If you’ve landed here looking for a Blades of Fire guide or Blades of Fire walkthrough, you’re in the right place. Blades of Fire, developed by MercurySteam and published by 505 Games, blends Soulslike mechanics with a weapon-forging system that demands patience, precision, and smart choices.
This Blades of Fire strategy guide will take you through every major aspect: from basic controls and combat systems, to weapon crafting, leveling up, boss fights, and collectible hunts. You’ll also get long-tail keyword coverage such as “Blades of Fire weapon crafting guide,” “Blades of Fire boss strategies,” and “Blades of Fire beginner tips” peppered naturally throughout—so search engines and readers both find value.
Let’s begin.
Contents / Table of Contents
- Controls & Combat Basics
- Core Systems: Health, Stamina, and Shards
- Weapon Types, Damage Types & Weakness Exploitation
- Weapon Crafting, Forging Mini-Game & Upgrades
- Equipping & Managing Your Weapon Loadout
- Defensive Options: Block, Parry, Dodge, Roll
- Exploration, Collectibles, and Backtracking
- Boss Fights & Strategy for Major Bosses
- Trophies, Achievement Guide & 100% Completion
- Tips & Tricks: Optimization, Settings & Late-Game Strategy
- Step-by-Step Complete Walkthrough (Area by Area)
- Final Thoughts and Additional Resources
1. Controls & Combat Basics
Targeted attacks (Head / Torso / Left / Right)
In Blades of Fire, every attack is context aware: you can target specific parts of an enemy—head, torso, left or right—by pressing different buttons (Y for head, A for torso, X/B for sides) depending on your control scheme.
You can also choose between quick attacks (tap) or charged attacks (hold), allowing flexibility in combat pacing.
Damage types: slashing / piercing / blunt
Weapons in Blades of Fire fall into one or more damage types—slashing, piercing, or blunt—based on their design and stance.
Some enemies resist or negate damage from certain types. If an enemy is outlined red in the targeting system, that means your current weapon is inefficient (or will do minimal damage). A green outline means you’re hitting its weakness. A yellow/orange outline is just neutral.
So always switch weapon or stance if you see red outlines. That’s a core habit to adopt early.
2. Core Systems: Health, Stamina, and Shards
No traditional RPG stats
You won’t level up in the usual sense. Instead, core upgrades to health and stamina come from collecting Health Gems and Stamina Gems (or “shards”) found during exploration.
Typically, gathering four of each will grant you an additional pool boost for health or stamina.
So exploring thoroughly is critical—not just for loot but for permanent increases.
Weapon durability & degradation
Every weapon you use degrades over time. If it breaks during combat, you lose it. You must repair your weapons at anvil checkpoints or break them down (salvage) to reclaim materials.
A smart strategy is sometimes to retreat early from fights if your current weapon is too damaged and switch to a backup before it gets destroyed.
3. Weapon Types, Damage Types & Weakness Exploitation
The seven weapon families
Blades of Fire has seven weapon families:
- Daggers
- Twins
- Sabers
- Swords
- Greatswords
- Polearms
- Spears
Each family has distinct attack speed, reach, and move sets. Use faster weapons like daggers in tight encounters; use polearms or greatswords when facing slower or armored foes.
Unlocking weapons from enemy drops / kills
Many weapon blueprints (Forge Scrolls) are dropped by defeating specific enemy types repeatedly. The game often tracks how many more kills are needed to unlock a weapon.
If you see an enemy wielding a weapon you don’t yet have, farm them until the drop triggers. Also, for some enemies the drop requirement is indicated in your Bestiary or Travel Book.
Choosing the right stance / weapon for the situation
Always carry a mix of damage types in your four equipped weapons. When you lock onto an enemy, pay attention to outline color (green = ideal, red = bad) and switch accordingly.
Additionally, some weapons are better suited for horizontal swings (wide enemies), while others excel in stabbing in close quarters. Use piercing or slashing depending on the enemy’s armor or vulnerability.
