina becomes your key focus. This backstory starts with low stamina, and that can be deadly in extended fights. Train stamina as often as you can, even at the cost of skipping tougher fights. On level-ups, always take staminaover HP. You already have a lot of health—stamina is where you’re likely to fall short.
2. Manage Your Early Game: Gear Up and Train Up
Take the early weeks slowly if needed. Focus on fights that allow you to:
- Avoid too much damage
- Earn enough gold to afford gear and training
- Safely increase stamina
Fights like 1v1s and low-risk 1vMany are excellent options here. Don’t worry if you’re not making big money immediately—the goal is to set a foundation for long-term scaling.
3. Fight Selection and Bet Optimization
Once you’re past the initial gear crunch and stamina shortage, start optimizing for high-paying fights:
- Favor 1vMany or 1v1s, as they generally offer the best payouts.
- Pay attention to Spoils, Luck of the Draw, and Survival modifiers.
- Don’t forget to check bets each week. Sometimes a lower-paying fight becomes better than another when the bet payout is added in.
Even if one fight pays less upfront, a good bet can make it more profitable overall. Consider rerolling the board if all fights look weak—this can also refresh your bet pool.
4. Don’t Hoard Gold—Spend Wisely to Secure Momentum
Yes, you need to make 100,000 gold to win—but hoarding every coin is a trap. You’ll earn gold faster if you’re properly geared and trained. So spend when needed:
- Upgrade your armor and weapons as needed.
- Invest in healing and stamina regen upgrades, which are especially important due to your low starting stamina.
- Take a calculated risk now and then to stay ahead in gear progression.
Once your income surpasses your spending, you’ll snowball rapidly.
5. Boost Your Gold Through Fame Training
Another trick for pushing toward that 100K goal: convert Fame into gold by training Fame for coins. If you’ve built up a high Fame pool, this can knock off thousands of gold from your goal in one shot.
- Fame-boosting items like the Malum Mask can help accelerate this.
- Don’t prioritize Fame over armor rating, but if you see a Fame item that doesn’t sacrifice defense, it’s a nice bonus.
6. Sell Gear at the End to Hit 100K
Once you’re closing in on your victory total—around 80-90K—start calculating your gear’s resale value. If you’ve been collecting and upgrading items, your full set may be worth 5-10K gold or more.
Pair that with some Fame-to-gold conversion, and you may not even need one last risky fight to close it out. Just sell off what you don’t need and walk off into the sunset.
Conclusion: The Grind Is Worth It
The Former Soldier backstory is a slower burn. The stamina penalty is annoying, and the 100K goal takes time. But by starting slow, training stamina first, investing in solid gear, and maximizing your weekly payouts with smart fight and bet choices, you’ll hit your target without feeling stuck. Stay patient, stay strategic, and enjoy the long march to a well-earned retirement.
More backstory guides are on the way—subscribe or check the archive if you’re tackling a different character. Good luck in the arena!
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