Forspoken Beginners Guide [Tips & Tricks]

Here are all the Tips and Tricks that you need to get a grasp on before kicking off your Forspoken journey.

Before you get ready to try out some Magic Parkour in Athia, it’s best if you go through some of the best Tips and Tricks for Forspoken. The game features a lot of unique mechanics and combat systems which can overwhelm the best of players. Although, if you educate yourself during the early stages of the game then you’d be able to flourish with Frey as you take down magical beasts in the vast realms of Athia. Therefore, going through the Forspoken Beginners Guide can make your life a whole lot easier!

Key Takeaways
  • Before kicking off your journey in Forspoken, it’s recommended that you grasp the tons of different mechanics that the game features.
  • Athia is a vast land that can only be explored fully if you utilize the Magic Parkour moves such as Flow, Rush, Soar, etc.
  • Players can save their progress, craft items, and upgrade their gear by making pit stops at the Pilgrim’s Refuge.
  • The combat mode features tons of variations, and you can use up to 4 Magic Sets, each decored with its own Attack and Support Spells.
  • Collecting Mana from the open world and leveling up will allow you to upgrade your Spells in Forspoken.
  • While exploring the world, players can scan their surroundings using the Cuff.
 

Let’s first quickly overview the Best Tips you need before starting your journey in Forspoken:

Tips and TricksDescription
World MapFamiliarize yourself with the vast world map of Athia.
Belfries & Fast TravelUtilize Belfries as fast travel, recon stations to discover Points of Interest on your map.
Pilgrim’s RefugeVisit Pilgrim’s Refuge for saving progress, crafting, healing, and acquiring loot.
Scanning Your SurroundingsWith the Cuff, scan to spot foes, folks, stuff, and discover enemy strengths and vulnerabilities.
Magic CombatMaster combat, lock on to enemies, cast spells wisely, and aim for high grades for better rewards.
Magic SetsDiscover four Magic Sets with Earth, Fire, Water, and Light spells and their respective elements.
Magic TypesKnow Attack, Support, and Surge Magic differences, including how they cast and their cooldown mechanics.
ManaCollect Mana to unlock new spells, gather it by leveling up, and find it in the environment.
Spellcraft ChallengesActivate Spellcraft Challenges to upgrade spells and enhance their abilities.
Monuments & Fount Of BlessingsInteract with Monuments to boost Frey's stats, visit Founts of Blessings for free magic spells.
Crafting, Upgrading, & ResourcesGather resources, craft healing items, and upgrade pouches.
GearEquip Cloaks, Necklaces, and Nails for additional abilities. Buffs to enhance Frey's combat and traversal skills.
Side MissionsComplete side missions marked by downward arrow icons on the map to gain extra rewards.
Fall DamageBe cautious of fall damage, as Frey's stamina bar affects her fall damage.
BreakstormsBeware of Breakstorms, challenge it only after you've decently upgraded your character and spells.
Spending Old CoinsCollect Old Coins from puzzle-locked chests and trade them with traders.

World Map

forspoken map
World Map Overview [Image Credit: eXputer]
To begin our Forspoken Beginners guide, there is nothing better to cover than the World Map itself. Athia will be home for the players for the majority of the game.

As you travel around Athia, you will come across 4 Realms. These realms are called Visoria, Avoalat, Paenest, and Junoon. Each of these realms features a unique topography and enemies. There is plenty to figure out and gather in Athia, hence, it’s best to get to work straight away! 

The Belfries & Fast Travel

belfry towers recon forspoken
Belfry [Image Credit: eXputer]
As you travel across Athia, you will come across plenty of golden towers known as the Belfries. There will be at least one Belfry in each region within the realms of Athia. These Belfries are not to be ignored because they serve as Fast Travel points in Forspoken

Including the Belfries, here are all the Locations the players can use to fast travel around Athia.

  • The Belfries.
  • Pilgrim’s Refuge.
  • Monuments of Wisdom.

Other than being Fast Travel points, these Belfries also work as Recon stations in Forspoken. Whenever you access a new Belfry tower in Forspoken, Frey will use her magic to scan the whole area. Doing this will reveal all the POIs (Points of Interest) in that particular area.

Pilgrim’s Refuge

safehouse in forspoken
The first Pilgrim’s Refuge [Screenshot by eXputer]
The Pilgrim’s Refuge buildings are like a safehouse for Frey. Therefore, make sure you stop by each one that you encounter in Athia. Their common design makes it easier for the players to spot them from afar. So, what makes the Pilgrim’s Refuge so special and worth visiting?

