Beast Of Reincarnation: Chapter 1 Guide – Seedling (Kanto Region: Ogouchi Buffer Zone)

• Chapter 1: Seedling takes place entirely in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, Kanto Region.
• The chapter teaches you Emma’s combat, hair traversal, Koo’s skills, parrying, and the bow system.
• You must collect three colored keys — Red, Blue, and Yellow — to unlock Rangifer’s sealed lair.
• You fight Rangifer twice: first at Level 9, then at Level 12 with a second phase.
• Rangifer is weak to Fire — use Koo’s Higanbana Seeds and Fire Arrows throughout both fights.
• Nothing in Chapter 1 is missable — collectibles can be picked up after the story ends.

Beast Of Reincarnation: Chapter 1, titled Seedling, is your introduction to the game’s world, combat, and exploration. It takes place fully in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone inside the Kanto Region. Developed by Game Freak, this chapter walks you through every core system — from Emma’s blade and hair traversal to Koo’s Bloom Arts and the bow — before putting you up against the region’s boss, the Nushi Rangifer, not once but twice. This guide covers everything from the opening prologue to the final cutscene that closes out Seedling. For a broader look at how Chapter 1 fits into the full game, check out the Beast of Reincarnation chapter and quest list.

Beast Of Reincarnation Chapter 1 Guide Seedling Kanto Region Ogouchi Buffer Zone

The Prologue: Learning the Basics

The game opens with a cutscene. Emma is riding inside a vehicle, watching over a sleeping girl, when an announcement warns that miasma is closing in — meaning a Nushi is close by. Emma steps outside to deal with the threat.

The prologue is a controlled tutorial. It teaches you everything you need to survive:

• Basic attacks and guarding — Emma uses her blade as her primary weapon.
• Koo’s Bloom Arts — time slows and a skill menu opens, letting you pick an ability. Each skill costs FP, and you earn FP by parrying. In the tutorial, FP is unlimited.
• Hair traversal — Emma uses her hair to leap between glowing blue anchor points. You use this to cross collapsed areas.
• Crossbow — a ranged option used to take down flying enemies you cannot reach in melee.
• Blade Arts and Nushi Skills — unique abilities that trigger as Emma lands attacks. The tutorial gives you several to experiment with.

After clearing all the enemies, the prologue ends on a dramatic note — Emma finds the Nushi standing beside a mysterious man named Shidou. She charges, strikes, and then the scene cuts back five months earlier. That is where the main story of Chapter 1 begins.

Investigate the Village

Emma and Koo arrive at the outskirts of a village. A man named Brad briefs you on the mission — find and defeat the Nushi of this region. Since he cannot pin down its exact location, he points you toward the nearby abandoned village for clues.

Head down the hill and you will find your first campsite. This is where you rest, save the game, upgrade weapons, buy skills, and level up attributes. Get into the habit of stopping at every campsite you find — it is always worth it. If you need help building out your character, the guide on how to level up Bauera in Beast of Reincarnation is a good place to start.

Continue down into the abandoned village. There are no enemies here, just an old rusted Golem inside a house. You will also notice a locked door requiring a Red Key. Ignore it for now — you cannot get that key until later in the chapter.

Talk to the Golem. It confirms the Nushi is nearby and tells you that a Foreman at the end of the road inside a subcity may have more information. After speaking, the Golem shuts down.

Find the Foreman

As you leave the house, a Malefact spawns outside. This is a strong enemy — do not try to brute-force through it. Parry its attacks to build FP, which Koo uses for skills. Parrying also fills the enemy’s stagger meter. Fill it completely and you can trigger a lethal finisher.

After defeating the Malefact, follow the main path north out of the village. At the end, there is a broken bridge with no way across — until you use Emma’s hair. Extend her hair to create a crossing and get to the other side. Rest at the campsite here before moving on.

Search for the Subcity Entrance

Once you rest and upgrade, head forward. The blight grows stronger at night, and multiple Malefacts will spawn and block your path. You need to defeat all of them to continue. After clearing them, the blight settles and the path opens up.

Head north to reach the Subcity entrance. Pull the lever to open the gate and head inside.

