One of the core elements of any Soulslike is players obtaining a game-specific currency from defeating enemies, which they then spend on leveling up. InThe First Berserker: Khazan, that currency is Lacrima. As is typically the case in most Soulslikes, players can commit to completing loops of certain areas to defeat enemies in a bit of light grinding, using the vast sums of currency gained to increase a handful of levels in a single go. Notably, though,The First Berserker: Khazanalmost encourages players to grind out one very specific type of enemy encounter in these instances by making the rewards too good to pass up: the Revenants of Adversity.
Revenants of Adversity are the spirits that Khazan can summon through the Crimson Netherworld Rifts after first encountering one in the Forgotten Temple, and defeating these enemies is essential for gainingLacrima of Circulation— a currency that’s necessary for both summoning Spirits of Advocacy during boss battles and improving their viability in combat. But the rewards that drop from defeating the Revenants of Adversity extend far beyond just providing players with the valuable Lacrima of Circulation to include some excellent gear and large sums of Lacrima, which is only enhanced by how frequently players encounter the Revenants asKhazan’s main story progresses.
Opportunities for Revenant of Adversity Encounters Occur Often in The First Berserker: Khazan
Once players encounter their first Revenant of Adversity in theForgotten Templeahead of the boss fight against Viper, the Crimson Netherworld Rifts that players summon them from begin appearing everywhere. Especially in the next main mission, where players are making their way through Phraugh Village, the Crimson Netherworld Rifts can be found in abundance in a handful of major areas near Blade Nexus checkpoints, making them ideal for farming. In effect, these areas become one of the game’s best early-to-mid-game grinding spots.
It’s not uncommon to encounter upwards of 6 or 7 Crimson Netherworld Rifts in a single room inThe First Berserker: Khazan, which almost serves to communicate that the encounters with the Revenants of Adversity are intended to be completed en masse. That the rewards from these encounters can quickly stack up and leave the player with vast sums of Lacrima and plenty of new gear only speaks further to their importance as a regular part ofThe First Berserker: Khazan’s progression loop.
Stopping to Grind Every Crimson Netherworld Rift in The First Berserker: Khazan is Worthwhile
Stopping to complete each Crimson Netherworld Rift in a given area transforms a typical grinding loop inThe First Berserker: Khazanto an opportunity to net 30-40,000Lacrimain a single go. Spending roughly 30 minutes clearing out each Revenant of Adversity, along with all the other normal enemies that respawn, and then resting at a Blade Nexus to do it all again will quickly see players amass large amounts of Lacrima, gear, and the indispensable Lacrima of Circulation that players need to summon allies during boss fights. Even if players are only in search of more Lacrima of Circulation, they can rest assured that the time spent farming will be worthwhile thanks to the treasure trove of gear and standard Lacrima they’ll acquire.
ThatThe First Berserker: Khazanputs these ideal early grinding spots right in front of the player seems to be intentional and no mistake on the part of Neople, subtly dropping the hint that, should players find themselves struggling with a particular area or boss, there are opportunities aplenty to both strengthen Khazan and the Spirits of Advocacy. It’s a nice change-up from the typical act of needing to search out and find the best grinding spots in aSoulslike, and investing time in these encounters provides dividends that make the experience more enjoyable as a whole.
