Deca Live Operations runs this top down bullet hell MMO, and its one hard rule is that death deletes the character together with everything equipped on it. Exalt is the Unity client that replaced the original Flash build from Wild Shadow Studios, keeping the level 20 cap, the eight stats and the shared open world that funnels every player toward Oryx. Armour never saves you from a full bullet pattern, so dodging comes first and damage comes second.
This walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Progression Summary
| Phase | Area | Focus | Build | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Start | Undead Lair | Permadeath with no item recovery basics | Archer | 1-2 hours |
| 2. Early | Tomb of the Ancients | Eight stats and stat potions mastery | Archer | 3-5 hours |
| 3. Mid | The Shatters | Dungeon keys and portal chains + gear | Wizard or Archer | 5-10 hours |
| 4. Late | Lost Halls | Build optimization | Wizard | 5-10 hours |
| 5. Endgame | Oryx's Castle | Min-max | Wizard or Rogue | Ongoing |
See our maps guide for detailed area breakdowns.
Phase 1: Getting Started (Undead Lair)
A mid tier dungeon opened by ghost gods in the Godlands, ending with Septavius the Ghost God in a cramped final room. The corridors are tight enough that a bad dodge traps you against a wall.
Level/Difficulty: Level 20 with roughly 4/8 stats Key Rewards: Doom Bow, stat potions, and a reliable source of dungeon keys
What to Do in Undead Lair
- Learn Permadeath with no item recovery. A dead character is gone along with every item in its inventory and equipment slots, and only what you parked in the vault survives. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
- Pick Archer as your starting build. See our builds guide for why.
- Bind Nexus to a key you can hit without looking and use it early rather than heroically. A character that escapes at 40 percent health keeps every item, and the ten seconds you lose returning to the Nexus is cheaper than rebuilding a set from scratch.
- Acquire your first equipment upgrade: Crystal Sword or whatever's available.
- Clear all main content before moving on.
Phase 1 Checklist
- Understand Permadeath with no item recovery fundamentals
- Archer selected and functional
- Undead Lair main content cleared
- Ready for Tomb of the Ancients
Phase 2: Early Game (Tomb of the Ancients)
Three separate bosses, Nut, Geb and Bes, sit in their own chambers and are usually pulled one at a time. Pulling two at once is the single most common way a maxed character dies in the middle game.
Level/Difficulty: Level 20 with roughly 6/8 stats Key Rewards: Untiered gear, large potion drops, and keys toward harder dungeons
What to Do in Tomb of the Ancients
- Work on Eight stats and stat potions. Life, Mana, Attack, Defense, Speed, Dexterity, Vitality and Wisdom each have a per class cap, and potions raise them a point at a time. This system becomes critical from here on.
- Farm for Crystal Sword if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
- Max Vitality and Wisdom before Attack. Vitality regenerates health while you are out of combat, which is what lets you chain dungeons, and Wisdom drives every ability item in the game.
- Complete all objectives before pushing to The Shatters.
- Consider whether Wizard might suit your playstyle better than Archer.
Phase 2 Checklist
- Eight stats and stat potions integrated into gameplay
- Crystal Sword acquired
- Tomb of the Ancients fully cleared
- Ready for The Shatters
Phase 3: Mid Game (The Shatters)
A long scripted dungeon with the Bridge Sentinel, the Twilight Archmage and the Forgotten King in sequence, each with a phase that kills anyone who has not learned it. Runs are organised in advance rather than joined casually.
Level/Difficulty: Level 20 at 8/8 only Key Rewards: Exaltations, high end untiered drops, and endgame ability items
What to Do in The Shatters
- Master Dungeon keys and portal chains. Gods in the Godlands drop portals to mid tier dungeons such as the Undead Lair and Tomb of the Ancients, and those dungeons in turn drop keys to harder ones like The Shatters. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
- Start working toward Doom Bow. It's the best equipment and becomes accessible around now.
