Tavern Tale is a new action RPG from the creators of Soul Knight, and it brings a mix of roguelike combat, deep progression systems, and charming fantasy visuals. Even though the game looks simple at first, there are many menus, mechanics, and resources that can easily confuse new players. This beginner guide is made to help you understand the basics, learn how the main menu works, and avoid common early mistakes so you can progress faster from the start. Also check out our Tavern Tale Codes for more rewards!
1. Main Menu Overview
Understanding the main menu is very important, as almost all progression systems are accessed from here.
Market
The Market is where you buy boosters and special items. Early on, you don’t need to spend much time here. It becomes more useful later once you understand what resources matter most.
Activities
This section rewards you for daily logins and simple tasks. Logging in for several days in a row can unlock useful rewards and even new characters over time.
Character Unlocks
Some characters, such as Capybara, are unlocked through specific activities or events. These characters can be very strong early on, and dedicated guides are usually recommended for unlocking them quickly.
2. Bakery and Cookies System
The Bakery is an advanced system where you unlock special abilities using envelopes and cookies.
- Cookies provide powerful stat boosts
- Some cookies work for all characters
- Others are character-specific but much stronger
This system is not recommended for brand-new players to invest in heavily, but it becomes very important later in the game.
3. Spell Archive
The Spell Archive lets you preview all spells and ability branches in the game. Each character has access to different spell paths, and choosing the right one affects your playstyle. While you cannot use everything immediately, this section is useful for planning builds and understanding future upgrades.
4. Daily Quests
Daily Quests are simple missions you complete by playing normally. They provide steady rewards and should be completed whenever possible, especially early on.
5. Trinkets and Progression Rewards
Trinkets are one of the most important progression systems in Tavern Tale.
- Trinkets provide passive bonuses
- Unlocking more trinkets unlocks new characters
- You can start a run with one trinket already equipped
Some trinkets increase range, damage, or survivability. Choosing the right trinket for your character makes a big difference.
6. Skill Tree (Very Important)
Strawberries are a limited resource early in the game and are used to upgrade major skill trees.
This system is critical:
- Bad early choices slow your progression
- Good early upgrades make the game much easier
New players should be careful and avoid spending strawberries randomly. Investing wisely early saves a lot of time later.
7. Equipment, Inventory, and Enhancement Systems
Your inventory includes:
- General character upgrades
- Tetris-style stat pieces
- Trinkets and cookies
The Tetris-style pieces give stats like attack, health, magic damage, and more. This system heavily impacts your overall power and deserves careful attention.
8. Abilities and Skills
Each character can equip one active ability before entering a run. Common beginner-friendly abilities include:
- Healing abilities for survivability
- Mana recovery for magic users
- Dash abilities for mobility and dodging
Some abilities are locked at first and must be unlocked through progression.
9. Game Modes Explained
Story Mode
The most important mode for beginners. It provides:
- Astral gems
- Strawberries
- Slot machine coins
- Cookies
Story mode has multiple chapters with increasing difficulty, but rewards remain consistent.
Arena Mode
Used mainly to obtain cookies. This mode costs resources to enter and is not recommended for early-game players.
Advanced Challenge Mode
This is the hardest content in the game and rewards premium currency. Even players who rank low still earn valuable rewards, making it worth learning once you are strong enough.
10. Character Mastery and Skill Trees
Each character has its own progression track. As you level them up:
- You unlock permanent bonuses
- Their innate abilities become stronger
- You gain access to advanced skill trees
Fully upgrading these trees requires strawberries, so reaching this stage efficiently is a long-term goal.
11. Chest and Crystal System
Chests are placed into crystal slots and open over time. They reward:
- Stat boosts
- Trinkets
- Upgrade materials
This system works passively, so always keep chests opening in the background.
Tavern Tale may look simple at first, but it has a deep progression system that rewards smart planning. Understanding the menu, managing strawberries carefully, choosing the right trinkets, and focusing on Story Mode early will help you grow much faster. As the game continues to receive updates, mastering these basics will give you a strong foundation for advanced content later on.