Outward: How to Become a Mage – Guide
Outward is not your typical action RPG where you start the game as an expert mage; becoming one requires help, a guide. We’ve mentioned this repeatedly in our review, during the Twitch streams, represented in our new emotes, and in our guide on how to pay the Blood Price in 30 minutes: there’s more to it than a basic action RPG.
And it’s exactly from the most recent Twitch stream with Emmanuele “Maraichux” Lombardo that this guide on how to become a mage in Outward from NineDots Studio takes inspiration.
The game mechanics go beyond simple eating/drinking, hitting, and especially running away. The adventure of Outward should be lived as it comes, as there’s no real game over, but a continuous evolution of events. If you want to face all this as a mage, then follow these tips.
Growing Young Mages
First of all, know that you will need to be well-armed enough to reach the place where you can learn the first secrets of mana and thus become a mage in Outward. After paying the Blood Price and keeping your lighthouse home in Cierzo, head north of the port town towards a hidden clearing that will lead you to the Troglodyte cave known as the Blister Burrow.
Cut your teeth by defeating them, learning your weapon combos, and collecting (or rather looting) everything possible to later sell in Cierzo. Green Troglodytes are particularly allergic to weapons with high “impact,” meaning two-handed weapons like axes, claymores, and hammers. Using one of these will give you an advantage, exploiting their combos to knock the Troglodytes down and finish them off.
Be careful not to rush into attacking more than one Troglodyte at a time. Blue Troglodytes are shamans who can heal allies and cast spells at you from a distance; the best tactic in this case is to charge them head-on.
Once you’ve completed the dungeon, thoroughly checking all paths, grabbing the “fungus shield” and the “giant heart garnet” to sell in Cierzo for 70 silver coins to Helen Turbull, and making sure not to leave anything for the enemy, return to the town loaded with loot.
Satisfied, yes, but with a few bruises as well, buying new weapons and better gear than what you have wouldn’t be a bad idea. The goal is to climb the Mountain of Convergence, navigate a labyrinth full of Troglodytes, and reach the Heart of the Mountain.
Abracadabra
Don’t be afraid of failure. As mentioned earlier, this is part of Outward, and if you want to speed things up, you could risk getting killed over and over again in the labyrinth of the Mountain of Convergence, hoping to be saved by the Mana Guards. However, be mindful of the consequences, as your character might suffer significant injuries and even diseases, which shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Once you’re sure you’ve bought and equipped at least “padded armour” and a decent iron weapon of your choice, buy a couple of antidotes, a cooking pot to combine with a campfire, and the recipes for the calming tea and the bitter spicy tea. The former will help restore mana and cure colds; the latter cures infections, protects from the cold, and restores consumed energy (the slightly darker yellow bar).
Mmm, delicious!
The Chocobo that isn’t a Chocobo
To heal your health points and satisfy your hunger, I have a special solution: cooked bird eggs. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed those strange white chickens (or Chocobos) roaming the paths around Cierzo! Besides being charming little creatures with a “hit-and-run” attack mode, once defeated, they will provide you with eggs. The nests of these beings, known as Pearlbirds, are scattered throughout the world of Outward, with one even on top of the Mountain of Convergence.
Reach the Mountain of Convergence
Once you’re ready to face the outside world, head north of Cierzo towards the Valley of the Titans. Follow the path north, always keeping an eye on your compass, but pay attention to the aggressive creatures lurking along the way, such as bandits and hyenas. Pearlbirds and similar creatures should be avoided as they don’t drop anything useful. After 10 minutes of travel, turn right at the crossroads, continue forward for another 10 minutes, and you’ll see the Convergence Mountain in the distance.
Take the left path, where the temperature will start to drop, so make sure you’ve prepared food that can warm you up and campfires. Avoid going at night as the cold will be unbearable. There will be wolves along the way, but don’t worry about them as they usually avoid direct attacks if you keep your distance. Focus instead on two potential encounters: the first with a merchant, who will try to kill you and then flee; it’s up to you whether to pursue him. The second is the place to set up camp.
Remember to pitch your tent every 10 minutes of travel to recover your stats. The campsite should be positioned away from potential monsters, which could attack you while you’re sleeping. An advantage to camping is that you can cook, repair weapons, and inspect your gear, ensuring everything is in place and nothing is damaged. If you have enough antidotes, food, and potions, move forward to the Valley of the Titans, where the Mountain of Convergence is located.
Mountain of Convergence
It’s possible to enter from the south. In this case, proceed cautiously, keeping the large entrance in view. Continue along the path with a sharp descent until you reach the entrance to the labyrinth, located near a rope bridge. If the lantern is turned off, turn it back on by pressing F, as it will be very dark. Upon entering the cave, the challenge will begin; Troglodytes will approach from every direction.
In order to defeat them, it’s necessary to find their hidden weakness: light! All Troglodytes are particularly sensitive to the effects of light sources, becoming stunned for several seconds if hit by a lantern or spell-like Spark.
Once you’ve taken care of the first group of enemies, keep to the right and take out the blue Troglodyte, who’s more dangerous. Then proceed through the labyrinth, not letting your guard down for a moment, as this is the most dangerous dungeon in Outward. The further you go, the more challenging the enemies become.
At the heart of the labyrinth, after numerous fights and maybe a few deaths, you’ll find the Heart of the Mountain, and there you’ll gain your first mana and the title of Mage in Outward.
Return to Cierzo
Becoming a mage is not the end of the game, and from here, a new adventure begins. Choose your spells carefully, as some have a high mana cost but are less useful, and return to Cierzo to begin exploring other areas of the world. Start with the Town Hall, then visit Helen Turbull to sell the “giant heart garnet,” which will give you enough silver coins to spend on improving your gear.
Enjoy your adventure!