- Keep a second set of decent gear in the vault instead of wearing everything at once. Losing a character hurts far less if the replacement can be equipped in thirty seconds.
- This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
- Start investing in Exaltations for 8/8 characters for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.
Phase 3 Checklist
- Dungeon keys and portal chains mastered
- Doom Bow acquired or in progress
- The Shatters fully cleared
- Ready for Lost Halls
Phase 4: Late Game (Lost Halls)
A branching endgame dungeon that leads onward to the Cultist Hideout and The Void rather than ending on its own. Group discipline matters more than raw damage because the later rooms punish anyone who drifts out of position.
Level/Difficulty: Level 20 at 8/8 only Key Rewards: Exaltations, Void Entity loot, and the strongest ability items in the game
What to Do in Lost Halls
- Finalize your build. You should be running Wizard or Archer with optimized gear.
- Doom Bow should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
- Damage is soulbound, so you have to personally hurt a boss to be eligible for its bag. Standing safe at the back for the whole fight means you survive the run and get nothing from it.
- Soulbound damage and loot bags optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
- Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Oryx's Castle.
Phase 4 Checklist
- Build fully optimized
- Doom Bow upgraded to max
- Lost Halls fully cleared
- Ready for Oryx's Castle
Phase 5: Endgame (Oryx's Castle)
The end of a realm cycle, reached once enough gods have been killed to close the realm. It runs through the castle, the Wine Cellar and Oryx's Chamber, where the second form of Oryx punishes anyone standing still.
Level/Difficulty: Level 20 with 6/8 stats or better Key Rewards: Sword of Acclaim and other Oryx drops, plus fame from a completed realm
What to Do in Oryx's Castle
- Oryx's Castle tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
- Learn to read the bullet colours rather than the boss animation. Most patterns in Tomb of the Ancients and The Shatters telegraph through projectile shape and speed, and the animations are deliberately misleading.
- The endgame loop: run Oryx's Castle, optimize gear, push harder content.
- Experiment with Rogue for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
- This is where Soulbound damage and loot bags mastery separates good players from great ones. See our tips guide for advanced strategies.
Phase 5 Checklist
- Endgame content on farm
- Best-in-slot gear acquired
- Oryx's Castle fully cleared
- Ready for challenge content
Common Progression Mistakes
- Wearing every good item at once, so a single death wipes an entire account's progress instead of one set.
- Pulling two Tomb of the Ancients bosses together because the rooms look empty from the corridor.
- Chasing Attack and Dexterity first and dying at 20 Vitality with no health regeneration between fights.
- Joining a Shatters or Lost Halls run at 7/8 and contributing nothing while banking no exaltations.
- Standing still to fire a Doom Bow shot at a boss whose pattern is already tracking your position.
Key Tips for Smooth Progression
- Bind Nexus to a key you can hit without looking and use it early rather than heroically. A character that escapes at 40 percent health keeps every item, and the ten seconds you lose returning to the Nexus is cheaper than rebuilding a set from scratch.
- Max Vitality and Wisdom before Attack. Vitality regenerates health while you are out of combat, which is what lets you chain dungeons, and Wisdom drives every ability item in the game.
- Keep a second set of decent gear in the vault instead of wearing everything at once. Losing a character hurts far less if the replacement can be equipped in thirty seconds.
- Damage is soulbound, so you have to personally hurt a boss to be eligible for its bag. Standing safe at the back for the whole fight means you survive the run and get nothing from it.
- Learn to read the bullet colours rather than the boss animation. Most patterns in Tomb of the Ancients and The Shatters telegraph through projectile shape and speed, and the animations are deliberately misleading.
For more advanced strategies, see our tips & tricks guide.
More Realm of the Mad God Exalt Guides
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Realm of the Mad God Exalt Overview
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Best Builds
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Tier List
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Beginner's Guide
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Tips & Tricks
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Weapons Guide
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Combat Guide
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Boss Guide
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Maps & Locations
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Crafting Guide
- Realm of the Mad God Exalt Classes & Characters
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