Beginner's guide
Guide
What is Soulframe?
Soulframe is a free-to-play third-person action RPG by Digital Extremes (creators of Warframe). You play as an Envoy — an exile returning to Midrath, a dying world being reclaimed by ancient nature and forgotten gods. Combat is melee-focused and deliberate, closer to a Soulslike than a looter-shooter.
You choose a Pact — your class — which defines your Arcanic abilities and Virtue scaling. Your starting Pact is not permanent. All Pacts can be unlocked and switched freely once you recruit Tuvalkane the Blacksmith.
The three Virtues are:
- Courage — melee pressure, poise damage, aggressive play. Starting Pact: Tethren
- Grace — precision, dodge windows, finesse combat. Starting Pact: Sirin
- Spirit — crowd control, buffs, resource management. Starting Pact: Oscelda
Preludes note: Soulframe is in Pre-Alpha. Numbers and systems change every update. Always verify stats in-game before committing resources.
Your first 30 minutes
Soulframe does not hold your hand. Here is what to do the moment you are set loose in the open world.
1. Follow your Sparrow Press G (PC) at any time to summon your Sparrow — your bird companion and navigation guide. It leads you toward your current objective. When lost, summon it.
2. Recruit Tuvalkane immediately You cannot craft weapons, armour, or Pacts without your Blacksmith. Head east from the starting area to a crater filled with enemies. Clear the area, collect the helmet at the centre, then follow your Sparrow to the nearby forge. This unlocks Tuvalkane at your Nightfold.
3. Start crafting as early as possible Every craft increases your Bond with Tuvalkane. Bond Level 3 is required to craft Pacts and higher-tier recipes. The sooner you start, the sooner you unlock better gear.
4. Talk to every NPC before leaving an area Some NPCs give permanent passive bonuses. Others unlock quests that cannot be triggered later. Exhaust all dialogue options — do not skip.
5. Use Spectral Sight constantly Hold your Soul Mode key to enter Spectral Sight. It highlights interactable items, reveals hidden chests, shows Mote locations, and makes Smiting enemies possible. Use it in every new area.
Core systems explained
Virtues
Virtues are your stats. Each weapon is attuned to one Virtue (Courage, Grace, or Spirit). Investing points into the matching Virtue increases your damage with that weapon. Always match your Virtue investment to your weapon's attunement — mismatched investment significantly reduces damage output.
The Nightfold
Your personal hub. Tuvalkane crafts gear here. Other Ancestors you recruit will also take up residence and offer services. Return here between sessions to craft and upgrade.
Motes
Glowing collectibles found throughout the world. Collecting a Mote unlocks the name of that location and adds a codex entry. Only one Mote spawns per area per in-game day — revisit regularly.
World Trees
Dead trees with spears embedded in them. Pull the spear to clear fog of war in the surrounding area. Prioritise these early to reveal the map and unlock fast travel points.
Arcanics
Magical abilities granted by your Pact. Each Pact has three Arcanics — one per Virtue (Courage, Spirit, Grace). You can equip and use Arcanics from other Virtues regardless of your Pact, but their effectiveness scales with the corresponding Virtue investment.
Gossamer Quartz — the key early resource
Gossamer Quartz is the primary rare crafting material in early game. You need it to craft weapons, armour, and some Pacts including Garren Rood. Do not spend it on armour cosmetics early — prioritise weapon crafting.
Best sources:
- Crypts of the Circade — sarcophagi have a 50% drop chance. Requires Crypt Keys to enter. Most reliable method.
- Rare chests — found at dungeon ends, hidden rooms, after boss fights
- Broken statues — repair with a song to guarantee a drop
- Avakot the merchant — occasionally sells for 1,500 Dracs each. Spawns near dungeons and during Faction Tales
Common mistakes to avoid
Skipping Tuvalkane — without the Blacksmith you cannot craft anything. Recruit her in the first 10 minutes.
Ignoring NPC dialogue — some NPCs give permanent passive bonuses or unlock quests that disappear if skipped.
Mismatching Virtue and weapon — check the attunement on every weapon before investing Virtue points.
Entering The Torment Stag underprepared — the fight begins immediately after defeating Lady Deora with no rest between phases. Unlock your Pact Arcanics and bring a weapon with a short recovery animation before attempting it.
Spending Gossamer Quartz on armour cosmetics — it is rare early. Save it for weapon and Pact crafting first.
What to do next
Your main progression path after the opening:
- Recruit Tuvalkane and begin crafting to reach Bond Level 1
- Complete The Last Pensive quest — find Ancestor Orlick at the Pensive Tower
- Farm Gossamer Quartz via Crypts of the Circade
- Unlock the Nightfold weapon swap — equip a second weapon before attempting The Torment Stag
- Complete The Torment Stag fable — this is the first major boss and unlocks Garren Rood and Faction access
See the early game progress guide for the full priority order and checklist.