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New to Daggerfall Online, or back after a while? Do these in order. Each step says which page or tool answers it.

§1. Know which rules you are playing

The game has several optional rule sets. This codex describes the defaults, which are also what the online world forces on. If a number here disagrees with what you see, check Which rules apply first. The old classic rules are in Classic rules, for when the mods are off.

§2. Choose how you want to play

Daggerfall does not push you into a role. You level by using skills, and your level comes from the skills in your class. Read Ways to play and pick the row that sounds like what you want to do all day.

Then try the build planner: pick a class and a race and it shows the weapon bonuses, spell points, starting gear, weapons that fit and Legendary pieces worth chasing. If no premade class fits, the class calculator prices one of your own.

§3. Learn the first hour

Every character wakes in the same dungeon. Your first hours walks you out of it and to your first town, and Controls lists the keys. Fighting is explained in Combat basics, and how you level in Levelling and skills.

§4. Know your gold and your gear

• What things cost, and how haggling works: Shops and haggling, with the shop price calculator.
• What drops and from what: Loot and drops, and how good a drop is: Item rarity.
• Where to find a particular thing: open its entry in the databases and read Where to find it, or ask the farm finder to rank the places for you.
• Mending and wearing armour: Repairs and armour.

§5. Look things up as you go

• The top menu has every database, guide, journey and tool.
• Press / to search from anywhere. A typo or two is forgiven.
• Words you do not know are in the Glossary.
• A journey is a ready-made build with notes on how to play it: see Ways to play.
• Online only: Playing online, PvP and the Wild Zone, and the Oblivion Gate clock for when the next gate opens.

If the game changes, What’s new and the game updates list say what moved.