If it is your first experience in a new biome don't feel guilty using console commands to go into ghost/god level to at least look around. Maybe even visit the wiki to learn what the new biome can offer for its own upgrades and then spend your first actual visit to locate the minimal pieces of new material to do those upgrades. Many new players may prefer to do neither but are more comfortable with multiple deaths and corpse recovery. When visiting the swamp for the first time it might become clear to either style of player that the best weapon when first visiting the swamp is not a bow, club, axe or sword but a hoe.