I do most of my swamp runs without any shield; Atgeir, Bow, and Stagbreaker cover all the bases once you learn how to use them. The key with two-handers is movement, don't engage mano-a-mano at short range, backup and time your attacks to hit as they come within range. Against archers, don't move in straight lines, they have horrible aim if you strafe a bit and use cover.

Thanks guys for your kind words and advice. But is even the crypts safe?

Originally posted by Faceplant8:

What are you using for a weapon/sheild? A shield is really important, rather than just getting pounded by draugr.

When you get a bit of iron, make the iron banded shield, but just starting out in the swamps, I like the bronze buckler.

To use that effectively you should learn how to parry. It's not hard, you just need to get the timing down and block just before they swing. You might want to practice with skeletons or something similar.

If you can parry the draugr, you stagger it, and then it's not hard to kill with any of a number of weapons.

Bronze buckler and skeleton tower shield

Have you got the rested bonus at all times.
Do not venture into new biomes (swamp) at night.
Take it slow, retreating IS an option.
Maybe focus a bit more on stamina than on health with food.

If you're getting attacked by wraiths, it seems likely you're going into the swamp at night. There's a game hint that actually says something like, "It's generally a bad idea to venture forth at night." Everything gets much, much more difficult at night. There are more mobs, the mobs are higher level, and like you found out with wraiths some mobs appear that are not even present in daytime (or at least much rarer). It is possible to get through swamps at night, but I think you need some more experience in the game to do it. Hang in there, you can do it. Just stick to daytime runs for a while.

if you have trouble then plan it out.

figure out where the crypts are and find a short path from a non swamp biome to it.
if its long or indirect then terraform with the tool option that doesnt take stone.
clear out the monsters that are in aggro range with bows and maces (maces work very well in the swamp since most mobs there are weak to blunt damage)

if the path is still to dangerous or long you can also make a small hideout on one of these trees to regain the rested buff and heal. these trees are invincible

aside from that you can also use the entry of the crypt as a safe zone.
if you have trouble within the crypts than craft some stagbreakers (they only require deer trophys, bones and core wood if i remember correctly)
stagbreakers allow you to hit the enemys and their spawners without having to enter the room (leave a little bit of the mudpile so that they cant hit you)

and always keep your objective in mind and make it quick, a lot of deaths usually come from people wandering aimlessly and then stumbling into increasingly worse situations

Thanks guys for your kind words and advice. But is even the crypts safe?

crypts are safe once you've killed any loose creatures
place a campfire by the door for small rested bonus
you can get a better bonus by also placing a sitting log

when you enter the swamp; look around and use a bow to snipe
enemies and/or draw them to you

What are you using for a weapon/sheild? A shield is really important, rather than just getting pounded by draugr.

When you get a bit of iron, make the iron banded shield, but just starting out in the swamps, I like the bronze buckler.

To use that effectively you should learn how to parry. It's not hard, you just need to get the timing down and block just before they swing. You might want to practice with skeletons or something similar.

If you can parry the draugr, you stagger it, and then it's not hard to kill with any of a number of weapons.

Originally posted by parkbänksalkoholist:

Thanks guys for your kind words and advice. But is even the crypts safe?

nothing is safe, first time in the crypts me and my friend died like 6 times but we got enough iron to make a couple pieces. after that it started getting easier we also prioritized taking out spawners. its gets easier the more iron gear you get but you have to go there to progress

Originally posted by parkbänksalkoholist:

Thanks guys for your kind words and advice. But is even the crypts safe?

stagbreaker is a good weapon in the crypts because you can partially mine through the scrap piles so that no enemies can get through, but you can still hit them with stagbreaker's area damage

Originally posted by corker:

Originally posted by parkbänksalkoholist:

Thanks guys for your kind words and advice. But is even the crypts safe?

nothing is safe, first time in the crypts me and my friend died like 6 times but we got enough iron to make a couple pieces. after that it started getting easier we also prioritized taking out spawners. its gets easier the more iron gear you get but you have to go there to progress

The rooms with the body piles are not easy, although, with more than one player I imagine it's not as hard.

If you hear flies behind one of the mud piles, you might want to just leave that until you have a couple of upgrades.

FWIW, I find it's best to just be aggressive with the body piles. Clear an opening enough to get to the pile, ensure there's not a starred draugr or elite in there, and take them out with a bow if there is one, then jump into the room and take out the pile. Then either get back out, or finish off the draugr in the room if you can, depending on how much you get hit taking out the pile.

Originally posted by Faceplant8:

What are you using for a weapon/sheild? A shield is really important, rather than just getting pounded by draugr.

When you get a bit of iron, make the iron banded shield, but just starting out in the swamps, I like the bronze buckler.

To use that effectively you should learn how to parry. It's not hard, you just need to get the timing down and block just before they swing. You might want to practice with skeletons or something similar.

If you can parry the draugr, you stagger it, and then it's not hard to kill with any of a number of weapons.

Bronze buckler and skeleton tower shield

Originally posted by parkbänksalkoholist:

Bronze buckler and skeleton tower shield

The skeleton shield is still somewhat effective, but the bronze buckler is the better choice, especially if you can parry with it.

Shields are only good if you actually actively USE them to block and parry. It's not like in WoW where the shield just counts as "armor" and you don't have to use it.

And I just learned that the bone shield is actually BETTER than the bronze buckler. It (sorta) allows you to block Abominations, even in Troll armor, which the buckler can't do.

Originally posted by electricdawn:

Shields are only good if you actually actively USE them to block and parry. It's not like in WoW where the shield just counts as "armor" and you don't have to use it.

And I just learned that the bone shield is actually BETTER than the bronze buckler. It (sorta) allows you to block Abominations, even in Troll armor, which the buckler can't do.

Would troll armor be different in that respect than bronze? I block/parry the abominations with the bronze buckler in bronze armor.

1. Bows are the ultimate safety strategy. You can move faster than any swamp enemy. Prioritise movement over shooting. Don't shoot unless you know that your arrow will reach them before they reach you.

2. Melee isn't that bad but if you are getting overrun you need to put your stamina above everything else. You should start retreating BEFORE you no longer have the stamina to block. Most swamp enemies are weak to blunt damage too. The worst thing that can happen with a blunt weapon is that your damage will just be average against some enemies.

3. Swamps have loads of indestructible trees. You can mount many of them in such a way that most enemies won't be able to reach you. Still watch out for archers of course. And enemies with large melee reach like abominations. Most melee enemies will flee if they are being attacked while also having no valid path to your location, so watch out for stragglers who might hide until you come back down.

4. Bring a hoe. I mean the landscaping tool. You can use the ground levelling function to raise most deeper puddles to a point where they are shallow enough to manoeuvre through at full speed. No wading, swimming, jumping or circling around required. With this habit you can mostly eliminate the problem of leeches while simultaneously guaranteeing an ideal escape path behind yourself.

5. The stamina debuffs from being wet and cold are extremely debilitating even with a rested bonus. Always avoid unless you are purposely looking for night spawns.

Your hoe, to make paths in the swamp is a great friend of yours.