15 Tips and Tricks for Surviving Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Image Credit: PlaySide, Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Surviving in Age of Darkness is no walk in the park—it’s more like sprinting through a forest fire while being chased by wolves. But don’t worry, with these tips, you’ll stand a better chance of keeping your torches lit and your walls standing.
1. Explore, Expand, Defend
The core loop of this game is simple:
Explore the map to find resources and good spots for defense.
Expand your base to secure those resources.
Defend your life (and your fragile sanity) when the Nightmares show up.
Repeat this process until you win or you’re overwhelmed. Either way, you’ll learn something—like how to cry quietly while rebuilding.
2. Always Be Looking for Resources
At the start of the game, send your units out to scout for:
Stone deposits for building and upgrades.
Fertile land for farms.
Choke points for defenses (nature’s free walls).
Leave one or two soldiers at your Keep while the rest scout. Losing your HQ five minutes in is… not ideal.
3. Build Outposts (And Don't Get Attached)
In Age of Darkness, buildings don’t need to be connected to a main power grid. This means you can slap down an outpost over faraway resources.
Post guards there, but don’t overcommit.
If the Death Night swarm targets your outpost, dismantle it before it’s destroyed and retreat your guards. Rebuild after the chaos.
4. Keep the Map Lit
Nightmares love spawning in foggy areas, even ones you’ve already explored. Build torches along roads and near key locations to keep the fog (and the monsters) at bay. Bonus: It makes your map look less terrifying.
5. Layer Your Walls
One wall layer isn’t going to cut it during a Death Night. Build multiple layers, but don’t go overboard—you still need to kill enemies to end the wave. Keep some gaps or add towers for ranged units to shoot from.
6. Use Scratching Posts
A “scratching post” is a disconnected wall chunk placed in front of your main defenses.
It distracts Nightmares, giving your units more time to attack.
Later, you can unlock the Ignite ability to turn these traps into flaming death zones.
7. Heroes Are Your MVPs
Your hero is an unstoppable juggernaut (well, mostly). Level them up by sending them into fights early and often. They gain powerful abilities—like Edwin’s Flame Shield—that can make a huge difference in tough battles.
8. Spend Those Resources
Hoarding resources in your storage doesn’t win battles. Spend them on:
Structures.
Upgrades.
Troops.
Got excess resources? Use a Trade Bazaar to sell what you don’t need and buy what you do.
9. Train Units Nonstop
Your troops will die. A lot. Always keep units in training to replace losses. Build multiple Training Halls to speed up production and ensure each outpost has its own reinforcements.
10. Hotkeys Save Lives
Memorize hotkeys for quick orders.
B opens the build menu.
Assign numbers to unit groups for fast access.
This small habit can save you precious seconds during chaotic moments.
11. Keep Ranged Units Behind Walls
Archers and Hunters can shoot over walls, so don’t let them play hero. Stick them behind defenses or in towers to stay safe while dealing damage.
12. Build Roads and Light for Emergencies
During Death Nights, Death Fog will cover unlit areas, killing anyone caught in it. Protect roads with torches and light sources so you can move troops safely between outposts.
13. Spread Out Your Defenses
Don’t put all your eggs (or soldiers) in one basket. If you over-fortify your Keep and ignore outposts, your economy will collapse when those outposts fall. Protect critical spots and accept you can’t save everything.
14. Level Up Troops Early
Get your units fighting small groups of Nightmares early to level them up. Higher-level units are tougher, hit harder, and are much more effective during big battles.
15. Keep Idle Villagers Around
It’s tempting to keep every Villager working, but a few idle hands can save you in emergencies. Need a new tower or a fresh batch of soldiers? Idle Villagers can jump into action without waiting for new Dwellings to be built.
Final Blurb
Age of Darkness: Final Stand is a brutal test of strategy and patience. With these tips, you’ll survive longer, build smarter, and maybe—just maybe—turn back the tide of Nightmares. Or, at the very least, go down swinging.
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