The Beginner's Guide to Brighter Shores

Welcome to the ultimate guide for Brighter Shores! Whether you're a new adventurer or a seasoned player, this guide is designed to help you navigate every corner of the expansive world that Brighter Shores has to offer. In this guide, we’ll cover everything from core gameplay mechanics and skills to advanced strategies for mining, crafting, and combat. With detailed insights into professions like Stonemason, Bonewright, and Blacksmith, as well as faction-specific crafting and resource gathering, you'll find all the tools you need to excel. Our leveling tips, XP guides, and specialized strategies are here to support you in every step of your journey in Brighter Shores, so you can make the most of your time in the game and rise to greatness. Let’s dive in!

You start your Brighter Shores journey at Hopeport. Upon arrival, you will be given the ability to start leveling your first five Professions available to you in Episode 1. These are:

• Guard
• Chef
• Fisherman
• Forager
• Alchemist

To unlock more Professions you must advance your Main Story Quest. This is how you will progress through Episodes, and also how you will begin to unlock content in Brighter Shores. A list of the remaining Professions, along with their unlock requirements, are listed below.

• Scout — Episode 2, Hopeforest
• Gatherer — Episode 2, Hopeforest
• Woodcutter — Episode 2, Hopeforest
• Carpenter — Episode 2, Hopeforest
• Miner — Episode 3, Mine of Mantuban
• Minefighter — Episode 3, Mine of Mantuban
• Blacksmith — Episode 3, Mine of Mantuban
• Bonewright — Episode 3, Mine of Mantuban
• Stonemason — Episode 3, Mine of Mantuban
• Leatherworker — Episode 4, Crenopolis
• Merchant — Episode 4, Crenopolis
• Detective — Episode 4, Crenopolis
• Watchperson — Episode 4, Crenopolis

We've compiled a list of tips new players may find helpful, allowing you to speed your way through the beginning Quests and quickly begin leveling your first Profession. Likewise, if you'd prefer to watch a video on the subject, one has been embedded lower on the page.

• Level your Professions around the banking location. Most Professions only have one location for their specific resources.
• Use the left arrow on your screen to keep your bag open at all times as well as your map or skills. This can be very useful to always know how much bag space you have left as well as know where on the map you are heading.
• Use the right arrow on your screen to keep your Professions on your screen as well as your Quests at all times.
• You can always resize your UI as well, take advantage of this.
• Make sure to talk to the Quartermaster after finishing the tutorial. The Quartermaster Spell is a very useful way to bank gear and armor.
• While walking around Hopeport make sure to always grab items that fit in your toolbelt, as they take up no additional bag space, for example, Quill and Ink from Brannof's Chamber or Rope near the Boardwalk. They can come in handy for quests later on.
• Untuned Armor can be tuned after completing the quest The Obelisk, so take the time to complete that side quest early on.
• Untuned Armor can be tuned into working in any episode; take it to the episode's Obelisk that you prefer it be used in.
• Spells have no cooldown; make sure to utilize your spells often, especially teleport to travel around the map quickly.

Questing in Brighter Shores is the best way to advance through the game. Make sure to pick up all side quests when available and always focus on completing the main quest and side quests when there isn't a level requirement restricting you. One of the most useful side quests to complete is the Spider's Nest, as it gives you access to the spell Storage Rift.

By completing the main quest, you will gain tons of experience in that episode's combat, lots of gold, and access to the next available area. By completing side quests, you will typically gain lots of gold, and tons of experience as well. This makes questing one of the best ways to progress through the game.

During the main quest in Episode 2 you will soon be asked to choose a Faction. You will have these three options to choose from. Each Faction comes with its own strengths and weaknesses.

Cryoknight weapons are only able to be crafted by the Blacksmithing Profession. These weapons focus on dealing Cryonae damage, which is shown in blue.

Guardian weapons are only able to be crafted by the Bonewright Profession. These weapons focus on dealing Arborae damage, which is shown in green.

Hammermage weapons are only able to be crafted by the Stonemason Profession. These weapons focus on dealing Tempestae damage, which is shown in yellow.

The list below contains all of the available spells in game..

• Sense — Shows you every node in the room with you; very helpful for discovering new nodes, finding quest items, discovering new enemies, and just exploring new areas. (HOTKEY CTRL+S)
• Quartermaster — Opens a portal with the Quartermaster, allowing you to deposit and withdraw weapons and armor from him remotely.
• Teleport — Allows you to teleport to any Portal Stone you have activated.
• Immunity — Grants you immunity for 30 seconds after a 2 second cast.
• Storage Rift — Allows you to deposit resources remotely at strange stone locations. Aqcuired from Completing the Spider's Nest quest in Episode 2 (Requires level 32 Carpentry).
• Detect Aura — Aqcuired at level 46 Detective in Episode 4.

Untuned Armor can be tuned after completing the quest The Obelisk, so take the time to complete that side quest early on. Armor can be sold at the Quartermaster Shop. Some armor is Faction specific, while others are equippable by all factions. Each episode has their own unique armor that will not work in other episodes.

The list below contains all obtainable armor qualities currently in the game, ordered from worst to best.

• Uncommon
• Common
• Rare
• Epic

As of right now, Brighter Shores has six different damage types, and with that comes six different types of resistance that can be found on gear. Cryonae, Arborae, and Tempestae are not enemy-specific, and are the same damage types we as the player are capable of using. However, Impact, Infernae, and Necromae are enemy-only.