Getting started in Core Keeper can feel overwhelming, but with the right strategies, you’ll be well on your way to thriving underground. This guide covers 10 essential tips that will help you manage resources, combat enemies, and progress efficiently in the game.

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1. Mushrooms Are Your Best Early Game Food

Mushrooms are widely available and are the easiest early-game food source. If you need to quickly replenish your hunger bar, eating raw mushrooms will work, but cooking them in a pot provides an even greater boost. Two mushrooms cooked together create a more nutritious meal, giving you better sustenance and regeneration to explore longer.

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2. Destroy Spawner Tiles to Control Enemies

Many enemies spawn from special ground tiles (e.g., slimes from slime-covered ground, mushroom enemies from melium). To prevent them from reappearing in unwanted locations, destroy these tiles with a shovel or hoe. You can also collect and relocate spawner tiles to farm mobs in controlled areas for loot farming later on.

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3. Secure & Expand Your Base

Establish a starter base near the Core to ensure a safe and accessible home. Build walls to prevent wandering enemies from attacking while you’re crafting or storing resources. Over time, consider expanding your base near a waypoint for quick travel convenience.

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4. Prioritize Copper Tools & Workbenches

Copper is the first essential metal you’ll need for crafting. Look for shimmering spots in cave walls to mine it. Your first crafting goals should be:

• Copper Workbench (unlocks more tools & stations)
• Copper Anvil (craft weapons & armor)
• Cooking Pot (better meals from ingredients)
• Salvage & Repair Station (maintain tools instead of making new ones)
• Watering Can (for farming efficiency)

Additionally, crafting a wood bow is a great early-game ranged weapon for dealing with dangerous enemies safely.

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5. Repair & Reinforce Your Gear

Once you have the Salvage & Repair Station, you can fix broken tools, armor, and weapons using scrap parts. Scrap is obtained by salvaging unwanted tools and gear, including basic wooden tools. Reinforcing your equipment also doubles its durability and increases its power, making it a worthwhile investment.

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6. Set Up a Wood Farm

Wood is used in almost everything, so setting up a tree farm is crucial.

1. Find Root Seeds and plant them in tilled soil.
2. Water the seeds to ensure they grow.
3. Place a door or fence at the entry point—roots cannot grow through doors, so this keeps your farm organized.

After five or six Root Seeds, you’ll have a steady supply of wood without relying on random exploration.

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7. Start Farming for a Reliable Food Source

Instead of relying on foraged food, set up a crop farm by collecting seeds from the environment or enemy drops.

1. Till the soil with a hoe.
2. Plant seeds and water them.
3. Harvest when fully grown.

Crops provide better nourishment than raw mushrooms and can be combined with fish to create powerful buff-granting meals.

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8. Create a Mushroom Farm

If you want renewable food and mob farming, set up a mushroom farm:

• Collect Melium Tiles and place them in a secure room.
• This will spawn Mushroom Enemies and generate mushrooms over time.
• Use traps to automate enemy farming.

This method also works for slimes and other enemy spawners, letting you farm essential resources without venturing too far.

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9. Store Items Next to Workbenches for Quick Crafting

When placing chests near workbenches, the game automatically pulls materials from storage for crafting. This saves inventory space and streamlines crafting, so always have a chest full of materials next to key crafting stations.

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10. Prepare for Your First Boss Fight

Your first major challenge is Glurch the Abominous Mass.

• Look for ground shakes as you approach his spawn area.
• Consider crafting rubber boots & a raincoat to reduce slow effects from slime.
• The easiest way to fight Glurch is ranged attacks with a bow or bombs to avoid damage.

Once defeated, return to the Core, place Glurch’s gem into a statue, and unlock new progression paths.

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Final Thoughts

With these 10 beginner tips, you’ll be well on your way to building a thriving base, farming resources efficiently, and defeating early bosses. Core Keeper is a game that rewards exploration and planning, so keep experimenting with different strategies to make your underground adventure even more enjoyable!

What are your favorite tips for new players? Let us know in the comments!