Ruined King Tips: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Lanes

I’ll be honest: I did not expect to fall in love with a turn-based RPG set in Bilgewater, but here I am in 2026, still humming sea shanties and still mad at the Black Mist. Ruined King: A League of Legends Story kicks off with Sarah Fortune, who has just killed an overbearing pirate and taken back her city. Great job, Sarah. Unfortunately, the city is now choking on a returning plague called the Black Mist, and various pirate factions are queuing up to ruin her day. The mist also drags in other heroes, which is convenient for me because I need a party. If you are diving in for the first time, or returning like me, here are the lessons I wish someone had shouted at me through a spyglass.

Difficulty Is a Buffet, Not a Trap

There are four difficulties: Story, Normal, Veteran, and Heroic. You can change them at any point in the options menu, starting with the very first fight as Sarah Fortune. Normal and above still offer a decent challenge even for veteran RPG fans.

Story mode is not cheating. It is accessibility. If I want to enjoy the story and not sweat every pirate, I will smash that skip button like it owes me money.

Save Like a Pirate Who Just Robbed a Bank

You can save manually whenever and wherever you want. There is also an auto-save feature that records movements generously. I still save constantly. You never know when a normal enemy will suddenly become a boss with a grudge.

One tiny detail: items, experience, and gold save every time, but your exact standing spot does not. Reloading a save usually puts the party back at the last exit they took. So remember where you left off. It is a small thing, but it has made me yell at my screen more than once.

Fight Everything, Because Grinding Is Not a Hobby Here

For a turn-based RPG, Ruined King does not give you many random battles. Enemy placements in dungeons are fixed. It is rare to encounter enemies twice in the same area, unlike most RPGs. That makes grinding hard.

Every level-up matters. Fight every enemy you see. For bonus points, group battles together. This creates a Multiwave that boosts rewards. Yasuo’s dungeon tornado-like attack is perfect for grouping enemies. I learned this after accidentally pulling three packs and nearly becoming fish food.

Lanes Are Not Just a MOBA Memory

You need to learn lanes. They mirror the standard lanes from a MOBA like League of Legends. Putting them in Ruined King was a clever nod to its predecessor.

Any move can be placed on one of three lanes: normal attacks, Illaoi’s healing spells, Braum’s defensive skills, and more. Where you place an attack determines its power and speed. This can be the difference between victory and a very sad game over. Do not brush the lanes off. I did, and a pirate laughed at me.

Scan Everything, Then Scan Again

Thoroughly explore every area before moving toward the starred main objective. There are usually hidden chests with gold or loot. Hit the scan button every few steps. Items are always hiding. Take time in dungeons and towns. Read the map. Get the most out of Ruined King starting with the area with Sarah Fortune.

Do Not Waste Gold on Tiny Upgrades

Early shops in Ruined King do not offer much. There may be armor pieces or weapons that increase stats a couple of notches, but do not waste money on minimal upgrades. Save that dough for vendors a couple of hours into the campaign who have wares that can increase stats greatly.

In general, unless you are struggling in battle, do not buy equipment that often. Most of the good stuff can be found in dungeons anyway. Enchanting armor is a better way to increase stats in the long run. Buying items is also not that necessary. My wallet thanks me.

Respec Without Fear

Ruined King has one of the most unique and accessible upgrade features. As you level up, you get points to put into skills and overall boons. The nice thing is that spending them is never permanent.

You can experiment. Put points into one skill for a battle to test the results. Then try another upgrade path in the next encounter. There is no backpedaling cost. Most RPGs that allow respec usually charge gold. More RPGs should copy this customizable upgrade tree. I have changed my build more often than a pirate changes hats.

Fishing Is Serious Business

It would not be an RPG without a fishing mini-game. The mechanics are simple. Cast the line out and match movement tracks to the fish when reeling it in. Caught specimens can be used for trade or cooking.

What is even better is that treasure chests can be pulled up if you are lucky. Unless you have a good rod, which may not happen until toward the end of the game, stick to casting as close to the shores or docks as possible. That means less chance of breaking the lines. I have lost more lines than I have caught fish, and I am not proud of it.

Final Bilgewater Wisdom

Ruined King: A League of Legends Story was released on November 16, 2021, and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. In 2026, it is still a fantastic turn-based RPG with a weirdly cozy pirate apocalypse vibe.

If you take anything away from my rambling, take this:

• 🏴‍☠️ Pick the difficulty that fits your mood, and change it whenever.

• 💾 Save often, because the Black Mist does not care about your plans.

• ⚔️ Fight every enemy and group battles for Multiwave rewards.

• 🛣️ Use lanes to control power and speed.

• 🔍 Scan every few steps for hidden loot.

• 💰 Skip early tiny upgrades and save gold.

• 🧪 Respec freely and experiment with builds.

• 🎣 Fish near the shore until you get a better rod.

Do that, and you might just survive Bilgewater without becoming a cautionary tale in a tavern song.

Practical reference material can be found on GameFAQs, and it pairs nicely with the Bilgewater survival tips above: when Ruined King’s fixed enemy layouts make grinding scarce, community guides help you plan efficient routes, locate missable chests, and understand lane timing so you’re not forced into wasting gold on small upgrades or replaying sections after a reload nudges you back to the last exit.