First-hour priorities
Learn what Coen can do in both states before chasing a specialized build. Human swordplay rewards deliberate spacing and defense; vampire abilities change the available routes and tools. Spend the opening encounters learning one dependable response to a direct attack rather than buying every attractive skill.
Read the displayed time cost before starting an activity. The campaign clock is a decision budget, not a conventional real-time countdown, so wandering and observation are safer than committing blindly to a time-bearing action.
A stable opening routine
Keep a manual save before a major conversation or quest commitment, compare day and night access in the same area, and finish a small objective before crossing the map. When advice conflicts, prefer guidance labeled for the launch version and verify the result in your own quest log.