Ways of Alchemy – A Guide to Using Cluttered Shack, Cards, Trading, and more

Beginner’s guide to Ways of Alchemy: learn how to use the Cluttered Shack, manage cards, trade in the Market, hire from the Adventurers’ Guild, handle artifacts, reputation, and master pro tips for faster progress.

Beginner’s Guide to Ways of Alchemy

When you begin the game, you will see only two cards on the table. This is normal — it’s the very start of your alchemical journey.

Open the Letter and place your Alchemist inside.
You will receive the Cluttered Shack card and get your Alchemist back.
Keep checking the Shack repeatedly until you have collected everything from it.

💡 Tip: you don’t need to open the full card window every time. Click the small arrow in the bottom-left corner to collect items quickly.

What you’ll get from the Shack:

• 🗺️ Land cards
• 📜 Potion recipe cards
• 🪙 Bronze coins
• 🌱 Turnip seeds
• 🍲 Pot card
• 📖 Locked book
• 🪓 Nana’s Sickle (your first artifact)
• 🔵 First blue card (location): Road to the City

🌟 Pro Tip

Fully clear the Cluttered Shack before moving on — those early items set up your entire progression and give you a strong foundation.

🎴 Card Types Explained

In Ways of Alchemy, almost everything is represented as a card. The color tells you what kind of interaction to expect.

• 🟩 Green cards – Working stations (places where you produce, craft, or process items).
• 🔵 Blue cards – Locations to travel.
  • 🌐 Light blue = Trading stations (Market, Pharmacy, etc.).
  • 🌌 Dark blue = Exploration locations where you can send adventurers.
• 🟧 Orange cards – Artifacts (special items that characters can equip).
• 📜 Recipe cards – Unlock new potions, stations, or upgrades.
• 🪙 Coin cards – Your money (bronze, silver, gold).

There are also other card types that you’ll discover later in the game. Don’t worry — their role is usually clear from the description on the card itself.

💡 Pro Tip

Check Road to the City several times. It unlocks many important places early on:

• 💊 Pharmacy
• ⚔️ Adventurers’ Guild
• 🏪 Market
• 📐 Surveyor
• 🏙️ City Streets
• 🌲 Forest Edge
• 🌊 River

💰 Trading and the Market

Trading is one of the key mechanics in Ways of Alchemy. At first it may feel confusing, but once you learn how the coin slots work, it becomes simple.

🏪 The Market

The Market has three slots: Materials, Seeds, and Food.
Place your coins into one of these slots.
What you get depends on the amount and type of coins.
The result is shown in the text box on the left before you confirm.
💡 Tip: Later in the game, try combining different coins. You’ll unlock more valuable options.

🪙 Coins

• 🟤 Bronze – basic currency.
• ⚪ Silver – worth 4 bronze.
• 🟡 Gold – worth 4 silver (16 bronze).

Click on a coin to see its value in the tooltip (top-right).

⚔️ Adventurers’ Guild

Works in a similar way to the Market.
There are four types of workers available.
Who you can hire depends on how much you pay.
The strongest adventurers usually cost 3–4 silver coins.
💡 Pro Tip: Don’t rush to spend all your money. Sometimes saving up for a silver coin or two gives you much better opportunities at the Guild.

🗡️ Artifacts and Adventures

Artifacts and adventures go hand in hand in Ways of Alchemy. They’re the main way to progress the story, unlock new mechanics, and gather rare resources.

💍 Artifacts

• Each character can equip only one artifact at a time.
• You can swap artifacts anytime.
• Artifacts boost specific parameters and are often critical for adventures.
• Best used on: your Alchemist or hired Adventurers.

🌌 Adventures

Dark blue cards = adventure locations.
Only characters with the required parameters can go there.
Rewards often include:

• 📜 New potion or station recipes
• 🏭 New working stations
• 📖 Books with recipes
• 💍 New artifacts
• 🌱 Seeds and rare items

📚 Library Locations

Sometimes you’ll find special library cards with maps to new areas.
You can study them until all unique sub-locations are unlocked.
After that, the card will always generate the same standard location.
That standard location gives a fixed set of basic resources typical for its region.
💡 In short: library maps first unlock new places, then turn into renewable farming spots for resources.

