Originally posted by scootytheclown:

Just starting into the Swamp. Everything seems so much disproportionately over-powered compared to the Black Forest. Can't find any Iron before I'm getting low on Fire Arrows and the Max-Level Troll Armour has taken a beating.

How can I proceed with any chance at exploring this place?

Poison Resistance Mead I know of and have, and will be using it as I can't stay out of the water between land patches and the Leeches pack quite a poisonous punch.

Don't use fire arrows. Most of their damage is damage-over-time, which doesn't stack. You're better off using flint, and switching to the occasional fire arrow for harder opponents like the Elder (to keep him ablaze). A bronze buckler and bronze mace are need if you have to melee (you will). The wooden shield and club are not good enough for the swamp. Far more enemies can just power through your block if you're just using a wood shield. Also, block just before they swing to trigger a stagger. If you hit them on a stagger you to bonus damage.

Bronze armour is good if you want to invest the time, if not troll armour and a bow is ok. Just use a finewood bow and not the crude one (will need a bronze axe to harvest the birch/oak). You CAN do the crypts with troll and bow ... just mine shooting slits into the room entrances. Only enter the swamp with the Rested buff. You can even place a camp fire inside the crypts to get the bonus.

Poison and starred enemies are the two most dangerous things in the swamp, so poison resist and good armour/weapons/food are a must.