Starsworn's New Player Bullet Guide

Starsworn’s GSIV New Player Bullet Guide

Game commands are listed in ALL CAPS to show what you type.

How do I ask for help?

You can speak to other players by prefacing your comment with a leading apostrophe or by typing SAY:

Command	Result
'Hello!	You say, "Hello!"
SAY hello	You say, "Hello!"

To reach the thought net (players anywhere can hear/respond), do ESP TUNE HELP twice, then:

Command	Result
THINK Hello, I have a question!	[You]: Hello, I have a question!
THINK TO JOHN Hi!	[Focused to John] You think, "Hi!"
THINK ON HELP Can someone help me, please?	[You]: Can someone help me, please?

• You can freely discuss questions in Help, Merchant, and OOC; the General channel is in-character.
• Use DIR for directions to Silverwood Manor, then RING the bell to call for a Mentor (experienced player).
• DIR TOWN SQUARE will lead you to the town center, where other adventurers can help.
• DISCORD joins the official Discord server (there’s a Help channel where players are happy to assist!).

How should I build my character?

Make whatever you imagine -- all combinations are potentially viable, though some are easier than others. Offbeat builds can work!

Stats (Strength, Wisdom, etc.):

• Stats are based on your race and class, and they grow as you level up.
• If a stat reaches 100 too early, you miss out on the growth afterwards.
• The goal is for them to just hit 100 when you reach level 100.
• You can’t actually have 100 in everything, but you can get close.
• You can change your stats a total of 5 times before you turn level 20.
• To optimize your stats, use a calculator or ask someone else to help. One calculator: https://www.nitefallz.com/
• There are 3 recommended paths (choose by preference):

1. Optimize for level 19 to speed up leveling to that point, then switch to option 2 or 3.
2. Optimize for level ~70, then plan to use a fixstat potion (about 15m silver) to optimize for level 100.
3. Optimize for level 100: set and forget.

Skills:

• You can change skills freely and instantly as many times as you like until you turn level 20.
• Core skills vary by class. Some options to get started:
  • Use the default skills provided in character creation.
  • Use your class’s Beginner’s Guide: https://gswiki.play.net/Category:Guides
  • Ask on the ESP Help channel for guidance.
  • Ask in your class’s Discord channel for guidance.
• If you plan to try bounties, consider the following (helps with Skinning, Bandits, Search, Herb):
  • Perception 1-2x, First Aid 1-2x, Survival 1x

How should I manage my items?

• Do these commands once:

SET SORTED ON
STOW SET BACKPACK

• Now, you can do e.g. STOW AXE, STOW RIGHT, or STOW ALL
• Encumbrance is an ongoing battle; try to stay lean. Don’t carry extra armor sets, dozens of skins, or heavy quartz orbs.
• If you’re attacking things, try to keep your roundtime under 5–6 seconds.
• Early on, all you really need is one or two big containers (cloak and backpack), armor, weapon, and shield if you use it.

How do I kill things?

Attack

• KILL <target>

Stance system

• In combat, you can set the offensiveness vs. defensiveness of your position with STANCE.
• STANCE D = defensive (most DS); used by most casters (except wizards).
• STANCE O = offensive (most AS).
• STANCE ADV = a middle ground for physical attackers.
• You will incur roundtime (time before you can act again). If it goes over 5–6s, empty your backpack.

Cast

• INCANT <spell#> (e.g., INCANT 1700)

Special attacks

• WEAP LIST to see weapon abilities.
• SHIELD LIST to see shield abilities.
• QSTRIKE -3 <target> does an attack with −3s RT at a stamina cost; you can use any number.
• MSTRIKE, largely deprecated in favor of WEAP abilities.
• GLD for guild skills (later).
• FEAT for other abilities (later).

How do I level up?

• Do the introductory quest.
• Visit each of the DIR areas in your town for a one-time EXP reward.
• Many towns have an NPC (e.g., Warrior Thraak in Wehnimer’s Landing) who gives an intro speech and EXP after a few questions.
• Go to the town bondsman or similar NPC and deliver messages for silver and EXP.

Hunt

• “Hunting” = killing things in the wilds, then resting in town.
• Check your experience via EXP.
• Killing grants Field Exp that you absorb over time.
• You absorb faster on “nodes,” often places like Town Center or a tavern.

Bounties

• Bounties are found at your town's Adventurer's Guild, at the taskmaster NPC.
• You can obtain a bounty via ASK TASKMASTER FOR BOUNTY.
• BOUNTY will then show the details of your task.
• If it's too difficult, return to the taskmaster and ASK TASK TO REMOVE BOUNTY.
• When complete, return and ASK TASK FOR BOUNTY again.
• Rewards: experience, silver, bounty points.
• Other options (more advanced): Reim, Open Seas Adventures, healing (empaths), raising the dead (clerics after level 18).

What are some tips for early success in combat?

• Early strong weapon bases:
  • Two-handed: claidhmore
  • UAC (unarmed combat): gloves + boots
  • Edged: falchion, longsword, handaxe, katana, short sword (ambushing)
  • Blunt: morning star, mace (ambushing)
  • Ranged: longbow, heavy crossbow
  • Polearms: naginata
• For early levels, consider a drake weapon (periodic fire flares).
• Armaments can have an enchantment bonus added directly to AS (weapons) or DS (runestaves, shields, armor).
• Common material bonuses:
  • Mithril +5
  • Ora +10
  • Imflass +12 (lightweight)
  • Glaes +15 (very heavy)
  • Vultite +20
• Minimum level to use magical metals is half the bonus (rounded up): mithril 3, ora 5, imflass 6, glaes 8, vultite 10.
• Ask other players for spares or check your town’s pawnshop.
• Players will cast buff spells if you ask; many last up to 4 hours. Wizards can provide a set of particularly powerful spells. Try these:
  • THINK ON HELP Can anyone please provide some spells?
  • THINK ON GENERAL Can anyone please provide some spells?
  • DIR TOWN SQUARE and ask there.

If you’re a caster, primary attack spells (you can search the wiki for the spell number: https://gswiki.play.net/):

• Cleric: 302
• Sorcerer: 702
• Wizard: 901, 904, 903 (after 20 ranks Elemental Lore: Fire, 903 becomes steam)
• Empath: 1106; intermingle 1101 and 1700 to save mana
• Helpful wands: twisted (sorc/empath/cleric), gold, glass, aquamarine, metal, slender blue (wizard)

I got injured or died! Now what?

• If injured, go to your town center and ask an empath for healing.
• If dead, ask for help on the Help channel; someone will bring you back to town.

THINK ON HELP I'm dead, can someone please rescue me?

• Once back in town, an empath can heal you and a cleric can raise you.

What else can I do that’s fun?

• Check the calendar at https://www.play.net/gs4/ for official events (often several per day).
• Explore! Elanthia is huge and hand-crafted with tens of thousands of rooms.
• Talk to other players in town, socialize, and roleplay as you discover your character.
• Ask someone to join you for a hunt, or to join them.
• Check SERVICE.
• Check shops to find equipment you like:
  • SHOP DIR in game.
  • https://ps.lichproject.org/ on the web.
• Look for groups for bounties, Grimswarm warcamps, Reim, or repeatable quests like Black Swan Castle.
• Non-combat systems to sample:
  • Artisan crafts (give EXP)
  • Forging, cobbling, fletching, fishing
  • Bird watching, bug catching, knitting, jewelry-making
  • Spirit beasts (EXP)
  • Siegy miniatures
  • Professional guilds
  • Player-run Houses

Special thanks for edits and feedback: Drizdark, and many in the Help channel!