Mortal Shell's world can be unforgiving, if you're new to the game here are some top tips to get you started!
Top tips from the Mortal Shell Team
FINDING THE TARNISHED SEAL
Firstly, here's a great guide from IGN for getting started and where to go first. Don’t forget to pick up the Tarnished Seal from the Old Prisoner, you’re gonna need it! If you accidentally leave Fallgrim without grabbing the Tarnished Seal, you won't be able to parry or use your heal infusion. As you enter Fallgrim for the first time, you'll see a tower across the pond. Head here to find the Old Prisoner, and although he has "little to offer," he'll grant you the Tarnished Seal which you'll be using a lot.
GET TO KNOW YOUR SHELL
Everyone has their preferred playstyle when it comes to soulslikes. In Mortal Shell, there are four inhabitable slain warriors, known as ‘shells’ with unique attributes in durability, stamina, and resolve. All shells can be found around Fallgrim, with some branching out near the entrances of the temples. If you try them all as you find them, you can get a feel for the shell(s) that suit your playstyle. Want to be light and quick? Tiel. Want to be a tank with stacks of health? Eredrim. And so forth. To change shells, you can head back to Fallgrim Tower (the Old Prisoner's home) and inhabit discovered shells on the ground level.
For an overview of all the inhabitable shells in the game, here's a useful article on Fextralife.
STRIKE AT THE RIGHT MOMENT
Combat is strategic, deliberate, and unforgiving. Take your time and don’t feel like you have to rush into a fight. As you progress through and encounter each type of foe, it’ll become easier to gauge the types of attacks enemies are about to unfurl against you, and when they’ll pause for an opening. Keep an eye on both your stamina bar and harden cooldown during combat, as these two are big factors when deciding whether to harden or dodge. There will be different times when it’s best to harden-attack or completely dodge an incoming flurry. Don’t forget, you can combine light attacks and heavy attacks with any weapon for a deadly mix.
Here’s an advanced combat guide from Boomstick Gaming:
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EMPOWERED RIPOSTES
The Old Prisoner has infused your Tarnished Seal with useful ripostes. Each empowered riposte uses up a resolve bar, but the highly skilled can perform a riposte with an empty bar to gain resolve. Beware that your Tarnished Seal will alert you by glowing and making a sound when an unparryable attack is incoming - dodge or harden against these! Getting the timing right takes some practice, so don’t let it get you down if you miss them all at first! For some, it may be a good idea to learn your favorite enemy attacks to parry, and save your riposte for those guaranteed heals using the healing infusion.
ITEMS, ITEMS, ITEMS
Throughout your journey, you’ll find useful items laying about, from glimpses to tar, to mushrooms. The game is built on using items to find out what they do, so every time you pick up an item, it’s a good idea to try it out - you’ll never know if you don’t try! Each time you use an item, your familiarity with that item will increase, which will improve the item's benefit as you become more familiar with it. Explorers are rewarded with lucrative items, especially when opening Frog Chests in the Mist after collecting a sacred gland. When you find weapon upgrades or tools, be sure to check them out using the workbench found at Fallgrim Tower and near the entrances to all three temples.
HARDEN YOURSELF
There are no shields in Mortal Shell, only your hardened shell - your most important defense. As a rule of thumb, it’s efficient to harden while attacking. This means that less time is used winding up your attack, with the added bonus of stunning the enemy and opening up for a follow-up hit or two.
RECLAIM YOUR LOST SHELLS
When your health drops down to zero, you get two chances; one where you get knocked out of your shell with the ability to re-inhabit it, and one where you die, lose all your glimpses and tar, and re-awaken at the sester. As you reawaken, your old shell, glimpses, and tar you were carrying aren’t actually lost - it’s right where you left it! All you have to do to reclaim it is find out where you died and interact with it. Kind of like retrieving lost souls, right? As well as retrieving your lost belongings, another bonus is that your health bar is refilled. This can come in very useful when fighting tough bosses, as you can retrieve your old fallen shell for a free health boost during a battle.
ASK THE COMMUNITY
Mortal Shell can be an unforgiving game, both to veterans and new players of the genre. When hopping over from Dark Souls, Nioh, etc., the unfamiliar feel can be frustrating! We’ve definitely all been there, hoping that one day we can git gud. There’s a knowledgeable and dedicated community just a few clicks away if you ever need to look for help. Just head over to the Discord server, where you can chat about your experiences, ask for help, and share your glorious in-game media.
Of course, there’s a lot more to learn about the world but hopefully, this guide will help you on your quest to seek ascension.
Take care,
- Team Mortal Shell
