Skul: The Hero Slayer is SouthPAW Games' action roguelite, out of Early Access on 21 January 2021. You play the lowest-ranking skeleton left standing after the Imperial Army and the Adventurers Guild sack the Demon King's castle, and your entire moveset lives in the skull on your shoulders. Carry two at a time, swap between them on a cooldown, and each swap completely changes how you attack. A run climbs five stages, from the Forest of Harmony up through the Grand Hall, the Black Lab and the Fortress of Fate to the Sanctuary, where the First Hero of Carleon is waiting.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Forest of Harmony
Key resources: First skull swaps, early items, Dark Quartz for the Witch Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Rare items upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Grand Hall
Key resources: Mid-run item upgrades, bone fragments, the first difficulty spike Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Rare items upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Black Lab
Key resources: Unique tier items, Quintessence upgrades, heavy Dark Quartz income Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Rare items upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Fortress of Fate
Key resources: Legendary drops, the last chance to fix a build before the Sanctuary Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Common items max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Sanctuary
Key resources: Run completion, the largest Dark Quartz payout, access to harder modes Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Common items max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Forest of Harmony to Grand Hall)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Rare items once accessible
Mid Game (Black Lab)
- Push Rare items to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Common items
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Fortress of Fate to Sanctuary)
- Max out Common items. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Black Lab farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- The swap is an attack. It deals damage and moves you, so weaving it into a combo rather than treating it as a menu action roughly doubles your effective damage in the early stages.
- Farm Black Lab during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Skul: The Hero Slayer Guides
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Skul: The Hero Slayer Overview
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Best Builds
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Tier List
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Walkthrough
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Beginner's Guide
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Tips & Tricks
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Weapons Guide
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Combat Guide
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Boss Guide
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Maps & Locations
- Skul: The Hero Slayer Classes & Characters
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