Bellwright is Donkey Crew's medieval survival and town-building RPG, in Steam Early Access since 23 April 2024 and still in Early Access as of August 2026, with a full release the studio has targeted for 2026. You start as an outlaw with a knife in the region of Karvenia, and you finish as the head of a settlement that other people work in. Seven village capitals sit on the map, Haerndean, Padstow, Bradford, Farnworth, Blackridgepool, Horndean and Crasmere, and each one only hands over recruits once you have earned its Trust. The 2026 Summer Update brought a performance overhaul and console versions, while the Maiden Voyage update added the Halmare Isles as a second landmass.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worker | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Companion | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Guard | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Hauler | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Crafter | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Bellwright tier list.
A-Tier: Worker
Worker is a top-performing option in Bellwright.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | One handed sword | Balanced speed and damage, and the only melee category that pairs with a shield without a heavy penalty. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Village Trust and Renown recruiting | Each of the seven village capitals tracks its own Trust in you, raised by doing the odd jobs its people ask for: setting traps, clearing the wolves, running deliveries. |
How to Play Worker
Worker focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: One handed sword does the damage and Village Trust and Renown recruiting keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Companion
Companion is a strong option in Bellwright.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Two handed axe | The highest damage per swing and the fastest way to drop an armoured bandit, at the cost of a shield slot and a stamina bar that empties in a handful of attacks. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Villager jobs and work priorities | The Population screen assigns each villager a role as Worker, Companion or Guard, then sets job priorities across gathering, hauling, crafting and combat. |
How to Play Companion
Companion focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Two handed axe with Villager jobs and work priorities and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Guard
Guard is a strong option in Bellwright.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Spear | Longest melee reach in the game, which lets you contribute to a squad fight from a position where nothing is swinging back at you. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Production chains and research | Nothing useful is one step. |
How to Play Guard
Guard focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Production chains and research covers the gap Spear leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Hauler
Hauler is a specialized option in Bellwright.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Bow | Ranged damage plus the main source of Agility experience and the food supply. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Liberating bandit camps and villages | Bandit camps carry a difficulty rating from easy to very hard, and clearing them is how territory opens up. |
How to Play Hauler
Hauler focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Liberating bandit camps and villages rather than raw numbers, and Bow is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Crafter
Crafter is a specialized option in Bellwright.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Shield | Blocking builds shield skill, which raises attack speed while a shield is equipped. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Stamina based melee with companions | Combat is stamina-driven and directional. |
How to Play Crafter
Crafter focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Shield and Stamina based melee with companions pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Companion: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Worker once you understand core mechanics and have access to One handed sword
- Keep a Guard setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Crafter for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Trust and Renown are two separate gates. Trust decides which recruits a village will offer, Renown pays for them. Grinding one without the other stalls your population either way.
- Assign a job priority the moment a villager joins. Unassigned villagers idle or default to whatever station is nearest, and a settlement of thirty idle people eats as much food as a settlement of thirty working ones.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Bellwright Guides
- Bellwright Bellwright Overview
- Bellwright Tier List
- Bellwright Walkthrough
- Bellwright Beginner's Guide
- Bellwright Tips & Tricks
- Bellwright Weapons Guide
- Bellwright Combat Guide
- Bellwright Boss Guide
- Bellwright Maps & Locations
- Bellwright Crafting Guide
- Bellwright Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Bellwright, check out these related guides:
- Palworld Builds: survival game with similar mechanics
- Rust Builds: survival game with similar mechanics
- ARK: Survival Evolved Builds: survival game with similar mechanics
