Defender’s Quest: Valley of the Forgotten – Beginner’s Guide to Base Game and NG+

I’ve made this as an overall walkthrough for the game. This will help you understand basic mechanics and skill tree decisions as well as weapon selection. I also have unit placement tips and level-up guides.

Configuration/Mods/Achievement basics

I do recommend playing with the skill increase mod (though this does disable achievements).

This is “Skill Increase” by Darkshadows available on the Steam workshop. Here is the description of it:

This is a fixed version, so it won’t screw up this time, don’t worry.

Increased the level cap to 100, along with adding to the maximum level for certain class skills. Will cause some slight unbalancing of the classes, with some having a few leftover points in the end.

Skill point maximums for each class are as follows:

• Librarian – 17
• Berserkers – 10
• Rangers – 10
• Healers – 12
• Ice Mages – 12
• Knights – 9
• Dragons – 11

• You can only use mods one at a time and only on the legacy edition. I recommend playing on legacy edition due to the classic graphics (this is selectable when you start up the game). Also, you can’t transfer files between modded and unmodded sides of the game after you over-level a skill. I just don’t recommend moving to save files around and just keeping your “modded” and “unmodded” games separate. I’ve tried moving them around to get them to work with each other but you tend to just get black screens and failed loads.
• Please note if you are looking to get all achievements that you need to not “recruit” any companions at towns and just use the ones the game gives you until you get 180 gold stars in order to try the hero and hero +/++ achievements. I don’t exactly recommend this though as it’s nowhere near as much fun unless you just really want those specific achievements.
• Also, there are only enough skulls to either max all weapons or all armor on a single playthrough. You end up around 3 skulls short to get both achievements on the same profile. I recommend just “exporting” your profile on the right (which is a selectable option next to starting your save) and just loading it on another save slot and spending the skulls on the other profile for the armor upgrades to get both achievements if you want to do that. You can also open the app data/roaming folder to get to it. Or the “config” folder and copy and paste it and rename it to slot 1/2/3. The base game and the modded game have two separate folders.

Exp/Scrap Gain and Overall Goals

Set exp and scrap gain to 300% in the accessibility menu. (Make sure penalty for failure and missing to be none). On modded games, you have to click open this menu every time you reopen the game. This is to progress quickly and enjoy story mode on the base game and then get to new game + quickly. Because a lot of fun is had in the new game + with the side missions, unique weapons. You need the new game + upgrades for the uniques for the uniques to actually be stronger than base game weapons. Because their special effects do not work without upgrading and they are essentially just basic somewhat weaker weapons without them.

I recommend planning on playing through the game and new game + to start off with so that you can experience the bonus levels and unique weapons and armor. These add a lot to the base game and are the most fun part of the game in my opinion, since the base game can be beaten by the time your levels are in the 20s (but the base game goes up to 60 without mods) (up to 100 with some mods).

Recommended Upgrade Paths and Overall Focus

For the librarian focus on frenzy first and then the fireball, then the knockback

You can finish the base game on normal in the 20s for heroes. They will probably hit the 30s going for uniques. And then hit the 40s upgrading the uniqueness in the new game +. And then 50s 3 staring levels and finishing the game.

Generally, upgrade along the “top or bottom path” first on the unit skill trees. But there are some exceptions.

• Beserkers generally want swiftness + bleed. Then frenzy + critical. ( Berserkers are the best bleeders in the game and it’s all they’re really useful for.
• Dragons are the best poisoners in the game setup on the lower “bite” line.
• Knights can be the best damage dealers but suffer from short-range ultimate making archers the best damage dealers in the game for the most part. Knights are the only and best armor breakers in the game.
• Ice mages are the only and best slowest in the game with “chill” and “freeze”. They are also then only line with a strike-through ability. (Needed for small quick enemies and focus on last). (it’s the “Z” in the focusing effects section, in-game)
• For knights set to “optimize effects” to break as much armor as possible. For the archer with bleed poison and for poison dragon set to “optimize effects”. For everyone else generally just leave as default. Don’t forget to hit the floppy disk save icon so that those settings save for the characters and you don’t have to re-click those each time.
• Archers – have two of them go for the damaged line – and the critical bonus.
• Have one archer go for the bleed and poison bonus.
• Have one healer go for aid + zeal (and Inspire). Have one go for the top row.
• Have one dragon go for top row damage. Have the other go for the poison line.
• Have one knight go for armor break and the other go for stun. Eventually, the lines converge and you also need to max out-swing. Give the specialized swords for knock back and stun and put them on the appropriate one.

Also, you can reset skills at any time so don’t worry about choosing the wrong ones at first or wanting to try out something different. But the general idea is you want each character to specialize in something whether that is damage, bleed, poison, buff, heal, area of effect (healers – attack moves or ice mages slow/freeze), strike the thought ( ice mage bonus – Spear).
Once your character gets to around level 40 the paths start to converge (as you start maxing out the original lines).

