Hidden Features in Half Sword The Game Never Explains

Half Sword has been out for just 48 hours, and the community has already uncovered tons of hidden mechanics that the game doesn't explain. From secret weapon locations to the new muscle building system, here's everything you need to know to dominate the arena.

Performance Optimization Settings

Before diving into combat tips, let's make sure your game is running smoothly. Everyone's computer is different, and the right settings can make a massive difference.

DirectX Version Selection

Switch to DX12 if your game is running poorly – this fixed the broken Slums map for many players and ensures ground textures load properly
Stay on DX11 if you're experiencing frequent crashes – it's the more stable version

DirectX Settings Menu showing DX11 and DX12 options — Switch DirectX versions in the graphics settings menu

Blood System Fixes

Disable Blood entirely if you're experiencing crashes – this has fixed stability issues for many players
AMD Users: There's a known bug where blood pools into a square grid pattern. Don't worry – this will be fixed in an upcoming patch

Paying Off Your Sins at the Seir

In the new Progression mode, every enemy you kill appears in the Abyss to seek revenge after you die. If they win, you're forced to restart your current rank with a new character. But there are ways to tilt the odds in your favor.

Pro Tip: The Pacifist Approach

Use blunt weapons to knock out enemies without killing them. This means no souls in the Abyss to fight later!

How to Visit the Seir

Go to the Tavern at night
Click on the Abyss option
Select "Payoff" to see unrested souls
Each soul costs 10 Fennings to cleanse

The Seir payoff menu showing souls that can be cleansed — Pay off souls before attempting the Tournament

Critical Strategy

Pay off ALL your souls before a Tournament. You've done all the progress to get there – don't risk losing it all to the Abyss!

Stop mutilating corpses! If you've been slicing up enemies after battle for fun, you're actually adding MORE souls to fight in the Abyss.

The Insurance System Explained

Visit the Trader in the Tavern to see the insurance option. Unlike real life, Half Sword insurance is actually a great deal.

How Insurance Works

Pay a one-time cost to insure any item
If you die and lose your gear, insured items are saved
Example: A Cuirass costs 300+ Fennings to buy, but only 127 Fennings to insure

You're essentially buying a future replacement at a massive discount. Insure your best gear before any risky battles!

Strategic Item Management

Instead of selling all your extra items, consider holding onto spares:

Example Value Calculation:

• Chest plate sells for: 16 Fennings
• Same chest plate costs to buy: 134 Fennings
• Potential loss if you die: 118 Fennings

Understanding Equipment Slot System

The equipment system can be confusing, but here's how to figure out what items work together.

Reading the Slot Indicators

In the character customizer, hover over any item to see:

Golden slots = Open and available
Red slots = Occupied or blocked
Red thorned branches = Need another item equipped first

Equipment slot system showing golden and red indicators — Red slots become available when prerequisite items are equipped

Fixing Slot Conflicts

If a slot stays red even after equipping the prerequisite item, an attachment is blocking it. Go to the Armor Crafter and remove conflicting attachments (like chains).

Can't Find the Armor Crafter?

Talk to the Tavern Master and rest. The Weapon and Armor Crafter swap positions each day.

Armor Now Dents!

A cool new visual feature: armor now shows temporary dents where it's been hit during battle. While it resets between matches, it adds great immersion to combat.

Looting & Making Money

Stripping Enemy Gear

One of the best ways to gear up early is by robbing enemies of their equipment mid-battle:

Grab the enemy with Q or E
Hold the key to pop off their armor/weapon
Keep holding to equip the item yourself
Press again to drop if it's not what you wanted

Don't Forget Your Gear!

If you drop your weapon or armor during a match, it's lost forever. Always check your inventory before ending a round!

Map Loot Locations

Some maps have hidden loot to discover:

Slums Map Treasure

• Walk across the bridge into the small village
• Find openable chests containing armor pieces, weapons, or golden goblets
• Grab goblets with E, hold to equip to belt
• Goblets sell for 37 Fennings each!

Treasure chest location in the Slums map village — Look for chests near the village buildings in the Slums

Secret Weapon Locations

The Crossbow

The only place to find a crossbow in the entire game is on the Forest map.

Location: Small wooden box beside the wagon
Spawns randomly – not every match!
Comes with only one bolt
A quiver with extra bolts may spawn nearby
Retrieve bolts by grabbing them from enemies (only works if stuck in body)

Crossbow spawn location near wagon on Forest map — Check the wooden box by the wagon on the Forest map

The Rondell Dagger (Murder Stroke Grip)

Remember that cool dagger thrust from the trailer? That special grip technique is only available with the Rondell Dagger, found on the Cellar map.

The New Muscle Progression System

If you played the demo and found Early Access feels sluggish and slow, that's by design. The new muscle system means you start weak and build strength over time.

How Muscles Work (Developer Confirmed)

A developer directly confirmed these mechanics:

"The more you play and heavier you wear, you get muscles."

When asked if it's tied to ranking up: "No."

When asked about training legs: "Jump with heavy armor."

Fastest Way to Build Muscle

Wear heavy armor at all times
Fight as much as possible
Jump frequently (hold Spacebar) to train legs
One player reported maxing muscles in 2 hours as a Beggar by brawling with no weapons

Muscle Training Tip

Muscles are NOT tied to rank. You can grind muscle training at any rank by simply fighting with heavy gear.

Hiring & Using Mercenaries

If you've started a doubles match and found yourself alone, it's because you need to hire a helping hand first.

How to Hire Mercenaries

Go to the Train menu at the top of the Tavern
Click on "Hire Muscle"
Choose from available fighters (they reset daily)
After hiring, go to the new "Mercenaries" menu in the Tavern
Click on the mercenary and select "Assign"
Their name turns yellow when assigned

Mercenary hiring menu showing available fighters — Check mercenary cost and equipment before hiring

Mercenary Tips

Higher cost = generally better, but check their gear preference
Mercenaries stick with you all day – no need to reassign each fight
In Tournaments, mercenaries appear when the fight becomes 2v2 or 3v3
Friendly fire is disabled for both teams
Getting enemies to hit each other doesn't work

Money-Saving Strategy

Hire mercenaries first thing in the morning and bring them to multiple fights throughout the day. One fight barely covers their cost!

Quick FAQ Answers

How do I unlock everything in Free Play?

Lower player damage and gore while maxing NPC damage. This lets you "cheat" through Progression mode quickly.

How do I rank up?

It's NOT the "Champion" battles. You need to fill the progress bar (visible in the gesture menu), then wait for the Tournament to appear (may take another in-game day).

What does "Bet" mean in battle selection?

That's the gold you're wagering. Lose the battle = lose that gold.

Why do I keep slipping on the Slums map?

It's a gameplay mechanic – the mud causes slipping. Stay on higher ground or on the wooden boards!

Final Thoughts

Half Sword has incredible depth hidden beneath its brutal surface. Understanding these hidden mechanics gives you a huge advantage – from knowing where to find the crossbow to gaming the soul system with blunt weapons.

For more help, check out the official Half Sword Discord where the community is constantly discovering new tips.

Now get out there and dominate the arena! 🗡️