Retail, Ironman & Nomad – Tibia
TibiaSwedenAboveAntica
Overview & Purpose
There are three common ways to play: Retail, Ironman, and Nomad. Here’s a quick explanation of each and practical guidelines to play Ironman/Nomad “for real”.
[Table] Quick Comparison
Feature | Retail | Ironman | Nomad |
---|---|---|---|
Blessings | Yes | No | No |
Reward Shrine | Yes | No | No |
Offline training | Yes | No | No |
Tibia Coin Store | Yes | No | No |
Market | Yes | No | No |
Trading outside ruleset | Yes | No (non-Ironmen) | No (non-Nomads) |
Picking up items | Free | Only own loot + world spawns | Only own loot + world spawns |
Depot / Bank | Yes | Yes | No (AoL in depot OK) |
NPC trading (goods) | Yes | Yes | No |
NPC services | Yes | Yes | Yes (boat, promotion, coin exchange) |
Note: Each playgroup has its own specific rules for Ironman and Nomad. Use this table as a baseline and follow your group’s house rules.
Retail
What is Retail?
You play with everything the game offers: blessings, reward shrine, offline training, market, NPC trading, depot/bank, Tibia Coin Store, etc. Free trading and interaction with everyone.
When is it for you?
When you want faster progression, social trading, and full QoL. No self-imposed restrictions beyond the game’s rules.
Ironman
Core Principles
- Off-limits: blessings, reward shrine, offline training, Tibia Coin Store, market, help/trading with non-Ironmen.
- Loot & pickup: only own loot + world spawns.
- NPC trading: allowed (unless your house rules forbid it).
Gray areas & recommendations
- “Own loot”: only take loot where your Ironman party did the majority of the damage.
- Party play: keep groups pure (don’t mix with Retail when progression/loot matters).
- Death penalty: agree on Softcore (continue) or Hardcore (retire/delete) beforehand.
Start ~1–20
- Prioritize defensive gear from loot (shield/armor/legs/helm).
- Safe mobs: rotworms, wolves/bears, minotaurs, dwarves, crocs.
- Short, safe runs. Upgrade when TTK clearly improves.
Mid ~20–80
- Economy via own loot → exchange coins (NPC OK).
- Routes: amazons, cultists, deeper dwarves, pirates, orcs/raids.
- Training without offline: spar on low-risk mobs, shield/def focus.
High 80+
- Specialize in places that drop unique upgrades you can use.
- Ironman-only group; clear loot rules (need before greed/round-robin).
- Bosses/events only if the path there follows the ruleset.
Checklist — “Ironman Ready”
- House rules set (NPC buys y/n, death penalty, loot definition).
- Start zone + 3 safe routes selected.
- Loot/death log template prepared.
- Personal goals (e.g., “full loot set for slot X before lvl 30”).
Nomad
Core principles (strict)
- Off-limits: everything under Ironman plus no NPC trading (goods), no depot/bank/safe storage. AoL may stay in depot (from main character).
- Exceptions: NPC services (boat, promotion, coin exchange) and quest-required items that can’t be obtained otherwise.
- Loot & pickup: only own loot + world spawns. No help/trading with non-Nomads.
Early ~1–20
- Prioritize mobs that drop food + base gear.
- Plan travel via services; no purchasing of goods.
- Play conservatively — without blessings, mistakes are costly.
Storage without depot
- Stash: use unprotected zones temporarily; note coordinates.
- Exchange coins (gold→platinum→crystal) to reduce weight.
- Carry fewer but better items (shield > niche weapon).
Economy & progression
- Budget for services (boat/promo/exchange).
- Quest exceptions: log exactly what/why/cost.
- Build “loot → upgrade → new zone” loops.
Checklist — “Nomad Ready”
- Rules understood (no NPC trading; no storage; service/quest exceptions).
- Pre-defined stash spots (unprotected zones).
- Service budget set (travel/promotion/exchange).
- 3–5 self-sustaining routes (food + gear + coins).
- Log for exceptions and stash coordinates.
FAQ
Frequently Asked
- Did I get looting rights due to external help? Recommended: don’t take the loot — keep the ruleset clean.
- Events? Fine as long as everything is reached/cleared within the ruleset (no market/external boost).
- Disconnect death? Follow your chosen penalty; log the incident.
- Trading within the ruleset? Only within the same ruleset and per your house rules; log the trade.
Read our stories — Nomad & Ironman
Real tales from players who choose the self-sufficient path. Routes, close calls, and the lessons that kept us alive without blessings or the market.