Fishing has become a mainstay for RPGs these days, and Ruined King keeps up with that trend. It’s a great fit for Bilgewater as a setting, and it’s the most reliable way to get your hands on some valuable Black Market items. 

Getting started

Fishing spots dot the landscape as you progress through Ruined King. Both the challenge of catching fish and the rewards for doing so increase as you find new spots. Getting a better fishing pole and lure will become important, but the first step is getting your hands on a pole. There is an early fishing pole you can find in a chest, but it can be easily missed.

The fishing pole is in the Buhru Grotto early on in the story, right next to this fishing spot. However, if you decide to go on with the main story from here, you’ll miss it entirely. Fortunately, the Fishmonger will sell you a fishing rod, and he’ll keep upgraded rods and lures in stock that’ll get better and better as you progress through the story.

The Fishmonger is located at the Docks, right next to the Ship Salvage Yard. Next to him is a fishing spot, and to the North is a stairway that leads to the Black Market. You’ll need Black Marks to shop there, a currency you gain from fishing as well as bounties. Fortunately, fishing rods and lures can be purchased with normal gold.

Keeping your fishing rod up to snuff is a worthwhile investment, and the areas you traverse will all have fishing spots that give you the opportunity to catch some rare fish and net yourself a lump sum of Black Marks. Some of Ruined King’s best surprises are hidden behind Black Marks.

Best Mana Rocks

Powerful equipment, premium fishing rods and lures, and alternate costumes for party members are a few of the many items up for sale exclusively with this currency. And, seeing as bounties come few and far between, fishing is the absolute best way to purchase Black Market items. At least, once you get later into the game.

Reeling in the cash

The process of fishing itself is pretty simple. Find a fishing spot, set up with your rod, and get to it.

The red meter is your stamina, while the green one is that of the fish. Once the fish runs out of stamina, you get a brief period where it doesn’t do much to fight against you. Pulling it from behind will drastically reduce the amount of stamina you have to use to reel in a catch, so pulling in the same direction the line at the fish’s tail points is ideal. Even if the fish is swimming away from you slightly, maintaining your stamina bar is more important. 

Fishing is just as much of a stat check as it is a game of skill. Upgrading your rod periodically is important, especially if you want to get Black Marks fast. Fish later in the game will give you a good fight, and you’ll want the right tool for the job. Especially since, due to the lack of efficient fast travel, you’ll have to do a ton of backtracking if your fishing rod isn’t up to the task.

Small fish in the starting area don’t give many Marks. You’d have to fish the entire area twice to get enough fish chunks to make even one Mark. However, things improve once you hit the fishing points in later areas.

Big fish can only be caught if your rod is on-par with the level of the area you’re in, meaning that you’ll need to invest in some good equipment if you want to keep the Marks coming. Bounty targets and artifacts will come along as the story progresses, but fishing is the most consistent way to earn Black Market items. You’ll need to grind a little to afford some of the high-caliber items on offer, but it’s worth it. 

RUINED KING GUIDES

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In-depth guide to combat in Ruined King
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