Optional: Get the Mechblade (Light)

Before going into the subcity, there is a weapon worth picking up. Look for the building at the very east of the village near the Bridge campsite. Use Emma’s hair to climb to the room at the top, and you will find the Mechblade (Light) sitting on the right side. There is also a Keeper Golem here that you can ask a single question — save it for something you want revealed on the map rather than something the guide already covers. For a full breakdown of all Keeper Golem positions, see the Keeper Golem locations guide.

Search for the Foreman in Subcity 01

Enter the subcity and rest at the campsite inside before pushing further. The door at the end of this area is sealed and will only open once you defeat the six enemies patrolling the zone. Koo highlights them when you get close enough — you do not need to hunt them down blindly.

If you prefer a stealthy approach, stay on the high ground and take them out one at a time using assassination drops. It is much safer than engaging them all at once on the ground. After all six are down, the door opens. Loot the strongbox in the building on the left before heading through.

Behind the door, a Golem guards the passage. Defeat it, and you will find the Foreman sitting in the corner next to another strongbox. Speak to him. He recognizes Emma as the Purifier and confirms she is hunting the Nushi. Mid-conversation, you hear noise from above — the Nushi has left its lair, and that is your window to strike.

Before leaving, take the bow from the Foreman. You can practice with it by shooting the vases on the wall across from you. This becomes your secondary ranged weapon alongside the crossbow.

Chase the Nushi to Its Lair

Exit the subcity. Once outside, Koo senses the Nushi passing close by. Emma and Koo stay hidden until it moves on, then follow it. Open the map — the Nushi’s position is marked in the open area north of the Subcity entrance.

Before you drop down into the arena, unlock the campsite nearby and loot the Chain Mail armor from the strongbox. Then use the campsite fully — upgrade Emma and Koo, enhance your weapons, equip your best skills, and make sure you are stocked on consumables. When you are ready, drop down to trigger the first Rangifer fight.

All Manuals in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone

Before committing to the first Rangifer encounter, it is worth sweeping the zone for manuals. These unlock crafting recipes for combat tools. There are two you can collect freely in Chapter 1, with a third tied to the later part of the story.

Fire Arrows Manual

Located at the very southwest of the map. Look for a rusted building guarded by a ballista. Use Emma’s hair to climb to the room at the top of the building — the Fire Arrows Manual is inside. This pairs with the bow and is especially useful against Rangifer due to its fire weakness.

Acid Bolt Manual

Found in the building directly west of the Subcity 1 Entrance. An elite enemy guards the entrance at the top, but you can sneak around and avoid the fight entirely if you do not want to deal with it right now.

Defeat the Nushi Rangifer — First Fight (Level 9)

Rangifer is a towering stag-like Nushi draped in flowers and plant growth. It fights more aggressively than anything you have faced so far in the chapter, but its attack patterns are readable once you know what to look for.

Before anything else: Rangifer is weak to Fire. Use Koo’s Higanbana Seeds ability to apply fire damage and build up the burn effect. If you found the Fire Arrows Manual, equip fire-tipped arrows and save them for moments when Rangifer backs away.

Rangifer’s Main Attacks

• Hoof Stomp into Charge — Rangifer stomps and then charges straight at you. Watch its head as it closes in. Block or parry when it raises its head near the end of the charge.
• Antler Swipes — At close range, Rangifer swings its antlers. A head tilt right means one strike; a tilt left signals a two-hit combo. These are easy to time and perfect for building FP through parrying.
• Rock Throw — When it digs its antlers into the ground, it launches a cluster of rocks forward. Sprint sideways to avoid.
• Spike Projectiles — Rangifer fires spikes from its body. You can parry them if your timing is sharp, or simply dodge or run to the side.

Strategy for the First Fight

The core loop is simple. Stay near the front of Rangifer and parry the antler swipes to gain FP. Once you have four FP, use Koo’s Roots ability to bind Rangifer in place. While it is stunned, land as many attacks as you can on its head — that is the weak spot. Use both the bow and crossbow when Rangifer creates distance. When the stagger meter is full, trigger the lethal attack for a large chunk of damage.

