В The Blood of Dawnwalker The game doesn't have a countdown timer, allowing you to explore the open world at your own pace. However, most quests, activities, and even talent upgrades push the storyline toward the point of no return. Manage your time between different activities to defeat Brencis's three vassals and save Cohen's family within 30 days.
| Stage | Deadline | The main task |
| Prologue | Before the end of the prologue | Complete the expiring tasks and help Esme. |
| Exploration and leveling up | Before the 15th day | Open towers, explore the north of the map and reach around level 20. |
| Yard Activities | Until about the 22nd day | Raise the wrath of three vassals and defeat Ambrus, Bakir and Xanthe. |
| Preparing for the final | Before the 30th day | Complete the required additional lines and create a separate save. |
| World Cleansing | After getting the ending | Load the pre-final save and continue completing side activities. |
The schedule is approximate and may vary depending on the player's play style, goals, and preferences.
How the 30-day timer works in The Blood of Dawnwalker
The 30-day countdown begins after completing the prologue. Before that, there's a one-day tutorial, during which you can familiarize yourself with schedule management. Time is a controllable resource: it doesn't move while the hero is traveling the world and fighting, and the game notifies you when significant actions are performed.
What wastes game time?
Depending on the task being performed, an action may consume 1, 3, or 4 time slots. The cost is displayed as an hourglass icon with a number next to it, indicating the cost.
| They are wasting time | Don't waste time |
| Completion of individual stages of tasks and activities. | Free movement around the world. |
| Some dialogue options. | Inspection of locations. |
| Obtaining individual skills and improvements. | Search for the desired place or character. |
| Waiting at the sanctuary (time rewind). | Real-time inactivity. |
How many segments are there in one day?
The timeline is displayed in the upper right corner of the screen and is divided into 8 time periodsOnce the daytime bar is completely filled, nighttime begins, with the same number of action slots. A total of 16 time slots are available per day. However, it's important to keep in mind that many activities differ between night and day, as do Cohen's abilities.
The large bar at the bottom of the log allows you to track global statistics and check how many segments you've already used. The time spent on the active quest is also shown there, to the right of the mission names.
How to change day and night
Activate any shrine and select "Wait." This may be necessary for activities tied to the time of day. Daytime tasks are marked the sun, night ones - moon, and the urgent stages are dial clock.
Waiting also fills the gauge, so don't rewind time unnecessarily.
Optimal 30-day plan
The 30-day timeframe is designed with enough leeway to experience most activities without focusing solely on the story—it takes an average of seven in-game days. However, it's important to keep an eye on the timer and try not to waste days and nights.
What to do during the prologue
The prologue's side quests are optional, but you can complete them to familiarize yourself with the time system. The main goal of the first day is to complete the quest "Withering Away." To save Esme, prepare a medicine using hot (not boiling) water and three spoons of the herb.
Also available until the end of the prologue:
- "Live Bait"
- Someone Needs a Lesson;
- Dead Drop
- "Disturbed Peace"
- Deep Down
- Enter Not;
- Blasphemy;
- On the Run
- If a Tree Falls in a Forest…
- Bandit's Treasure Map: Laslea Glen - This activity can be completed after completing the prologue.
Most of the missions are available until the start of the fourth main quest, "Sacred Covenant." These missions expire after entering the open world.
What to do before the 15th day
After entering the open world:
- Get the Werewolf skill (Shapeshift) and "Changing Fervor" (Mercurial Fervor), accelerating movement.
- At night, climb 11 towers using your vampire abilities to discover points of interest. Each is initially marked on the in-game map.
- Clear out monster lairs, camps, and other places primarily in the north, as the enemies in the southern areas are stronger.
- Level up Cohen to around level 20.
- Don't run too many time-limited side quests at once.
The 15th day is not a point of no return, but rather leaves a safe margin of time for the plot.
How to complete Court activities before Day 22
To reach Brencis, raise the wrath level of three vrashal vassals. Complete the activities associated with each until the battle is unlocked. There are 41 events available, but for each direction, you only need to complete approximately 75 % activities.
Safe order by enemy level: Ambrush → Bakir → Xanthe.
Vassal occupations and the main line consume approximately 7-10 game daysReaching the finale on day 22 leaves plenty of time for additional quests, leveling up, and romances. The necessary events are marked on The Blood of Dawnwalker interactive map.
What to do before the 30th day
After defeating three vassals, wait until the following day. Cohen will see the announcement of new edicts and then receive a message from Brencis, unlocking the final quest, "A Deal with the Devil."
Create separate save and don't overwrite it. For certain endings, complete Lakra and Crake's lines beforehand. The requirements are detailed in the guide for all of them. The Blood of Dawnwalker endings.
Which tasks can be skipped?
The game world is filled with optional quests that consume a limited amount of time. Don't try everything at once, or you'll end up in a dead end near the end.
Skippable Prologue Quests
After the prologue, you can't return to his side quests. You can only complete the mandatory objectives, ignoring the requests of all the villagers and the fishing trip with the children. Be sure to help Esme if you want to keep her alive.
Limited quests after the prologue
Quests appear in your journal after speaking with NPCs, reading notes, or arriving at specific locations. A side quest you choose may be urgent—this is indicated by a round clock icon. Check your journal regularly and prioritize completing these objectives.
If there's an hourglass icon next to it, it means that several time periods will be spent—this will help you decide whether the task is worth completing or whether it's better to save time.
Is it possible to do everything in 30 days?
In a single playthrough, the player can complete most of the content and still freely complete the story campaign. However, there won't be enough time to completely clear the world and check all quest outcomes.
If you plan to complete as much content as possible, first reach the ending and earn the "In the Nick of Time" achievement, then load the save you made before heading to Brencis Castle. Ignore the main quest and focus on completing the activities you missed.
What happens if the 30 days are up?
If you fail to save the family within the allotted time, you'll receive the "Time Runs Out" ending. Cohen's family will die, and the "In the Nick of Time" achievement will become unavailable. However, the defeat screen won't appear, and the game will allow you to continue exploring the world.
Unlike the bad ending, the normal ending ends the game and returns you to the main menu.
Saves to make
The number of manual save slots is limited: 54 saves in total. Create separate files for each important stage so you can return to it at any time:
- after the prologue;
- at the beginning of each new day;
- before each of the three vassals;
- after defeating all vassals;
- before the quest "Deal with the Devil";
- after the completion of the Lakra and Crake lines.
Don't overwrite the pre-final save file—it will allow you to return to exploration and collect missing achievements.
