Apocrypha Beginner Guide
Apocrypha is a dark-fantasy MMO that launched on 2026-06-01. You start by creating a character (kin = race), then progress through a tutorial with Naru, unlock a class via an artifact, and explore the open world. This guide covers the first 30 minutes of play and the highest-impact decisions you will make.
Quick Tip: Pick Darkin if you are going to PvP — its 7-second dodge uptime is the strongest duelist passive in the game.
Table of Contents
Character Creation
On character creation you pick a kin (race). Races are rolled from a rarity distribution — Human is the most common (~40%), and Elemyn is the rarest (~3%, Legendary). The race you roll determines your base stats and your signature passive ability. Hair selection is purely cosmetic. Sigil shades have 3 tiers — the best is Apocryphal. Names do not affect gameplay.
- Pick a race based on playstyle, not cosmetics
- If you are new, Human is the safest choice (Respire passive prevents one-shots)
- If you are going to PvP, Darkin or SightWeaver are the highest-impact picks
- Elemyn is the rarest and strongest magic scaling race — reroll until you get it if you want to play Spellblade
There is no confirmed race-reroll mechanic yet. Most community creators rolled 3-5 times before committing. Save your slot until you confirm the race you want.
Tutorial Quest with Naru
After character creation, find Naru in the starter town. He gives you a starter quest — kill a guard using the dagger he hands you. This is a tutorial that teaches M1 trading, parrying (hold F), and dashing (Q to dash sideways). The M1 trade pattern is the most important combat mechanic in the game, and the tutorial walks you through it.
- M1 = basic attack
- Hold F = parry (timing window: just before the strike lands)
- Q = sideways dash (use to get behind a blocking opponent)
- M1 trade = when both players are M1'ing at the same time, parry first to win priority
In high-Elo Battle Royale, the entire match comes down to M1 trades and parry timing. The tutorial gives you a free pass to learn the rhythm — take the time to drill the parry window here.
Unlocking Your First Class
You do not pick a class at the start of the game. To unlock a class, you must find the matching class artifact (e.g. Serpent's Fang artifact, Shinobi artifact) in the open world and bring it to the NPC Noir (most classes) or Nuar (Harvester). The artifact is essentially a key item. Once you hand it in, the class is unlocked and you can use its skills.
- Serpent's Fang artifact → Noir (spear / lightning / transformation)
- Shinobi artifact → Noir (sword / speed / time stop)
- Spellblade artifact → Noir (magic sword / summoning / burst)
- Harvester artifact → Nuar (scythe / bleed / blood bar)
- Earth Welder and Necromancer are upcoming and not yet unlockable
Pick the class whose artifact you can farm first. Serpent's Fang is the most accessible starter pick; Harvester is rarer and better as a second character.
Attribute Priority at Level 1-30
You get 3 attribute points per level. Your stat priority depends entirely on the class you want to play. Below is the recommended priority for each released class.
Stat Priority by Class
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my race after creation?
No reroll mechanic has been confirmed by the developer as of 2026-06-09. The first slot is committed to your rolled race.
Do I need to pick a class before the tutorial?
No — you only get a starter dagger. You must farm a class artifact in the open world and bring it to Noir or Nuar to unlock a class.
Is there a level cap?
The current Day 1 Release caps at level 100.
Can I unlock all four released classes on one character?
Class selection is per-character in the released build. Multi-class is a common feature request but is not in the game yet.