Hints

There are many treacherous heights barring the way in Aincrad. But fear not—should you take a tumble, you'll simply be returned to your original location. So don't be scared to peer over the edge.

When questing out in the world map, you will be placed within a designated quest area, ensuring you remain close to your objective. Leaving this area will force you to return to it.

If you keep attacking an enemy, they may drop to their knees; this means they have been downed, and is a great time to inflict massive damage. A Crush Attack with a sword, or normal attacks from maces and two-handed axes, ensure opponents are swiftly downed.

As you walk through the world, you may encounter Survey Flags marked with a magnifying glass. Investigating these will register a variety of information into the world database. Doing so will earn you rewards from the Adventurer's Association, so be sure to look in every nook and cranny!

You can create weapons using Craft, but you're better off focusing on enemy drops. Remember: once you have all the weapons you need, you can use Craft to supplement any upgrade materials you might be missing.

It's important to upgrade your weapons on your adventure. Tempered Steel is a key component in weapon upgrading, and can be purchased from the Item Seller using Ale Coins earned while playing multiplayer. It truly pays to engage in jolly cooperation!

As you gain levels, so too do your enemies. If you're feeling outmatched, return to town and spend your Growth Points or upgrade your weapons to improve your character's attributes.

When traveling, a yellow light will occasionally appear in front of an impassable valley or chasm. These spaces can be traversed with a Blink Talisman, which allows you to teleport past many such obstacles.

You won't be attacked by enemies while in a Safe Area you have activated. Bear this in mind whenever you need a break during a quest.

As your character levels up, your Partner will, too. This process is automatic, and will see their attributes increase in tandem with your own.

Some enemy attacks are preempted by a yellow glow before activation. These are Danger Attacks, and cannot be guarded against.

Enemies spawn in waves. If you keep fighting with all your might, the spawn rate of enemies will decrease. However, should you choose a more passive approach, and habitually run from enemies, this spawn rate will increase. Be careful—like life's responsibilities, avoidance will lead to a hard lesson down the line.

If an enemy's behavior changes, and it suddenly stops reacting to attacks, it may be a sign that it's about to counterattack. Watch out!

Certain enemies may hinder nearby players with their piercing howls. Try to put yourself out of the range of these attacks by rolling or using other dodging techniques.

The mini-map will not be displayed in areas where a Safe Area has not yet been activated. Look for a pillar of blue light, the telltale sign of a dormant Safe Area. Upon activation, you will be rewarded with a map of your surroundings.

You'll need to rely on your sense of direction and know-how when exploring new areas without a mini-map. Use paths and roads to navigate your route. After all, they're bound to lead somewhere.

You can cross shallow water that reaches up to your knees. Even if a river or a pond looks deep at first glance, there may be a shallow area you can wade through—and who knows what treasures await on the other side? Be sure to take a dip every once in a while.

You cannot cross deep water, such as rivers and lakes, but there's no penalty for doing a belly flop into their briny depths. You will be returned to your original location, safe and sound—if a touch wet. Don't be afraid to dip a toe in!

It's important to run away if you feel like you're in danger, but enemies will typically pursue you wherever you go. Instead of fighting and fleeing, try picking off enemy stragglers one by one while you have the numerical advantage.

Arks are littered all throughout the world map. Defeating the Guardian sealed away inside an Ark will release the barrier seal connected to it, opening passageways previously closed to you.

During combat, red arrows will appear around your character, pointing toward enemies that are about to attack. Keep an eye out for these warning indicators to avoid any off-screen surprises.

Sword Skills can leave you vulnerable to attack after they are used—yet chaining multiple in succession can cancel out that opening, allowing for a continuous string of attacks.

Should you repeatedly fail a quest, you may drop some of the items listed in the Acquisitions section of the main menu. Be sure to return to town and prepare appropriately before you lose something of vital importance.

A dead end on a map is usually much more than it appears. Explore these areas for treasure chests, survey flags, and side quest items. It pays to be thorough.