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Exploring the world ofInkboundrequires dedication and knowledge of the game. Since it’s a rogue-like, you’ll have a new experience each time you play. However, it doesn’t require fast reflexes to play since the combat uses a turn-based system. Even though you may plan your attacks and prepare, the game is still difficult.
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Don’t worry if you struggle at first: the game requires you to understand the systems and develop builds to win different runs. As you react to the situation and identify the best ways to go through the run, you’ll want to remember beginner tips to make it easier.
Understand Magma Miners, Mosscloaks, And Weavers
At the start of the game, you’ll have three classes to choose from, so take a moment to review them and understand what they offer.
You should go with theMagma Minerif you want atanky character that can get in people’s faces. TheHeat ability shields your character, helping you stay alive as you fight enemies. You can also use Leaping Strike to reach new enemies and avoid attacks.
Mosscloakscollect shurikens during fights, allowing you to maximize your damage. Mosscloaks can use theirpassive critical rates to deal more damage, which works alongside your Shuriken stats. The class works best for people who canavoid attacks while killing enemies.
Weaverscan connect to multiple enemies and deal damage to all of them. Theyperform best against large groups of enemiesand splitting damage between them, allowing them to clear out waves faster, though they struggle against bosses.
With those points in mind, you shouldpick the Magma Miner if you want the easiest class. The bonus shields and upfront damage will help you survive while clearing enemies.
Mosscloaks are an excellent choice if you want to be asolo player. You should choose aWeaverif you plan tojoin a partysince you can handle groups while your teammates fight bosses.
Get At Least One Movement Binding
As you seek upgrades and continue through a run, you can unlock new Bindings to help you deal damage. Since you’ll only have five Bindings you can use, you shouldget a movement binding when possible.
While Magma Miners and Mosscloaks have movement Bindings, they have longer cooldowns, so you can’t always use them for movement purposes, especially if you want to deal damage. Instead, you shouldgrab an ability like Teleport to help you stay safe.
On top of that,some movement Bindings don’t cost Will, allowing you to focus on attacks and damage, then move to a safe location away from attacks by quickly teleporting there.
You should also pay attention to movement Ascensions for your Bindings, so you’ll have more movement options. For instance, Teleport lets you move a set distance, but you canteleport anywhere if you Ascend it, allowing you to always move to a safe location during the run.
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Pick Up Will Orbs Later In Turns
As you play through turns, you’ll have Will Orbs appear on the ground. If you pick them up, you’llgain another move and lower your cooldowns, allowing you to use more moves.
With that in mind, you should never pick up an orb at the start of your turn. While you’ll restore an action point, you won’t restore your other abilities. Instead,hold off on grabbing the orbs until you use the abilitiesand have them all on cooldown. You can then collect it to restore them.
Your position also matters when you pick up the Orbs. Try to make your way toward them as you fight, so you won’t have to spend points reaching them.
Minimize Your Turns To Avoid Ink
While other roguelikes prevent you from taking too long through time limits, this game focuses on minimizing your turns. You can take as long as you want, so you shouldmake the most out of your Willto avoid challenging scenarios.
As the fight goes on, the area will shrink. If you take too long,you won’t have as much space to dodge, causing you to take more damage. You’ll want to finish the battles quickly to minimize your damage, sofocus on efficiency.
As you fight enemies, you shouldpay attention to the range of your attacks. Multiple moves in this game can hit various enemies, such as a Weaver’s standard attack. Watch for an orange highlight around the enemies; if you have each one you want to hit highlighted, you can use the attack.
You can also get upgrades that increase your move’s range, allowing you to hit more enemies. Ensure you purchase these effects when possible, so you cantake down groups of enemies and maximize your damagewhile going through your turns.
Don’t take too much time while playing with others. Youdon’t want them to wait foreverfor you to make choices and move on with your team.
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Maximize Your Damage And Turns Through Positioning
You’ll notice multiple circles while you start a turn. Thesmallest circle is the area you may move without using any resourcesduring your turn. However, if you enter the next circle, you’ll use a point on your turn.
The little wiggle room allows you to use your abilities while repositioning. The game has a useful function where you canpress one of your skills to see the rangeof the move. During this time, you won’t leave the initial circle, allowing you to maximize the distance.
While this may seem minor, you can use it toinch your way out of attacks. Normally, you would need to spend an action moving, giving you less time to deal damage. However, if you’re close to the edge of an attack, you can scoot over and get out of the range, avoiding some damage.
If you position yourself well and use it to the fullest potential, you’ll learn how to maximize your turns. It’ll take some practice and require you tomaximize the range of your moves, but you’ll get a feel for it.
See What Your Enemies Plan To Do
The game allows you to react to situations by seeing what enemies plan to do. You’ll see the area of effect for their moves, where they plan to move, and similar details. You can thenplan your actions based on that information.
For example, if you see one enemy will deal tons of damage,you should focus them, so you’ll take fewer hits. You’ll also see your health in the bottom left corner. The lighter section lets you know how much damage you’ll take if you stay in the same spot and don’t defeat any enemies.
As you move around the map, and before you commit to a move, you’llnotice that the damage you’ll take changes. The same applies as you use a potion to shield yourself, so experiment and see what you’re able to do.
The information will also let you know when you’ll be defeated in that round. Since your health will drain, you’ll knowwhether you must move and play defensively to surviveanother turn. It comes down to what works best and learning how you can work through the fight.
The same applies to spawning enemies. You’ll see purple orbs on the ground during your turns, letting you know where the enemies will appear. You can position yourself closer or away from them, depending on your class and their range.
