Getting started in Palworld 1.0: the new player guide

With 1.0 out, there's no better time to start Palworld. Here are the priorities for your first hours to build a solid foundation, whether you're new or returning from Early Access.

Your first minutes

Right away, gather wood by hand and craft a Workbench. Follow up with a Stone Axe and a Stone Pickaxe: these are your first two tools and they unlock wood, stone and ore. Don't rush in blindly: explore the area a bit before you settle.

Catch your first Pals

In the technology tree, quickly unlock Pal Spheres: they let you catch Pals, and catching grants a lot of experience. Two Pals to grab in your first 20 minutes:

• Cattiva: on its own it covers Handiwork, Transporting, Gathering and Mining. Four jobs from one Pal, perfect to kickstart a base.

• Foxparks: its Partner Skill gives you a flamethrower from Level 1, very handy for fighting and catching.

Keep an eye out for Lucky Pals, recognizable by their sparkle: they have better stats and rare traits, well worth catching.

Place and manage your base

Pick a flat area with resources nearby: wood, stone, paldium fragments and ore. Early on, your base is mostly storage; you'll expand it later to produce materials, farm and breed. Assign each Pal by its work suitability (kindling, watering, handiwork, etc.) so your base runs on its own.

Level up your character

For character stats, prioritize Stamina, carry weight and HP first: you move faster, take more hits and carry more loot. Spend your technology points on tools, upgraded Pal Spheres and base stations before secondary gadgets.

Your first goal

Once you have a small working base and a starting team, aim for your first Tower Boss. Bring healing items, Pals whose element counters the boss, and upgrade your weapons. To pick your fighters, check our tier list and every Pal's stats in the Paldex.

And to discover everything 1.0 adds (World Tree, Sky Islands, new breeding), read our Palworld 1.0 is live recap.