Here’s why: In the safe house you can save your game, explore the Journal and Archives, and fast travel with no threats. Heal and find valuable items, upgrade gear, and access helpful books for safehouse locations.

Scanning Your Surroundings

Forspoken cuff
Cuff Scanning feature [Image Credit: eXputer]
Staying on the topic of Exploration, we think it is necessary to include some of the Cuff’s abilities in our Forspoken Beginners Guide.

As it happens, you can use the Cuff to scan your surroundings in Athia. It is an extremely helpful exploration feature in the game that players should exploit as much as they can. If you’re using a controller, you can simply press the ‘Up’ button on the D-pad to use the Cuff. Using the Cuff to scan the area will highlight the enemies, NPCs you can interact with, chests, and items that can be picked up.

Later on in the game, the Cuff scanning feature can also be used to reveal the enemy’s resistances and weaknesses. These crucial insights can help you defeat enemies greatly. 

Magic Combat

Combat is one of the most fun and intriguing features in Forspoken. As you know by now, the game has implemented a unique kind of combat system. The whole combat mechanic revolves around Frey’s and the Cuff’s magic abilities. Therefore, get ready to use all kinds of spells to deal with the enemies in Forspoken. However, the Magic Combat system can be quite overwhelming for beginners in Forspoken. 

There are 4 unique sets of Magic that Frey can use in the game (covered in more detail later). For now, let us focus on how the Combat mode works in the game.

So to start things off, we would first like to mention that the Combats in Forspoken are based on Grade systems.

  • This means that every fight you get into will simultaneously get ranked by the game’s algorithm. As per your performance during the battle, your Grade will continuously change.
  • The higher the grade is at the end of a battle the higher multiplier effect you will gain on the EXP and Drop Rate. Hence, whenever you get into a fight, keep a close eye on the Grading at the side.

To get high Grades, you should aim at using the Magic Set that the enemy is weak against. Other than that if you manage to beat the enemy while taking none or minimal damage then you will also be able to increase your Grade. 

Magic Sets

unlock spells with mana in forspoken
Frey’s Magic set [Screenshot by eXputer]
First up, Forspoken features 4 Sets of Magic that Frey will be able to use in the game. Each set will have its own unique variety of spells that Frey can use while fighting enemies or exploring Athia. These sets are part of the main storyline, hence, you will get each set in due time depending on where you are in the story.

When you first begin your journey in Athia, you will only have access to Frey’s Magic, which are purple-colored Earth-based spells. Later on, you will acquire the other sets which are based on an Element that has unique spells. With that said, here are all 4 Magic Sets in Forspoken.

  • Frey’s Magic (Earth)
  • Sila’s Magic (Fire)
  • Prav’s Magic (Water)
  • Olas’ Magic (Light)

Magic Types

attack magic spells Forspoken
Attack Type Magic [Image Credit: eXputer]
Now that you’re familiar with the Magic Sets in Forspoken, it’s time to understand all the Magic Spell types in the game. These types will remain the same within each Magic Set, however, the spells will vary. With that said, here are all Types of Magic Spells Frey can use in Athia.

  • Attack Magic: Cast using R2 or hold R1 to choose a spell without cooldown. Charge spells by holding the attack button.
  • Support Magic: Assist Frey with L2 or hold L1 for the Spell wheel. Spells restrain enemies, slow them, or deploy allies. Cooldowns apply.
  • Surge Magic: Unlock after casting Support and Attack Spells. Fill the triangle icon, then use R2+L2 for a powerful Surge Magic Attack.

Now you may be wondering how you can unlock new Spells for Frey in Forspoken. These methods include:

  • Buying spells by spending Mana.
  • Visiting the Founts of Blessing.

Mana

Forspoken mana magic
Mana in Forspoken [Image Credit: eXputer]
In the previous section of our Forspoken Beginners Guide, we mentioned that you could unlock new spells by using up Mana. But what is Mana? The term Mana is given to the Skill Points in the game. Gathering Mana will allow Frey’s magical abilities to grow more and more. There are a couple of ways through which you can acquire Mana.

  • Firstly, Frey will gain Mana every time she levels up in the game.
  • The simpler method is exploring Athia—look for glowing nodes scattered around. They can be in clusters or alone. Each node gives you one Mana in Forspoken.

Once you have enough Mana in your pocket, you can simply go to the Magic section in the main menu and unlock new Spells. The costs of the spell could range anywhere from 10 to 100 Mana. Before we end this section, we would like to mention a cool user-friendly feature that Square Enix has added to Forspoken.

