Beginner's Guide and What to do During Early Game

This is a beginner's guide for Fate/Grand Order (FGO). It covers what to do in the early game, how to build a party, how to add friends, and the battle mechanics of FGO.

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Beginner Guide	Part 1 Road Map

Early Game To-Do List & Progression for Beginners

Clear the Tutorial

Follow the on-screen prompts to clear the battle. Prioritize using Altria's Cards, as she deals more damage as a ★5 Servant.

Pull the Tutorial Summon

You are guaranteed to get at least one ★4 Servant and one ★4 Craft Essence (CE). It is not possible to get a ★5 Servant from this banner, but you can get multiple ★4 cards (both Servants and CEs).

Clear Fuyuki

Since the Fuyuki chapter is the prologue, it's recommended to clear it quickly to get a guaranteed ★5 Servant from the Special Summon. None of the battles are particularly difficult, but you can borrow a Berserker to clear nodes faster.

Borrow Powerful Servants Using the Follow Feature

The Follow system is a feature that allows you to borrow another player's Servants without them needing to accept your Friend Request first. You can follow up to three players, but this feature is only available during Part 1 of the main story. This means that after clearing the final chapter of Part 1, you will no longer be able to use the Follow feature.

▼How to Clear the Story by Relying on Follows

Obtain a ★5 Servant via Special Summon

Recommended Target Servants

Recommended Supporters
	Zhuge Liang Cards: BAAAQ / NP: Arts Support Brief Evaluation - The most recommended servant - Highly versatile and pairs well with anyone - Can provide 50% NP charge even without skill leveling
	Jeanne d'Arc Cards: BAAAQ / NP: Arts Support Brief Evaluation - Can protect the entire party with her NP - Provides 20% NP to all allies after strengthening
	Tamamo-no-Mae Cards: BAAAQ / NP: Arts Support Brief Evaluation - Excellent synergy with Arts attackers - The lack of NP charge on skills is a drawback
	Jinako (Ganesha) Cards: BAAAQ / NP: Arts AoE Brief Evaluation - Advanced-level supporter - Possesses attractive damage buffs against specific enemies - Can protect allies with Invincibility and Target Focus
Recommended Attackers
	Vlad III Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Arts Single Brief Evaluation - Has a 30% NP charge - High damage and easy to spam NP - Even stronger when paired with Altria Caster.
	Cu Chulainn (Alter) Cards: BBBAQ / NP: Buster Single Brief Evaluation - High survivability due to Evade skill - Powerful normal attacks with 3 Buster cards
	Nikola Tesla Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Buster AoE Brief Evaluation - Has a 50% NP charge - Deals high damage to certain types of Servants
	Altria Pendragon (Lancer) Cards: BBAQQ / NP: Buster AoE Brief Evaluation - Has a 50% NP charge - Excellent at supporting ally damage
	Enkidu Cards: BAQQQ / NP: Buster Single Brief Evaluation - Has a 50% NP charge - Superior NP that can Stun certain enemies
	Ozymandias Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Buster Single Brief Evaluation - Can provide 20% NP to the entire party - High versatility with high damage and durability

Start Dash Gacha If You Want A Specific Servant

Pulling on the Start Dash Gacha guarantees a ★5 Servant, which is amazing for your early game progress. The Servant you receive from this gacha is random, but it is a decent option if you are aiming for a specific Servant you like.

Enhance a ★5 Servant via Special Ascension

A Servant Can Be Raised to Final Ascension

Using Special Ascension on a Servant will instantly upgrade them to their Final Ascension and set them to the minimum level for that Ascension. This feature is unlocked after finishing the tutorial, but it can only be used once and expires after 90 days.

Recommended Servants for Special Ascension

There are no specific recommendations, so you can use it on any ★5 Servant you own. Welfare Servants obtained from Events and Mash cannot be used for Special Ascension.

