Reign of Thorns › Guide
Reign of Thorns beginner's guide
Everything you need for your first runs: how to move, what to pick on level-up, when to open chests and how to beat the bosses.
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Desktop
Move with WASD or the arrow keys. Attacks fire automatically at the nearest enemies. Press Space to interact with chests, shrines, portals and plaza services, and Esc to pause.
Mobile and tablet
Touch anywhere on the left half of the screen to place a floating joystick and drag to move. The interact button appears on the right whenever something is in range. Turn your device to landscape for the best view.
Leveling up
Defeated monsters drop blue XP orbs. Fill the bar at the top to level up and choose one upgrade: a new skill, a stronger version of one you own, or a potion that boosts every skill — more projectiles, faster casts or larger areas. Early on, grab a second damage skill; later, stack potions that multiply what you already have.
Gold, chests and items
Gold drops during the run. Spend it on treasure chests out in the world to earn items such as the Hammer (more damage), Drums (faster casts) or Shoes (more speed). Chest prices rise as you open more, so open them early while they are cheap.
Thorn Sigils
Thorn Sigils are glowing floor stones. Stand on one to charge it; a full charge grants a reward. Charging keeps you in one place, so clear the area first or pick a quiet moment between waves.
Minibosses, portal bosses and the Endless Swarm
Each floor lasts ten minutes. Minibosses appear around the 4:00 and 8:00 marks — the boss plate at the top shows their health and phases. Kite them in wide circles so their attacks miss while your skills keep hitting. When the timer ends, the Endless Swarm begins; open the portal to descend to the next floor, where a portal boss and tougher monsters wait.
Power-ups on the ground
Look out for drops: a Heart heals, the Magnet pulls in every orb, Speed makes you faster, Fury and Barrier help you push through a crowd, Freeze stops time and the rare Blast clears the screen.
Ten tips to survive longer
- Never stop moving — standing still lets the horde surround you.
- Circle around the edge of the swarm instead of running straight away.
- Pick area skills like Frost Nova or Cyclone when the crowd gets dense.
- Take projectile potions once you own several projectile skills.
- Open chests early while they are cheap.
- Save the Magnet for when the screen is full of XP.
- Fight minibosses in the open, away from walls and props.
- Charge Thorn Sigils right after clearing a wave.
- Complete daily quests in the Chronicle for extra diamonds.
- Spend diamonds on permanent upgrades between runs.
Progression between runs
Diamonds carry over between runs. Use them for permanent upgrades, and finish quests to unlock new heroes and skills. Your best runs count toward the weekly leaderboard, which pays out rewards when the week resets.