Traditional Setup

This setup can carry you through almost the entire game:

4 Berserkers:

• Paths for 1,2,3,4: Upgrade swiftness + Rage to max and then flurry + maddness
  Weapons: (give one of them unique weapon: envi, unless you have 3+ knights, in which case give it to a knight)

3 Archers:

• Paths for 1,2: Upgrade Triple Shot, spread shot, and sharp shooter to the max (then other damage options)
• Unique weapons/armor for archers 1,2: Gilded Death/ Assasin’s Folly, Hunter Warrior (this weapon isn’t good until it’s upgraded)/ Master of Archers
• Paths for Archer 3: Upgrade deep shot and poison shot to max, then same as above
• Unique weapons/armor for archer 3: Relic of the North/ Ozimal’s Coat

2 Healers:

• Path for healer 1: Upgrade aid, zeal, and inspire to max
• Unique weapons/armor for healer 1: Kozomon’s Scepter/ Silk Gambeson
• Path for healer 2: Upgrade blinding, holy light, and ether flash to max (then zeal and inspire)
• Unique weapons/armor for healer 2:Executioner’s Bludgeon/ Silk Gambeson

2 Ice Mages:

• Path for ice mage 1: upgrade chill and freeze to max
• Unique weapons and armor: Keeper of the Flame/Lord Warden’s Harness
• Path for ice mage 2: upgrade ice shard and ice spear to max (then same as above)
• Unique weapons and armor: The Beast’s Weapon/ Purity of Flame

2 Knights:

• Path for knight 1: upgrade armor break, the one that increases attack to the max, then upgrade the base swing and knockback to max
• Unique weapons/armor for knight 1: Commander of Legions/ Traitor’s Harness
• Path for knight 2: upgrade knockback and stun to the max, then armor break/ attack up, and base swing
• Unique Weapons/armor for knight 2: Edge of Order, Guardian of the Fountain

2 Dragons:

• Path for Dragon 1: fire breath, roar, strength to the max, then bite, claw, and fireball
• Path for Dragon 2: upgrade bite, epic halitosis, strength to the max, then other attacks and Nom

 

• Armor notes: typically you want the armors with the “thorn” effects as they tend to be the strongest, after that evade effects are strong
• Weapon Notes: “unique” weapons aren’t actually stronger than base game weapons most of the time until they are actually upgraded (as their special effect doesn’t work until then)
• Character notes: typically you don’t want more characters than these until some of the hardest/longest levels in the game because of psi limits. You are better off spending psi on getting units to levels 3/4/5 most of the time than dropping in more units.
• Though once you are in a new game+, go ahead and buy the extra units and make sure to have the exp gains/penalties set to high exp and no penalty for not being in play so that they will level up as well. You will need them for the longer missions but only towards the very end of NG+.

Here are the wiki links: The Locations for where they are obtainable are on the far right of the categories:

• Equipment
• Staffs
• Bow
• Sword
• Light Armor
• Heavy Armor

Here are the map names for help finding the map names on your map:

• Map names

Spending Scrap

You can essentially grind for infinite scrap so just pay for upgrades every time they are available.

• After beating the base game – go to the area to enter the codes (the statue area in the desert) for the book of blood and book of the plagues ( or even once you get two healers as that’s all that’s really needed. Just place everyone in range of a healer).
• Here is the wiki link for the Books
• The codes are on the wiki but they are also available here.
• You spend the skulls at the “store” on the bottom left part of the screen in the status area to get the books.

You generally want a book of blood + a book of plagues for most maps you can use healers on. For boss fights where the boss moved around a lot and you have to “chase him” by recalling and repositioning some units, you tend to want a book of blood + frenzy started. Book of slow start or crystals protecting the librarian can be situational but aren’t as useful as a whole.

Then after that can go for unique weapons and armor (the wiki has the location for all these on the far right and has a list of all levels). You have two modes – base game and new game + which essentially work together and you keep your same team. In base game – beat advanced/extreme to get unique weapons and armor. In new game + beat advanced/ extreme to get upgrades for those unique.

Spending Psi/ In-Game Defense Grid Setup

• Spend psi to get all archers to level 4. A dragon to level 4 – this start will work for almost any map in the game. Then buff your healer for the damage effects. Then buff you healer that has high zeal. (Make sure to put the healer with high zeal next to your archers)
• “Traditional Setup” = archers + healer + dragon + berserkers on one side (on the red + blue enemies)
• Knights + ice mages + healer on the other (usually yellow side)
• You will need the healers to cover everyone on their specific side when using the book of blood and book of plagues together.
• Once you get the uniques and books, you will probably have enough spare scraps to fill out the rest of the army slots (didn’t really need them before now ). First, get archers because they do the most damage (mostly due to spending the most time firing) and then dragons because if you max out bite line with poison you can essentially just drop them in for close to free. You really only need these extra units for “endless” run “sheep” or really long runs otherwise the “traditional setup” is what you want. Because you only really have enough psi to get these units up to level 4/5 which is what you need archers, healers (for zeal), and your main dragon at for really strong games. As well as some upgrades on ice mages and knights.
• For the sheep level – need to get uniques upgraded. Also, recommend the specific sheep staff (Sheep Master’s Stave). Helps to have levels closer to level 60. You need to be higher level and have upgraded uniques for a lot of the bonus levels and for the last 2 to 3 levels in the game in particular. As well as more party members to spend extra psi on or on relocating. Books – probably bleed and frenzy start, just like for other bosses you have to “chase”. But one trick is to put a level 4 dragon on top right to take care of the weak trickler sheep by itself and have everyone else move and focus on the super sheep.

The God King Walks Again Map Setup

Here is a unit set up for this map, that works well with the above units and upgrades. This setup is based on user: fewnomial’s ideas

This allows the archers to hit every location of the enemy as well as berserkers for two of the other locations.