Originally posted by scootytheclown:

Have not faced the Elder Boss. Guess I have too then for the Key? Just don't want to deal with leveled up enemies at my Main Base. Was hoping to avoid that. Do all Bosses later on when I was Leveled-up was the idea I had.

You'll need to kill the second boss for the swamp key to secure a supply of iron, the third for the wishbone to find silver deposits in the mountains, and the fourth to be able to make top-tier weapons and armor. The fifth and (presently) last is just the cherry on top; he does give you something, but we aren't quite sure what it is! It's not necessary for anything, yet.

If you don't mind playing a slow and methodical game, you can erect walls of spiked logs on both sides of your roads in the swamp and then only the occasional lucky blob and wraiths (at night) can touch you. This isn't a style of play that appeals to everyone, though.

Tip for the Elder: Dig a tunnel under his altar; it's a useful place to dodge his attacks. You can build yourself a whole base there, with exits on all four sides, using the altar flagstones as your roof.