Why This Walkthrough Matters

Starting a survival game with zero gear and a dragon somewhere on the horizon is intimidating, and that's exactly the situation RuneScape: Dragonwilds drops you into. This walkthrough exists to shortcut the trial-and-error phase by pointing you toward the crafting materials, side quests, and skills that actually move you forward. Whether you're figuring out how to make your first weapon or tracking down a rare mineral for late-game gear, having a clear path saves hours of aimless wandering across Ashenfall.

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a survival crafting, open-world role-playing game developed and published by Jagex Ltd. It entered Early Access on PC on April 15, 2025, with a full release date still to be announced. The core loop is simple to describe but hard to master: start with nothing, craft your way up through gear tiers, build a base, explore the map for rare materials, and eventually take on a giant dragon along with classic enemies pulled from the wider RuneScape universe.

Key things this walkthrough covers:

  • Early survival priorities every new player should tackle first
  • Crafting materials and where they fit into gear progression
  • Side quests that unlock unique weapons and equipment
  • Skills and boss fight preparation

Getting Started: Early Survival Essentials

Before chasing side quests or boss fights, new players need a foundation. The earliest priorities in any runescape dragonwilds walkthrough should be learning how to craft a basic bow, understanding fast travel so you're not retracing every step on foot, and getting a handle on the skill system that governs your character's progression. These three fundamentals unlock nearly everything else in the game, from hunting for food to reaching distant crafting nodes without burning daylight.

Here's a quick reference for the essentials every new player should tackle first:

| Early Priority | Why It Matters | |---|---| | Craft a Bow | Gives you a reliable ranged weapon for early survival and hunting | | Learn Fast Travel | Cuts down travel time once key locations are discovered | | Check Skills | Determines what crafting and combat options open up over time |

Once you have a weapon and a way to move around efficiently, the next step is building out a base. A few reasons to prioritize a base early:

  • It gives you a safe place to store materials between expeditions
  • It lets you craft higher-tier items that require a stationary crafting station
  • It serves as a reliable return point after exploring farther-flung corners of Ashenfall

The game rewards players who methodically expand their crafting options rather than rushing straight into dangerous territory.

Crafting Materials and Gear Guide

Crafting is the backbone of progression in RuneScape: Dragonwilds, and most of it depends on finding the right raw materials scattered across the map. Some materials are common enough to stumble into during normal exploration, while others require specific locations or conditions to farm reliably. Below is a table of the key materials that come up repeatedly in crafting recipes throughout the early and mid game.

| Material | Category | |---|---| | Deer Antlers | Crafting material | | Ram Horns | Crafting material | | Anima-Infused Bark & Wild Anima | Crafting material | | Opal | Crafting material | | Blightwood | Crafting material | | Sapphire | Crafting material | | Swamp Weed & Swamp Thread | Crafting material | | Harralander | Crafting material |

Beyond raw materials, several crafting guides focus on turning those resources into usable gear, including:

  • Crafting a bow for early ranged combat
  • Producing hard leather and padded cloth for armor
  • Brewing a weak antipoison potion
  • Building the Staff of Light

There are also guides dedicated to acquiring specific named equipment, such as the Abyssal Whip (earned by defeating the Abyssal Demon boss), the Paladin Armor Set, and an item called Thane's Authority. Working through these crafting chains in order — materials first, then intermediate components, then finished gear — is the most efficient way to gear up without wasting resources on dead ends.

Side Quests Walkthrough Overview

Side quests in RuneScape: Dragonwilds aren't just flavor text; they often gate access to unique gear and locations you can't get any other way. Each side quest has a listed location and reward, and several have their own dedicated walkthroughs for players who want a step-by-step path through them. The table below summarizes the side quests currently covered.

| Side Quest | Guide Focus | |---|---| | Restless Ghosts | Full step-by-step walkthrough | | Goblin Diplomacy | Full step-by-step walkthrough | | Highlighting the Problem | Staff of Light location guide | | Heartstrings | Crystal Bow location guide | | Dog Days | Full step-by-step walkthrough | | Granite Mauled | Granite Maul location guide |

Notice that three of these quests double as gear guides:

  • Highlighting the Problem unlocks the Staff of Light
  • Heartstrings unlocks the Crystal Bow
  • Granite Mauled unlocks the Granite Maul

If you're hunting for a specific weapon rather than just clearing quest content, checking which side quest unlocks it first can save you a trip.

Skills and Boss Fights

Skills determine what your character can craft, how effectively you fight, and how you interact with the world's resources. While the specific skill list continues to expand as the game updates, the skills section of the guide is one of the first stops recommended for new players, right alongside learning to craft a bow and use fast travel. Pairing skill growth with material farming is what eventually lets you take on tougher content.

Boss fights are where crafting and skills come together. The clearest example is the Abyssal Demon, whose defeat is tied to obtaining the Abyssal Whip — one of the more notable weapon rewards documented in current guides. Because bosses like this require both preparation (gear, potions, materials) and quest or location knowledge, treating them as a mid-to-late milestone rather than something to rush is the safer approach for most players.

| Milestone | What You Need First | | --- | --- | | Defeat the Abyssal Demon | Sufficient gear and preparation before engaging | | Craft the Staff of Light | Complete the Highlighting the Problem side quest | | Obtain the Crystal Bow | Complete the Heartstrings side quest | | Obtain the Granite Maul | Complete the Granite Mauled side quest |

Before engaging any major boss, make sure you've covered these basics:

  • Crafted or upgraded your primary weapon
  • Stocked up on potions such as weak antipoison
  • Completed the side quest tied to the gear you want
  • Reviewed your skill options for any combat-relevant unlocks

Working toward these milestones in sequence — building skills, gathering materials, then tackling the linked side quest or boss — keeps your character appropriately equipped at each stage rather than walking into a fight underprepared.

FAQ

What platforms is RuneScape: Dragonwilds available on? The game is currently available on PC, having launched into Early Access on April 15, 2025. A full release date has not yet been announced.

Who developed RuneScape: Dragonwilds? Jagex Ltd both developed and published the game.

Where should I start if I'm following a runescape dragonwilds walkthrough for the first time? Begin with the basics: craft a bow, learn how fast travel works, and review the skills system. These three steps set up everything else, from gathering materials to tackling side quests and bosses.

Are side quests worth doing early on? Yes. Several side quests, including Highlighting the Problem, Heartstrings, and Granite Mauled, are tied directly to unique gear like the Staff of Light, Crystal Bow, and Granite Maul, making them valuable even outside of story progression.

What's the best way to prepare for boss fights? Focus on gathering key crafting materials, building out gear like hard leather or padded cloth armor, and completing any side quests linked to useful weapons before engaging bosses such as the Abyssal Demon.