Fields of Mistria Beginner Guide: First Week Goals & Priorities

What This Fields of Mistria Beginner Guide Covers

Fields of Mistria is an Early Access magical farm sim RPG where you inherit a farm, befriend a town, and slowly restore magic to the land. Unlike many farming games, you do not start with every tool. Your first week is about unlocking tools, earning Tessar (the game's currency, often written as "t"), and raising your Town Rank.

This guide gives you a concrete first-week plan, tells you which resources matter most, and highlights the mistakes that waste the most time. It is based on community guides and player experience from Early Access, so some details may change with future updates.

Starting Goals: What to Accomplish in Your First 7 Days

Your first week has five clear goals. If you hit all of them, you will be in a strong position for the rest of Spring.

Your Town Rank is the single most important long-term meter. You raise it by selling items, donating to the museum, and completing requests. Every rank-up gives rewards you collect from the chest next to the Request Board.

First Steps: Your First 10–30 Minutes

When you wake up on Spring Day 1, you have only your sword and a trail mix. You will receive the Hoe from Celine and the Watering Can from Hayden during the opening scenes. The Watering Can never runs out of water, which is a notable quality-of-life feature.

Do these things in order:

1. Save your game using the Diary next to your bed. The Diary lets you save mid-day without ending the day. This is not explained unless you interact with it.
2. Take the house tour if you want; it is optional but shows you the fireplace and calendar.
3. Plant your starting seeds in the tilled plots near your house. Water them.
4. Forage everything you see. Flowers, berries, and other wild goods sell for useful early Tessar.
5. Talk to every villager you meet. They will appear on your map afterward, making them easier to find later.
6. Visit the Request Board next to the General Store. Accept every request, even if you cannot complete it immediately. Requests do not expire.

One setting change is worth making immediately: bind "Use Tool Repeatedly" to your left mouse button. This lets you hold the button to keep using your hoe or watering can instead of clicking repeatedly.

Tool Unlock Order: What You Get and When

Fields of Mistria does not hand you all tools at once. Here is the exact order based on the source material:

Money-saving option for the shovel and fishing rod: According to the Steam community guide, you can skip buying the base tools entirely. Wait until you unlock the mines, collect copper, and craft the Copper versions directly. You do not need the base tool to craft the upgraded version. This saves you 1,000t total.

Resource Priority: What to Collect and What to Save

Not all resources are equal in the first week. Here is what to prioritize:

High Priority

• Wood and Stone: You need 60 of each for the bridge repair. Start collecting on Day 1 and do not stop until you have them.
• Shells on the beach: The beach on the southwest side of town has shells that sell for around 20t each. This is a reliable early income source.
• Dig spots: Small mounds appear around town. Hit them with your pickaxe or shovel. They contain artifacts and resources you can donate to the museum.
• Lilacs: You need one for Juniper's "Stinky Stamina Potion" request on Day 5. They are usually found on the western side of the map near the chicken shrine.

Medium Priority

• Forageables: Sell extras after you have donated one of each to the museum.
• Fish and bugs: Useful for money and museum donations, but not urgent in the first two days.
• Crops: Ship one of each crop you grow. The next day you will receive a recipe in the mail for that crop.

Save, Do Not Sell

• Anything with a museum donation icon: The game clearly marks items that can be donated. Donate the first one you find before selling extras.
• Seasonal crops: You need to donate some seasonal crops to the museum. Check the museum wing silhouettes to see which ones are missing.
• Essence orbs: These purple orbs appear randomly as you do activities. You spend them at Dragon Shrines on skill perks. Do not ignore them.

Upgrade Path: The Order That Saves You the Most Time

Follow this upgrade order for the smoothest first week:

1. Inventory Upgrade (1,000t) — Buy First

Your starting inventory is only 10 slots. The General Store sells a bag upgrade for 1,000t that adds 10 more slots. This is the single best purchase in the early game. You will make the money back faster because you can carry more forageables, fish, and resources per trip.

2. Bridge Repair (60 Wood + 60 Stone) — Do Before Buying Tools

The bridge repair unlocks the Saturday Market, which has rotating stock of furniture, clothing, recipes, and hairstyles. The market vendors change items every week, so missing a week means missing items you may not see again for a long time. Collect the materials and repair the bridge as soon as you can.

3. Fishing Rod vs. Shovel — Buy One, Skip the Other

If you are following the money-saving advice above, skip both purchases and craft Copper versions later. If you want one early, buy the fishing rod. Fishing gives steady income and access to dive spots that contain artifacts and resources. The shovel only expands your farmable area and accesses dig spots, which you can also hit with your pickaxe.

