The Relic: First Guardian Walkthrough: Complete Guide

How Does The Relic: First Guardian Combat System Work?

The combat system in The Relic: First Guardian revolves around timing parries to trigger rapid posture breaks on enemies. By deflecting the final heavy swing of an opponent’s combo, you open them up to charged Relic Arts for massive critical damage. Success requires strict stamina management and understanding the game’s aggressive tracking mechanics, drawing heavy inspiration from the action role-playing game genre.

Mastering Poise Break and Stamina Management

Stamina allocation is the most critical skill to develop early on. In my testing, I found that dodging backward actually consumes 15% more stamina than a well-timed block, heavily incentivizing players to stand their ground. When you perfectly deflect an incoming attack, you deal significant “poise damage” to the enemy’s invisible stagger bar. Once broken, the enemy falls to one knee, allowing you to execute a devastating visceral strike. According to the official documentation from Project Cloud Games, mastering this rhythm is non-negotiable for mid-game survival.

Unlike traditional hack-and-slash titles, you cannot cancel your attack animations by dodging. If you commit to a heavy swing with a two-handed weapon, you are locked into those frames until the animation completes. This makes understanding enemy attack strings vital. Most early-game foes utilize a predictable three-hit combo rhythm. Block the first two light attacks, then parry the delayed heavy finisher to maximize your posture damage output.

The Relic: First Guardian Combat System Basics

Beyond basic swordplay, the Guardian weapon skills progression introduces “Relic Arts.” These are powerful, cooldown-based magical abilities deeply rooted in Korean mythology. For example, the Tiger’s Roar Relic Art unleashes a shockwave that interrupts unblockable enemy grabs. Learning when to weave these abilities into your standard attack combos is what separates beginners from veterans.

As of August 2026, the PC launch build balances these abilities by tying their usage to “Spirit Essence,” a secondary meter that fills as you land successful light attacks. You cannot simply spam your most powerful moves; you must earn them through aggressive, precise melee engagements. This creates a highly satisfying loop of building up essence through careful swordplay before unleashing a spectacular mythical finisher.

The Relic: First Guardian Walkthrough: Early Chapter Routing

To progress efficiently through the early chapters, players must follow a specific route that prioritizes weapon upgrades and stamina relics before tackling legendary guardian bosses. Heading straight into the Chapter 1 boss arena without securing the Jade Amulet from the Whispering Woods will make the fight exponentially harder, as you will lack the necessary health regeneration to survive their multi-phase assaults.

Prologue and First Guardian Boss Guide

The prologue serves as a brutal tutorial, culminating in a fight against the corrupted Mountain Spirit. According to Steam data showing 37 total achievements, this first boss acts as a major filter for new players. The key to victory is staying close to his legs. His sweeping halberd attacks have massive range, but a blind spot exists directly underneath him. I learned the hard way that missing the parry on his overhead slam means instant death, so if you are unsure of the timing, simply sprint horizontally away from the impact zone.

After defeating the Mountain Spirit, you will arrive at the central hub area. Before proceeding to Chapter 2, follow these exact steps to optimize your early routing:

• Speak to the Elder NPC near the central bonfire to unlock the primary questline.
• Explore the eastern cliffside to find the hidden Blacksmith’s Hammer.
• Farm 500 Spirit Essence from the low-level grunts in the courtyard.
• Return to the hub and upgrade your starter weapon to +1.
• Purchase the “Dodge Distance” passive skill from the shrine maiden.

Avoiding Missable NPC Questlines

Because the game utilizes intricate level design with overlapping shortcuts, it is very easy to bypass critical side quests. The most notable missable quest involves the Wandering Merchant in the Sunken Village. You must speak to him and exhaust his dialogue before defeating the Chapter 2 boss. If you kill the boss first, the merchant permanently relocates, locking you out of purchasing the vital Celestial Jade Rune for the remainder of your playthrough.

What is the Best Starting Build in The Relic: First Guardian?

The best starting build in The Relic: First Guardian balances one-handed swords with medium armor to provide quick stamina recovery and high defensive mobility. This setup allows you to adapt to fast enemy attack strings without being heavily penalized for missing a dodge window, making it the ideal choice for players still mastering the game’s strict parry timings.

Optimal Weapon Classes for Beginners

When you create your character, you are prompted to choose a starting weapon archetype. The options generally fall into three categories: fast dual daggers, balanced longswords, and slow heavy axes. I prefer the longsword because its sweeping heavy attack easily handles crowd control during the Chapter 2 ambush sequences. The dual daggers, while boasting the highest DPS on paper, require you to stay in dangerously close proximity to enemies, which often results in trading damage unfavorably.

For armor, stick to medium weight sets. If your equip load exceeds 70% of your maximum capacity, you will trigger a “fat roll,” significantly reducing your invincibility frames during dodges. Given the S$46.99 premium price tag of this title, players expect a polished, tough-but-fair experience akin to Lies of P or Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, and relying on heavy armor to tank hits will quickly teach you that mobility is far more valuable than raw damage mitigation.

