DragonSword First 2 Hours – What to Do After Starting

Introduction

DragonSword: Awakening drops you onto the Continent of Orbis with little more than a rusty blade and a cryptic message from the Nameless Soul. The first two hours of gameplay are critical—they set the foundation for your entire adventure, determining how quickly you progress through early content and which heroes you recruit first. This guide provides a step-by-step walkthrough of the opening, early quests, first hero unlocks, tutorial completion, and common early-game pitfalls. Whether you are a seasoned gacha veteran or new to Hound13's latest RPG, following this optimized route ensures you do not waste resources on suboptimal investments or miss time-gated opportunities.

The First 15 Minutes: Tutorial and Combat Basics

Your journey begins in the ruined village of Ashfall. The game wastes no time throwing you into combat with Lute, the protagonist, who is already level 1 and equipped with the basic Signal Skill set. Pay close attention to the combat tutorial here—DragonSword's combat revolves around the Switching Signal system, where swapping heroes at precise moments triggers Signal Skills that can Knockdown or Freeze enemies. In this opening sequence, you will face three waves of Abyssal Direwolves. Use Lute's basic attacks to build the Frost Gauge, then switch to the pre-assigned support hero (usually Johnny) to unleash a Switching Signal that applies Freeze. This tutorial segment is not just a throwaway; it teaches you the core mechanic that will carry through endgame content.

After the wolves, you will reach the first Hero Request board. Do NOT skip the dialogue here. The game prompts you to summon your first additional hero using the free Familiar currency. According to community reports, the first 10-pull on the beginner banner guarantees at least one 4-star hero. Most players will receive either Castella or Aria from this initial pull. Both are solid early-game healers, but Castella's AoE healing Signal Skill edges out Aria for story progression. Do not spend any premium currency yet—save it for the limited banners that unlock after completing Chapter 1.

First 30 Minutes: Ashfall Village and Early Quests

Once the tutorial combat ends, you gain control in Ashfall Village. This hub area contains several critical NPCs you must interact with before moving on:

• The Blacksmith: Upgrades Lute's weapon to +3 immediately. The cost is minimal (500 gold), and the attack boost significantly speeds up early clears.

• The Organa Order Priest: Grants a passive buff called "Blessing of Orbis" that increases EXP gain by 10% for 30 minutes. Activate this now and make the most of it.

• The Red Fox Mercenaries Board: Accept the side quest "Hunting the Pack" which rewards an extra Nameless Soul. This item is used for Familiar summons later.

Your first main quest objective is to investigate the "Rift System" anomaly near the eastern gate. Before heading there, clear the side area "Abandoned Catacombs" just north of the village. This small dungeon contains three chests with gold, a low-tier equipment piece, and a Valiant Hatchling Familiar—a dragon whelp that provides a permanent 5% defense buff when equipped. The boss is a level 8 Abyssal Direwolf; use the Freeze combo you learned in the tutorial to lock it down. Completing this side area takes about 5 minutes and sets you up with a Familiar that remains useful for the entire first chapter.

Hitting the Rift System: First Skill Check

At the eastern gate, the Rift System tutorial begins. This is where many new players hit their first wall. The Rift System introduces Status Ailments: enemies inside rifts can inflict Knockdown, Shock, and Bleed. Your current party likely consists of Lute and one healer. If you pulled Castella, her Signal Skill "Healing Circle" applies a regen buff that mitigates Bleed damage. If you pulled Aria, you will need to rely more on potions—craft at least 5 healing potions at the alchemy station in Ashfall before entering.

The Rift boss is a level 10 "Corrupted Golem" with a devastating AoE knockdown attack. The key here is the Switching Signal timing: when the golem raises its arm for a slam, swap heroes to trigger Johnny's "Flash Freeze" Signal Skill. This interrupts the cast and applies Freeze, giving you a 3-second window to unload damage. Do not waste your Hero Request summons on this boss; save the gauge for the Chapter 1 end boss. If you wipe here, it is usually because you missed the interrupt window. Retry and focus on watching the boss animation rather than your skill cooldowns.

First Hero Unlocks: Building Your Core Team

After clearing the first Rift, you return to Ashfall and unlock the full Hero Request system. This is where your account's direction for the next 20 hours takes shape. The game gives you a free Hero Request ticket. Do NOT use it on the standard banner. The beginner banner with the guaranteed 4-star is separate and should have been used already. Save this ticket for the limited-time banner featuring Kalien, who is a top-tier damage dealer for early and mid-game content.

