Mechanics
Eight pages on the systems you have to plan around, and the game's own explanation of every one of the thirty-five it names.
The systems you plan around
Time
The 30 days and nights, the eight segments, and what spends them.
Corruption
What feeding costs you, and what it buys.
Infamy & Edicts
How the regime answers back, and the nine penalties it issues.
The Court
Brencis, his three vassals, and the anger you raise in each.
Combat
Directional attacks, omniblock, parry, and the two forms.
Difficulty
The presets, and what each one changes.
Levelling
The XP curve to 50, and the Skill Points each level pays.
Blood
What Coen can drink, how long it takes, and what counts as innocent.
Shrines
Fast travel, the only place a Skill Point buys a perk, and your storage.
Money & trade
Denarii, what sells, why silver is worth carrying, and upgrading gear.
The game explains itself
Astral Communion
Astral Communion allows you to activate dormant magic in places of power. It summons powerful Astral entities that pose a significant Challenge but also bring Rewards.
Basic Controls
Move with Movement.
Clawride
Clawride allows you to slide down a wall without losing Stamina. Clawride is available only in the Vrakhir form.
Combat Camera Modes
There are two combat camera modes available:
Compel Soul
Compel Soul allows you to extract information from the dead who still have a spark of soul within.
Crafting
You can Craft strong Consumables in the Crafting panel. Unlike food, the effects of the Crafted Consumables are not reduced in combat.
Focus Mode
Focus Mode is useful for surveying your surroundings.
Haste
Haste abilities allow you to traverse the world with Supernatural Speed. They are Shapeshift in the Vrakhir form, and Mercurial Fervour in the Human form, respectively.
Journal
In the Journal panel you can:
Planeshift
Planeshift allows you to walk on flat walls and ceilings. Planeshift is available only in the Vrakhir form.
Scouting Towers
Scouting Towers vista allow you to scout the surrounding area and discover nearby activities.
Shadowstep
Use Shadowstep to reach distant places. Shadowstep is available only in the Vrakhir form.
And the ones a page above already covers
Abilities
Active Abilities can be used in combat to gain a tactical advantage.
Activation Charges
Activation Charges are required to use both Active Abilities and Weapon and Claw Arts.
Attacking
You can Attack in four directions: left, right, upwards or downwards. Attacking costs Stamina.
Blood Craving
When Vampiric Health drops down to 1 Segment, you become Hungry and start to Crave Blood. While in this state, you may lose control during a conversation and drain the person you are talking to – even if you're friends.
Blood Drinking
The only way to restore Health in the Vrakhir form is to Drink Blood.
Character Development
Most activities grant you Experience Points (XP). Once you've gathered enough, you Level Up.
Combat Stance
You can enter and exit Combat Stance by pressing Draw Weapon.
Court & Infamy
In the Court panel you can check which activities will disrupt the order established by Brencis and his boyars. Each activity is assigned to one of the 3 boyars, and after completing enough of them, you'll receive an opportunity to face the ruling vrakhir.
Day & Night Equipment Presets
Some weapons, clothing, and consumables can be great in one form and useless in the other.
Difficulty Markers
Some Quests may be too difficult at your current Level.
Directional Block
You can Block attacks from four directions: left, right, top, or bottom.
Dodging
Press Dodge to Dodge an incoming Attack. Choose the Dodge direction with Movement. Dodge sideways or backwards to evade the strike. Dodging towards the enemy will still get you hit.
Fast Travel
You can Fast Travel between discovered Shrines. Discover Shrines by exploring Vale Sangora.
Inventory
In the Inventory panel you can:
Omniblock
Hold Block to Omniblock. Omniblock negates incoming damage from any direction but costs Stamina.
Overencumbrance
When you exceed your Inventory Weight Limit, you become Overencumbered. In this state you can't run or use Fast Travel.
Perfect Block
Perfect Blocks restore some Stamina and leave the enemy open to your Attacks.
Quickslots
Quickslots are divided into Active Ability Quickslots and Consumable Quickslots.
Silver
Posession of Silver is prohibited in Vale Sangora.
Stamina
Omniblock and Attacks consume Stamina.
Time Progression
Time progresses as you complete Activities marked with hourglass.
Unblockable Attacks
Some Attacks can't be Blocked. During such Attacks, the enemy target indicator changes into unblockable indicator.
Weapon and Claw Arts
Bracers and Weapons with Weapon and Claw Arts offer unique ways to deal damage on a Cooldown. Weapon and Claw Arts deal increased damage and may have additional effects. They differ from item to item. Experiment to find those that suit your playstyle.
What the loading screens tell you
18 notes on playing, quoted from the screens between loads. The 14 about the valley itself are on the lore pages.
- While Omniblock consumes stamina, using Directional Block does not.
- Torches will burn out with time, so it's better to keep a few of them.
- Perfect Block happens when you block enemy's attack from the right direction at the last possible moment. Perfect Block gives you an opportunity to counterattack.
- Remember - during combat you can only use consumables from quick slots.
- If you don’t satisfy the thirst for blood at night, you might lose control and kill someone by accident.
- When someone sees you stealing, they will call for the guard, who will punish you for your crimes.
- Shrines have many uses. Visit one to Fast Travel, learn available Perks, Skip Time, or access your Storage.
- To upgrade or obtain new Perks and Abilities, first read relevant Manuals. You can then learn the newly available Perks and Abilities at Shrines, using your Skill Points.
- As a vrakhir, you can drink blood from animals, monsters, and humans - however, not all kinds of blood will sustain Coen the same way.
- Dirty Trick lets you briefly blind your enemies. It might not be a particularly chivalrous tactic, but it may keep you alive when all else fails.
- Climbing up a tower will reveal activities available in the area. However, to do so you must use the vrakhiri traversal powers.
- One of your favourite swords or armours becomes underpowered? Don’t throw it away! Instead, pay one of the craftsmen to upgrade it.
- Some of the enemy attacks cannot be blocked or parried, only dodged. They are indicated by a red skull icon appearing just before the attack.
- When an enemy attacks from left or right, dodge into the attack direction at the very last moment. If executed correctly, it will allow Coen to counterattack.
- To make a non-vampiric perk available, you must read a book that describes it. Only then will you be able to purchase a perk by spending Skill Points.
- There is only one way for Coen to make new vampiric perks available - by drinking blood. The more blood he consumes, the more powers will become available to him.
- When Coen turns into a vrakhir, his wounds and scars heal much faster - so fast, in fact, that using Witchcraft Abilities at night becomes impossible.
- Exploring by foot may be too slow for you. Learn Mercurial Fervour, or Shapeshift ability to traverse the terrain with supernatural speed during both day and night.