DOKKODO has officially launched, giving players the chance to experience its samurai-inspired world from the beginning. If you’re just starting your journey, following the main story is one of the easiest ways to learn the game’s mechanics while unlocking new features and combat techniques. This guide covers the complete ACT 1 progression, from your first quest in town to defeating the final duel. If you want to level up quickly without getting lost, here’s everything you need to know.
1. Start by Completing the Town Tutorial
Your adventure begins in the starting village, where you’ll be asked to speak with several NPCs. This short tutorial introduces important locations such as the tailor, shop, and other services you’ll use throughout your playthrough.
Although these early quests are simple, they help you understand the town layout before sending you into combat.
2. Defeat the First Ronin
After leaving town, your next objective is to hunt down a wandering Ronin. These enemies spawn outside the village and are your first real combat challenge. For beginners, the safest strategy is:
- Stay mobile during fights.
- Attack after enemy swings.
- Practice parrying whenever possible.
- Collect every item dropped after winning.
Winning this battle rewards you with loot and allows you to continue the story.
3. Learn How Karma Works
One of DOKKODO’s progression systems is Karma.
You earn Karma by defeating enemies throughout the world. Later, you can spend it at shrines to improve your character or unlock additional progression.
Keep in mind:
- Higher Karma increases your success rate.
- Don’t waste Karma if your success chance is too low.
- Continue defeating enemies until you have enough for reliable upgrades.
4. Visit the Yoshioka Dojo
One of the biggest parts of ACT 1 is visiting the Yoshioka Dojo.
Here, you’ll unlock a new progression path by sparring against dojo members. Every victory grants Dojo Experience, which is required to learn new stances and combat skills.
Instead of immediately attacking everyone, start by sparring with the weakest opponents to build experience safely.
5. Storm the Dojo
After earning enough experience, you can choose to Storm the Dojo.
This is a long battle where you’ll fight multiple enemies before reaching stronger warriors and the dojo leader.
Some useful tips include:
- Circle around enemies instead of standing still.
- Spears give you extra range, making fights safer.
- Parry heavy attacks whenever possible.
- Save critical attacks for tougher opponents.
Winning the dojo battle provides a large amount of Dojo Experience.
6. Unlock the Jodan Stance
Once you’ve earned enough Dojo Experience, return to the trainer and unlock the Jodan stance.
This stance improves your combat options and serves as one of the first major upgrades available during ACT 1.
While you may not have enough experience to purchase every skill immediately, unlocking the stance itself is an important milestone before continuing the story.
7. Continue Following the Main Story
The fastest way to progress is simply following the story objectives. As you continue, you’ll encounter:
- Hidden NPCs
- Dialogue choices
- New combat encounters
- Reputation-related conversations
- Story events inspired by Vagabond
Following quest markers prevents unnecessary grinding and keeps progression moving steadily.
8. Complete the Meditation Quest
Later in ACT 1, you’ll receive a meditation mission.
This minigame is straightforward. Simply follow the breathing prompt by pressing and releasing the required button until the meditation is complete.
Finishing this quest unlocks the next part of the story.
9. Defeat the Final Duel Opponent
The final challenge of ACT 1 is a one-on-one duel against a powerful swordsman. This enemy hits much harder than previous opponents, so patience becomes more important than aggressive attacks.
During this fight:
- Watch attack patterns carefully.
- Time your parries instead of button mashing.
- Attack only after successful dodges or parries.
- Heal beforehand if possible.
After winning the duel, you’ll complete ACT 1 and unlock the next stage of your adventure.
ACT 1 serves as a solid introduction to DOKKODO’s combat and progression systems. From exploring the village and earning Karma to conquering the Yoshioka Dojo and unlocking the Jodan stance, each quest introduces mechanics you’ll continue using throughout the game. If you’re new, sticking to the main storyline is the quickest way to unlock new content while improving your combat skills before tackling the tougher challenges waiting in later acts.