Slayer 2 is now in early access, and the game gives you quite a few systems to learn from the beginning. Your clan, combat style, quests, gear, skill tree, and progression areas all play an important role in becoming stronger.
You do not need to understand every system immediately, though. The early game is mostly about building a good starting character, completing quests, learning how to fight properly, and saving enough cash for better equipment. Here is a simple progression path to follow when you first start playing.
Start With Your Clan
Before entering the main game, head to the Customize menu and use your clan spins. Clans come with different rarities, with Supreme being the rarest at just a 0.1% chance.
There are six clan rarities in total. You do not necessarily need to chase the rarest clan when starting out, but getting at least an Uncommon or Rare clan can give you a much better starting point.
Once you obtain a clan, click on it to check its skills, passive abilities, and stats. Every clan can provide different bonuses, so do not just look at the rarity. Take some time to understand what your clan actually does before deciding whether you want to keep it.
Take Crew’s First Quest
After entering the game, look around your starting area for the Crew NPC. This NPC gives you two quests, with the first one requiring you to defeat three Bandits.
Always accept the quest before fighting the enemies. There is little reason to defeat the Bandits without an active quest since completing it gives you additional experience and cash.
The early Bandit quests are also a good way to learn the basic combat system while building your first levels.
Learn to Block
At the beginning, your main weapon is your fists. You can attack by clicking, and you also have a dash that lets you move quickly and avoid incoming attacks.
However, blocking is one of the most important mechanics to learn early. Simply attacking nonstop can leave you open to enemy attacks and stuns. Learning when to block between your attacks will make fights much easier.
Weapons and techniques will change as you progress, but blocking remains useful throughout the game. Getting comfortable with it early will make future combat much easier.
Reach Level 7 and Fight the Bandit Boss
Continue completing the Bandit quests until you reach Level 7. At this point, you can access the Bandit Boss quest.
The Bandit Boss appears every few minutes and provides better rewards than regular enemies. Defeating it can give you experience, cash, and a chest containing different pieces of gear.
While waiting for the boss to spawn, there is no reason to stand around doing nothing. Continue completing regular Bandit quests so you can keep earning experience and money.
One important thing to remember is that the boss chest is not automatically reserved for the player who dealt the most damage. The gear is available to everyone, meaning another player can grab the loot before you.
Pay attention when the boss is defeated and move quickly if you want a chance to collect the chest rewards.
Buy Your First Katana
Once you have saved 500 cash, visit the Race NPC and purchase the regular Katana. This gives you a stronger weapon than your starting fists and will make early quests much faster.
Later, when you have enough money, return to the same NPC and purchase the Fancy Katana for 1,500 cash. The additional damage will help you clear enemies more efficiently as you continue leveling.
You should still pay attention to other weapons you obtain later, but upgrading from your starting combat option should be one of your early priorities.
Understand Your Gear
Gear can come from bosses, shops, and other sources as you explore the game. Equipment has different rarities and can provide different stats, so do not automatically equip something just because it has a higher rarity.
A lower-rarity item can sometimes be more useful if its stats fit your character better. Always compare the actual bonuses before replacing your current equipment.
As the game progresses, you will have more opportunities to build your character around different stats. Checking your equipment regularly will help prevent you from using outdated gear.
Move to the Bear Area at Level 13
Once you reach Level 13, you can travel to the next area where Bears become your main enemies.
There are two similar quests available in this area. One is designed for Level 13 players, while the other requires Level 18. Start with the quest that matches your current level and move to the next one once you meet its requirement.
These quests provide more experience and cash than the early Bandit content, making them an important part of your progression.
Spend Your Skill Points
Leveling up does more than increase your character level. You also receive skill points that can be spent in the skill tree.
The skill tree contains upgrades for both combat and movement. Depending on the available options, you can improve things such as:
- Stamina
- Health
- Blocking
- Double jump
- Wall climbing
- Other character upgrades
Do not forget to check the skill tree whenever you level up. Leaving skill points unused means you are missing out on upgrades that could make combat and exploration easier.
Movement upgrades can also become extremely useful when traveling around the map, so the skill tree is not only about increasing your combat power.
Be Careful With PvP
PvP becomes active once you reach the second area. This means other players can attack you, and you can also fight other players.
Because of this, farming enemies is not always completely safe. Keep an eye on the players around you, especially when you are fighting near another player or trying to farm a crowded area.
You should also be more careful when your health is already low. Another player can take advantage of the situation, so do not treat every area like a PvE-only zone.
Talk to Other NPCs
While moving through the world, talk to the NPCs you find. Not every NPC is only there to provide basic game information. Some offer side quests with additional experience, cash, and other rewards.
Side quests are especially useful when their objectives overlap with what you are already doing. You can sometimes complete them alongside your normal progression instead of spending extra time specifically farming for them.
Checking NPCs whenever you reach a new area can therefore give you additional rewards without slowing down your leveling too much.
Unlock Breathing at Level 25
One of the next major progression milestones comes at Level 25, when you can unlock a Breathing technique.
Breathing techniques are an important part of Slayer 2 and add another layer to the combat system. However, the different techniques have their own requirements and mechanics, so choosing and obtaining one is better covered separately.
For your first few hours, focus on reaching the required level and building a solid character before worrying too much about advanced Breathing progression.
The early game in Slayer 2 is mainly about establishing a strong foundation. Get a decent clan, complete your quests, learn to block, upgrade your weapon, and keep your gear and skill tree updated as you level.
Once you reach the higher levels, more systems will start opening up, including Breathing techniques, different races, and Evil Arts. For now, focus on learning the basics and progressing through the early areas instead of trying to unlock everything at once.