4. Weapon Crafting, Forging Mini-Game & Upgrades
Forge Scrolls & materials
Forge Scrolls are recipes for new weapon designs; you unlock them by defeating enemies or finding them in chests.
Materials used in crafting include various steels and timbers (wood types) which influence durability, block potential, weight, etc.
The forging mini-game
When crafting a weapon, you’ll engage in a hammering mini-game: you must match a pattern by striking in specific zones. If you fail, you can reheat and retry, though at the cost of some durability or number of hammer strikes.
A good tip is to hammer left to right, start with broad strikes and then refine. Also, aim to complete the design with fewer retries to preserve durability.
Upgrading / modifying weapons
You can customize your weapon's stats—damage, reach, block/parry window, durability—by selecting different materials and blade forms.
When upgrading, consider trade-offs: boosting raw damage may reduce durability or raise stamina cost. Early on, prioritize manageable stamina cost.
Also, crafting a “parry weapon” (one with a wide parry window) is useful for players focused on parrying. You can keep that weapon in a slot and switch to it when facing enemies whose attacks you want to counter.
5. Equipping & Managing Your Weapon Loadout
You can carry four weapons at a time. Choose them to cover a range: fast, slow, piercing, blunt, etc.
If you encounter a weapon totem (a special shrine) that requires a specific weapon type you don’t have, your map will mark it so you can return later with the appropriate weapon.
Switching weapons mid‐combat is essential; don’t commit to one weapon if it’s ineffective. Watch for red outlines—it means swap. (Yes, this repeated, but it’s that critical.)
6. Defensive Options: Block, Parry, Dodge, Roll
Blocking & stamina recovery
Hold Block to reduce damage and recover stamina faster while blocked. Stamina is critical; low stamina slows your movement, roll, and attacks.
Chip damage may accumulate while blocking; but early on, block is safer than mistiming parries or dodges.
Parry / counterattack
Parrying is high risk, high reward. A successful parry triggers a window where your attacks cost no stamina.
Your equipment matters: weapons with better parry windows help. So crafting or equipping a high-parry window weapon is very useful if you like aggressive counter play.
There is also a trophy for parrying 10 consecutive enemy attacks without being hit or blocking (“Unstoppable Reflexes”) which encourages mastering parries.
Dodge / Roll
Use dodge or roll to avoid patterns or attacks that are too risky to block or parry. Against bigger enemies, rolling often gives safer repositioning.
You also need to manage stamina; extravagant rolls or overuse will leave you vulnerable.
7. Exploration, Collectibles, and Backtracking
Because core upgrades (Health Gems, Stamina Gems) and crafting materials are often hidden, exploration is imperative. Missed collectibles don’t lock you out—they can usually be collected in a cleanup pass after finishing the story.
That said, some areas or totems require you to return with the appropriate weapon. Use your map’s markers and “show next objective” toggle to guide you.
freegameshere’s “Crimson Fort all collectibles” guide is example of how many gems, weapon parts, dyes, etc. are in a region.
As you clear the story, all regions may open for backtracking, so you can mop up whatever you missed.
8. Boss Fights & Strategy for Major Bosses
Boss fights in Blades of Fire demand pattern recognition, patience, and optimal weapon choice. Here are general tips and strategies for a few key bosses:
Cavimo Rex (Crimson Fort)
- Watch for his vertical/horizontal slashes; dodge accordingly.
- He can summon Sworn Shades midfight, which distract you—deal with adds carefully.
- He uses a red mist shield during which he's invulnerable and summons enemies. Wait it out.
- He also sometimes uses fire sword attacks or downward slashes—stay mobile.
- Target his weak point depending on stance: if you have a weapon that lines up, exploit it.
- Using pillars to deflect fireballs is viable when he’s distant.
