Tears of Metal Wiki
The ultimate Tears of Metal resource hub. Early Access guides, hero builds, Emblem synergies, Act walkthroughs, village upgrades, co-op tips, and interactive tools — updated for patch 0.11.57874.1 (August 9, 2026).
Early Access Launch Hub
Tears of Metal entered PC Early Access on July 22, 2026 and is available now on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass for PC. Paper Cult ships three complete Acts, four playable heroes (Wallace plus three unlockable commanders), eight Emblem families, over one hundred artifacts, Charms, and persistent Village meta progression in a Scottish medieval hack-and-slash that blends musou horde combat with cooperative roguelike runs.
Release
New players should start with How to Play, then study Combo Strings for crowd-control chains that keep you alive in dense battles. Act 2 shield elites demand Armored Enemies fundamentals before officer nodes. After your first Village return, read Fast XP & Leveling, the First Week Checklist, and Castle Records for meta tracking and save recovery. Veteran players chasing Act clears should read Advanced Tips, Beat the Banshee, Beat Harold, and Beat the Dreadshot.
Updates
Launch-week coverage from Kotaku, TheSixthAxis, GameRant, and Game8 praises the Dynasty Warriors-style combat loop. By August 2026, Steam holds ~89% positive across 985+ reviews with peak concurrent players around 6,258 (SteamDB) — see our Review & Impressions hub. Paper Cult confirmed 100,000+ Steam sales and named mid-campaign saves plus multiplayer desync as top priorities. Live build 0.11.57874.1 follows the August balance patch (Charm tiers, Act 2 captains, Banshee stun bar, emblem offer weighting) plus a mouse-stutter hotfix — Crossplay remains temporarily disabled on the default branch.
Review
Unlock every commander with the Unlock All Heroes guide. New players should read Beginner Tips, Threat & Hazards, and the Healing Economy page. Meta save safety: Castle Records and Mid-Campaign Saves. Stability tuning: Performance Settings. Cross-store parties: Crossplay Guide. Roadmap: Updates.
Start Here — New Player Guides
New to Tears of Metal? Start with campaign loop fundamentals, battalion commands, Emblem choices, and Village returns between runs. Our guides cover solo play and full four-player co-op.
How to Play — loop, controls, and first-run priorities
The How to Play guide explains the core loop, four playable heroes, and when to invest in the Village after your first wipe. Follow with Beginner Tips for fifteen practical launch-week habits.
Controls
Master keyboard or controller before your first fight: battalion orders, dodge, and block should become reflexes. See Controls.
Survival Without Healing
Healing is scarce by design. Learn damage mitigation, troop positioning, and potion budgeting before Gilles the Hog and Acts 2–3.
Battalion Management
Scottish soldiers die permanently during runs. Recruitment, combat commands, and Village upgrades matter — see Battalion Management.
Heroes
Four commanders are playable in Early Access as of patch 0.11.57874.1: Wallace is available immediately, Ruadh Stonecrusher unlocks after defeating the Banshee, Vanguard Tracker joins after the Act II Environment 12 rescue event, and Brienne Ironleg unlocks via The Fallen Star event in the Mire. Two additional teaser heroes remain unobtainable — see Upcoming Heroes.
Wallace
Wallace — versatile sword commander; best first pick for learning blocks and Caithness combos.
Ruadh Stonecrusher
Ruadh Stonecrusher — hammer tank with ally healing; unlock after defeating the Banshee.
Vanguard Tracker
Vanguard Tracker — mobile scout and ranged specialist; unlock via Act II rescue event.
Builds
Builds emerge from Emblems (per run), Charms (persistent), and Village equipment. Eight Emblem families, 100+ artifacts, and cross-clan synergies define every campaign.
Emblem Families — eight Scottish clans with tiers 1–3
Caithness, Orbs, Smite, and Mark appeared in the demo; Dunbar, Ross, Stirling, and Iona complete EA. Details on Emblem Families.
Best Emblem Synergies — top combinations per Act and hero
Caithness + Orbs for Act 1; Smite + Mark for armored Act 2 elites; Stirling + Iona to survive Dragon Stone pressure. Full rankings on Best Synergies.
Charms — persistent modifiers that bend run rules
Charms are purchased at the Village and deployed before each campaign. Effect breakdown: Charms Guide.
Tools
Emblem Planner — select families and preview synergies before deploying.
Walkthrough
Each campaign spans three Acts on a left-to-right roguelike map: combat nodes, elites, shops, rest, and bosses. Manage Threat and Hazards — optional map modifiers and routing speed both buff Act bosses — to reach the Mother Stone prepared. Full breakdown: Threat & Hazards.
Act 1 — from landing to Gilles the Hog
Safe routing for beginners, pre-boss checklist, and Gilles patterns: Act 1 Walkthrough.
Act 2 — stacked elites, Hazards, and resource scarcity
Act 2 demands coherent builds and Threat/rest discipline. Scout Tent and Training Grounds change the math — see Act 2 Walkthrough.
Act 3 — Mother Stone approach at maximum pressure
Prepare defenses, Charms, and soldier roster two-thirds through before the final gate. Full guide: Act 3 Walkthrough.
All Bosses
Patterns, phases, and rewards for Gilles the Hog, Act finales, and elite variants — All Bosses.
Village
The Village converts run gains into permanent power: Training Grounds, Scout Tent, barracks, Charm shops, and companions. Emblems reset; the Village does not.
Settlement Upgrades — Training Grounds, Scout Tent, forges, and halls
Investment priorities between Acts: Settlement Upgrades and Village Upgrades guide.
Soldiers — recruitment, permanent death, and Emblem auras
Protect veterans: permanent death removes levels and aura bonuses. Map tactics and combat commands on Soldiers Guide.
Tools
Interactive checklist for recommended upgrade order — Village Priority Checklist.
Co-op
Online co-op for up to four players: each hero with own Emblems, Charms, and battalion orders; shared map and Threat. Ideal for ultimates and mutual cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tears of Metal?
Tears of Metal is a medieval hack-and-slash co-op roguelike developed by Paper Cult. You lead a Scottish battalion across a war-torn island, combining Musou-style horde combat with roguelike runs, Emblem buildcraft, and persistent village progression.
When did Tears of Metal release?
Tears of Metal entered Early Access on July 22, 2026 for PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store, with day-one Xbox Game Pass on PC. An Xbox Series X|S version is planned before the end of 2026.
Is Tears of Metal co-op?
Yes. You can play solo or with up to three friends in online four-player co-op. Each player controls a hero commander while sharing battalion progression and village meta upgrades between campaigns.
Does the demo save transfer to Early Access?
No. The demo was removed on July 6, 2026 and save files do not carry over to the full Early Access version. The EA build includes significant balance changes, new systems, and three full Acts.
How many heroes are available at launch?
Early Access includes four playable heroes as of patch 0.11.57874.1: Wallace (immediate), Ruadh Stonecrusher (defeat the Banshee), Vanguard Tracker (Act II Environment 12 rescue), and Brienne Ironleg (<a href="/guides/fallen-star/">The Fallen Star</a> in the Mire). Two teaser heroes remain unobtainable.