Getting Started

Version 0.4.0: This article may not be up to date for the latest version of Isleward.

What is Isleward

Isleward is a multiplayer roguelike currently in development by Big Bad Waffle. The game is based around creating a character, exploring different islands, fighting mobs (monsters), forming a party, and spelunking and completing dungeons in search of treasure. Strengthening your character through looting better equipment and leveling up by gaining experience is also an integral part of the process!

The game is open-source, and the code and other assets can be found on the Gitlab. Thus, players can help spot bugs or even write mods to improve the game.

Registering an Account

To make an account, navigate to https://play.isleward.com, enter a username and password and press register.

Note: If your ISP blocks websocket access, try https://play.isleward.com/?polling

Note: Your account name and password should be kept privately. Do not share them with others.

Note: Do not lose your password as password recovery mechanism is not yet implemented!

Spirit

The first step in creating a new character is choosing a "spirit". This is similar to a class or a race. As a general rule, focus on increasing your spirit’s main stat (see below for ways to do this), as that is what your weapon’s damage scales from.

Owl- The "mage" class

Main stat: Intelligence
Recommended weapons: Wands or Staffs
Recommended off-hand items: Brittle Tomes or Ancient Tomes

Bear- The "warrior" class

Main stat: Strength
Recommended weapons: Swords or Axes
Recommended off-hand items: Shields

Lynx- The "rogue" class

Main stat: Dexterity
Recommended weapons: Spears or Daggers
Recommended off-hand items: Shields

You will also see a box with different prophecies on the right. Prophecies are special and permanent modifications to characters chosen at character creation. Choosing a prophecy isn't recommended for beginners; ignore them at first. (You may, however, choose Titangrip, which will double stats from your equipped weapon).

Controls

Movement

Use WASD or arrow keys to move, or QEZC to move diagonally. Every move you do queues up on the server and every turn you move one square down the queue. Press ESC to clear your queue.

Combat

Click a monster or use tab to select one to attack.

Press space to activate your automatic attack with your main weapon. Note that you do not need to continue activating your weapon; it will keep going as long as you continue to fight the same monster.

Press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to activate the abilities that come from your runes (see below).

Controls List

Keystroke	Function
WASD, QEZC, Arrows	Movement
Left Click	Select
Tab	Cycle between targets
Space	Activate auto-attack
1, 2, 3, 4	Use abilities from your Runes
G	Fishing Gathering
I	Open/close inventory
Escape	Close windows Cancel movement queue
V	Show/hide nameplates
H	Show/hide help
J	Show/hide character stats and equipments
O	List online players
P	Open/close passive tree
Enter	Open/close chat Send a message (if chat is open)
R	Use quickslot item

Character Info

Press J to open up your character sheet. On the first page you will see all your basic stats and the equipment your character is wearing/using. At the top you will see tabs that will allow you to access three more pages with additional info.

The info on your weapon damage and what abilities your runes give you can be found moving your mouse pointer over the boxes in the upper-right corner of the main screen (the one where you move, fight, etc.). There may be up to five boxes there depending upon how many runes you have equipped (see below). The box furthest to the left is your main weapon, which performs your auto-attack.

Equipping Items

Most of the time when you kill a mob/monster, you will see "loot" (treasure) appear where the monster was. Simply move into that space to pick it up. Most of the time the loot will be an item.

Press I to open up your inventory. Left-click the item to see its stats. To equip the item, right click the item you want to equip, and click equip on the dropdown menu

Also you can press J to open up character sheet. Then click on any equipment slot to see all items available to use in that slot. Click on the item you want to equip.

You can do the same with runes, except that in your inventory you need to select "learn" on the dropdown menu.

Where to farm

Can be different depending on the luck you have on your gear.

Level 1-10: Fjolarok
Level 10-15: Sewers
Level 15-18: Crystal Caves
Level 18-20: Estuary

Complete Quests

Quests are great sources of experience, make sure to complete as many as you can
There are Quests for Fjolarok, the Sewers, the Crystal Caves, and the Temple

XP (Experience Points)

If you aren't doing quests, make sure you fight against mobs at your level. This will give maximum xp output.

Excess Gear and Runes

If you have excess gear, salvage it by right clicking and selecting salvage. You can use the material you salvage to improve your gear
If you have excess runes, make sure to sell them. Runes bring in lots of money, which you will be happy to have later when you are buying gear from the Akarei and the Priest

How to Survive

Do not AFK where auto-aggro mobs spawn. You will die
Make a party with friends or other players, you will get full EXP and loot, don't worry. (You still have to hit the enemy, at least once)
Don't bite off more than you can chew, make sure you can survive farming in the next area if you want to move on
Make consumables to quickly restore some health in the middle of a fight
- Fish for Sun Carps and cook them at the Hermit's fire. (Make sure to buy sticks from the hermit to cook them on)
- Craft minor healing potions in the city at Estrid's shop using the Alchemy Workbench. (Buy vials from Estrid). Each potion heals half your health
  - To craft a minor potion you need 3 Skyblossoms and one empty vial. Skyblossoms can be found randomly around the map, to collect one stand on it and press G.
  - Be cautious when using healing potions, as they have a cooldown

Card Sets

If you obtain a full set of cards you can turn them in to Vikar in the city for a reward depending upon the cards.

Vendors

Throughout Isleward there are multiple vendors, each one you can buy and sell from
- The Hermit sells flimsy fishing rods, sticks, and random gear for new players
- Asvald sells basic starting runes
- Estrid sells empty vials.
- Thaumaturge Yala sells Akarei necklaces if you are honored with the Akarei. (Give her digested crystals that drop from Crystal Snails and Crystal Whelks to gain reputation with the Akarei)
- The Gaekatla Priest sells Gaekatla gear, but you must have a certain reputation with Gaekatla to buy gear from him. (Gain reputation with Gaekatla by killing monsters in the Estuary)

Fishing

Fishing is a great way to pass time and get some nice healing consumables
To fish you need to be next to a school of fish and press G. After a few seconds you will either catch nothing, catch a cerulean pearl (used to augment fishing rods), or catch a fish
You can only catch one type of fish for now, sun carps, but depending on the weight of the fish, the fish will have a specific name and will give different amounts of health when cooked and consumed
- Fish information

General Community information

Chat Color / Prefix

Color

Gray : Default chat color for everyone

White : Patron / Moderator color

Light blue : Developer color

Prefix

(m) : Moderator

(p) : Patron

(dev) : Developer

Ask for Help

The Isleward community is very friendly, if you have a question or need help, just type it in chat

Do not Beg

The chat is not your personal begging grounds. Do not use it as such. Nobody likes a beggar in the chat, work for loot, don't beg for it

Don’t Flood the Main Chat

If you are in a party, type %<message> to use party chat
There is also whispering by :
- Typing @<player’s name> <message>
- Pressing O and right clicking a name
Create or join a custom channel by typing /join <channel name> and leave using /leave <channel name>. Chat in the channel using $<channel name> <message>

Credit : First written by ChaosBearer, formatted by Polfy