Salt and Sacrificehas a definite step up from its predecessor, Salt and Sanctuary. The newest release features an upgraded combat system, an array of classes and abilities, and some very polished visuals compared to the gritty look of the original. But that doesn’t mean it’s an entirely different game, at its core, Salt and Sacrifice very much feels like the Indie title that started the series, with a “general feel” that matches the tone of the first game. Because of this, players should be prepared when undertaking their journey through the latest side-scrolling adventure, as it’s every bit as punishing as the title that inspired it, if not more so.
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It’s pretty easy to make mistakes inSalt and Sacrifice. There is a lot going on, and many game mechanics that are either unexplained or hidden within dialogue or throughout the title’s collectible lore. Here are some tips and tricks to better prepare players throughout their quest to deal with terrifying mages and imposing bosses. The following guide contains some bullet points on what NOT to do in Salt and Sacrifice for those just starting out.
Watch The Stamina Meter
One of Salt and Sacrifice’s most punishing and unforgiving mechanics comes via the Stamina Meter. Players will use Stamina for practically anything pertaining to combat. Dodge rolling, attacking, and sprinting will all drain the green bar located just beneath the Health bar. It even costs Stamina for players to use their ranged weapons. Once this bar is empty, players become practically helpless, making it impossible to dodge roll effectively or attack in succession.
Because of this, it’s vital to keep an eye on how much Stamina players are consuming and ensure that they never let the bar completely drain. Players will need to hold off on attacking or dodge rolling too much and let their Stamina refill before engaging the enemy once more.
Don’t Blindly Attack
To further expand on the need for Stamina in Salt and Sacrifice, players should never blindly attack enemies, especially new foes that they are just seeing and fighting against for the first time. There are a wide array of enemies found throughout the side-scrolling adventure and many of them have their own attack combos and special abilities. Even the most “pitiful” of enemies can stun-lock a Stamina-depleted player and send them to an early grave. Salt and Sacrifice rewards a tactical playstyle, and players need to understand how their enemies attack before they can deal with them effectively. Rushing up to an enemy and hitting them with a Stamina-draining combo attack, only to realize that they “won’t stagger” or “will simply attack through a player’s combo” can be a punishing lesson to learn.
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Don’t Waste Ranged Ammo
Salt and Sacrifice isn’t as generous as other Souls-like games when it comes to replenishing healing tonics and crafting equipment. Players will have access to ammo and can create it on the fly during their quest, but it’s quite “expensive” to produce, especially in the early game. In the early hours, basic ammunition will come from using Irona Ore. The ore is pretty easy to find, and can be “mined” by interacting with the glowing white crystals found jutting from walls. Unfortunately, it takes one piece of Iron Ore just to produce one piece of ammunition. This brutal exchange rate becomes even more apparent when players are constantly rattling off arrows and using other ranged weapons.
Players should be sure to keep an eye on their ammo supply and save it for particularly difficult enemies.
Don’t Buy Gear From The Merchant
When players make it to the “hub world” of Salt and Sacrifice, Pardoner’s Vale, they’ll gain access to a wide array of different NPCs and tools. One of these NPCs acts like a shopkeep, trading players items for Silver, a currency they can gain from looting and defeating enemies. Players can sell the gear they find to this NPC for some extra pocket change, but they should be weary about buying most of his goods. Although the Merchant sells low-level armors and weapons at the start, it’s much more beneficial to purchase crafting materials and other goods from him.
Players will find themselves upgrading their gear pretty quickly by crafting special weapons and armors using the materials they gain from defeating the array of Mages found throughout each zone. Buying lower-tier gear is simply a waste of Silver, especially early on.
Don’t Forget To Spend Silver
One of the most punishing penalties in Salt and Sacrifice stems from the player’s inability to store their Silver supply. Although Silver isn’t nearly as important as Salt (the currency used to Level Up a character), it’s still vital for buying certain items and materials, which will make it much easier on players when they venture back out into the wild. Unfortunately, there is no way to actively store this currency and whenever players perish, they’ll lose a percentage of the Silver as a penalty. There are some Rings and Accessories that will help keep this cost down, giving players better protection against Silver loss each time they die.
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Always Pick Up Valley Herbs
Just like with ammo, Salt and Sacrifice uses a similar mechanic to replenish Hearthen Flasks, the title’s main healing item. Players will need to collect Valley Herbs, and each time a player rests at a checkpoint to refill and replenish their supplies, the game will automatically use any available Valley Herbs to craft Hearthen Flasks. It requires one herb to replenish one flask, so it’s easy to see how constant use of these healing items and constant rest and replenishment can quickly deplete a player’s stock. To make matters worse, players can only carry 15 of these herbs with them when they venture out from the hub, meaning they will need to collect more within a chosen level.
It’s vital to grab as many of these Valley Herbs as possible and players should always keep an eye out for any small red-colored bushes/trees during their adventure.
Know What Level Up Path To Take
The leveling system in Salt and Sacrifice is definitely intimidating. It features a mammoth branching board that looks and feels similar to the complex Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy X. This gives players a lot of control over what their build will be, allowing them to spec into specific weapons, magic types, and stat lines, so long as they have nodes connected via the spider web of lines. Because of this, players should familiarize themselves with the grid and try to decide what path they want to take during their playthrough. There are many nodes that are required if players want to use a specific weapon, magic-type, or armor rating. Because of this, players need to path out their build beforehand, so they don’t accidentally spend points in undesired areas, or make it harder to reach their desired nodes as leveling becomes more difficult and consumers more Salt.
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