4. Town Rank to Stone (Level 10) — Your Week 1 Capstone

Reach Stone rank to unlock the mines. You will get a letter from Eiland on Spring Day 6 starting this quest. The museum curator will not reopen the mines until you reach Stone rank. Focus on selling items, donating to the museum, and completing requests to get there. Players report reaching it around Day 8.

5. First Perk: Sunken Secrets (Archaeology)

Once you unlock skill perks through the dragon dream on Day 2 night, the most valuable early perk is Sunken Secrets from the Archaeology category. It unlocks the ability to find sunken artifacts from dive spots. This opens a whole new category of museum donations and treasures.

Free Stamina Sources (Use These Every Day)

Stamina management is a real constraint in the first week. Here is every free or cheap source from the source material:

Important detail: The free soup only helps if your stamina is at least 20 points below full. If you eat it at full stamina, you waste it.

Common Mistakes That Cost You Time

These are the mistakes players report making in their first week. Avoid them and you will stay ahead of the curve.

Mistake 1: Buying the Shovel and Fishing Rod Before the Inventory Upgrade

The 1,000t inventory upgrade pays for itself immediately. The shovel and fishing rod cost 500t each and can be delayed or replaced with crafted Copper versions. If you have to choose, buy the inventory upgrade first.

Mistake 2: Ignoring the Quest Board

The Request Board next to the General Store has new requests daily. They do not expire, so you can accept them all at once. They reward Tessar, recipes, tools, and clothing. Checking it every day is one of the highest-return activities in the game.

Mistake 3: Selling Everything Without Donating to the Museum

Museum donations raise your Town Rank, which unlocks the mines. Many items have a clear donation icon. If you sell the first one you find, you may have to wait days to find another. Donate first, sell extras.

Mistake 4: Not Using the Diary to Save Mid-Day

The Diary next to your bed saves your game without ending the day. If you only have 15 minutes to play, use the Diary instead of losing progress or being forced to finish the day.

Mistake 5: Clearing Your Farm Instead of Jumping Over Debris

You can jump in Fields of Mistria. You can also swim. You do not need to clear every rock and branch to get around. Jump over debris, swim across rivers, and save your stamina for activities that matter. This is one of the biggest differences from other farming sims.

Mistake 6: Forgetting That Crafting Takes In-Game Time

Crafting at town stations takes real in-game time. You cannot queue a recipe and walk away. If you start crafting too late in the day, you will pass out. Do your crafting early or after you finish your outdoor tasks.

Mistake 7: Not Building Fences Around Your Crops

Debris and weeds respawn on your farm over time, including on your tilled plots. Craft fences at the carpenter's bench (10 wood each) and surround your crops. You can jump over the fences, so they do not block your movement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important thing to do on Day 1 in Fields of Mistria?

Save your game with the Diary, plant your starting seeds, forage everything you can, and start collecting wood and stone for the bridge repair. Also accept every request from the Request Board.

How do I unlock the mines in Fields of Mistria?

You receive a letter from Eiland on Spring Day 6. You must raise your Town Rank to Stone (Level 10) by selling items, donating to the museum, and completing requests. Players report reaching this around Day 8.

Should I buy the shovel or the fishing rod first?

Neither, if you can wait. Craft Copper versions of both tools after unlocking the mines to save 1,000t. If you must buy one early, the fishing rod provides better income and access to dive spots.

What is the fastest way to make money in the first week?

Collect shells on the beach (about 20t each), complete Request Board quests, and sell forageables after donating one of each to the museum. Save your first 1,000t for the inventory upgrade.

How do I get free stamina in Fields of Mistria?

Eat the free soup at the Sleeping Dragon Inn once per day (20 stamina), complete Juniper's request for five free bathhouse visits, and find the fountain in the Deep Woods after breaking the boulder with a Copper Pickaxe.

What to Do Next

You have completed your first week. Now you need a plan for the rest of Spring. Two guides will help you continue:

• Fields of Mistria Guide — Covers the full game mechanics, including crafting stations, skill perks, and the Saturday Market rotation.
• Fields of Mistria Year 1 Guide — A season-by-season plan for Spring through Winter, including mining progression and ranching unlocks.

Sources

• 50 Beginner Tips & Tricks for Fields of Mistria (YouTube)
• 15 Beginner Tips & Tricks for Fields of Mistria (Steam Community Guide)

Related Fields of Mistria Guides

• Fields of Mistria Guide: 15 Essential Tips for Your First Season