Navigate to Special Ascension Menu

To access the Special Ascension menu, go to Enhance > Special Ascension. Select the Servant you want to use it on, then tap Enhance and OK to complete the process.

Progress the Main Story

Begin clearing the main story up to what your roster can handle. Don't forget to enhance your Servants regularly to prevent setbacks.

▼Why Progress the Main Story?

Join Events If You Are Able To

While clearing the main story gives you Saint Quartz for summoning, limited-time events provide many materials, some of which you may not be able to farm yet. There's also a chance to get free ★4 Servants as event rewards.

Train your Servants

Leveling your Servants and upgrading their Skills will help in clearing story stages. You can also choose to level up Craft Essences but they only give smaller boosts compared to Servant Enhancements.

Log In Every Day

Logging in every day rewards you with various materials and Saint Quartz, so be sure to log in daily without fail.

Clear Daily Missions

Make sure to complete at least three quests daily to finish the Daily Missions. They reward you with 30 Mana Prisms, 3 Exchange Tickets for Materials (which rotate monthly), and 30 Evocation Leaves that can be used to buy Welfare (★4) Servants and their special enhancement materials.

Use the Daily Free Friend Point (FP) Summon

You can get Servants and enhancement materials from the Friend Point Summon, so make sure to do your free daily 10-pull.

Why Progress the Main Story?

Gacha Currency and Materials as Rewards

Story Quests grant Saint Quartz and its fragments as rewards. They also provide various materials. The further you progress, the more Pure Prisms and materials for Skill Enhancement and Ascension you will obtain.

Some Materials are Story-Locked

While you can exchange for materials that are locked behind story progress, you can only get a limited amount from the shop. It's recommended to advance the story to unlock the Free Quests where you can farm them.

Unlocks Event Participation

Events have story completion requirements. Some have relatively lighter requirements (Part 1 only) but recent events included Part 2 clear requirements.

How to Build a Party

Party Formation has Cost Limits

When creating a party, there is a cost limit that restricts which Servants and Craft Essences you can use. Your Master Level (account level) determines your maximum cost.

The lower the rarity, the lower the cost. Some Servants and Craft Essences have different costs from those in the table, such as Mash (0 cost) and some event ★4 CEs (5 cost or lower).

Include Attackers with Class Advantage

Before entering a combat node, you can see the enemy classes. Bring attackers with class advantage to deal more damage. It's okay for supports to have a class disadvantage, but if you need them to survive longer, bring neutral-affinity Servants instead.

Check Class Affinity At Party Setup Page

You can check class advantages on the party setup page by pressing the 'Class Affinity' button. Effective arrows mean a class has an advantage against the target class, while Resist arrows mean it has a disadvantage.

Borrow Servants via Support

Double Servant setups are often used for looping purposes. You can also choose to borrow an Attacker if the quest doesn't need looping teams.

Proactively Send Friend Requests and Follows

Frequently send Friend Requests to players whose Servants you've borrowed. Since both your and other players' friend lists have over 100 slots, and lending Servants rewards the owner with Friend Points (FP), they are likely to accept. The Follow feature can be used for players with particularly powerful and useful Servants.

Include Supporters Compatible with your Attacker

When forming a party, include supports who can buff your attacker's Noble Phantasm card type. While general attack buffers are useful, card type buffers are often better.

Equip Craft Essences

In addition to Servants, it's important to equip Craft Essences. CEs that provide a starting NP charge are great for the early game. You can also use CEs with specific effects if you need them to counter an enemy mechanic or deal more damage.

Mystic Codes (Master Uniforms) Can Also Be Changed

You can set the Mystic Code for each battle. Every Mystic Code comes with three skills that have a long cooldown (CD) and can be difficult to level up. Depending on their effects, they can be used to elevate your Servant's performance.

Counter Quest Mechanics/Gimmicks

Certain quests have unique gimmicks involving party formation. For example, some quests shuffle your frontline and backline, making a frontline-only team desirable. Others can affect Servants based on their traits.

