Soulmask Tribesmen are recruitable NPCs that form the core of your tribe in Soulmask. They handle gathering, crafting, farming, base defense and combat support.
In Tribe Mode, they are essential for automation and base building. In Warrior Mode or solo play, they still provide huge value as followers or workers.
In Shifting Sands, tribesmen benefit from new talents, improved AI, Training Grounds for talent inheritance, better assignment systems and airship integration.
I’m here with the latest guide about Tribesmen in Shifting Sands. Here you’ll find everything you need to know!
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How to Make Tribesmen Follow You (Step-by-Step)
Recruitment is a two step process. It becomes available after unlocking the relevant Mask Node. How to do it? Follow these steps:
- Find Eligible Targets: Outcasts, Barbarians (various tribes like Flint, Claw, Fang), enemy tribesmen, guards, porters, craftsmen, hunters, etc. Look in Barbarian Camps, Barracks, Villages, Fortresses and roaming groups. Higher-level or elite enemies often have better starting proficiencies and visible talents. In Shifting Sands, check desert camps, pyramids, and oases. Use the Horus Mask for scouting.
- Deter Them: Reduce their health to below 20 percent. Press E (interact) to Deter. They fall unconscious and begin gaining Recognition slowly.
- Build Recognition to 500: Carry the unconscious tribesman to your base (or a safe bed). Place them in a bed to speed up recognition gain. Feed them soup or any liquid food. You do not need to babysit them the entire time, they gain points passively.
- Recruit: Once Recognition hits 500, the Recruit option appears (yeah, press E again). They join your tribe and can be deployed.
Pro Tips I Know for Better Recruits
Use a special mask (Golden Legend or similar high-tier mask) to reveal talents, proficiencies on targets before deterring. This helps pick the best ones early.
Starter areas have more proficiency potential on lower-level targets, higher level areas show more talents but may have lower caps.
You can recruit many and no hard limit mentioned yet, but manage happiness to prevent your men from leaving.
Pro Tip: Heal deterred tribesmen with bandages if they are bleeding out. In Shifting Sands, environmental hazards (heat, sandstorms) can affect unconscious NPCs.
Understanding Tribesmen Stats, Proficiencies & Talents
Read the list below to understand your tribesmen better:
- Level (gains XP from work, combat, or when you control them).
- Proficiencies (skill levels in categories like Logging, Mining, Planting, Weaving, Weapon Crafting, Combat weapons, etc.).
- Personality/Profession Type (Warrior, Guard, Laborer, Porter, Craftsman, Hunter).
- Talents (Innate advantages/defects, Title bonuses, Tribe-specific, Leveling-based). Every 10 levels a new advantage talent unlocks. Every 5 levels a Chance to remove a defect will be available.
- Stats (Strength, Endurance, etc.).
Assigning Jobs for a Tribesman
Press I → Tribesmen Work tab (or assign directly from workbenches via the [P] button for sorted proficiency list).
Common roles are here on the list below. Choose based on your situation in the run:
- Gatherers/Laborers
- Farmers/Gardeners
- Crafters
- Combat Followers
- Breeder
- Support
Assign via Work Type + Location + Goal/Quantity. Use map markers for resource nodes. Tribesmen return resources to sorted chests automatically.
They can also work as crews in your Soulmask Ships. Use them to automate your ships and make them more efficient.
How to Manage Soulmask Tribesmen
First of all, equip them with appropriate tools, weapons and armor (better gear means better performance).
Build amenities like Outhouse, bathtub, statues, dining tables, chairs, quality food/drinks to boost their Mood/Happiness (redder mood bar means happier, higher productivity, prevents leaving).
Control a tribesman (possess) to level their skills faster or complete specific tasks.
Leveling and Happiness
Assign work for them (fastest for production skills) or take them into combat/exploration. Control them directly for targeted gains. Stats can be manually assigned on level-up.
Provide liked foods/drinks, good clothing, base comforts and matching perks to boost their mood. Low mood reduces recognition and risks desertion. Manually feed if needed.
Also don’t forget toAssign breeders for animals. Manage livestock for meat and leather.
Another cool feature in shifting sands is that you can send Tribesmen groups to outposts for rewards. Make sure that you benefit from this feature too.
Training Grounds for Tribesmen
Training Grounds is one of the biggest quality-of-life additions in the Shifting Sands update. It lets tribesmen passively level weapon proficiencies and inherit/transfer talents between each other, turning even “okay” recruits into end-game monsters.
How to build training ground?
- Unlock the blueprint via the Mask tech tree (under Tribe / Management nodes, appears after you have 5+ recruited tribesmen and reach mid-game tech).
- Gather the materials (mostly refined wood, stone, bronze/iron bars, and a few Mask Energy shards).
- Place it anywhere in your base (it has a decent radius and works indoors or outdoors).
How Training Grounds Actually Works
Any tribesman equipped with a weapon will automatically train at it when idle (or assigned the “Train” work order). Weapon Proficiency Training slowly raise the proficiency of the equipped weapon. Weapon skills can only reach the 120 cap if the tribesman’s profession matches.
