It’s truly fascinating to see how a simple game like Vampire Survivors gave birth to a whole new genre. The market is now filled with VS clones where the gimmicks become old sooner than you think. Most games aren’t even polished and playing them gives a bad taste. I dislike starting a guide on a negative note, but the premise in this case is important.
I am a fan of the show Vikings, so any Nordic-themed games hold a special place in my heart. Nordic Ashes may have similar elements to VS, but it also has a lot of unique features, making it stand out from the usual rabble. There are three different skill trees, a bunch of characters and their variations that all look and feel different, in-depth combat, and much more. Here is a quick guide to help you get started.
Understanding the Meta Progression
Nordic Ashes comes with an overabundance of meta-progression. There are several characters, each with their own mastery tree. Even different skins give them separate buffs. And finally, we have the Yggdrasil which is the common meta-progression pool that affects all characters in the game.
The most unique thing about the Yggdrasil is the options. You’re not locked into certain upgrades once you unlock them. You can have entire builds focusing only on the perks themselves which is fascinating.
The lesson here is not to jump into the process as it is overwhelming, much like a gacha game. In the next section, I’ll discuss how to prioritize your upgrades so you can progress in the most efficient way possible.
Choosing the Right Survivor
All of the survivors are unique in their own right. The only difference is their play style. While some are easier to play, others are comparatively more difficult, especially in the higher stages.
Some take longer to scale while require a lot of upgrades to finally hit their power peak. Make sure to experiment with every one of them until you land on one that suits your style.
Most Optimal Yggdrasil Upgrades
There are endless possibilities when it comes to passive upgrades in Nordic Ashes: Survivors, but there are a few picks that’ll greatly help in your progression. For instance, the Ascension Shrine lets you ascend an additional weapon every run, which is super powerful.
The next best upgrade is the Experience node under the Exploration tab. Upgrading all five levels lets you gain more experience per run which makes it easier to scale your survivor more quickly. The rest of the upgrades aren’t that useful and you can pick them up later once you become more experienced.
The next best upgrade falls under the Healing tab. Pick up Deserved Rest and An Extra Soul to gain two extra blue hearts in every run. It greatly increases your survivability.
Finally, the last upgrade you should be aiming for is the Limit Break node. You can pick any number of nodes to reach that one and I’ll leave the choices to you. After this, you can upgrade based on your playstyle and requirements.
Constellation Upgrade Choices
When starting a run, every survivor has access to a unique constellation which is basically another set of upgrades that makes you more powerful. There are a lot of ways to progress your survivor here as well, however, the most optimal way is to upgrade one of your weapons to max.
You’ll need experience points to do so which you gain every time you level up in-game. Whenever you upgrade a weapon or a spell, two of the seven stats will increase at random, and with the right Yggdrasil tree upgrades, you can roll for legendary stats right from the get-go. You’ll get better at picking these options as you keep playing the game.
Miscellaneous Tips
1. Convert XP to Coin – You can convert spare XP into coins when you enter the shop. Although it’s not recommended, you should only consider it if you’re really broke or just a few coins off a really powerful weapon/item.
2. Always Complete Side missions – Side missions grant exclusive rewards and relics that will make you more powerful. Always explore the map (use the minimap) and try to complete as many of these missions as possible.
3. Cooldown Over Damage – Damage is important but you should also focus on upgrading cooldown timers. You need to balance them which once again, will come with experience.
4. Keep Moving – You have a fixed amount of health instead of a health bar. Every hit costs half a heart and during the first few runs, you won’t have enough power to take down enemies quickly.
Stay still and you’ll get swarmed by enemies in no time. Keep moving and practice your juking skills if you want to make it to the later stages.