How to Register Friends and Follow Users

Differences between Friends and Follows

Aside from the duration limit and adding process, Friends and Follows are very similar. However, unlike friends, a player you follow cannot borrow your Servants.

How to Add And Use Friends/Follows

Use User Search

In the Friends menu, you can search for a player's account to send a Friend Request or to Follow them. You'll need their User ID to find their account.

Use Support Servants and Add Them After Combat

Another way to add friends or follow players is to borrow their Servant from the pre-battle support screen and then send a Friend Request or follow them after the battle.

Find Friends on Discord!

Join the FGO Discord!

Set up your Support Formation

Remember to set up your Support Formation, even as a new player. While veteran players don't mind adding newcomers, filling out your Support roster helps your account look more established and less like a throwaway.

Earn FP When Used as Support

You earn Friend Points (FP) when other players use your Support Servants, or when you use another player's Support Servant.

Battle Flow and Basic Knowledge

How to Read the Battle Screen

Battle Progression and Flow

Battles in FGO generally follow the flow shown in the table above. Some boss fights have the boss debuff your team or use other gimmicks, but you can cleanse these effects with the right Servants.

Types and Features of Command Cards

Card	Features
Buster	- Red-colored card - High damage potential - Selecting it first grants a Damage Up bonus to all selected cards
Arts	- Blue-colored card - Easier to gain NP - Selecting it first grants an NP Gain bonus to all selected cards
Quick	- Green-colored card - Gains Critical Stars and some NP - Selecting it first grants +20% Critical Rate to all selected cards - Selecting it first also grants a Star Gen bonus to all selected cards

Command Card Chains

Chains are bonus effects triggered by selecting specific Command Card combinations. Selecting three cards from the same Servant activates a Brave Chain and grants an Extra Attack, while selecting three of the same card type activates bonuses based on that card type.

List of Card Chains and Effects

Chain	Effect/Features
Buster Chain	- Triggered by 3 Buster cards - Increases attack of all cards - This bonus does not apply to NP cards - Best for aiming for raw damage
Arts Chain	- Triggered by 3 Arts cards - Grants 20% NP to all Servants in the chain - Best for building NP gauges to use Noble Phantasms
Quick Chain	- Triggered by 3 Quick cards - Grants 20 Critical Stars - Best for aiming for critical hits on the next turn
Mighty Chain	- Triggered by selecting one of each card type (Buster, Arts, and Quick) - Activates all 1st card bonuses (B, A, and Q) - Recommended for using specific cards effectively
Brave Chain	- Triggered by selecting 3 cards of the same Servant - Activates an Extra Attack at the end - Can be triggered simultaneously with other chains

How to Use Noble Phantasms

Noble Phantasms can be activated once a Servant’s NP Gauge reaches 100%. Charging beyond 100% or using multiple Noble Phantasms in the same chain increases Overcharge (OC), enhancing certain NP effects. NP Levels from duplicate Servants increase NP damage or effect strength separately from Overcharge.

How to Deal Critical Damage

Critical Damage is dealt by attacking with cards that consume Critical Stars. Critical attacks deal increased damage and generate more NP Gain, making them an important source of damage for many Servants.

How to Use Command Spells and Their Effects

Command Spells are limited-use battle resources. One spell can be used to fully charge a Servant’s NP gauge or fully restore their HP. Three spells can be used to revive your entire party with full HP and NP. One Command Spell is restored each day.

How to Continue

Upon losing a battle, the “Continue” screen appears and gives you two options: use 3 Command Spells or use Saint Quartz. Select either option to revive your party and resume the fight from where you left off.

Take Full Advantage of Leyline Stones

When Leyline Stones are available, feel free to use them to revive your party in difficult fights to help you progress through the story.

How to Clear the Story by Relying on Follows

First, Follow Someone with a Powerful Berserker

Find a player with a Level 120, NP5 Berserker-class Servant. The Berserker class is often a good choice as they have class advantage against most other classes. However, Berserkers are also fragile and take increased damage in return.

