Fatekeeper Tips: 11 Things to Know Before You Start

Updated 2026-10-15: rewritten from Paraglacial's patch notes, the community wiki and player advice on the Steam forums. Earlier versions listed six spell schools, breakable weapons and a player quote we could not trace; those are gone.

The 11 tips

1. Dodge, don't block, against big hits

The most repeated advice on the Steam forums is some version of "alt dodge, alt dodge, alt dodge. ALT DODGE." (Steam discussion). Against the first boss, a perfect dodge interrupts his long combos, and his charge and punch can't be blocked at all.

2. Kick enemies into spikes and off ledges

"Your kick has good knock-back, use it liberally to kick enemies off of cliffs or into spikes," one player advises (Steam discussion). Another got through a crowded room by "kicking them into the spikes" around a block in the middle (Steam discussion). Patch 0.1.3 also improved how enemies interact with spike traps.

3. Grab the two-handed sword near the start

Past the tutorial portal there's "a 2h sword stuck in a body right at the start. Bit of a jumping puzzle to get to, but it could carry you to the finish," according to the same player who counted swings: two for light enemies with it, against roughly five with daggers.

4. Lift archers off their ledges

Telekinesis is "not bad for ripping the weak smaller ones off high ground", and patch 0.1.3 made bow-wielding enemies "a little more susceptible to Telekinesis". If there are several shooters, wind or Telekinesis can stagger one while you deal with another.

5. Let archers shoot first

"With archers, you can wait in cover until they shoot; then sprint toward them immediately after," and break line of sight when you can't reach them. One of the most upvoted negative Steam reviews calls the archers "just OP", so this habit pays off from the first area.

Screenshot: Fatekeeper Steam store page (Paraglacial / THQ Nordic).

6. Set oil on fire

"Oil can be set on fire to set multiple enemies on fire at once." Wait until a group is standing in it, then throw fire.

7. Slow a rush with Frost

"The icebolt slows enemies, so if you have multiple melee enemies coming at you, use it." Melee enemies come looking for you, so an ambush around a corner works too.

8. Finish every boss with your weapon

The wiki's walkthrough for both boss rooms says the final blow has to be a weapon attack: if the boss stops fighting and looks dazed after a spell, close in and hit light or heavy attack. Keep a weapon equipped even on a caster.

GODEEPER: Our pick for a first build, and why it starts with a weapon rather than spells. Fatekeeper Best Build: Melee, Fire, and Caster Routes →

9. Learn the 0.1.3 controls

Tap the left mouse button for a light attack and hold it for a heavy one; blocking is on the right button, and you can parry right at the start of the block animation. Press R for the radial menu, which holds four spells, four belt items and two weapons. Blocking also got cheaper in 0.1.1, and a broken block no longer hurts you.

10. Brew at the save spots

Patch 0.1.1 put chests with ingredients for health and mana potions next to save spots, and 0.1.2 made weapon coating much faster. Alchemy combines three ingredients into potions, weapon vials or bombs. One player beat the first boss with "a bunch of HP potions and a bunch of Coating" (Steam discussion).

11. Don't fear your first skill points

Patch 0.1.3 put a Respec potion on the chart table in Haven and hid +1 Skill Point potions around the world, so a bad first plan costs a trip back to the hub, not a new save.

Screenshot: Fatekeeper Steam store page (Paraglacial / THQ Nordic).

Your first boss, in short

The first boss is a huge horned axe fighter in the Derelict Waterways that players call the Minotaur. Save at the Waterways campfire before the door, because you can't leave the room once you're in. Players beat him by dodging his combos and luring him into the spike walls: "He would run straight into the spikes, become staggered, and remain vulnerable for about three hits" (Steam discussion). Another player found that jumping nullified his stomps (Steam discussion). He's also easier than at launch: patch 0.1.1 cut his stomp range and damage.

GODEEPER: Both boss fights in more detail, including the hammer warrior at the end of the Mountain Pass. Fatekeeper Advanced Builds Guide: Synergies and Bosses →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a difficulty option in Fatekeeper? Not yet. Paraglacial's August 2026 devlog says it is working on a proper difficulty system for the first larger patch, planned for autumn, alongside controller support and a sound rework.

Is the Minotaur boss nerfed in Fatekeeper? Yes. Patch 0.1.1 reduced his stomp range and angle, cut his warp distance and damage output, gave you longer after a knockdown and added loot for beating him.

Does Fatekeeper support a controller? Not in the current build. Paraglacial says controller support was one of the most requested features and plans it for the first big patch, along with localization and a full sound rework.

Related Reading

• Fatekeeper Guide: Archetypes, Best Builds and the Skill Tree: every Fatekeeper guide on the site in one place.
• Fatekeeper Best Build: Melee, Fire, and Caster Routes: our first-run pick and the order to spend the first points.
• Fatekeeper Skill Tree: Branches, Key Nodes, and Respec: how the tree is laid out and which nodes matter.
• Fatekeeper Archetypes Guide: 5 Build Paths Explained: five directions through the tree.
• Fatekeeper Advanced Builds Guide: Synergies and Bosses: node combinations and both boss fights.
• Fatekeeper How Long to Beat: 2 Hours Now, 15 Planned: how long the Early Access campaign lasts.
• Fatekeeper Review: Buy the Early Access Now or Wait for 1.0?: whether the current build is worth its Early Access price.
• Early Access Games Worth Buying Right Now in 2026: how Fatekeeper compares to other Early Access games.

References

• Fatekeeper Patch 0.1.1: boss changes, blocking, ingredient chests.
• Fatekeeper Patch 0.1.3: controls, radial menu, Telekinesis and spike trap changes, Respec potion.
• Fatekeeper news on Steam: patch 0.1.2 and the August 2026 devlog.
• Fatekeeper Wiki (Fandom): Derelict Waterways: boss room walkthrough and the weapon finisher.
• Steam discussions: combat basics: kicks, archers, oil and Frost.
• Fatekeeper Early Access Release Trailer: THQ Nordic's official trailer.