Fields of Mistria is a cozy farming RPG developed by NPC Studio that launched in Early Access in August 2024. You arrive in the charming town of Mistria after an earthquake has left it in ruins, and it is your job — alongside a cast of loveable characters — to restore it to its former glory. If you have played Stardew Valley or classic Harvest Moon titles, you will feel right at home. If not, this beginner's guide has everything you need to get started on the right foot.
Fields of Mistria does not hand-hold you through everything, which is part of what makes it charming. But that also means there are plenty of systems the game never quite explains. This guide covers all of them — from your very first day to the habits that will carry you through your first full year.
What to Do on Your First Days
The opening of Fields of Mistria moves quickly. You arrive in town, meet Adeline and her brother Eiland — the local leaders — and are given a rundown farmstead in exchange for your help rebuilding Mistria. Here is exactly what to prioritise in your first few days.
Day 1 — Spring
- Plant your starter seeds. Celine will give you a Worn Hoe and Hayden will give you a Worn Watering Can. You also receive 3 Tulip Seeds and 3 Turnip Seeds — plant all of them immediately.
- Explore town. Walk through Mistria and introduce yourself to as many villagers as you can. Talking to NPCs gives you friendship points and often triggers useful quests.
- Check your mailbox — you may already have letters with quests or rewards.
- Visit the Sleeping Dragon Inn. Head to the cauldron and grab your free bowl of soup to top up stamina.
Day 2 — Get Your Most Important Tools
- Get the Axe — a cutscene with Eiland will trigger on your farm. He helps you cut down a tree blocking a dragon statue, and rewards you with a Worn Axe.
- Get the Pickaxe — head to the Request Board in the town square and accept the quest "Do a Bro a Favor" from Olric. Completing this gives you a Worn Pickaxe, which unlocks access to the Mines.
- Forage along the way — flowers, mushrooms, and other items respawn every morning along the meadow and forest paths. Pick them up for free gifts and income.
Day 4 — Bug Net
Around Day 4, check the Request Board for a quest called "Something's Bugging Me" from the NPC Luc. Completing it rewards you with a Bug Net, which lets you catch insects for the Museum and for gifts.
How to Get All Tools in Fields of Mistria
Unlike many farming sims, Fields of Mistria does not give you all your tools upfront. Here is a full breakdown of how to unlock each one.
?? How to Unlock All Tools
Hoe & Watering Can
Given to you by Celine and Hayden on Spring Day 1. These are your core farming tools — you have them from the very start.
Axe
Received automatically on Spring Day 2 during a cutscene with Eiland. He teaches you to chop a tree and reveals a dragon statue.
Pickaxe
Spring Day 2 — go to the Request Board in town and accept "Do a Bro a Favor". Talk to Olric and he gives you a Worn Pickaxe. This is your most important early unlock — it opens the Mines.
Bug Net
Spring Day 4 — complete the "Something's Bugging Me" quest from Luc via the Request Board.
Fishing Rod & Shovel
Both cost 500 Tesserae each. Buy the Fishing Rod at the Tackle Shop on the Beach and the Shovel at the General Store in town. No rush — get these once your early income stabilises.
| Tool | How to Get | When |
|---|---|---|
| Sword | Default — you start with it | Day 1 |
| Hoe | Given by Celine | Day 1 |
| Watering Can | Given by Hayden | Day 1 |
| Axe | Eiland cutscene | Day 2 |
| Pickaxe | "Do a Bro a Favor" quest from Olric | Day 2 |
| Bug Net | "Something's Bugging Me" quest from Luc | Day 4 |
| Fishing Rod | Buy from Tackle Shop — Beach (500T) | When affordable |
| Shovel | Buy from General Store (500T) | When affordable |
Stamina Guide: How to Restore Energy
Stamina is your most important resource in the early game. Every action — watering, chopping, mining, fishing — drains it. When it runs out your day is effectively over. Here is how to keep it topped up.
The cauldron at the Sleeping Dragon Inn gives you one free bowl of soup per day — never skip it.
Free Soup at the Inn (Best Early Game Option)
The single best stamina tip for beginners: every day, walk into the Sleeping Dragon Inn and interact with the cauldron near the entrance. You will receive a free bowl of soup that partially restores your stamina and health. This costs you nothing — it is available once per day for all players. Never skip this.
Juniper's Bathhouse
Juniper's Bathhouse offers a full stamina refill by taking a bath. It costs 100 Tesserae per visit. However, early in the game you can complete a Request Board quest that rewards you with several free Bathhouse passes — grab them as soon as the quest appears.
