THIS IS A SOMEWHAT HELPFUL COLLECTION OF INFORMATIONS ABOUT THE EARLY GAME OF STONESHARD AND A CHARACTER BUILD FOR ARNA USING THE BEST WEAPON TYPE IN THE GAME, THE TWO HANDED SWORD [ INTRODUCTION ] HI WELCOME TO THE BEST NON-GUIDE ON THE STONESHARD GUIDES SECTION. BUYING STONESHARD WAS A GOOD IDEA AND I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU LIKE ROGUELIKES WITH SICK PIXEL ART. I STARTED PLAYING AROUND EARLY JULY 2025 AND SINCE THEN I’VE BEEN PLAYING NON STOP. I GOT QUITE INTO IT, AS THEY SAY. SO AFTER STARTING ANOTHER PLAYTHRU AND HAVING QUITE LITERALLY… A BLAST, I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS GUIDE. THIS IS NOT A “BUILD SHOWCASE” BUT RATHER A PASSION DRIVEN EARLY GAME TIPS + TRICKS WITH A BUILD ATTACHED. DISCLAIMER: YOU SHOULDNT READ GUIDES IF YOU JUST STARTED. THE MAGIC OF STONESHARD COMES FROM DISCOVERING STUFF YOURSELF. THE FIRST TIME YOU EXPERIENCE EVENTS SHOULD BE YOUR OWN, NOT SPOILED BY SOME RANDO. READ THIS ONLY IF YOU ALREADY REACHED THE CARAVAN CHECKPOINT. https://images.steamusercontent.com/ugc/10254089109091075522/3B377CF767885821CDF6187BE69C7B29CFAB61CD/?imw=256&&ima=fit&impolicy=Letterbox&imcolor=%23000000&letterbox=false [ THE “NON” BUILD : LANDSKNECHT OF ALDOR ] WE START AS ARNA. SHE COMES WITH EVERYTHING (ALMOST) WE NEED TO MAKE THIS SH1T WORK. LANDSKNECHTS IN HISTORY USED ALL WEAPONS BUT MAINLY BIG ONES. HERE WE USE 2H SWORDS!!! WHY? BECAUSE ARNA ALREADY HAS LVL 1 IN 2H SWORDS. ALSO THEY ARE REALLY GOOD IN STONESHARD. PEOPLE SAY “LOW CRIT…” OR “MACE STUN BETTER…” → THAT IS NONSENCE. 2H SWORDS DO EVERYTHING: DAMAGE? → CHECK BLEED? → CHECK (NOT AS MUCH AS AXE BUT STILL FINE) STAGGER? → CHECK (BETTER THAN STUN IMO, EXPLAIN LATER) INJURY? → BIG CHECK, TURN HEALTHY BODIES INTO CRIPPLES FAST PLUS THEY GIVE BLOCK + DODGE + COUNTER. SO DAMAGE AND DEFENCSE IN ONE. AXE/MACE DONT. [ STATS ] YOU ONLY HAVE 29 PTS. i RECCOMEND: STR 20 VIT 20 PERC 15 (FOR +1 RANGE, CRIT AND VISION) AGI DOESNT DO MUCH UNLESS YOU BUILD LIGHT ARMOR. DO WHAT YOU LIKE WITH THE REST, ANY OF THESE STATS IS EXCELLENT BUT NOT NECESSARY TO CAP AT 30, SAVED PERHAPS FOR VITALITY, WHICH HELPS YOU BECAUSE IT MEANS YOU GET EXTRA HP. [ SKILLS ] YOU START WITH 2 FREE POINTS. SELL THE 1H SWORD, REPAIR YOUR ARMOR. THEN TALK TO THE GUARD BY THE ELDER, SAY YOU LOST YOUR WEAPON → HE GIVES YOU A FREE ONE. PICK A 2H SWORD. BAM READY. EARLY PICKS: HEWING STRIKE (2HS) → DECENT BUT MID DAMAGE. SEIZE THE INITIATIVE (WARFARE) → GREAT EARLY, FALLS LATE. WAR CRY (WARFARE) → AMAZING LONG TERM, BUFFS DAMAGE/CRIT. BRACE FOR IMPACT (ARMORED) → GOOD DEFENSE, SLOW START. SELF-REPAIR (ARMORED) → MANDATORY, SAVES REPAIR COST. MAKE A HALT (SURVIVAL) → NICHE, HELPS REST OUTSIDE. LONG TERM: MAX 2H SWORDS (10 PTS) DUH ATHLETICS (2 PTS) → DASH RANGED (3 PTS: AIM + PRACTICE + DEX) → HUNT + KILL MAGES ARMORED (1 PT SELF REPAIR ONLY) WARFARE (WAR CRY + INTIMIDATION) → BREAKS ENEMY MORALE SURVIVAL (MAX IT, VERY STRONG) [GEAR] PICK UP WHAT YOU FIND. MEDIUM ARMOR IS BEST BALANCE → RESISTS + ENERGY. LOOK FOR ARMOR WITH EXTRA PROTECTION STACKS. HEAVY ARMOR IS COOL BUT DRAINS