Pro Tip: Build 2–3 Training Grounds once you have a big roster. One for pure weapon grinding, one dedicated to talent transfer. This makes “borderline” recruits (high caps but missing key talents) extremely valuable.
Soulmask Tribesmen Potential
Tribesmen potential in Soulmask is defined primarily by their proficiency caps, innate talents and tribe-specific bonuses rather than their starting level or visual rarity. A tribesman’s profession heavily influences which skills can reach the critical 120+ cap. Only tribesmen with a 120+ proficiency cap in a desired skill can unlock the final mastery bonuses.
Your own character is hard-capped much lower, so tribesmen with high potential quickly outperform you in specialized tasks like crafting, gathering, or combat.
To evaluate potential quickly, equip the Golden Legend Mask before scouting barracks or villages. It reveals all talents, exact proficiency numbers and hidden caps from a safe distance.
Also don’t ignore “novice” or low-rarity recruits, many can still roll 120+ caps in key skills. Claw Tribe members usually offer the highest combat potential; Flint Tribe excels in crafting and defense. Fang Tribe shines in gathering and poison resistance.
How to Save Tribesmen
Tribesmen can die permanently on official servers if you don’t back them up. The Mysterious Stone Tablet is your insurance policy and I’m gonna tell you how to use it:
Find the Mysterious Stone Tablet located deep in the first major underground dungeon (the one you visit for early Mask upgrades). It’s a heavy item so bring porters or multiple trips if needed. Carry it back to your base and place it (it’s stationary once placed). Craft & Attach Mysterious Stone Table Part 1 (blueprint unlocks after the tablet is placed). This adds the Remodel tab.
Well, how to save a Tribesman? Follow these steps:
- Possess/control the tribesman you want to save (press the Control button).
- Walk up to the Stone Tablet.
- Go to the Remodel tab.
- Confirm. Their current level, all proficiencies, and talents are now stored.
Repeat this steps for your best 3–4 tribesmen (base limit is usually 3–4 slots besides your main character; solo/private servers can raise it to 10 via server settings).
Tribesman Quick Tips
Reading a lot is hard? I provide this practical quick list which helps. Read it and save it in a way:
- Unlock recruitment node very early in the desert starter zone.
- Prioritize craftsmen/porters for production loops and laborers for resource grind.
- Combat tribesmen shine as meat shields while you focus DPS.
- Mood management is more important than ever with larger tribes and new environmental threats.
- Save good-looking high-stat tribesmen appearances for easy customization.
- In Tribe Mode: Lean heavily on automation and invasions. In Warrior Mode: Use as strong followers.
Building Your Legendary Tribe
Mastering Soulmask Tribesmen system is one of the biggest advantages in Shifting Sands. Recruit smart, focus on high 120+ proficiency caps and strong talents, keep their mood high and protect your best ones. With improved AI, Training Grounds, and airship support, a well-managed tribe turns the desert into your empire.
Whether you prefer full automation in Tribe Mode or loyal combat followers in Warrior Mode, a strong tribe will carry most of the grind so you can focus on exploration and bosses. Start early, specialize your workers, and build your legend.
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FAQs
What should my first tribesmen jobs be?
Assign to production bottlenecks first: Loom (linen/yarn), Carpentry (planks), and basic gathering. Use map markers so they auto-gather and return resources to chests.
How do I make tribesmen happy and productive?
Provide liked food/drinks (broth, juice, fruit kebabs), build amenities (outhouse, bathtub, dining table, chairs, statues), give proper clothes and tools. Happier mood (redder bar) = higher efficiency and no desertion risk.
Can tribesmen fight with me?
Yes. Gear them with armor, weapons, and bandages. Set them to Follow or Defensive mode. They work well as tanks (spear + shield) or ranged support. Level them up and assign stat points for better performance in bosses.
How do professions and proficiency caps work?
Each tribesman’s profession (Warrior, Laborer, Craftsman, etc.) affects their max proficiency in certain skills. Aim for 120+ cap in key areas like weaving, smithing, or weapons for best results and mastery unlocks.
What’s new for tribesmen in Shifting Sands?
Improved AI for base defense and auto-equipping, Training Grounds to inherit talents, appearance presets for customization, and support for airship crews/mobile bases.
Do tribesmen die permanently?
Yes, if killed in combat or left without food or supplies. Always equip them properly and carry bandages. In Tribe Mode they are more replaceable; in solo play, treat them carefully.
How do I level up tribesmen faster?
Assign them to their strong skills for passive XP, or possess/control them directly during gathering or combat. Every 10 levels they gain new advantage talents.
Should I recruit everyone or be selective?
Be selective early and focus on bests. You can recruit many later, but poor recruits waste resources and lower overall efficiency.
The main reason I’m still playing this masky game is tribesmen. I like to control MPCs they give a sense of power and I liiiike this.
Same as me. I like controlling them like this.