Archerogue

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How to Play Archerogue

This page is the first-run manual: how to move, how combat works, and how a run connects back to the lobby.

1. Controls

On a keyboard, move with W A S D or the arrow keys. Both sets can be used together. Press Escape during a run to pause, then resume or return to the lobby.

On a phone or tablet, drag on the play area to use the virtual joystick. A pause button on the HUD also opens the pause menu. Settings (sound, volume, language) are available from the gear control in the lobby and from pause.

2. Starting a Run

The home page opens on the lobby. Choose Start Adventure. The run begins with the first skill choice. The forest music waits until you select that skill. After you pick, the fight starts.

3. Automatic Attacks

You never click to fire. While a valid target is in range, the archer aims at the nearest one and shoots on a cooldown. Range, pierce, attack speed, and crit all come from your stats. Skills add extra automatic effects around that basic shot.

4. Choosing Skills

There are fourteen skills. At the start of a run the game shuffles that list and shows three. You pick one. That is the only skill you have until you earn another choice.

You do not fill an experience bar to level up. Additional skill cards appear after you defeat a mid-boss or a final boss. Each choice is three cards. You may hold up to five different skills, and each can reach level 5. If you already have five, the cards upgrade those skills instead of offering a sixth. If upgrades are exhausted, leftover cards can be Growth Orbs. Skills reset when the run ends.

5. Collecting Gold and Rewards

Gold on the ground is pulled by Magnet and counted when you touch it. Pickup Gold is added to your save immediately. If you die, Gold you already collected stays. Time in the run also multiplies Gold and Ruby pickups (higher after 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes). Gold Gain training multiplies Gold; it does not multiply Ruby.

6. Growth Orbs and Chests

Growth Orbs are run-only stat bonuses. They are not a permanent equipment grid. Luck in the lobby changes how often Advanced, Rare, Hero, and Legendary orbs appear. Treasure chests spawn around the map; shoot them until they break to roll a potion, Gold pouch or ingot, Ruby, orb, or magnet. Details: Growth Orbs & Chests.

7. Mid-Bosses and Final Bosses

In the first minute, mid-bosses appear at 15, 30, and 45 seconds, and the first final boss appears at 1:00. After that, each minute still places mid-bosses at 15, 30, and 45 seconds past the minute and a final boss at the next full minute. Calamity and event slots fill the other times in that minute (8, 23, 38, and 52 seconds past). From 20 minutes onward, extra calamity and event waves also arrive on a shortening timer.

Final bosses cycle among Orc Chief, Skeleton Chief, Goblin King, and Slime King. Beating a mid-boss or final boss is what grants the next skill choice. See the Boss Guide.

8. Death and Returning to the Lobby

When HP reaches 0, the result screen shows survival time and Gold earned this run. There is no undo. Return to the lobby to spend currencies. Pause also lets you leave early; collected Gold still remains. If the run is longer than your previous Best Survival, that record updates when the run ends.

9. Basic Upgrades

Lobby training uses Gold for Attack, Max HP, Pierce, Range, Atk Speed, Move Speed, Gold Gain, and Boss Damage. Luck uses Ruby. Attack, Max HP, Gold Gain, and Boss Damage have no training cap. Pierce, Range, Atk Speed, Move Speed, and Luck have listed maxima. A Rebirth discount can reduce Gold prices. Full tables: Stats & Basic Upgrades.

10. Unlocking Rebirth

Rebirth needs a Google sign-in and a best survival time of at least five minutes in the current life. Rebirth Score from eligible kills accumulates even if a run fails. When you confirm Rebirth, that score becomes Emeralds, Gold and Gold training reset, and Rubies, Luck, Emeralds, and Rebirth upgrades are kept. Guide: Rebirth & Permanent Upgrades.

11. Beginner Tips