If by any chance you buy the wrong spell or you don’t like a particular spell that you bought, then you can simply refund the Mana in the game. 

  • You can claim a refund by going to the Magic section and choosing the spell you want to be reverted.
  • If you see the option to “Convert back to Mana”, hold Triangle and let the game do its magic.

Spellcraft Challenges

how to upgrade magic spells in forspoken
Spellcraft Challenges Display (left) [Screenshot by eXputer]
Like a lot of other Open World/RPG titles, Forspoken also includes in-game challenges that players can take part in. These challenges will add another layer of fun side to your combat and travels. On top of that, since they are challenges they will ultimately offer you a reward after you complete them.

  • Each spell will have its own challenge for the player to go after. For example, the challenge for “Flow” is to dodge enemy attacks 25 times using Parkour. Once you complete this challenge, your Stamina recovery rate will increase.
  • Once the player activates the Spellcraft Challenges, they will be displayed on the left side of the screen.
  • Using the Spellcraft counter on the side, you can easily track your progress and upgrade your favorite Spells.

In order to activate the Spellcraft Challenges in Forspoken, you will need to head to the Archives library in Cipal. You can then interact with the books and begin Spellcraft challenges. Later on, players can also start the challenges from Pilgrim’s Refuge buildings.

Look Out For Monuments & Fount Of Blessings

forspoken founts of blessing magic spell
Cutscene when Frey interacts with a Fount [Image Credit: eXputer]
As you explore the vast lands of Athia, you will come across many interesting spots. Some of these locations are worth checking out because they will give the player some crucial buffs and items that can enhance their gameplay.

Here are the locations you should keep an eye out for. We have also included what these locations offer to Frey in the game.

  • Founts of Blessings: These are magical locations that can be spotted from afar due to their sky-rising illumination. Founts of Blessings are usually decorated with a big tree beside a small glowing pool. When Frey interacts with the Founts of Blessing, she will receive a free Magic Spell. Founts of Blessings will mostly grant you either a Support or a Traversal Spell.
  • Monuments:  Even though they won’t give you anything special as the Founts of Blessings do, they will increase Frey’s Stats, hence, it’s worth checking out the Monuments whenever you find them during exploring Athia.

Crafting, Upgrading, & Resources

gear uograde in forspoken
Upgrading Cloak in Forspoken [Screenshot by eXputer]
Forspoken features many resources like plants, ores, and feathers. These can be collected in numerous ways while you explore Athia.

Apart from the Pilgrim’s Refuge, you can also set up camps using firewood in Forspoken. Within these camps, players can craft certain items as well. Make sure you collect as many resources as you can and take the time to upgrade your Cloaks and Necklaces.

forspoken collecting resources
resources collection Forspoken [Image Credit: eXputer]
Here are some of the most used Resources in Forspoken.

  • Balm Flex.
  • Nuggets.
  • Wild Musk.
  • Crag Grass.
  • Firewood.
  • Feather.
  • Clusters.

These resources can be found while you explore the open world. Chests will give you guaranteed resources; other than that, and you can also pick up ingredients after defeating certain enemies. Lastly, the Pilgrim’s Refuge houses also have a stack of resources for the player. Once you have enough resources, you can craft tons of different crucial items or even make some much-needed upgrades.

In my opinion, you should craft as many Healing Draughts as you can. These small health items will be your best friend throughout your journey. Secondly, your focus should also be on increasing the carrying capacity of Frey. Make sure you upgrade her Medicine and Material Pouch every now and then so that she can hold more stuff with her. 

Gear

forspoken cloaks
Type of Cloak in Forspoken [Image Credit: eXputer]
Next up on the Forspoken Beginners Guide, we have the topic of “Gear“. With danger looming around every corner, it is extremely important for Frey to equip some of the Best Gear in the game. These items can offer special abilities and buffs. As of right now, Forspoken only features 3 Types of Gear items in the game.

  • Cloaks.
  • Necklaces.
  • Nails.

Frey can equip one of each Gear item in the game. These gear items will grant her abilities that can improve her combat prowess or traversal skills. There isn’t any specific department that these Gear pieces focus on.

Players can also upgrade their Gear by using resources whenever they are in the Pilgrim’s Refuge or at a camp. Upgrading gear will usually add a fixed percentage to enhance the ability. 

Side Missions

forspoken side quests
Side Missions on the map [Screenshot by eXputer]
In Forspoken, side missions are called “Detours“. There are about 20 Detours in Forspoken. Most of these side missions can be found in the city of Cipal.