At around one quarter of its health, Rangifer collapses to the ground. That is your cue to pour on everything you have. Once its health hits zero, Emma earns Rangiferine Memories — this grants a new Nushi Skill called Sakura Storm.

The Nushi survives and escapes back to its lair. Brad urges Emma to return to the Cleanse Walker before pursuing it further.

Back at the Cleanse Walker

The Cleanse Walker is Emma’s base. It goes beyond what a campsite offers. Here you can:

• Take a shower to remove blood from Emma and Koo
• Talk to Brad to buy basic materials
• Sleep to restore energy
• Access Deluxe Edition or pre-order bonus cosmetics from the bed’s Special Content menu

Brad updates you on the Nushi’s status while Emma rests. Take your time here to upgrade before heading back out. If you want to manage your resources and survival tools more efficiently, the guide on how to increase Stimpack in Beast of Reincarnation is worth reading before you take on the rematch.

Toward the Nushi’s Lair: Collecting the Three Keys

After returning from the Cleanse Walker, the quest “Toward the Nushi’s Lair” begins. You need to collect three colored keys to open the sealed door leading to Rangifer’s lair. Head to Subcity 03 in the Ogouchi Buffer Zone.

At the sealed door, a Retired Gatekeeper Golem automatically hands you the Red Key. After this, the golem marks the locations of the Blue and Yellow Keys on your map. You can collect them in either order.

Red Key: What It Unlocks

Take the Red Key back to the locked door in the Abandoned Village from the start of the chapter. Inside, you will find a Strongbox containing 558 Amber and an Ancient Book (Common). It is not a critical reward, but worth grabbing since you are passing through anyway. For a dedicated breakdown, see the guide on how to get the Red Key in Beast of Reincarnation.

Blue Key Location

The Blue Key is in the Central Riverbank area of the Ogouchi Buffer Zone. You need Emma’s hair traversal ability to cross the gap up to the lookout camp. Once there, interact with the purple glowing object to collect it. The Blue Key can also open a storage door in a nearby cavern holding a bonus strongbox — that detour is optional and does not affect story progress.

Yellow Key Location

The Yellow Key cannot be grabbed directly. First, head to Tailwater Village in the center-east part of the map. Make your way to the northern edge of the village where a cave entrance waits. Inside, a Grizzly Malefact mini-boss guards the area. Defeat it to receive the Tailwater Key. Use the Tailwater Key to unlock the door deeper inside the cave, and pick up the Yellow Key from the room behind it.

While in Tailwater Village, keep an eye out for the Crop Seedling: Rice near the rice fields. Collect it and plant it in the Grow Chamber back on the Cleanse Walker once Kagura is awake. The which seed should you plant guide explains exactly what each seedling grows into and which one is most useful to prioritize.

Opening the Sealed Door

Once all three keys are in your inventory, return to the sealed door in Subcity 03. Use all three keys to unlock it. Before heading through, speak to the Merchant Golem near the campsite just beyond the door — stock up on anything you need. Then rest, upgrade once more, and prepare for the final boss encounter of Chapter 1.

Defeat the Nushi Rangifer — Second Fight (Level 12)

The rematch with Rangifer in its lair is a proper stamina test. This time the Nushi is Level 12 and the fight has two full phases. The same attack patterns from the first fight return, so the core strategy does not change — but Rangifer hits harder and lasts much longer.

Save your Fire Arrows and Fire Bolts for Phase 2 specifically. Phase 1 can be handled with normal arrows and parries, but Phase 2 is where the extra fire damage matters most.

A useful trick for the start of the fight: set up vine bridges on top of the nearby buildings using Emma’s hair, then drop down when the attack prompt appears. This triggers a Death from Above move that removes a significant chunk of Rangifer’s health before the real fight begins.

Phase 1 of the Rematch

The attack set is identical to the first encounter. Keep parrying antler swipes to build FP, use Koo’s Higanbana Seeds for fire damage, and strike the head during recovery windows. Do not overextend after attacks — take your hit and reset. Fill the stagger meter whenever possible for lethal attack opportunities. Rangifer will collapse briefly at low health again — take full advantage of that window.

