Nuclear Throne Beginner's Guide: Fish, Crystal, and Reaching Big Bandit
Edition: PC (Steam), Update 100, standard solo play. Examples use Fish and Crystal's two weapon slots. Custom Mode and post-loop play are outside the scope. Sources checked: October 14, 2026. Not retested through hands-on play.
Before trying to move faster, check which enemies you currently have a clear line of fire to. Do not treat Fish's Roll as an invincible dodge or Crystal's Shield as universal protection against melee attacks and explosions. Your first goal is to assemble weapons for different purposes, get past Big Bandit in 1-3, and enter the Sewers.
The Two Starting Characters: When to Use Their Abilities
| Character | Ability and cautions | What to practice first |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | Finds more ammunition and has the Roll ability. Rolling does not make you invincible | Use it to move sideways out of incoming fire. Do not try to pass through the center of a bullet pattern relying on invincibility frames |
| Crystal | Starts with 10 maximum HP. Shield blocks bullets, but does not make melee attacks or explosions safe | Use Shield when gunfire approaches, and leave yourself a route to move after it ends. Do not press up against enemies or explosives |
| An Update 100 exception | The newly added Cuz can carry 3 weapons | Do not treat this page's two-slot combinations as a universal limit for all characters. Cuz's unlock procedure and dedicated setups are not covered |
Starting in Desert 1-1: Chests and Pickup Order
- At the starting position, check nearby enemies and gaps in the walls. Do not rush far into an unseen direction and alert several ranged enemies at once.
- Use your starting Revolver to eliminate enemies in your line of fire one at a time, then collect radiation from the side where an opening appears. Do not walk back into incoming fire just to collect it.
- When you find a red weapon chest or a dropped weapon, compare its purpose and ammunition type with your current weapons. If a Shotgun or similar weapon appears, assign one slot to distant targets and the other to close-range use.
- Before opening an orange ammo chest, switch to the gun you want to refill. If the weapon in your hands is already full, or is a melee weapon that needs no ammunition, you may not receive the ammunition type you intended.
- Before heading to the exit, check that you have the weapons you need and enough ammunition. You cannot count on carrying every dropped weapon forward each time.
Two-Slot Weapon Combinations, If You Find Them
| Combination | How to use each weapon | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Revolver ＋ Shotgun | Use the Revolver against single targets farther away and the Shotgun against nearby groups. They use Bullets and Shells respectively | Continuing to fire buckshot at distant enemies and exhausting only your Shells |
| Shotgun ＋ Crossbow | Use the Shotgun at close range and the Crossbow against distant single targets you can aim at. Track Shells and Bolts separately | Trying to keep fighting at the same range after one weapon runs out of ammunition |
| Revolver ＋ Wrench | Thin out distant enemies with the gun, then use the ammunition-free Wrench against enemies that approach | Rushing in because you assume having a melee weapon also protects you from contact damage and explosions |
| Two guns using the same ammunition type | You can change firepower or range, but both draw from the same ammunition supply | Counting two guns as twice the ammunition |
- Weapon appearances vary between runs. This table does not describe fixed starting drops or provide damage and fire-rate statistics for every weapon.
Named Examples for Choosing Mutations
| Mutation | Effect | When to choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Rhino Skin | Increases maximum HP by 4 | Gain more room to survive when a single hit tends to derail your run |
| Plutonium Hunger | Expands the attraction range for radiation and other pickups | When collecting pickups keeps leading you back into enemy lines of fire |
| Long Arms | Extends the reach of melee attacks | When keeping a melee weapon such as the Wrench as a main or backup weapon |
| Euphoria | Slows enemy bullets | When you want more time to read gaps between bullets and dodge |
- These four mutations will not all be available every time. These are examples of matching your current mistakes and weapons, rather than a ranking of the strongest choices.
Big Bandit in 1-3: Distinguishing Gunfire from Charges
- When the boss appears, check for nearby ordinary enemies too. Leave space to move sideways instead of pressing up against Big Bandit and firing only at him.
- While he fires repeated shots toward you, move sideways out of the line of bullets. Use Fish's Roll to assist movement or Crystal's Shield against gunfire.
- When you see him preparing to charge at close range or after line of sight is broken, move away from the line connecting you and the boss. Do not stay for one more Shotgun hit during the windup.
- Charges break walls, so do not stop and wait behind one. Use walls to interrupt lines of fire while continually finding a direction to escape.
- After a charge passes or during a gap in his shooting, counterattack with whichever weapon currently has the right range. If bullets are hard to read, prioritize your next dodge position over another attack.
- After defeating him, check for remaining enemies and bullets before entering the exit. Reaching Sewers 2-1 through normal progression unlocks Eyes.
Early Unlocks and Reviewing a Failed Run
| Goal or symptom | Requirement or cause | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock Eyes | Reach Sewers 2-1 | First aim to get past Big Bandit in 1-3 |
| Unlock Melting | Die | You do not have to use the character immediately after unlocking them. Learn lines of fire with Fish or Crystal before adapting to low durability |
| Unlock Plant | Reach Scrapyard 3-1 | Get through the Sewers. Do not confuse a character's unlock requirement with the conditions for completing a run as that character |
| You keep running out of one ammunition type | Both guns use the same ammunition, or you are holding the wrong weapon when opening a chest | Use different ammunition types and switch to the gun you want to refill just before opening an ammo chest |
| You get hit while rolling as Fish | You are assuming Roll grants invincibility | Use it to move away from lines of fire rather than across bullets |
Frequently asked questions
Which starting character should I choose?
Fish is an option for practicing ammunition management and movement, while Crystal lets you practice defending against gunfire. Fish's Roll does not grant invincibility, and Crystal's Shield is not universal protection against melee attacks and explosions.
Should my two weapons use different ammunition types?
It helps beginners manage supplies. The Revolver and Shotgun use Bullets and Shells respectively. If you carry two guns using the same ammunition type, remember that they consume a shared supply.