- Trollheim: Gnomes survival guide: Covers the core loop of gathering, crafting, building, and exploring the Dark Forest.
- Small scale matters: As a tiny Sprýg gnome, treat the forest as a giant, living world rather than a combat arena.
- First priority: Secure a foothold, build storage, and establish a repeatable gathering route before venturing deep.
- Co-op advantage: Up to 8 players can divide roles for gathering, building, and scouting.
- Väsen awareness: Trolls, faeries, and sirens may be friendly or hostile — observe before acting.
Understanding the Survival Basics in Trollheim: Gnomes
Trollheim: Gnomes drops you into a Nordic-inspired Dark Forest as a tiny Sprýg gnome. Survival revolves around a steady loop: gather nearby resources, craft essential tools, build a shelter, and expand outward through short, planned exploration trips. The game supports solo play and online co-op for up to eight players on PC via Steam, and is designed around PvE survival rather than pure combat.
Your gnome's small scale is the defining survival mechanic. Terrain that seems trivial becomes significant, large creatures are genuinely enormous, and vertical routes such as climbing and bridges shape how you move through the world.
Core survival systems include:
- Resource gathering (blueberries, twigs, wood, minerals)
- Multi-tier crafting, from arrows to instruments
- Base building in treetops, hollow trees, and rock crevices
- Cave networks and underground exploration
- Encounters with Väsen — Nordic folklore creatures like trolls, faeries, and sirens
| Survival System | What It Covers | Early Priority |
|---|---|---|
| Resource gathering | Berries, twigs, wood, stone, rare materials | ★★★★★ |
| Basic crafting | Tools, arrows, cooking, workstations | ★★★★★ |
| Shelter building | Treetop homes, storage, lighting | ★★★★ |
| Exploration | Map routes, caves, vertical movement | ★★★ |
| Väsen encounters | Trolls, faeries, sirens, friend or foe | ★★★ |
Approach every new area from the gnome's perspective. What looks like a short walk is a journey, and what looks like a harmless creature may be a giant. Observe before committing.
Step-by-Step: Your First Days in the Dark Forest
A strong opening routine prevents wasted time and unnecessary deaths. Follow this progression to establish a stable foothold before pushing into deeper biomes.
Establish a Foothold
Pick a defensible, resource-rich spot near your starting area. Build a basic shelter and storage so short trips always have a safe return point. Keep the first base close to common materials like twigs and berries.
Build a Gathering Route
Create a repeatable loop for basic resources: blueberries for food, twigs and wood for crafting. Separate building supplies from survival items in storage, and return to base regularly instead of overloading a single trip.
Craft Essentials First
Prioritize tools and workstations that unlock further crafting. The game features a multi-tier crafting system, so early unlocks compound into faster progress later. Cooking should come early to sustain longer expeditions.
Explore in Short Trips
Expand outward gradually. Mark paths and landmarks, treat new clearings as scouting targets, and keep a reliable retreat route. Never commit to unfamiliar woodland without a way back.
Upgrade the Base
Expand your shelter into a functional home — crafting zones, organized storage, lighting, and prep areas. A stable base turns one-off expeditions into sustainable progress.
The Dark Forest contains multiple biomes with different challenges, plus cave networks. Entering unprepared wastes resources and can leave you stranded far from shelter with no return route.
Survival Threats and How to Handle Them
The biggest survival mistake in Trollheim: Gnomes is treating every large creature as an enemy. The developers describe trolls not as enemies but as neighbors — the world is built on folklore-inspired relationships, not a hostile mob list.
Environmental Hazards
- Dark forest visibility
- Vertical terrain and falls
- Cave networks with unknown depth
- Cold, hunger, and night exposure
Giant Creatures & Trolls
- Massive size advantage
- Territory and proximity signals
- May be neutral or hostile
- Avoidance often beats combat
Other Väsen
- Faeries, sirens, and folklore beings
- Behavior varies by context
- Possible non-combat interactions
- Observation before action
| Threat Type | Signal to Watch | Recommended Response |
|---|---|---|
| Troll proximity | Movement, territory signs | Keep distance, observe |
| Unknown Väsen | Sound, vegetation changes | Pause, assess, retreat option |
| Night/darkness | Fading light | Return to lit shelter |
| Deep caves | Unknown depth | Scout with return markers |
| Starvation | Depleted food stores | Maintain berry gathering route |
Official descriptions emphasize that some Väsen may be friendly while others attack. The safest default is observation — decide whether to approach, avoid, or continue based on behavior, not size alone.
Co-op Survival: Playing with Up to Seven Friends
Co-op for up to eight players changes the survival math entirely. A coordinated group progresses faster than eight solo players sharing a map.
Effective role division:
| Role | Responsibilities | Group Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Gatherer | Berries, twigs, wood runs | Steady resource supply |
| Builder | Shelter expansion, storage | Safe, organized base |
| Scout | Route mapping, cave checks | Safer exploration |
| Cook/Crafter | Food and tool production | Sustained expeditions |
Key co-op principles:
- Agree on a shared base location and first exploration route before leaving the start area
- Rotate roles as group needs change
- Travel together through unknown areas; support with scouting and resource carrying
- Build one central home base rather than scattered shelters
A single coordinated base gives your team common storage, planning space, and a building focus. Scattered individual shelters dilute materials and slow everyone down.
Beginner Survival Checklist
First-Week Survival Goals:
- Establish a sheltered foothold with storage
- Build a repeatable gathering route for food and wood
- Unlock basic tools and a cooking setup
- Map at least one safe exploration loop with landmarks
- Set up a shared co-op base with role assignments
Track the game's development through the official Steam community hub and the Trollheim: Gnomes Steam page, since the title is still pre-release and mechanics may evolve during Early Access.
Trollheim: Gnomes is listed as Coming Soon on Steam with a planned Early Access period of roughly 12–18 months. Exact mechanics, recipes, and systems may change before and during Early Access.
Survival Guide FAQ
Q: Is Trollheim: Gnomes solo-friendly, or is co-op required?
The Steam page lists both single-player and online co-op for up to 8 players, so solo survival is supported. Co-op mainly speeds up gathering, building, and exploration through role division.
Q: Are trolls always hostile in Trollheim: Gnomes?
No. The developers have described trolls as neighbors rather than pure enemies. Some Väsen may be friendly while others attack, so observe behavior before engaging or fleeing.
Q: What resources should I gather first?
Blueberries and twigs are the confirmed starter resources — berries sustain food needs while twigs and wood feed early crafting and building. Establish a repeatable loop for these before chasing rare materials.
Q: Where is the safest place to build a base?
Treetop homes, hollow trees, and rock crevices are featured building options. Early on, prioritize proximity to resources and a clear return route over scenic or remote locations.