Join an Enclave after The Torment Stag, push Faction Standing for special Pacts, and raise Tuvalkane Bond 3 before advanced crafting. Named enemies and Crypt routes feed Moranite and quartz for Temper.
Progress stage
~6–10 hrs
Mid-game begins after joining a Faction (Enclave) following The Torment Stag. Your goals shift to Faction progression, unlocking Special Pacts, and farming materials for Tier 2 weapon crafting.
Agari are named sub-bosses that respawn after a set cooldown and drop crafting materials including Agaric Mushrooms (used to craft The Cogah hard mode elixir). They appear in the open world and inside dungeons including the Neath'uns, Glades of Andurin, and Undercity of Dermak.
Reaching a sufficient Faction rank unlocks the ability to purchase Special Pact recipes — verify the current rank requirement in-game. Crafting a Special Pact marks the transition to late-game content and the full crafting tree.
Common Oscelda Magick staff — the Spirit pact starter after Rise, Envoy. Craft at the Blacksmith with Scrap Iron×15, Ode'n Synsylk×20, and Gossamer Quartz×15 (4h, 1500 Dracs). Post-Preludes 15: 40 ATK with Spirit attunement and no Virtue gate, bridging you into charged spell rotations. Barrels, Baskets, and Crates can roll whole-staff previews on Midrath patrols while you gather craft mats. Upgrade targets on Oscelda Spirit lines: The Alder for an early staff bump, then Seathorn (18 Spirit + Grace) for crypt sarcophagus fragment farming and higher charged burst. Gwylen pairs with the Oscelda, Garren Rood, Orengall, and Wyld Oscelda pacts and is one of only three Virtue-gate-free starter weapons (alongside Thistle and Nettle), making it the default pick for new Spirit casters. Lore describes it as an alder witching-staff hand-shaped — not carved — by Aureli gardeners over a lifetime, tuned to channel magic through its living curves.
Dendrit longsword requiring Courage 11 and Grace attunement. Fragments drop from Etheldred The Weaver encounters, Deadwood Mockery foes, and Dendrit Chests scattered through the Glades. Craft at Tuvalkane using Knotwood×25 and Sproutfolk Frond×25 (10h). The thrusting heavy attack extends reach beyond standard slash arcs, making it effective against Mockery-type foes that resist lateral swings. Post-Preludes 15: 48 ATK, 30 poise break, 5% smite chance. Serves as the first real Courage longsword upgrade from the starter Wulder, bridging into the Etheldred fragment line shared with Clivers and Virdigris.
Top-tier Courage Pact in Preludes 15. Atmos Sphere grants near-total damage immunity windows while reflecting attacks. Seismor and Astra Sphere provide lightning melee synergy. Requires substantial Faction progression to unlock at Tuvalkane. Verify balance each patch — top-tier status is community consensus, not guaranteed post-nerf. Virtue respec is free per loadout in Arsenal → Virtues. Who should pick Ode Tempest: advanced Courage players seeking a high-investment, high-ceiling melee pact. Atmos Sphere immunity windows let you trade blows without parry or dodge, making it forgiving once unlocked. No pact-native healing — bring sustain from weapons or party. Weapon path: Needleseye for heavy burst during immunity windows, Falx for sustained lightning melee, Wulder as the forgiving entry blade. Filter the Builds hub by pact=ode-tempest for Courage lightning loadouts.