The Duskbloods Beginner Guide: Lessons From the Network Test

Learn the loop before looking for kills

The first useful habit in The Duskbloods is to check what improves your position in the current phase. The Network Test rewarded Virtue, character growth, vassal growth, objectives, and survival. Picking every fight because another player is nearby can leave you under-levelled when the field begins to narrow.

Think of the early game as preparation. You are building a character for the later phases, not trying to finish the match in the first minute.

A simple first-match plan

1. Use the opening phase to learn the field. The test map, the City of Roanlow, had several areas, vertical routes, and fast-travel points. Learn where you can safely reset before committing to a fight.
2. Grow your Bloodsworn. Defeat manageable enemies, collect useful effects, and level up rather than chasing every player immediately.
3. Make a vassal contract. A companion can change how you handle both objectives and direct fights. Choose one that suits what you need, not a rumoured “best” pick.
4. Read your Sigil. If you chose one, it may create a more valuable route than an ordinary skirmish.
5. Decide whether the Ritual Ground is worth it. It can produce valuable Virtue, but it also gathers players and penalises leaving.

Virtue is the scoreboard that matters

Network Test matches moved through elimination points. You did not need to dominate every fight, but you did need enough Virtue to avoid falling behind. Objectives, powerful enemies, events, and Sigil goals could all be worth more than a reckless chase.

That is the game’s central beginner lesson: look for a good exchange, not merely an available one.

When another player appears

There is no universal correct response. A player may be a threat, a potential ally, someone connected to your Sigil, or another person who wants the same objective. If an invasion boss appears, the test build could even create a temporary cooperative state for players who accepted the request.

Before attacking, ask one question: does this fight help you earn Virtue, preserve your health, or reach a better position for the next phase? If the answer is no, moving on can be the stronger play.

The final phase is a new problem

The top three Bloodsworn entered the final Blood Moon Rite in the Network Test. Earlier advantages still mattered: health, Blood Powers, a useful vassal, and your understanding of the other survivors all carried weight.

Do not treat it as a clean duel. Watch both opponents, avoid committing everything to one target while the other is free to punish you, and remember that the test’s final rules may change before launch.

Sources

• V Jump Network Test hands-on
• Dengeki Online Network Test preview
• Official Network Test gameplay guide