Embervale is a vertical world. The cliffs, ruined towers, and Shroud-choked valleys of Enshrouded are built to be climbed, leapt, and flown across — and the three tools that make that possible are the grappling hook, the glider, and the Double Jump skill. Get all three working together and you stop walking around the map and start moving over it. This guide covers exactly how to unlock and upgrade each one, where the numbers come from the official wiki, and how Ancient Spires tie the whole traversal loop together.
How to get the grappling hook
The grappling hook is your first real traversal upgrade, and it unlocks earlier than most players expect. The recipe is unlocked simply by obtaining Shroud Spores for the first time — these are looted from defeated Fell enemies inside Shroud-affected areas. Once you’ve picked up your first Spores, the recipe appears and you can craft the hook at a Workbench at your base.
The crafting cost is:
- 4× Metal Scraps — scavenged from abandoned towns and ruins
- 7× String — crafted from Plant Fiber gathered off bushes
- 10× Shroud Spores — dropped by Fell enemies in the Shroud
The base Grappling Hook has a Stamina Cost of 40 per use, so early on you’ll want to plan grapples around your stamina bar. Aim it at the glowing grapple points (and certain ledges) to swing across chasms and pull yourself up walls you couldn’t otherwise reach.
Upgrading to the Improved Grappling Hook
The upgraded version is the Improved Grappling Hook. Its recipe is not crafted from raw exploration — you learn it during “The Alchemist’s Rumors” quest from the Alchemist NPC. Once unlocked, it’s crafted at the Carpenter (or Carpenter Assistant) from:
- 1× Shroud Core
- 2× Shroud Liquid
- 3× Shroud Spores
- 1× Grappling Hook (your existing one is consumed)
The improved version costs less stamina — 30 instead of 40 — and can be activated at larger ranges, so you can hook targets that the base tool can’t reach. The wiki notes the description as “Requires less stamina. Can be activated at larger ranges,” but does not publish an exact range figure in units, so treat the range gain as qualitative rather than a fixed number.
The glider: your single biggest mobility upgrade
If the grappling hook is for going up, the glider is for going across. You unlock the base Glider through the Blacksmith’s “Glider” quest, which tasks you with crafting one. It’s made at the Workbench and is generally usable around character level 5. The base recipe is:
- 8× Shroud Wood
- 2× Animal Fur
- 2× String
- 2× Shroud Spores
To use it, climb to height and jump — the glider deploys automatically and you steer with your movement keys. There’s no separate “deploy” item; it lives in the Glider slot on your Character screen. Higher tiers are crafted at the Carpenter and dramatically extend how far and fast you can travel before stamina runs out.
Glider tiers compared
| Glider | Range | Speed | Stamina Loss/sec | Level | Crafted At |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glider | 100% | 10 | 4 | 5 | Workbench |
| Advanced Glider | 150% | 15 | 4 | 10 | Carpenter |
| Extraordinary Glider | 200% | 20 | 5 | 20 | Carpenter |
| Ghost Glider | 250% | 25 | 5 | 30 | Carpenter |
Range climbs from 100% to 250% and speed from 10 to 25 across the four tiers. The first two tiers cost 4 stamina per second; the Extraordinary and Ghost gliders cost 5/sec — a small price for the extra distance. Recipe materials scale with progression and shift to Carpenter-tier components, so check your current recipe before farming, since costs are version- and tier-dependent.
Double Jump and the “is there a real double jump?” question
Yes — Enshrouded has a true Double Jump, but it’s a skill, not an item. It costs 4 skill points, and as of Update 8 it was moved to the center of the skill tree so any build can grab it easily. A mid-air second jump lets you reach grapple points and gliding launch spots you’d otherwise miss, and it stacks beautifully with the glider for chaining height. It’s widely considered one of the most impactful early unlocks, so prioritise those 4 points. If you’re planning a full build around traversal and stamina, our Enshrouded skill tree build planner helps you map the point spend before you commit.
Ancient Spires: fast travel and gliding hubs
Ancient Spires turn all of this traversal tech into a connected network. To activate one, climb to the top and speak with The Flame — this registers the Spire as a fast-travel point on your map. It also reveals the Ancient Obelisks in that biome, which in turn uncover Shroud Roots and Flame Shrines. Spires sit near the center of each biome, so they double as ideal launch points: fast travel to a Spire, leap off the top, deploy the glider, and cover huge ground without touching the ground. Pair a Ghost Glider with Double Jump from a Spire and you can cross most of a biome in a single flight.
Running your own Enshrouded server
Traversal unlocks are persistent per character and per world, so if you and friends are exploring the same map, a dedicated server keeps everyone’s progress (and your built-up Spire network) online 24/7 even when the host logs off. If you’re setting that up, our Enshrouded dedicated server documentation walks through the panel, and you can spin up a ready-to-play world in minutes with our Enshrouded hosting plans. New to self-hosting? The dedicated server setup guide covers the full install.
FAQ
Do I need the grappling hook before the glider?
No — they unlock independently. The grappling hook becomes available the first time you collect Shroud Spores, while the glider comes from the Blacksmith’s “Glider” quest around level 5. Most players get the hook slightly earlier because Spores are an automatic Fell-enemy drop, but you can pursue either first.
Does upgrading my grappling hook consume the old one?
Yes. The Improved Grappling Hook recipe lists 1× Grappling Hook among its ingredients, so your base hook is used in the upgrade alongside a Shroud Core, 2 Shroud Liquid, and 3 Shroud Spores at the Carpenter. The payoff is lower stamina cost (30 vs 40) and longer activation range.
How do I get the best glider in Enshrouded?
The Ghost Glider is the top tier (250% range, speed 25), craftable at the Carpenter around level 30. Recipe materials are tier- and version-dependent, so check your current recipe in-game before farming. Combine it with the Double Jump skill and launch from an Ancient Spire for maximum flight distance.
Ready to play?
Run your own Enshrouded server with XGamingServer
Spin up an always-on Enshrouded server your friends can join in minutes — no port-forwarding, no tech headaches.
