Here are 10 beginner tips for getting started in Smalland: Survival the Wilds.
Smalland: Survive the Wilds introduces its players to a new perspective of survival. Players join the game as a member of a race known as the Smallfolk and are thrust into a world much larger than them with little guidance on how to utilize their environment or handle threats.
In this guide, we’ll share some of the most important tips for getting started in Smalland that we’ve learned while trekking through the wilds, staying alive in a world crawling with angry giant insects, and other mysterious dangers.
- Hoard Fiber and Wood
- Repair your gear often
- Set your spawn point
- Beware of fall damage
- Use your antennae
- Mind the weather
- If it looks climbable, it probably is
- Diversify your equipment
- Always keep a spare
- Claim a Great Tree
1. Hoard Fiber and Wood
Pretty much everything you craft, build, or repair in Smalland will require two resources: Fiber and Wood. While many recipes will require additional resources specific to their use, almost all of them will also require some amount of fiber and/or wood.
Equipment, structures, tools, bandages, and even some food will all require these resources or some derivative of them, such as refined wood. Grab as much of this stuff as you can right from the start. After crafting a proper hatchet, you can get these materials in greater quantities by chopping down plants. In the meantime, pick up every sprout and twig you find.
2. Repair your gear often
Tools, weapons, and armor will all take damage as they are used. Most of this equipment will wear down very rapidly, especially in the early game. Equipment can be repaired at a basic workbench, even if its durability has fully depleted.
That being said, it’s better not to wait until your gear breaks to maintain it. The less durability an item has lost, the fewer resources it will take to repair it. If repaired early enough, your gear can be maintained at no resource cost. It’s a good idea to repair your equipment whenever the opportunity arises.
3. Set your spawn point
In a world full of swarms of huge bees and deadly spiders, chances are you’re going to die once in a while. Every bed the player builds allows them to set a spawn point. However, it’s easy to forget to do this when building a new bed since it has to be done manually, so it’s so important to remember this when getting started; otherwise, you may respawn much further away than expected.
Any bed built by a player can be a spawn point, even if it isn’t properly sheltered and can’t be slept in. Once you have access to stone, you will be able to construct Covered Beds that are functional wherever they are placed. If you are going somewhere dangerous, be sure to set a spawn point nearby.
4. Beware of fall damage
It’s easy to misjudge distance when everything seems so much larger than it should be. Verticality is a big proponent of travel in Smalland, and fall damage is going to become a rather consistent companion.
If a fall looks like it might hurt, assume it will kill you. There is usually an alternative way down from high places, so keep your eyes peeled for winding roots, wooden platforms, and shelf mushrooms.
5. Use your antennae
Sometimes it’s hard to tell what you’re looking at or what around you can be harvested. Fortunately, Smallfolk are equipped with a unique ability to scan their surroundings for useful resources and dangerous wildlife nearby. This is one of the most important tips for getting started, as this ability, when used frequently, will allow you to farm the necessary resources to thrive in the game.
Pressing the antenna button (default V key) will switch the player’s view into Antenna Mode. Sound and color are dulled in this mode, but wildlife and resources are highlighted and visible. This mode even labels each highlighted item so you can identify things from a distance.
6. Mind the weather
You may have noticed the temperature meter below your health and hunger bars. It may not appear to change much, but when the night gets close or it begins to rain, your temperature will rapidly drop, and you’ll begin to freeze. Staying inside or wearing warm armor can help mitigate the effects of cold.
Rain can do more than drop the temperature though, and occasionally heavy storms will roll in. The game will warn you in advance when a big storm is coming, but it may not be enough time to build a base if you don’t already have one. These storms will kill you without shelter, and will cause severe damage to structures not protected by a roof. If you hear a storm coming, get to shelter immediately.
7. If it looks climbable, it probably is
As we said before, verticality is a big part of Smalland’s map. Smallfolk are as good at climbing as they are bad at swimming and are capable of rather impressive jumps. This, coupled with the ability to mantle chest–high obstacles, means there is a lot that you can climb in the open world.
Tree roots, jagged rocks, fallen logs, and shelf mushrooms can all indicate locations where you can climb. Shelf mushrooms and clinging vines especially mean there is way to scale a location or obstacle. Just don’t forget about tip number 4 while you’re climbing and leaping up the sides of trees.
8. Diversify your equipment
Every enemy in Smalland has their own set of distinct strengths and weaknesses. For example, ants are vulnerable to edged damage, while bees are weak against piercing attacks. Taking advantage of an enemy’s weakness is the key to victory when the odds are usually stacked against you. Strengths and weaknesses are displayed on an enemy’s health bar and when looking at them in antenna mode.
In order to capitalize on these weaknesses, you will need a variety of different weapons and armor. We recommend keeping at least one weapon that deals each of the physical damage types (edged, pierce, and blunt) with you at all times.
9. Always keep a spare
As we mentioned in the third getting started tip, chances are you will die once in a while playing Smalland. It’s part of the game and nothing to be ashamed of. However, getting back your stuff without any equipment can be troublesome, especially if you died in a dangerous area.
Keeping a stash of spare equipment near your spawn point is good practice. That way, if you drop your gear when you die, you still have a way to defend yourself on the way to retrieve your inventory from your gravestone. We usually store away our old, outdated equipment as an emergency stockpile.
10. Claim a Great Tree
An important feature of Smalland that isn’t very obvious is the utility of the Great Trees. You’ve probably noticed paths of shelf mushrooms and vines snaking up the side of the largest trees and wondered what is at the top. These large trees are called Great Trees, and each one can be claimed by a player by interacting with the totem at the top.
Once you have done this, you can build structures and store equipment at the encampment site. Not only is this a very safe location to live, but you can also move your encampment to another tree by interacting with its totem. This allows you to access your base as you travel around the map without being anchored to one specific location.
Final thoughts on getting started with Smalland: Survive the Wilds
Merge Games has created an impressively diverse world to explore in Smalland: Survive the Wilds. While it’s still rudimentary and needs a fair amount of polish, the worldbuilding has us hooked, and we can’t wait to see how the game develops and to learn more about the Smallfolk.
