Start with the demo's small quest
Your first job in Underkeep sounds harmless: collect five mushrooms for a cook. It quickly introduces the things that matter in this dungeon crawler—paying attention to the scenery, spending your party's actions well, and bringing enough food to recover afterward. This Underkeep beginner guide covers that playable demo start rather than assuming the unreleased full game follows the same route.
The official Underkeep Demo page describes a starting area, one dungeon, and a selection of hero classes. You control four adventurers, so consider what each character can contribute before committing to your group. In Nookrium's narrated demo run, the party includes a Warrior, Ranger, Voidcaller, and Wizard, with a healing ability selected for the Voidcaller. That is a practical example, not a proven best composition.
Use the opening forest to learn the interface. The narrated run identifies arrow-key or WASD movement and Q/E turning. Right-click items in the environment to pick them up; a mushroom or key can be easy to notice but still remain on the ground. Check that the item reached your inventory before moving on.
Make each party action count
The demo tutorial explains that each character can make one attack or use one assigned special skill per round. Once everybody acts, the round advances automatically. The hourglass ends the round early, skipping any characters who have not acted, so use it deliberately rather than clicking it whenever an attack misses.
Movement and actions also interact. In Near Tragedy's narrated run, the game blocks movement after a party member has already acted that round and asks the player to finish or skip the round. If you cannot walk forward during combat, check the round state before treating it as a control problem.
Useful habits for those first fights include:
- Check whether the target is close enough for the attack you selected. A distant enemy does not automatically become a valid melee target.
- Look at the resource and weapon requirements of a special skill. One narrated run encounters a sword-required ability after changing the character's weapon.
- Use healing and mana potions when needed. The demo tutorial says using potions from inventory does not consume a character's action.
- Finish using your available characters before ending the round, unless you intentionally want to wait.
The forest trader encounter and the dungeon's tunnel creatures provide early practice. Do not mistake a player's successful party or low damage taken in one recording for a guarantee that every setup handles those encounters equally well.
Pick up supplies and rest with food
Loot is part of the route, not background decoration. Near Tragedy's run shows the trader offering a key after being rescued, followed by the player realizing that the key still needs to be picked up from the ground. If a chest remains locked after a conversation, inspect the nearby floor and your inventory before assuming the reward failed.
Compare equipment with both its benefits and its requirements in mind. An apparently better weapon may stop a weapon-specific skill from working; armor may also require an attribute your chosen character does not have. The narrator's trial and error is a reason to read the item's text, not a fixed equipment list that every party must copy.
Resting replenishes health and uses food in the narrated demo. The recordings also show resting being blocked with enemies nearby. After a difficult fight, find a safe moment, check the remaining food supply, and recover before starting another encounter. Keep an eye out for food while exploring instead of treating every pickup as something to sell.
Explore the mushroom route carefully
The objective is five mushrooms, and the demo sends you beyond the initial forest into a cave or mine. Look at the ground and inspect fragile objects: the tutorial explicitly introduces attacking breakable objects, and narrated playthroughs find another mushroom after breaking a container. This is why simply following the visible corridor can leave your quest count short.
The dungeon also introduces a pickaxe for blocking rubble and a mushroom-like character who asks for the collected mushrooms. Those are progression clues and a choice about the eventual hand-in. Read the dialogue before handing everything over if you want to discover the outcome yourself; this guide leaves that surprise intact.
Use the map to keep track of areas you have already explored and places to revisit. The official demo description confirms an automap with custom markers. It is more useful to record an unopened chest or unexplored passage than to assume every suspicious wall hides the same reward.
Finally, keep demo and release expectations separate. These tips come from the demo's tutorial and attributed narrated runs, not our own playtest. They explain a useful first session without turning that small slice into a complete account of Underkeep's final classes, equipment, or dungeon layout.
FAQ
How many characters are in an Underkeep party?
You assemble four adventurers. Nookrium's recorded demo party uses a Warrior, Ranger, Voidcaller, and Wizard, but that example is not a mandatory composition.
How do I pick up mushrooms and other items?
The demo tutorial says to right-click items. Confirm that the item has entered your inventory, especially when a conversation appears to have given you a key.
Why can I not move after attacking?
The demo can prevent movement after a party member has acted during the round. Finish the remaining actions or deliberately skip the rest of the round with the hourglass.
Does resting cost anything?
The narrated demo shows resting using food to restore health. It can also be unavailable when enemies are nearby, so manage supplies and choose a safe moment.