Now that Dauntless has been released for a week, many new and returning players have faced the Behemoths – including our author Benedict. During this time, he has re-learned some things that would have helped him at the start.
What are these tips for? In the last few days since the release of Dauntless, I have played more frequently again after I stopped shortly after the beta started. While playing, I often had “Oh yeah…” moments in situations that can be frustrating as a returning player and certainly also as a newcomer.
As Dauntless now has so many players, that they are stuck in queues for hours, I’m giving you some tips so that you can make the most of your playtime. Some of them may seem obvious, but at least they were not always clear to me.
1. Weapons have different properties
Something that is actually obvious but still eluded me at the beginning is the different properties of weapons. Weapons are not just cosmetic to distinguish yourself from others. Each weapon type and even each weapon has its own properties:
- Axes hit hard but slowly
- Spears are agile but require a lot of movement and have drawbacks on certain damage
- Chain blades are fast but deal significantly less damage
- Swords are well balanced but not “overpowered” in any area
- Pistols are “safer” but less suitable for farming
- Hammers are slow and are more suitable for staggering than breaking parts
This shows that each weapon is better or worse suited for different situations. Guides help to understand the strengths and weaknesses.
As a player, if you only use one weapon, you need to adapt to the situations or play together with friends.
2. Color damage indicates type
Relatively early on, you can see that different numbers appear when you hit the Behemoths. These often have different colors depending on the weapon. The colors indicate what type of damage you are actually dealing:
- White numbers indicate “base” damage. This is direct damage to the Behemoth’s health points
- Yellow numbers indicate “part” damage. This helps to break specific parts but does not affect the Behemoth’s health points
- Blue numbers indicate “stagger” damage. This can stagger Behemoths if they receive enough damage but also does not affect their hit points
- Red numbers indicate “wound” damage. This causes parts to take more damage from all weapons that hit them
Different weapons and attacks deal different damage. A balance between damage to parts and damage to health points is important in order to obtain resources as well as to be able to kill the Behemoth at all.
3. Breaking parts hinders the Behemoth
Another tip regarding weapons and combat is breaking specific parts. Due to the “part” damage described above, certain parts of a Behemoth, such as the tail or horn, can be completely broken off.
This not only gives you the corresponding part as a resource but also prevents the Behemoth from performing certain attacks. Tails often serve the beasts as weapons. Without them, they are often less dangerous.
4. Dodging is more important than fighting
In battle against Behemoths, it is not only important to deal damage. An old saying in the MMORPG genre is: “Those who are dead do no damage.” In Dauntless, you secure your survival mainly through dodging.
Dodge rolls have several advantages:
- You change position and thus evade an attack
- while dodging, you are immune to many attacks for a short moment
- Dodging reduces the “Burn” debuff and extinguishes the fire on you
- some weapons offer follow-up attacks as combo starters after dodging
By dodging, you also save healing potions and charges at Aether wells and come closer to victory.
5. Invest in neutral armor and weapons
Especially at the beginning, you will not have many resources to equip yourself with all kinds of items. Most weapons and armor in Dauntless have certain elemental affinities to be better or worse against some opponents.
For the start, it is therefore useful to improve the neutral weapons and armor first – for example, the equipment parts of the Gnashers. This way, you are well equipped against all kinds of Behemoths and save material and resources that you may need elsewhere later.
6. Equipment can be changed before the hunt
Once you’re at the point where you can own an arsenal of armor and various weapons, you should set out for each hunt with the right equipment.
When you start a hunt from the map and have found a group, you can set out immediately. Before the airship departs, you have another opportunity to look over some details.
You will see which Behemoth you are facing and what strengths and weaknesses it has. On the same screen, you can also adjust your equipment, so you don’t have to do this blindly in Ramsgate.
7. Use Cells when you get them
During your journeys, you will continually receive cores that can contain cells. Cells are items that are built into your equipment to give you certain properties.
If you have equipment with available cell slots and corresponding cells, you should equip them immediately. Cells are not consumed, but can be exchanged later at will. Hoarding them is not worthwhile.
Tip: If you have more cells than you need, you can give them to the “Middleman”, a mysterious trader. He fuses two cells into a stronger one, which takes between one and two days.
8. The Lantern does not guide you
Lanterns are an important tool in Dauntless. They complement your build and support you in combat. At the beginning, you only have the Recruit Lantern, which gives you a shield and leads you to the prey on a hunt.
Later, you will receive more lanterns. However, all of them have different abilities, and none other than the Recruit Lantern indicates the way to the Behemoth.
If you are out on the early hunts in the game with another lantern, do not waste the valuable charges. Most lanterns give you a strong bonus in battle but do not help you find the prey.
9. Utility items must be equipped
A mistake that usually happens only to beginners can also quickly cost experienced players the victory in a hunt. When you craft items at the Alchemist, you must first equip them in the corresponding slots of your Slayers.
You can find the slots in your inventory. Only when the items are placed in one of the four slots are they available during the hunt. If you do not equip them, the slot simply remains empty, and you have no reinforcement with you.
10. Healing potions refill automatically
Another mistake that newcomers often make is simply being stingy. You usually start a hunt with five healing potions that you can use during the hunt. While you can save them by dodging well and using Aether wells, healing potions are often safer.
You do not need to be stingy with the potions, especially in the second phase of a fight. When you return to Ramsgate after the hunt, all healing potions will refill to maximum. You do not need to equip them first.
11. A hunt alone is not harder
The last tip is important for those who prefer to play Dauntless alone or at least want to test it. A hunt in Dauntless can be started either through matchmaking, as a group, or as a private hunt.
In matchmaking, you will receive random players until the group consists of four Slayers. In a private hunt, you start with the hunting group that is already there – so alone if you have not invited friends.
However, a hunt against a Behemoth does not become harder if you set out with fewer people. The strength of a Behemoth scales with the group size. So it works just as well alone. Your only disadvantage is that you miss the various weapons and cannot exploit all mechanics.
12. A solo hunt cannot be paused
A quite important note that many forget or lose sight of is that Dauntless cannot be paused.
Even if you play alone and go to the menu, time in the hunt simply continues.
What are your best tips for Dauntless?
In the future, I will certainly encounter situations where I need help more often:
