If you’ve just started playing Necesse 1.0, this guide will help you settle in and understand how to make progress without getting lost or overwhelmed.
Necesse can look simple at first, but it’s a deep and layered survival RPG with a lot of mechanics that aren’t immediately obvious. Let’s go through Necesse 1.0 Beginner Guide AND 10 beginner-friendly tips that’ll make your early journey smoother, smarter, and much more fun.
1. Understand Mining and Monster Spawning
When you go underground to mine, keep one thing in mind: resources are finite, but mobs are infinite. Once you’ve cleared out your ores, you can still farm enemies endlessly — all you need are dark areas. Monsters spawn in darkness, so if you ever need materials or drops, turn off the lights in specific spots and let enemies respawn.
However, if you want safety, place torches because they stop mob spawns in lit areas. You’ll eventually unlock new areas to explore, but this simple trick helps you farm materials without wandering too far from home.
2. Enable Smart Mining
You can make your mining and gathering much easier by using the Smart Mining toggle. Go into your settings and bind it to a convenient key. When active, it outlines what you’re about to mine or chop.
This feature sounds minor, but it’s a lifesaver. It helps you hit exactly what you want — no more missing ores or awkwardly swinging at trees. Once you get used to it, you’ll never go back.
3. Craft Directly From Containers
Necesse lets you craft straight from nearby containers — and it’s brilliant. When you stand near your workbench, the game automatically pulls resources from connected chests as long as “Use nearby inventories” is enabled.
You can even build an entire crafting area surrounded by storage boxes. Fill them with materials, and craft without ever opening a chest. Later in the game, you’ll also be able to automate this setup, sending resources directly into crafting stations. It’s both efficient and satisfying to build around.
4. Master Colony Inventory Management
Once you start a village, your colonists can handle storage for you. Set up containers and assign their priorities — for example, you can make a general dump chest with low priority and specialized chests for specific materials with high priority.
Your settlers will automatically sort and organize items based on these rules. If sorting feels slow, increase your villagers’ hauling priority in their work settings. You can also copy container settings to apply them quickly to others. This system basically lets your colony run itself while you focus on exploring and building.
5. Experiment With Different Weapons
One of the most fun parts of Necesse is discovering hidden weapon mechanics. Many weapons — even simple ones like the rolling pin — have unique or secret effects you won’t see in their descriptions. Some have area-of-effect damage or special projectile patterns.
So don’t settle too early. Try out everything you find, and keep interesting weapons in a storage chest for later. Many of them become ingredients for stronger, craftable upgrades down the line.
6. Use the Crafting Book Often
The Crafting Book is your best friend. You can drop any item into it and instantly see what recipes it’s used for. This helps you decide what’s worth keeping and what can be safely sold or discarded.
If an item is labeled “Crafting Material”, it can evolve into something else — often much better. Use this book to plan ahead and avoid wasting valuable items. For example, trinkets and weapons can evolve into upgraded versions you might want later.
7. Make Use of Explosives
You’ll find bombs, dynamite, and other explosives as you explore. Don’t ignore them — they’re extremely useful for mining large ore veins or clearing out stationary enemies quickly.
Early on, bombs are far faster than your starter pickaxe. One well-placed throw can save you minutes of digging. Later in the game, when you have enchanted tools, explosives become less critical, but they’re still great for speed-clearing.
8. Outsource Repetitive Tasks
Once you’ve got a few settlers, let them handle the boring work. Your villagers can smelt ores, chop wood, harvest crops, and more. Just assign work orders and mark zones like forestry areas for tree chopping.
They’ll automatically fetch materials, complete the tasks, and return items to containers. The only exception is certain specialized jobs like fertilizing and animal care, which require specific villagers. If you find one with these skills, keep them — they’ll make your town run like a machine.
9. Gear Up for Your Playstyle
Necesse doesn’t have a traditional leveling system. You are what you wear.
That means your armor and trinkets define your combat role. Want to cast spells? Build a mage set like the Void armor. Prefer melee? Go for something with defense and regen bonuses. You can even swap between sets depending on your current challenge.
Don’t be afraid to collect multiple gear sets for different situations. Also, enchant your weapons and armor whenever you can — even minor enchants can give huge advantages. Just avoid spending expensive enchant scrolls on low-tier gear.
10. Balance Base Building and Exploration
Necesse’s main gameplay loop revolves around building at home and exploring abroad. You can bring back almost anything you find — bushes, trees, crops, decorations — and replant them near your base. This lets you multiply resources infinitely without needing to travel constantly.
But, to truly progress, you’ll need to explore. Each biome offers unique materials and challenges that push your base to the next level. So, once your town is stable and automated, head back out and expand again.
And when you’re ready for tougher fights, take on boss quests — they’re rewarding, fun, and a great way to unlock new systems. You can fight them solo or bring AI companions (or real players) for an easier time.
Necesse 1.0 gives you freedom — whether you want to focus on colony management, exploration, or combat. The best way to enjoy it is to build your rhythm: automate what you can, explore when you need to, and experiment constantly.