Thalmudak, Erin, and Kings of Dharavel
Later bosses will require mastery of switching weapon types, stamina management, and knowing when to defend or dodge. For example, in the final segment, Erin causes a medallion to shatter—focus on collecting fragments and following narrative cues while staying responsive in combat.
Always have a backup weapon ready, and don’t get greedy with damage, especially if your stamina is low.
9. Trophies, Achievement Guide & 100% Completion
If you’re aiming to get all trophies or 100% completion:
- Steel difficulty is required for the top trophy “Forged in Steel.”
- Many trophies are tied to collectibles, forging every weapon family, upgrading to max, completing animations, defeating all bosses multiple times, etc.
- No trophy is missable permanently; you can always backtrack.
- Use the in-game “Show Next Objective” toggle to track missing collectibles in each region after you’ve beaten the story.
Check a trophy roadmap (e.g. freegameshere’s guide) to know which ones require multiple playthroughs or replays of boss fights.
10. Tips & Tricks: Optimization, Settings & Late-Game Strategy
Performance & graphics settings
If playing on PC, some players report better performance by lowering texture detail to Low (especially on 8 GB GPUs), and balancing object detail, shadows, ambient occlusion, etc.
Quality of life settings
Enable “Show Next Objective” and “Enemy Outline” in settings. Initially keep outline intensity high to detect enemy weaknesses.
Late-game strategy
- Always carry a parry-optimized weapon, a fast weapon, and a heavy weapon to flex mid-combat.
- Conserve rare materials; don’t immediately craft every scroll—pick ones you’ll get use from.
- During boss fights, don’t overcommit; patience and defense often win where brute force fails.
- Clean up missing collectibles after finishing the story when you have full mobility.
- Prioritize stamina and survivability boosts over raw damage in many scenarios.
11. Step-by-Step Walkthrough (Area by Area)
Here’s a high-level chronological guide through the game’s major zones, along with tips for each:
Prologue → Besacarr Hamlet
- Learn basic controls, get your first forge scroll.
- Explore Hamlet area thoroughly for health & stamina gems.
The Hollow Plain → Kar-Lethel Swamp
- Use map and objective markers to navigate swamp.
- Unlock new weapons from swamp dwellers.
- Return later to use weapon totems.
The Crimson Fort (First Visit)
- Watch for collectibles: 11 health gems, 10 stamina gems, weapon parts, dyes, etc.
- Prepare for boss Cavimo Rex with balanced weapon loadout.
Move through Ancient Garden, Doyen Graves, Iron Castle
- Each region has new Forge Scrolls and unique materials.
- Always check for hidden paths or wall cracks.
Tok’s Kingdom → Watchtower Domain → Curved Stones → Hiss Cities
- Use “Show Next Objective” to stay on track.
- Some weapon part totems require certain weapon types.
The Roggs Mountains → Citadel of Tharas-Munda
- Explore rugged terrain, farm materials, watch stamina.
- Get ancient tablet pieces along the way.
Niveous Realm → Winter’s Wall → Dryads Forest → Royal Palace
- Collect all temple bells, get final scrolls.
- Prepare for Erin confrontation and Dharavel sequence.
Dharavel Island → Final Boss
- Use three forged weapons to unlock altars.
- Fight the 3 Kings (often multiple times).
- Face Erin in final sequence, recover medallion, and finish the game.
Watch video walkthroughs like “Blades of Fire Full Gameplay Walkthrough” for visual route help.
12. Final Thoughts & Additional Resources
This Blades of Fire guide was built to help both newcomers and experienced players who want to optimize their runs. If you follow the combat system, respect weapon degradation, explore thoroughly, and adapt during bosses, you’ll be better equipped for success.
For further assistance:
- Check the Fextralife Beginner’s Guide for community tips.
- Use the Blades of Fire wiki / traverse map for collectible locations.
- Refer to freegameshere’s trophy roadmap for 100 % completion.
Let me know if you want a region-by-region map guide, boss-only video guides, or a printable checklist for collectibles to accompany this walkthrough.