These quests are marked by a small ‘downwards arrow‘ icon on the map. These missions will include exclusive cutscenes and a bunch of different characters. Some Detours will also unlock Trophies for you. Such as the 9 Cat Chase quests; when you complete these missions, you will achieve the “A Roaring Trade” achievement.

Fall Damage

The Magic Parkour and effortless movement that defies gravity may make you believe that fall damage does not exist in Forspoken. However, that is not the case because fall damage does exist even for Frey.

  • Usually, when you fall from a high place, the Cuff will protect you from incurring any damage.
  • However, if you pay close attention to the vitality bars at the bottom left corner of the screen. You will notice that after a fall, Frey’s stamina bar will become fully depleted.
  • Hence, if you’re Stamina bar is almost, or fully depleted before the fall Frey’s health will take a hit.

So, that means that you shouldn’t take the Magic Parkour abilities for granted. Tread carefully, especially where there is a chance of falling down from a high place. Fortunately, as you progress through the game, you will be able to unlock some Traversal Spells, such as “Float,” which will help you avoid fall damage for good.

Breakstorms

The huge interactive world of Forspoken also features an in-game event. The in-game event is termed “Breakstorms.” These may be a fun sequence once you’re in the mid or late-game. Although, at the beginning of the game, the Breakstorms can be the worst for newbies. Due to The Break, at times, hazardous storms form in certain parts of Athia.

  • If players are caught up in these storms, they will be put up against hordes of hostile entities.
  • Some Breakstorms will also deploy boss-level enemies at the end after you manage to clear the initial hordes.
  • Nightmares are a common enemy type that can be found within Breakstorms. If you manage to take them down and clear the Breakstorm, you will achieve significant EXP along with some special rewards.

With that said, if you’re still getting a hang of the game mechanics then we advise you to completely ignore the Breakstorms. You can always escape the Breakstorms whenever you see one. Once you have upgraded Magic Spells and high-tier gear, you can start to test your skills inside these storms gradually.

Spending Old Coins

forspoken old coins money
Old Coins [Screenshot by eXputer]
Before we conclude the Forspoken Beginners Guide, we think it is necessary to include some trading tips. Some of the chests you find in Athia can be opened up to loot some valuable items. On the other hand, you will also encounter chests that can only be opened up after solving a puzzle. Within these puzzle-locked chests, you will be able to find “Old Coins,” which is a rare form of currency in Athia.

The Old Coins can be spent at a few different spots in Forspoken. Here are the 3 Traders that will entertain you in exchange for some Old Coins.

  • Cat Lover: The Cat Lover Lady can be found in Cipal. She will sell you Toys in exchange for Old Coins. These toys can be used to decorate Frey’s room in Cipal.
  • Bookseller: The Bookseller is another Old Coins trader. If you have enough Old Coins on your hand, then feel free to visit him and check out all the attachments he offers for your gear.
  • Trader in Visoria: Last but not least, we have the hidden trader in Visoria. You can find him in the Curiosity Shop located in the Southern parts of Visoria. You can find some extremely useful stuff in his catalog. For example, you can buy the Gravity Lantern (Attracts Mana nodes towards Frey) or the Comfy Pillow (Grants buffs after Frey sleeps).

Old Coins are a scarce resource in the game. You can only buy a few items before you run out of them. Hence, it is best to save up the Old Coins until you meet the Trader in Visoria.

Final Words

There you have it! Our complete Beginners Guide includes some of the Best Tips and Tricks for Forspoken. We paid attention to every bit of detail in the game to curate this special guide for you, which will make your life much easier in Athia.

Forspoken is the latest RPG title released by Square Enix and developed by Luminous Studios. Frey Holland is the main protagonist in the game, who is leading a rather troubled life in New York. However, despite her troubles, she stumbles upon a magical Cuff that transports her to a mythical land called Athia. If you have just started the game, here is a quick guide on How Long Forspoken is.

Thank you for reading through our thorough beginner’s guide. Stick around at eXputer for more informative articles about Forspoken.

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Sameer is a Senior Writer & Editor for all sorts of guides on eXputer. He has dove deep into many gaming genres and ended up investing 8,000+ hours on COD titles, Pokemon games, Witcher 3, Minecraft, and Bloodborne. Sameer has a degree in Writing and Editing from the University of Michigan. Additionally, he has several years of writing experience and has worked for Mashable previously. Get familiar with Sameer's gaming library on his PSN and Steam profiles.

Experience: 5+ Years || Previously Worked for Mashable || Education: ACCA

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