Recommended Servants to Follow

	Arjuna (Alter) (★5) Cards: BBBAQ / NP: Buster (AoE) Evaluation - Can deal powerful damage against most enemies. - Easy to keep alive with his Guts self-buff. - Has a 30% NP charge.
	Morgan (★5) Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Buster (AoE) Evaluation - High support capability for the party. - Easy to keep alive with her Guts self-buff. - Has a 50% NP charge.
	Summer Altria Caster (★5) Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Arts (Single Target) Evaluation - Provides protection to the party while attacking with NP. - Has a 70% NP charge. - Best against Single Target enemies.

Ideal to have a 100% NP Charge CE equipped

In order to use their NP immediately, the Servants listed above are best if equipped with the following Maximum Limit Broken (MLB) CEs:

Kaleidoscope

Great Marshal of Magic

Support the Borrowed Servant in Battle

Support the borrowed Servant with your own Servants that can provide buffs or NP charge. If you have Servants who can buff the borrowed Servant's NP card type, use them to increase their damage.

Protect the Attacker if the Enemy is Strong

If the borrowed Servant is likely to be defeated, protect them with skills like Target Focus, Evade, or Invincibility.

Target Focus is highly recommended since many low-rarity Servants have it.

Recommended Servants with Target Focus

	Mash (★3-4) Cards: BBAAQ / NP: Arts (Support) Evaluation - Servant that everyone has. - Has a 1-Turn Target Focus. - Can provide protection using Invincibility or Defense buffs.
	Leonidas (★2) Cards: BBAQQ / NP: Buster (Support) Evaluation - Obtainable via Friend Point Summon. - Has a 1-Turn Target Focus via Skill and 3-Turn Target Focus via NP. - Can provide Buster buffs for damage support.
	Georgios (★2) Cards: BAAQQ / NP: Arts (Single Target) Evaluation - Obtainable via Friend Point Summon. - Has a 3-Turn Target Focus via Skill. - High durability due to Guts and HP recovery.
	Chen Gong (★2) Cards: BAAAQ / NP: Arts (AoE) Evaluation - Obtainable via Friend Point Summon. - Can grant Target Focus on an ally for 1 turn via Skill. - Has a 10% NP charge for the party. - Has a powerful Buster buff.

What to Do When You Can't Win

Determine Why You Lost

If you can't clear a quest, try to analyze why you lost. If the enemy's attacks are too powerful, try bringing defensively-oriented Servants. If you could have won by using a Noble Phantasm, bring Support Servants that can charge NP gauges. Your strategy will change completely depending on the reason for your defeat.

Build a Party Formed Around the Quest

Class affinity is incredibly important in FGO combat. When you have a class advantage, you deal more damage and take less damage, which gives you a massive upper hand. The enemy classes are displayed in the upper-left corner of the party formation screen, so use this as a reference when building your team.

Tip!	When multiple enemy class icons are lined up, classes appearing further to the left tend to appear as the stronger boss enemies in the quest.

Try Changing Your Support Servant

Borrowing a more powerful Support from your friends list is the quickest way to instantly upgrade your combat strength.

▲How to Clear Content by Relying on Supports

The Baseline Setup: Advantageous Attacker + Supporters

A fundamental party composition consists of "an attacker with a class advantage against the quest's enemies" and "supporters who synergize well with that attacker." The core strategy is to buff a powerful attacker to deal massive damage, so keep that in mind when building a party.

Tip!	You can use the Order Change skill from the "Chaldea Combat Uniform" Mystic Code to stack even more buffs on your main attacker by swapping them with backline Servants. Learn more about buff stacking below:

How to Do Buff Stacking using Order Change

Buff stacking is a strategy that relies on supports who can stall while also buffing the attacker. You can use multiple layers of supports, but ensure they can survive long enough. If they are defeated too early, your main attacker will return to the field before you can re-apply buffs.

