Stonewards Beginner Tips: Dig, Forge, and Defend

Learn the real Stonewards loop

Stonewards is a first-person roguelite defense game about dwarves protecting a King. After a wave, you enter procedurally generated mines, gather resources, return to forge upgrades and supplies, repair defenses, and prepare for the next attack. If the kingdom falls, the mission ends.

Before the first horn

1. Read your character ability and identify your job.
2. Locate the mine entrance, forge, repair point, and safe fallback route.
3. Decide who watches the timer in co-op.
4. Keep inventory space for the resources your current plan needs.
5. Check the game version before joining friends; multiplayer requires an exact match.

Mining tips

• Dig with a return route in mind. Procedural caves make a memorized online map unreliable.
• Follow useful veins instead of widening every tunnel.
• In co-op, call out rare finds and avoid four players working the same small area.
• Return early. Ore in a distant inventory cannot repair a wall or buy an upgrade.
• Hotfix 0.1.7 increased Gold from digging, so compare mining and combat income again rather than following an older farm route.
• Community reports note a nearby loot-room ? indicator on the compass and an audio cue for treasure rooms. Use those as hints only when the return route and timer are still safe.

Forge and preparation tips

• Repair urgent damage before spending everything on personal power.
• Craft ammunition for the weapons the team is actually using.
• Choose randomized upgrades that solve the current bottleneck.
• Read Ring and Tome descriptions in the shop; Hotfix 0.1.4 made them more detailed.
• Do not assume an older tier list is current. Hotfix 0.1.7 rebalanced seven Ring effects.

Defense tips

• Hold clear sightlines and avoid blocking a teammate's projectiles.
• Watch the wall state, not only the enemy directly in front of you.
• Establish a fallback point before the line breaks.
• Keep one player close enough to react when the rest of the team mines.
• For Hunter teams, remember that the Companion can be healed by a Healer or at an upgraded Fireplace as of 0.1.7.
• In co-op Hotfix 0.1.8, the run stays paused after everyone selects an End-of-Wave upgrade until any player presses Continue. Use that moment to confirm repairs, ammunition, mining roles, and readiness.

Choosing a first character

Miner teaches the resource side of the game, while Warrior gives a direct frontline job. Archer and Mage need safe firing space; Healer rewards awareness of teammate positioning; Hunter and Artificer have more specialized interactions. The Character Screen shows the mission required for every locked character in versions 0.1.6 and later.

Common beginner mistakes

• Staying underground until the wave has already begun.
• Spending all resources on damage while walls or ammunition are failing.
• Copying an old build without checking the current Ring values.
• Splitting the team without assigning a timer watcher.
• Guessing unlock requirements instead of reading the Character Screen.

FAQ

Can Stonewards be played solo?

Yes. The official Steam page supports solo and one-to-four-player online co-op. Solo requires tighter time management because one player handles every phase.

Are the mines fixed maps?

No. The official description identifies them as procedurally generated mines, so guides should teach navigation and priorities rather than promise permanent ore coordinates.

Where should I verify updates?

Use the Stonewards Steam news page for official Early Access patch notes.