Eating Food
Cooked meals and foraged foods restore stamina when eaten from your inventory. Cooking becomes increasingly important as you progress. Sell crops but keep some food items on hand for long mining runs.
How to Make Money Fast in Fields of Mistria
Tesserae (the in-game currency) is tight at the start. Here are the most reliable ways to earn it quickly as a new player.
- Sell crops via your shipping bin. Plant the fastest-growing and highest-value crops each season. Turnips and Tulips are strong Spring starters — see our Fields of Mistria best Spring crops guide for the full breakdown.
- Complete Request Board quests. These pay out Tesserae, items, and sometimes seeds. Check the board every single morning — new quests rotate in regularly.
- Forage daily. Flowers, mushrooms, and shells respawn every morning. A 5-minute foraging loop before farming is free money every day.
- Pick up shells on the beach. Beach shells sell for a decent amount and are easy to grab during early exploration.
- Sell ore from the Mines. Once you unlock the Mines with your Pickaxe, mining ore and selling surplus ingots is a solid secondary income.
How to Raise Town Renown
Town Renown is your main progression metric in Fields of Mistria. As it increases, you unlock new quests, buildings, and features in town. Here is how to raise it efficiently.
- Complete quests from the Request Board and via your mailbox — each completed quest contributes to Renown.
- Donate items to the Museum — every fish, crop, artifact, and bug you donate counts toward your Renown total.
- Sell crops via your shipping bin — consistent farming income also feeds into Town Renown progression.
- Build and upgrade town facilities via Adeline's story quests — each upgrade milestone pushes Renown higher.
Inventory and Storage Tips
Your starting inventory (Backpack) is small — just a handful of slots. This is one of the most frustrating parts of early-game Fields of Mistria, but there are workarounds.
Dropped Items Never Despawn
This is one of the most important things to know: dropped items in Fields of Mistria do not disappear, even after sleeping or across seasons. You can drop items on the ground on your farm as overflow storage and return for them later. Use this freely when your bag is full.
Upgrade Your Backpack Early
The first Backpack upgrade expands your inventory significantly and is available from the General Store. It should be one of your first major purchases — save up for it before buying the Fishing Rod or Shovel.
Use the Town Crafting Bench
Fields of Mistria lets you craft using the communal crafting bench in town without needing all the materials in your personal inventory. Take advantage of this early when your storage is limited.
Meeting the Characters
Fields of Mistria has a rich cast of NPCs, and building relationships with them is central to the game. Talk to every villager you can find each day — even a short greeting gives friendship points. There are 12 romanceable characters including Adeline, Celine, Hayden, Valen, March, and Eiland, plus a large cast of non-romanceable townsfolk.
Giving characters their loved gifts is the fastest way to raise heart levels. Check our Fields of Mistria gift guide for every character's preferred gifts.
Magic and the Dragonsworn Quest
On Day 2, when Eiland helps you clear the tree on your farm, you will uncover a mysterious dragon statue. This is your introduction to Caldarus — an ancient dragon entity — and the beginning of the Dragonsworn questline, the game's main story arc.
Throughout Mistria you will find glowing purple orbs of Essence. Collect these and bring them to the dragon statues on your farm and in the Mines to unlock skill perks. This is how you progress all six skill trees: Farming, Mining, Fishing, Ranching, Foraging, and Combat.
Top 10 Beginner Tips for Fields of Mistria
- Water crops before anything else each morning — this guarantees your income even if you run out of stamina later in the day.
- Check the mailbox and Request Board every single day — quests rotate in constantly and missing them means missing rewards.
- Never skip the free soup at the Sleeping Dragon Inn — it is always there, it is always free, and it keeps your stamina going longer.
- Drop items on the ground when your bag is full — they will not disappear.
- You can jump and swim. Press jump to hop over rocks and fences in the Mines instead of breaking through everything. You can also swim across rivers to save time.
- Open any menu to pause time — use this to plan, organise inventory, or catch your breath without burning the day.
- Any open menu pauses the in-game clock — use this liberally on busy days.
- Upgrade your Watering Can first at the Blacksmith — even Copper tier lets you water 3 tiles at once, cutting your morning routine in half.
- Forage every day. Items respawn daily and the same route works every morning — build it into your routine.
- Do not try to do everything in one day — Fields of Mistria is a long game. Set one goal per day and build from there.