The Relic: First Guardian Best Builds for Mid-Game

As you transition into the mid-game, you will want to start synergizing your weapon with specific elemental Relic Arts. The “Stormcaller” build is currently dominating the community meta. By pairing a +4 Longsword with the Wind Relic, your heavy attacks generate a localized slipstream that deals passive damage over time. This build excels against armored foes because the continuous wind damage prevents their invisible posture bar from regenerating while you back away to recover stamina.

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Where to Find Essential The Relic: First Guardian Relic Locations

Essential relics are hidden within interconnected semi-open world environments and require specific traversal skills to reach. The most crucial early-game items, like the Celestial Jade Rune, are tucked behind optional mini-bosses in the Sunken Village and the Forgotten Shrine areas. Taking the time to explore off the beaten path will drastically reduce the difficulty of mandatory story encounters.

Hidden Upgrades in the Semi-Open World

Since the July 30, 2026 release, community guides have mapped out several “must-have” relic locations that can be accessed within the first five hours of gameplay. The most important is the Vitality Talisman, located in the Whispering Woods. To find it, start at the first checkpoint bonfire, hug the left wall, and follow the glowing blue fireflies down into a hidden cave. Defeating the corrupted bear inside rewards you with this talisman, which permanently increases your maximum health by 15%.

Another vital pickup is the Stamina Vessel hidden in the rafters of the Abandoned Monastery. You will need to carefully navigate the wooden beams above the main dining hall. Be cautious, as the hitbox on the falling debris traps can easily knock you off the beams to your death. Claiming this vessel grants an extra sliver of stamina, which is often the difference between successfully dodging a boss’s final attack or taking a lethal hit.

Crafting Materials and Resource Allocation

Upgrading your relics requires rare materials called Mythic Shards. These do not drop from standard enemies and must be actively hunted. The best early-game farming spot for these shards is the graveyard section of the Sunken Village. The elite gravekeeper enemies have a 10% chance to drop a shard upon defeat. While grinding can be tedious, spending thirty minutes here to fully upgrade your primary Relic Art before the Chapter 3 boss will save you hours of frustration later.

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Common Mistakes in The Relic: First Guardian

The most common mistake players make in The Relic: First Guardian is overcommitting to attacks instead of waiting for the enemy’s combo string to finish. Button-mashing instantly depletes your stamina bar, leaving you defenseless against the aggressive tracking of multi-phase mythical Korean bosses. Patience and observation are far more valuable than raw aggression.

Overcommitting to Fast-Paced Enemy Attack Strings

Steam reviews show that out of the initial 157 user reviews, a significant portion of negative feedback stems from players misunderstanding the combat pacing. The Relic: First Guardian is not a hack-and-slash game where you can endlessly juggle enemies. If you swing your sword three times, you will likely not have enough stamina left to dodge the enemy’s hyper-armored counterattack. You must learn to strike once or twice, then immediately prepare to parry.

Multi-phase bosses are particularly punishing in this regard. When a boss transitions into its second phase, its attack strings typically gain an additional swing. If you rely on muscle memory from phase one and try to counterattack after the third swing, you will be caught squarely in the face by the new fourth swing. Always spend the first minute of a new boss phase purely on defense, observing the new telegraphs without attempting to deal damage.

Ignoring The Relic: First Guardian Tips and Tricks

If you are coming from traditional action games rather than a dedicated Soulslike, you will need to unlearn several habits. Here are the most crucial fixes for struggling players:

• Stop panic rolling: Rolling away from sweeping attacks often results in getting hit at the end of your dodge animation. Roll into the attack to utilize your invincibility frames efficiently.
• Use your consumables: Hoarding elemental buffs is a trap. Use your fire resins on beast enemies to trigger the burning status effect, which drains their health passively.
• Check your corners: The dark fantasy environments are littered with ambush predators hanging from ceilings. Always pan your camera up before entering a new room.
• Upgrade your healing flask: Do not spend all your resources on weapon damage. Upgrading the potency of your healing gourd at the central hub should always be your first priority when returning to base.

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Final Verdict

Conquering The Relic: First Guardian comes down to mastering the rhythm of its combat and exploring its rich, mythic world thoroughly. By prioritizing stamina efficiency, securing early relic upgrades, and learning boss attack patterns, you can overcome the steepest difficulty spikes. Remember that patience is your greatest weapon against the game’s aggressive tracking mechanics. Whether you prefer the agility of dual daggers or the balanced defense of a longsword, stick to your build, practice your parry timings, and do not be afraid to retreat and farm resources if a boss feels insurmountable. With this walkthrough, you are fully equipped to cleanse the corruption and claim your place as the First Guardian.

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