Instead, rely on the story mode to unlock your core team. By the end of the first hour, following the main quest, you will unlock:

• Dana: A tank hero obtained automatically after the "Shield of Orbis" story quest. Dana's Signal Skill "Iron Wall" taunts enemies and applies a defense buff, making her invaluable for surviving later Rifts.

• Roxy: Unlocked after completing the "Enchanted Forest" side quest available at the Red Fox Mercenaries board. Roxy's Switching Signal applies Shock, which synergizes with Lute's Knockdown combos.

Your party at the one-hour mark should be: Lute (DPS), Johnny (Support/CC), Castella/Aria (Healer), Dana (Tank), and either Roxy or a flex spot for a second DPS. This composition covers all core roles and can handle every encounter through Chapter 3.

The Continent of Orbis Exploration: First Two Hours

After assembling your core team, the main quest directs you toward the "Forgotten Temple" on the eastern edge of the starting zone. Along the way, you will encounter the "Wandering Merchant Chako." This NPC appears randomly on the world map and sells rare materials for gold. If you see Chako, buy the "Rift Essence" item—it is used to upgrade your Rift System later and is time-gated behind daily resets. The cost is 5,000 gold, which seems steep early on, but the alternative is waiting three days for the material to drop from daily quests.

Clear the "Enchanted Forest" side area before entering the Forgotten Temple. This zone scales enemies to your average party level, capped at level 12. The boss is a level 12 "Forest Wraith" that is immune to Freeze but vulnerable to Shock. Swap Johnny out for Roxy here. Apply Shock using Roxy's Signal Skill, then switch to Lute for a Knockdown follow-up. The Forest Wraith drops a "Spirit Core" accessory that increases Signal Skill damage by 8%. Equip this on Lute immediately.

Common Early-Game Pitfalls to Avoid

Many new players sabotage their progress in the first two hours by making easily avoidable mistakes. Here are the most critical ones:

• Wasting Nameless Souls on the standard banner: The standard banner has a diluted pool. Save Nameless Souls for limited banners featuring rate-up heroes like Kalien or Theresia. According to community data, the probability of pulling a specific 4-star hero on the standard banner is less than 0.5%.

• Ignoring Status Ailment synergies: DragonSword is not a simple "hit it till it dies" game. Enemies have specific ailment weaknesses. Using Freeze against a Freeze-immune boss wastes your Switching Signal. Always check the enemy info screen before engaging.

• Neglecting the Familiar system: The Valiant Hatchling from the Abandoned Catacombs is just the start. By the end of the first two hours, you should have at least three Familiars equipped across your party. The "Hound" Familiar from the Red Fox Mercenaries questline provides a 10% crit rate buff that dramatically improves clear times.

• Over-leveling one hero: Spreading EXP evenly is inefficient. Focus on leveling Lute and your healer first, then bring the rest of the party up to within 3 levels. Lute should always be your highest-level character until you unlock Theresia or Kalien.

• Skipping side quests: The Red Fox Mercenaries board resets daily with new quests. The first day's quests reward a total of 3 Hero Request tickets and 500 Nameless Souls. That is essentially a free 10-pull on any banner.

Optimizing Your Rift System Progression

The Rift System is introduced early but remains relevant throughout the entire game. After clearing the first Rift, you gain access to the Rift Upgrade tree. Your first upgrade should ALWAYS be "Frost Gauge Efficiency I"—it increases the rate at which your Frost Gauge fills by 15%. This allows you to trigger Freeze more frequently, making every encounter significantly easier. The second upgrade, unlocked after clearing three Rifts, should be "Switching Signal Cooldown Reduction." This reduces the swap cooldown by 2 seconds, enabling faster combo chains.

By the end of your first two hours, you should aim to have cleared at least two Rifts. The second Rift, "Frozen Depths," is located in the northern part of the starting continent. It features enemies weak to Fire, but since you likely do not have a fire-element hero yet, rely on Shock and Knockdown combos. The boss, "Glacial Wyrm," is a level 15 threat that applies Freeze to your party. Equip the "Thaw Charm" accessory—obtained from the Chako merchant or as a rare drop from Abyssal Direwolves—to mitigate this. If you cannot beat the Wyrm, farm the Enchanted Forest for better gear before retrying.

Preparing for the Next Session: Chapter 1 End Boss

The first two hours typically conclude with you standing at the entrance to the Forgotten Temple, the final dungeon of Chapter 1. Before logging off for the day, there are a few tasks to complete that will make the Chapter 1 end boss—"Kalsion, the Fallen Knight"—a manageable fight rather than a brick wall.

