How to Escape the Darkwalker

Here is *written* advice on how to beat the Escape the Darkwalker Challenge released with the Hesitant Prospect (2020) update. (Get all 10 diary pages, banish the Darkwalker). I was able to beat the challenge in 3hrs, 32 minutes.

This advice is meant to be more detailed than the information that is already readily available from TLD wiki.

TLD is a punishing game for new players. This guide is written for those who have a solid understanding of the background mechanics of the game. Anyone can Escape The Darkwalker, but its a easier (i.e., not as hard) for players who have experience surviving under duress in this game.

Overview

There are already some published guides out there, but most that I have found are long videos, and who has time for that? Also, many of them refer to the Escape the Darkwalker Halloween 2020 event, which has different success conditions than the Challenge released with Hesitant Prospect.

For detailed information about the conditions of the Challenge and the behavior of the Darkwalker (DW), read the Strategy and Tips portion of the wiki for the Challenge: ( https://thelongdark.fandom.com/wiki/Escape_the_Darkwalker ). The following advice is based on my experience and experimentation, more specific advice than what is on the wiki. I also referred to the Detailed Region Maps provided by Whiteberry (https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=530202531 )

Here's How I Did It

My route, and when I grabbed the diary page as required by the challenge:

Hushed River Valley (grab page) -> Mountain Town (grab page) -> Forlorn muskeg -> broken railroad (grab page) -> Forlorn muskeg (grab page) -> Mystery Lake (grab page) -> Ravine -> Bleak Inlet (grab page) -> Ravine -> Coastal Highway (grab page, or wait until you need to backtrack to grab it) -> crumbling highway -> Desolation point (grab page) -> crumbling highway -> Coastal highway (grab page if you didn't before) -> Pleasant Valley (grab page) -> Timberwolf Mountain (grab page) -> Ash Canyon (Banish the DW!)

Hushed River Valley is a tough region to start in, but it works out well because you can take two climbing ropes to use later, one for the Ravine on route to the Bleak Inlet, and the other for the Bleak Inlet to climb down the cliff (a more direct route to the diary page than walking around the mountain in the northeast section of the map). To get the diary page from HRV, just shimmy down the waterfall cliff next to the green campfire. To get to the cave that takes you to Mountain Town, use the climbing ropes already laid (indicated by red rope icons in Whiteberry's map) to climb up the cliff faces. As you go, grab these two ropes on your way up.

This route also puts the last diary page in TWM, which is conveniently close to the entrance to Ash Canyon (where you banish the DW).

The goal of this route is to minimize backtracking. Backtracking is dangerous if the DW is following behind you, especially near region transitions where routes are often narrow and winding.

Heads-up for those who might be new to the game: Being on the map and inventory menus does NOT pause the game. While you are using these menus, the DW is gaining ground on you.

Other Tips (Mistakes to Not Make)

FOCUS ON GETTING TO AND FROM THE GREEN CAMPFIRES. Unless you need to strafe around the DW or are in desperate need of warmth or supplies, don't waste your time searching buildings or hunting animals. There's a 30 min timer on how long you can be in a region due to toxic fog, and you want to save your spray paint for Lures, Wards, and the Banishing. Also, you should constantly be trying to put distance between you and the DW. Don't waste time mending clothes, you won't be using them for long anyway.

ONLY CARRY WHAT YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED. Critically important to keep your carry weight down to maintain a good movement speed. Only carry the revolver and/or the emergency flare gun as weapons. Only carry just enough food, water, etc., because once you reach the next green campfire, there will likely be enough food there to keep you going (lots of MREs, Maple Syrups, etc. spawn there). You can boil water while you sleep if you sleep for 1hr at a time (using a can as the water vessel). Only stop to pick up supplies that are along your path, don't go searching. Don't carry extra clothes or mending supplies. EVEN IF YOU ARE COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED AND YOU HAVE COLLECTED 10 DIARY PAGES (the DW moves faster the more pages you have) YOU WILL STILL WALK FASTER THAN THE DW MOVES IF YOU ARE CARRYING LESS THAN 30KG. That is an amazing advantage.

If the DW starts to corner you or cut off your path, just KEEP MOVING. Unless you walk straight into it, moving in almost any direction will put distance between you and the DW. Once you've gotten enough space from it, you can go back to your pre-planned route. This kind of thing happens more often near region transitions or in mines/caves.

DROP LURES CONSTANTLY. They help you track your distance from the DW, and they keep the DW from beelining toward you, which is especially helpful if you are faced with obstacles and winding paths that the DW can just cut straight through. I only used Wards when I was climbing and needed to catch my breath/warm up, and the DW was nearby. I never needed to use the de-fog ward.

Use your Lures, but MAKE SURE YOU SAVE A SPRAY PAINT CHARGE FOR BANISHING. This mistake I actually made on my successful run, and it was a pain in the ass because I had to run around with the DW and wolves chasing me to find a new can of spray paint.

SAVE YOUR WEAPON AMMO TO KEEP WOLVES AWAY. Crossing paths with wolves is inevitable. Firing the revolver in the general direction of a wolf will scare it away, which is usually sufficient if you just keep moving.

Lastly, MAKE SURE YOUR CHARACTER IS WELL RESTED. In terms of the distance between you and the DW, there is a minimal penalty for sleeping, and being well-rested is critically important to keeping your movement speed up. Also, climbing is necessary for the route above, which means being well-rested is important to proceed. ONLY RUN IF YOUR LIFE IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER. Don't waste your energy!

[±Schwiiz Franco McHarrell±]

Update : this year I got the challenge in 4 hours. Thanks for your guide, helped me a lot !!!

[Rendezvous 9]

Okay I might be able to escape from him thanks to this guide, but I want to know how to *befriend* with Darkwalker...

Half joke, half serious 'cause I'm crazy :P

[±Schwiiz Franco McHarrell±]

Update : wolves got me, rip. I will try it again.

[±Schwiiz Franco McHarrell±]

Currently doing it, 5/10 halfway through ! Just entered Bleak Inlet. I took some time to sleep without being awaken. I hope I could get my way back to Ravine and head to the Coastal Highway easily. So far so good, I fell in the water in Forlorn Muskeg, which costed me hypothermia for a day, but I manage to warm myself since. I'm getting ready to get back on the road. Just a little rest, I hope I will make it. Nice guide that helps (on weight balance & stuff).

[tjnireton]

ChillPlayer (sorry I'm a year late lol). I just tried it and I was able to strafe around the bushes. You may be at a different patch of bushes on a different path.

[ChillPlayer]

How do you get passed the scrub bushes to the map exit without an axe when you climb up the 2nd rope to grab it in HRV? I couldn't so I usually only take one rope and get the next from the barn near Paradise Farm or from the lookout at BI.

[mP3+Z]

Helpful. Nice route, finished about 4hrs.
Back to Ravine from Bleak Inlet is a nightmare, I've been traced within 200m while climbing up in Bleak Inlet, but still made it, barely.

[stmSantana]

It was a good guide!
However, the one rope I used to go down the cliff at BI was obtained from the nearby "Penshiv Lookup" wall.

[the doctor is in]

Haven't done this challenge yet but this guide makes me feel a little less afraid to do it now

[No Toilet Paper | Boy]

Nice guide