Tips for beginners to get started in Minecraft Dungeons
Minecraft Dungeons is a top-down isometric RPG in the style of Diablo. It features some lovely voxel environments and has a strong “Minecraft” feel that will appeal to younger players immensely. If you are new to this style of game, or you are finding some of the systems a little difficult to understand, here are some quick Minecraft Dungeons tips to get you started.
1: Use the minimap
The levels in Minecraft Dungeons can be quite long and convoluted with paths leading off in different directions. You will want to explore every inch of the locations to ensure that you are opening all the chests and gathering as much loot as you can. Doing so you will inevitably get lost once or twice.
If that happens you can use the mini-map which automatically overlays on your screen by pressing down on the d-pad. The opacity is enough for you to play each level with it on all the time, or if you prefer you can toggle it on and off to ensure you have explored everywhere before you leave the level.
2: Replay levels
If you are unfamiliar with the style of game that Minecraft Dungeons is, one thing you will need to understand is that you must replay levels if you want to ensure you have good loot for the harder ones.
The layout of the maps will be the same each time, however enemies, chest locations and possible loot drops are random each time. So play again to ensure you have the best loot possible within the power range available for each level.
3: Salvage your unwanted gear
There is no point in holding on to unwanted gear once it has passed its usefulness. You may well have a favourite set of armour, however if it’s power level isn’t high enough you will end up going into later levels under-power and will find it extremely difficult.
You can salvage easily by clicking the X button. By doing so you will be rewarded with some emeralds and if you have any enchantments the points will be returned back to you as well.
4: Don’t hoard your emeralds
Emeralds are the currency in Minecraft Dungeons. Playing levels, killing enemies and opening chests will increase your total. These in turn can be spent at the merchants in your Camp. You will have merchants who will sell you random equipment and artefacts. The costs in emeralds is fairly low, so don’t be shy, spend them and see if you can get some good loot from it.
Things to note: The Blacksmith who sells armour and weapons will appear in the Camp after you have completed the Creeper Woods level the first time, and the Wandering Trader where you can find artefacts will appear after you have completed Pumpkin Patch.
5: Pay attention to the Power Levels
Each level you play will have a Power Level assigned to it. What this means is that the enemies will be a certain strength and the gear and equipment you find will be that level also.
Your character has a power level assigned to it based on the stuff you have equipped on it. If your level is lower than the recommended level you will find it harder to complete, but you will be rewarded with gear that has better stats on it. Similarly, if you are a higher level than the recommended power level you will find enemies easier to tackle and your rewards won’t be as great.
The best way to tackle each level is to be exactly the recommended power level, or one above it. That way you will find it challenging, but not impossible and you will be rewarded with incremental gear to raise your level further.
6: Use your artefacts
Whilst most of your time will be spent hacking and slashing your way through enemies that come towards you, or firing your arrows at those skeleton archers, remember you also have some other tools at your disposal.
The artefacts can be equipped to your character and offer a variety of benefits. Some can provide you with a totem that you can lay down to give you and your team mates a brief period of health regeneration. Others can summon creatures like a wolf or an Iron Golem to help you fight the enemies when they start to overwhelm you.
Each artefact can be activated by pressing the corresponding key on your controller. Once used they will have a cool down period before you can use them again.
7: Use your dodge
The last of our Minecraft Dungeons tips is an obvious one – try to avoid getting overwhelmed by enemies. If this happens you can quickly lose a lot of health, or even lose a life. You can use the dodge to get out of danger quickly, and depending on the gear you have equipped you may also have a quick burst of speed to help as well.
You can also use the dodge mechanic for “jumping” over gaps to reach awkwardly placed chests.
