7 beginner tips for braving the sands in Atlas Fallen

Surfing the sands of Atlas Fallen can be a daunting task when you first start playing. The dunes are harsh, and the sun god’s wrath can be difficult to overcome. To help you with your adventure, we’ve put together 7 beginner tips for challenging Thelos in Atlas Fallen.

Try out the Knuckledust weapon

Even though you start with the Dunecleaver and Sandwhip unlocked, you will obtain the Knuckldust very early. The Knuckldust is a fist weapon that can ramp up to deal massive damage.

I actually played through a fair portion of Atlas Fallen before trying out the Knuckledust. After giving it a try I never swapped it out, as it synergizes well with the Sandwhip. It may end up being your favorite weapon too.

When fighting multiple enemies at once, a good offense is a good defense

In some scenarios, you may find yourself under attack by an onslaught of lesser enemies, perhaps mixed in with a stronger enemy. Your instinct may be to play it safe and keep evading around, but I’ve found this to be quite difficult at times. It always seems like once I’m encountering too many enemies at once, their attacks just so happen to line up. It gets to a point where it’s quite challenging to keep evading or parrying a flurry of attacks.

On the flip side, you can often focus down and take out a lesser enemy in just a few hits. Doing so will mean one less attack you have to worry about coming at you, therefore going on the offense often ends up benefiting you defensively as well.

Look for pulsing blue lights in the sand to raise objects

One of the non-combat abilities of the Gauntlet allows you to Raise objects out from under the sand. Sometimes this will unveil an anvil that you can upgrade, heal, and fast travel at. Other times, it will be a structure that you can climb to get to a higher elevation and find some hidden goodies.

Finally, you can also Raise up chests from under the sand that may hold Essence, Shards, and even equipment to enhance your build.

Do some sidequests

Even though sidequests don’t really enhance the story in any way, you can sometimes obtain quality rewards for doing them. If you find yourself wanting a break from beelining through the main story, visit a quest hub and grab a few side quests. Often times they’re grouped up within the same area so you can knock a few out at once.

Be sure to check the rewards afterward, as you may pick up an item that fits well into your playstyle.

Don’t always evade; make use of your parry

Once you’ve mastered the art of dodging via evade, it can be tempting to do so to every attack. However, a successful parry can be even more beneficial than dodging an attack. Keep an eye out for the enemy to flash red before an attack, which means the attack can be parried. Some attacks may take several subsequent parries to have the intended effect, so keep at it.

Check the inventory of new vendors when you find them

Throughout Atlas Fallen, you will encounter several different vendors. Most are found inside villages and quest hubs, with some also located in key story areas.

Vendors can carry all sorts of items beneficial to your progress, including equipment, Idols, Essence Stones, and more. There’s also the Travelling Vendor who, as his name suggests, travels the world. You can always guesstimate his location based on his kite flying high in the sky wherever he currently is. After defeating certain encounters, the Travelling Merchant may update his inventory, so be sure to check it out frequently.

Don’t forget to Shatter

In the heat of battle, it can be easy to forget how powerful your Shatter attack is. Keep in mind that it depletes your Momentum Bar, so you will lose the benefits of the Essence Stones you currently have enough Momentum for.

However, Shatter is very strong. If you’re running out of heals and are particularly close to defeating a powerful enemy, but aren’t sure if you will be able to survive long enough to defeat it: use your Shatter. It can deal an insane amount of damage if you have your Momentum Bar completely filled up, and it is often worth executing as opposed to saving the Momentum.

Hopefully, these beginner tips will help you as your journey through the deserts of Atlas Fallen.