Plan Against Quest Gimmicks

In high-difficulty battles, special skills may trigger at the start of the battle or when an enemy's HP bar breaks. Enemies might suddenly use their Noble Phantasm or spam Evade to avoid damage. You can look up battle strategies in advance to prepare countermeasures.

Tip!	Countering every gimmick is difficult, so prioritize planning against the most dangerous effects like instant NP charge, Ignore Invincibility, or frequent Evades.

Level Up and Enhance Your Servants

If you haven't raised Servants suitable for the quest, start by leveling them up and performing Ascension. Once they hit their max level, they can reliably contribute to your combat strength.

Upgrade Skill Levels

When you enhance a Servant's skills and raise their level, the skill's effects become stronger. Furthermore, upgrading a skill to Lv. 6 and Lv. 10 reduces its cooldown by 1 turn each. In long, high-difficulty quests, the benefit of reduced cooldowns is just as significant as the boosted skill effects.

Tip!	Effects that scale with Skill Level are indicated by the [Lv. 1] notation within the skill's description text.

Clear Rank Up Quests and Interludes

Servants can have Rank Up Quests and Interludes that provide buffs to enhance their Skills or Noble Phantasm. Some of these buffs can include NP Charge effects or Special Attack modifiers that can greatly boost their performance.

Unlock and Upgrade Append Skills

Skill 1 All Classes	Extra Attack Performance Up Increases Extra Attack card performance by 30%–50%.
Skill 2 All Classes	Mana Loading Starts the battle with 10%–20% NP Gauge already filled.
Skill 3 Non-Berserker	Anti-[Specific Class] Attack Aptitude Increases attack power against a [Specific Class] by 20%–30%.
Skill 3 Berserker	Critical Star Receive Tolerance Increases Critical Damage Resistance against a [Specific Class] by 20%–30%.

Servants possess three types of Append Skills. In particular, Mana Loading is the best Append Skill to unlock first since it allows you to start battles with a partially charged NP gauge. Especially for certain NP looping team comps, Mana Loading is essential.

Select Appropriate Craft Essences (CE)

For the Craft Essences equipped to your attacker, choose effects that compensate for what your supporters lack. If you lack NP batteries, use a starting NP charge CE. If you need a specific effect to counter a gimmick, use a CE that provides it. If all bases are covered, use a damage-boosting CE instead.

Give Supporters Defensive or Utility Support CEs

For your Support Servants, equip Craft Essences focused on survivability or effects that assist your Attacker (such as granting Critical Stars upon entering the field). Additionally, if a Supporter's own Noble Phantasm is vital to your survival strategy, giving them an NP Charge CE is highly recommended.

When Effects are Similar, Decide Based on Stats

If you have multiple CEs that offer similar effects, choose between them based on their raw stat adjustments. If you want to maximize your damage output, pick the one with higher raw ATK. If you want to squeeze out a bit more survivability, equip the one with higher raw HP.

Ask for Advice on Discord

If you're struggling with specific quests, we recommend joining our Discord server to ask for advice from experienced players!

Join the FGO Discord!

▲Return to TOC

Related Articles

Articles to Read First When You Start

Beginner's Guide and What to do During Early Game

Part 1 Roadmap for Main Story & Walkthrough

Game Systems You Should Know

Noble Phantasm Guide - How to Use and Charge	Fou Guide - How to Use and Obtain
Critical Hit and Stars Guide - How to Obtain and Effects	Command Card and Chains Guide
Enemy Gimmicks: How to Counter

Servant Training Guides

Leveling Guide for Servants & Craft Essences	Ascension Guide and How to Level Efficiently
How to Level Up Skills and Enhancement Priority	How to Raise NP Levels

Material Farming Guides

QP Farming Guide & Treasure Vault Team Comps

Ember Farming Guide - Beginner Teams and How to Farm

Servant & CE Collection Trackers

Servant Collection Tracking Tool

Craft Essence Collection Tracking Tool