Once Phase 1 health drops to zero, a cutscene plays and Rangifer enters its second form.

Phase 2 of the Rematch

Phase 2 Rangifer is faster, hits harder, and gains two new abilities:

• Tree Bloom — Rangifer summons a row of trees from the ground that erupt in your direction. Sidestep to avoid the whole volley.
• Enraged State — Rangifer’s body glows pink, and it launches into a powered-up combo. It hits faster and harder during this state. Back off, play defensive, and wait for it to end before re-engaging.

The core strategy still holds. Keep parrying, keep using fire skills, and target the head. The difference in Phase 2 is that you need to be more disciplined — do not get greedy after attacks. When Rangifer goes Enraged, create distance using Emma’s hair to position yourself on higher ground, since most of its attacks hit downward and elevation can reduce how many land. Once the enrage ends, re-engage and continue the pressure.

When Rangifer’s second health bar hits zero, the Nushi is finally sealed. Emma absorbs its power and the chapter moves toward its conclusion.

After the Fight: Completing Chapter 1

After sealing Rangifer, head back to the Cleanse Walker. Kagura wakes up at this point in the story, which unlocks the Grow Chamber — you can now plant any Crop Seedlings you have collected. Talking to Kagura also triggers a flashback set just after Koo left, showing Emma heading to the Ogouchi Colony to sell Biwafruit she picked.

The Administrator reveals the Beast of Reincarnation has returned and instructs Emma to travel across the regions, sealing each Nushi and absorbing their power. A closing cutscene then shows the voice communicating with Violet is the Beast of Reincarnation itself. When this scene ends, Seedling closes out and Chapter 2, Creeping Tendrils, begins.

Before you leave the Ogouchi Buffer Zone, take care of any remaining optional content. Check out the full campsite locations guide to make sure you have unlocked fast travel everywhere, and the shrine locations guide if you want the extra stat bonuses before heading into Chapter 2. If you want to know how the rest of the game is structured, the how long to beat Beast of Reincarnation guide gives you a solid time estimate for what is ahead.

Chapter 1 Tips and Things Not to Miss

• Parry everything you can. Parrying is how you generate FP, stagger enemies, and open up attack windows. It is the single most important mechanic to learn early.
• Use Koo’s Higanbana Seeds on Rangifer. Rangifer’s fire weakness is significant. This skill alone makes both fights noticeably easier.
• Grab the Fire Arrows Manual early. It is in the southwest building. Having fire arrows before the first Rangifer fight gives you a solid ranged option at range.
• Check the Keeper Golems before asking them questions. Each one answers only once. Use their reveal on something not covered in guides — a weapon or rare material you have not found yet.
• Do not skip the Mechblade (Light). It is a free weapon near the Bridge campsite and gives you a second melee option that may suit certain enemy types better than the starter blade.
• Loot every strongbox. Amber adds up fast and funds upgrades. Even the ones that feel out of the way usually hold something useful.
• Rest before Rangifer’s rematch. Use the campsite just beyond the sealed door in Subcity 03. Fully heal, refill consumables, and apply any pending upgrades before going in.

Chapter 1 Quest Order: At a Glance

• Prologue: Combat tutorial and intro cutscene
• Investigate the Abandoned Village
• Speak to the Rusted Golem
• Defeat the Malefact outside the house
• Cross the broken bridge using Emma’s hair
• Search for the Subcity 01 entrance
• Defeat six Golems and the Door Golem inside
• Find and speak to the Foreman, collect the bow
• Chase Rangifer north and fight it (Level 9)
• Return to the Cleanse Walker
• Head to Subcity 03 and receive the Red Key
• Collect the Blue Key from the Central Riverbank
• Go to Tailwater Village, defeat Grizzly Malefact, get Tailwater Key and Yellow Key
• Open the sealed door with all three keys
• Fight and seal Rangifer in its lair (Level 12, two phases)
• Return to the Cleanse Walker for closing cutscenes

Frequently Asked Questions

Where to Get Beast of Reincarnation

Beast of Reincarnation is available on PlayStation, Xbox, and Steam (PC).