⚠️ Adventure Events

Don’t close the adventure window after sending someone.
Random events may trigger that need quick decisions.
Most events require a potion.
High enough parameters can sometimes replace potion use.

💀 Failure Outcomes

• Adventurer may return injured.
• They might bring back some loot.
• Or nothing at all.
• Worst case: the adventurer dies.

🌟 Pro Tip

Before every adventure, check the required parameters, equip artifacts wisely, and prepare potions. Always fully deplete Library maps — afterwards they become permanent farming spots for reliable resources.

⚖️ Reputation System

In Ways of Alchemy, your reputation is tracked by two values: Exculpation (good) and Inculpation (bad). They show how the Crown and its agents (Inquisition, Tax Collectors) see you.
If your bad reputation is higher than your good reputation by 10 points, you will be imprisoned.

👀 The Inquisitor

On his first visit — don’t panic.
He only punishes you if he finds illegal items:

• 🩸 Human corpse cards
• ☠️ Potions with the Poison parameter

Early in the game, you usually won’t have these.

🕵️ Dealing with Contraband

• Sell it quickly at the Market or Pharmacy.
• Hide items with special cards (available later).
• Or… drink them yourself 😅.
• Some buyers may accept them too.

👑 Crown Orders

The Inquisitor gives you a Crown Order for potions during the first visit.
Complete it and return it to the Inquisitor or a Tax Collector.
Rewards include:

• 🪙 Money
• ⭐ Good reputation points
• 📜 Skipping a tax collection (if returned to the collector)

🌟 Pro Tip

Keep your Exculpation higher than Inculpation. Crown Orders are the safest way to build reputation and earn money at the same time.

✨ Tips & Tricks

A few small things that can make your alchemical life much easier:

🌱 Farming & Resources

• 💧 Water can be used as fertilizer (value 1). Compost has value 3, but water still works in most cases.
• 🌤️ Weather cards: click the palm button at the top-center of the screen to see the current weather.
• 🌧️ Rain can often replace water buckets. Some plants require specific weather.

🥕 Turnips Forever

• 🍽️ Food for your Alchemist.
• 🎒 Supplies for adventurers.
• 🧪 Ingredient in potions.

Turnips are your bread, your soul, and your elixir of life. Don’t forget to check the turnip growing guide for efficiency.

⚙️ Stations & Upgrades

Upgrade your working stations whenever you find recipes.
Upgraded stations give more output and speed up progress.

🧑‍🔬 Character Management

• Watch Hunger and Energy (Energy only applies to Alchemist).
• Feed them and let them rest in the Shack when needed.
• Injured adventurers should be given time to recover.

🐿️🐕 Reputation Events

• Maria the neighbor – don’t ignore her! She’s not only a hottie but always brings something useful. Help her and you’ll get good rewards.
• Injured squirrel – you can give her a tulip, or if you send a skilled character, she’ll return with simple materials without extra help. Try different gifts to see how loot changes. (See also Squirrel pet guide.)
• Stray dog – if you meet it with a knife equipped, you’ll get an animal corpse. It’s always useful to have one on hand 😏.

🧪 Potions & Leveling

• Always keep some potions ready before sending adventurers – the deeper you go, the stronger potions are required.
• Don’t forget to level up with special potions. You’ll get your first recipe early.
• Brew it and choose which of the 5 parameters to boost – that defines your skill path.
• Each path unlocks new unique abilities.
  Example: I went Necromancy first and now I have a ghost servant fetching water FOREVER ehehehe.

⏳ Time Control

A full day lasts about 150 seconds.
Use Auto-Pause – it stops time whenever a character finishes a task.
Or pause manually to plan your next moves.

🌟 Pro Tip

If you ever feel stuck, re-check your Cluttered Shack and Road to the City. Often they’ll give you new recipes, cards, or upgrades you might have missed.

By Kaban Kabanych

• Turret Girls – A Guide to Creating Your First Mod
• Last Epoch – How to Build a Powerful Shadow Dagger Rogue
• Discounty Walkthrough – A Guide to Days 35, 36 & 37
• Discounty Walkthrough – A Guide to Days 29, 30 & 31
• Discounty Walkthrough – A Guide to Days 21 & 22
• Discounty Walkthrough – A Guide to Day 20
• Discounty Walkthrough – A Guide to Days 16 & 17