First, ensure your party is level 15 average. The boss is level 18, but a 3-level gap is surmountable with proper strategy. Second, upgrade your weapons to +5 using the blacksmith. The materials required drop from the Enchanted Forest and the Frozen Depths Rift. Third, equip your healer with the "Mana Ring" accessory that drops from the Forest Wraith; it increases healing potency by 12%.

The Kalsion fight itself is a skill check for the Switching Signal mechanic. Kalsion uses a three-hit combo that ends with an unblockable AoE Knockdown. The only way to interrupt it is to apply Shock during the second hit of his combo. This requires precise timing: swap to Roxy as the second hit lands, activate her Shock Signal Skill, then immediately swap back to Lute for damage. If you miss this window, the AoE will wipe your party unless Dana's Iron Wall is active and fully upgraded.

For a detailed breakdown of the Kalsion fight and Chapter 1 completion rewards, see our Chapter 1 Boss Guide.

Post-First-Session Checklist

Before ending your first session, complete this checklist to ensure you are set up for success:

• Lute level 15+, weapon +5
• Healer (Castella or Aria) level 14+
• Dana unlocked and level 12+, with Iron Wall upgraded to level 2
• Roxy unlocked and level 12+, Shock Signal Skill unlocked
• Three Familiars equipped: Valiant Hatchling (defense), Hound (crit rate), and any third
• Rift System upgrades: Frost Gauge Efficiency I and Switching Signal Cooldown Reduction I
• At least 10 healing potions and 5 mana potions crafted
• Red Fox Mercenaries daily quests completed
• Chako merchant visited for Rift Essence purchase
• 500+ Nameless Souls saved for limited banner pulls

FAQ

What is the best hero to reroll for in the first 10 minutes?

The optimal reroll target is Kalien from the limited banner. However, since the limited banner unlocks only after completing Chapter 1, your initial 10-pull on the beginner banner should aim for Castella. She provides more consistent healing than Aria and synergizes better with the early-game Freeze composition. If you are willing to reroll, spend the first 15 minutes rushing to the Hero Request board, pull the beginner banner, and reset if you do not get Castella.

How do I beat the Corrupted Golem in the first Rift?

The Corrupted Golem is weak to Freeze. Use Johnny's Flash Freeze Signal Skill to interrupt its slam attack. Watch for the arm-raising animation—this is your cue to swap heroes. If you miss the window, Dana's Iron Wall can absorb the hit if she is level 10 or higher. Bring at least 5 healing potions to sustain through chip damage.

Should I spend Nameless Souls on the standard banner?

No. Save all Nameless Souls for limited banners. The standard banner pool includes every non-limited hero, making it extremely unlikely to pull a specific character you want. Limited banners feature rate-up for powerful heroes like Kalien and Theresia, with a 1.5% chance for the featured 4-star. Early game, you get enough free heroes from story progression to clear content without standard banner pulls.

What is the best Familiar for the early game?

The Valiant Hatchling (defense buff) and the Hound (crit rate buff) are the two essential early-game Familiars. Both are obtained from side quests in the first two hours. The third slot can be filled with any Familiar that drops from Rifts; the "Frost Sprite" from the Frozen Depths Rift is ideal because it increases Freeze duration by 0.5 seconds.

How do I get more Hero Request tickets quickly?

Complete the Red Fox Mercenaries daily quests. These reset every 24 hours and offer 3 tickets per day. Additionally, clearing each Rift for the first time rewards one ticket. The "Enchanted Forest" side quest also grants a ticket upon first completion. Do not use tickets on the standard banner; save them for limited banners.

Why does my Switching Signal sometimes fail to interrupt bosses?

Some bosses have "Iron Will" buffs that make them immune to certain Status Ailments. Check the enemy info screen before engaging. If a boss is immune to Freeze, use Shock instead. Additionally, the timing of your swap must be precise—swapping too early or too late results in a normal attack instead of a Signal Skill. Practice the rhythm in the training area accessible from Ashfall Village.

Is it worth exploring the entire map in the first two hours?

No. Focus on the main quest line and the side areas directly adjacent to it: Abandoned Catacombs, Enchanted Forest, and Frozen Depths Rift. The far western and southern regions contain enemies level 20+ that will one-shot your party. You can revisit these areas after Chapter 2 when your party is better equipped.