ENERGY TOO MUCH. FOR JEWELRY THE SAME RULE APPLIES, RESISTENCES ARE KING, THE MORE THE BETTER, SPARE HP ON RINGS IS NOT THAT GOOD BECAUSE 3 EXTRA HP WON'T DO YOU ANY GOOD IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS, EVEN IF YOU MANAGE TO STACK +30HP ACROSS ALL YOUR PIECES OF GEAR, 30DAMAGE IS SOMETHING ONE ENEMY IN THE LATE GAME WILL DO TO YOU IN ONE HIT, AT THAT POINT, STACKING RESISTANCES WILL NET YOU MITIGATION FOR EVERY SORT OF DAMAGE, WHICH WILL OFF SET A LOT MORE THAN ANY STACK +HP YOU GOT. THINGS TO NOTE : NATURE DAMAGE COUNTS AS ELEMENTAL UNHOLY COUNTS AS THE RED STUFF FROM THE VAMPIRES, AND THE GREEN STUFF FROM THE UNDEAD. MAGIC AFAIK COUNTS AS EVERY AFOREMENTIONED MAGIC DAMAGE, THEREFORE, IDEALLY, YOU'D WANT MAGIC -> UNHOLY -> NATURE AT A FIRST GLANCE, ELEMENTAL DAMAGE SEEMS INVITING, BUT USUALLY, ITS NOT THAT COMMON (HUMAN MAGES ARE RARE) AND THE DAMAGE THEY INFLICT, IS IN MY OPINION FAR LESS THAN ANY UNHOLY, SO TO ME, IT GETS A LESS PRIORITY. EVERY OTHER STAT, SUCH AS BLOCK CHANCE OR PAIN RESISTANCE IS OKAY, BUT LESS GOOD THAN THE AFOREMENTIONED ONES, CONSIDER RESHUFFLING THOSE. [ STAGGER VS STUN ] STUN IS OVERRATED. THE 2H SWORD SPECIALTY IS STAGGER + COUNTER/BLOCK. STAGGER MAKES ENEMY WEAK ENOUGH FOR NEXT HIT TO DESTROY THEM. SO YOU DONT NEED STUN, THEY DIE TOO FAST ANYWAY, PEOPLE OFTEN SKIP THE TWO HANDED SWORD BECAUSE ITS NOT A MACE, AND A STUN IS VERY GOOD FACTOR TO CONSIDER, BUT CONSIDER THIS, BOSSES CANT GET STUNNED, AND ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT WILL EITHER DIE IN 2 TO THREE CROSSBOW BOLTS OR SWORD HITS, DO YOU ALSO NEED A STUN ? IMO, NO, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN JUST SLAP SOMEONE FOR 100 DAMAGE. [ HOW TO PLAY ] WELL… JUST GO PLACES AND SMACK PEOPLE AROUND, THERE'S NO WRONG WAY TO PLAY THIS BUILD WRONG, AS A RULE OF THUMB, YOU OPEN A FIGHT EITHER FROM RANGE WITH A CROSSBOW BOLT, IF THEY ARE MANY OR THE ONE YOU WANNA KILL IS SOMETHING BIG OR WAR CRY , WAR CRY IS GENERALLY USED AS BUFFING TOOL, BUT ALSO LATER ON IT FUNCTIONS AS CROWD CONTROL, IF YOU WAR CRY AND KILL SOMEONE, HUMANS AND ANIMALS WILL LIKELY COWER IN FEAR, AT THAT POINT, YOU'VE ALREADY WON, THERE'S NO COUNTER PLAY TO THIS, SADLY UNDEAD AND VAMPIRE ARE IMMUNE TO PSYCHOLOGY, WHICH MIGHT BE A BUG, ALSO, A FEW MORE TIPS FOR A SMOOTH EARLY GAME EXPERIENCE: TALK TO MERCHANTS + DO QUESTS (HERBALIST = FREE HEALS). YOU CAN DO FIRST CONTRACT EARLY, BUT BETTER HIT LVL 2 FIRST. BRYNN IS BEST CITY TO SELL. STASH ITEMS THEN SELL THERE FOR FAT STACKS. ONLY SELL ANCIENT COINS TO BRYNN BANK FOR MAX MONEY. PROGRESSION → START → BRYNN → MANNSHIRE → ROTTEN WILLOW → DENBRIE. IF TOO HARD, EXPLORE AND LEVEL. BUY LVL 1 BOOKS IN MANNSHIRE PALACE (GROUND FLOOR). BY TIER 2, GET A CROSSBOW. GOOD ECONOMY GUIDE W/ MAP OF BRYNN: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3386264309 GREAT WEAPON GUIDE: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3308947252 [FINAL WORDS] 2H SWORD = BEST WAY TO PLAY. IF YOU LOSE, ITS A SKILL ISSUE. ITS MY FAVORITE PLAY STYLE AND I WOULD RECOMMEND ANYONE TO TRY IT, YOU WONT REGRETT IT.