Elin is the long-awaited sequel to Elona, the legendary Japanese freeware sandbox RPG known for its bizarre freedom and emergent gameplay. You start in a procedurally generated world where you can be a warrior, farmer, merchant, thief, or anything in between — simultaneously. The game features town building where you attract and manage citizens, a pet system with breeding and gene modification, and dungeons (called Nefia) that scale to your level. Elin inherits Elona's DNA of radical player freedom while adding modern polish and a town management layer.
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.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warrior | A | Fight through dungeon content, protect town from invasions, equip pets as combat companions. | Long Sword, Heavy Armor, Shield, Healing Potions |
| Mage | A | Cast spells from range, manage mana resources, use AoE for dungeon clearing. | Staff, Robes, Mana regeneration items, Spell books |
| Thief | B | Steal valuable items, pick locks for treasure, avoid combat through stealth. | Daggers, Light Armor, Lockpicks, Stealth items |
| Farmer | S | Plant and harvest crops, process food, sell at town shop, supply citizens with meals. | Farm plots, Seeds, Watering tools, Storage buildings |
| Merchant | A | Buy and sell goods through your shop, craft items for sale, manage town economy. | Shop building, Trade goods, Negotiation skill, Crafting stations |
A-Tier: Warrior
Focus on melee combat skills (Long Sword, Short Sword, Tactics) and heavy armor. Warriors clear dungeons efficiently and protect the town from raids. The Long Sword skill tree provides reliable damage with good defensive options.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Long Sword | The standard melee weapon with balanced damage and speed. |
| Core Gear | Long Sword, Heavy Armor, Shield, Healing Potions | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Strength, Constitution, Tactics skill | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | sandbox RPG | Elin gives you total freedom — farm crops, explore dungeons, run a shop, fish, cook, craft, and fight in any combination. |
How to Play Warrior
Fight through dungeon content, protect town from invasions, equip pets as combat companions.
Focus on melee combat skills (Long Sword, Short Sword, Tactics) and heavy armor. Warriors clear dungeons efficiently and protect the town from raids. The Long Sword skill tree provides reliable damage with good defensive options.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Long Sword and sandbox RPG creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Long Sword, Heavy Armor, Shield, Healing Potions amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Strength, Constitution, Tactics skill) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Mage
Invest in magic skills (Casting, specific spell schools) for ranged AoE damage. Mages excel in Nefia dungeons where groups of enemies benefit from AoE. Mana management and spell variety create a strategic combat experience.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Staff | The magic casting focus that boosts spell damage and mana regeneration. |
| Core Gear | Staff, Robes, Mana regeneration items, Spell books | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Magic, Willpower, Casting skill | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | town building | You establish and grow a town by placing buildings, attracting citizens, and managing resources. |
How to Play Mage
Cast spells from range, manage mana resources, use AoE for dungeon clearing.
Invest in magic skills (Casting, specific spell schools) for ranged AoE damage. Mages excel in Nefia dungeons where groups of enemies benefit from AoE. Mana management and spell variety create a strategic combat experience.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Staff and town building creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Staff, Robes, Mana regeneration items, Spell books amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Magic, Willpower, Casting skill) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Thief
Stealth and theft skills provide alternative income through pickpocketing and lockpicking. Thieves can steal from shops and NPCs for valuable items. High risk but high reward — getting caught has social consequences.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Bow | Ranged weapon for safe distance combat. |
| Core Gear | Daggers, Light Armor, Lockpicks, Stealth items | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Dexterity, Stealth, Lockpick skill | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | pet system | Capture, breed, and gene-modify pets that fight alongside you. |
How to Play Thief
Steal valuable items, pick locks for treasure, avoid combat through stealth.
Stealth and theft skills provide alternative income through pickpocketing and lockpicking. Thieves can steal from shops and NPCs for valuable items. High risk but high reward — getting caught has social consequences.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Bow and pet system creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Daggers, Light Armor, Lockpicks, Stealth items amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Dexterity, Stealth, Lockpick skill) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Farmer
Farming provides the most reliable income and town food supply. Growing crops, raising animals, and selling produce at your shop creates a self-sustaining economy. The Farming skill tree is one of the deepest in the game.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Pickaxe | A mining tool that doubles as a weapon. |
| Core Gear | Farm plots, Seeds, Watering tools, Storage buildings | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Farming skill, Cooking skill, Town development | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | crafting | Deep crafting system covering weapons, armor, potions, food, and furniture. |
How to Play Farmer
Plant and harvest crops, process food, sell at town shop, supply citizens with meals.
Farming provides the most reliable income and town food supply. Growing crops, raising animals, and selling produce at your shop creates a self-sustaining economy. The Farming skill tree is one of the deepest in the game.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Pickaxe and crafting creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Farm plots, Seeds, Watering tools, Storage buildings amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Farming skill, Cooking skill, Town development) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Merchant
Run a shop in your town, buying low from adventurers and selling high to citizens. Merchant skills improve negotiation prices and attract more customers. Combined with crafting, merchants create the most profitable economic loops.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Fishing Rod | Catches fish from water sources for food and sale. |
| Core Gear | Shop building, Trade goods, Negotiation skill, Crafting stations | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Negotiation skill, Charisma, Crafting skills | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | gene modification | A unique system that lets you alter the genetic traits of pets and characters. |
How to Play Merchant
Buy and sell goods through your shop, craft items for sale, manage town economy.
Run a shop in your town, buying low from adventurers and selling high to citizens. Merchant skills improve negotiation prices and attract more customers. Combined with crafting, merchants create the most profitable economic loops.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Fishing Rod and gene modification creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Shop building, Trade goods, Negotiation skill, Crafting stations amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Negotiation skill, Charisma, Crafting skills) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Mage — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Warrior once you understand core mechanics and have access to Long Sword
- Keep a Thief setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Merchant for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Build your town gradually — resources are scarce early and overbuilding creates food shortages. Start with a farm, a bed, and a workbench.
- Pets fight alongside you and can be bred for better stats — capture pets in dungeons, breed the best ones, and equip them with gear for combat support.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
