The Tooth Fae Beginner Guide 2025: Master Stealth & Extract Your First Tooth

Introduction: Welcome to the Nightmare

The Tooth Fae is not your typical horror game. Developed in just 72 hours for Ludum Dare 58, this pixel art psychological horror experience flips the beloved childhood legend on its head. Instead of running from a monster, you ARE the monster - a mysterious entity tasked with collecting teeth from sleeping victims while remaining completely undetected.

This beginner's guide will teach you everything you need to survive your first night and set you on the path to becoming a master tooth collector.

Understanding Your Role: The Dark Tooth Collector

Unlike traditional horror games where you're the victim, The Tooth Fae puts you in control of a sinister being who must infiltrate homes, anesthetize sleeping victims, and extract their teeth without being seen. Your ultimate goal? Fill the Queen's "Perfect Lovelies" cabinet with all 16 unique teeth scattered across different victims.

The Golden Rules

Before you begin your nocturnal missions, memorize these essential rules:

1. YOU MUST NEVER BE SEEN - Stealth is not optional; it's survival

2. Preparation is everything - Rushing will kill your victim before extraction succeeds

3. A tooth that bleeds is ripe for plucking - This is your signal to act

4. Every sound matters - Footsteps trigger fear, silence is your ally

Core Gameplay Mechanics Explained

The Three Critical Parameters

Success in The Tooth Fae requires mastering three interconnected meters that determine whether your victim wakes up or stays asleep:

Lucidity Meter - Indicates how close your victim is to waking up. High Lucidity means they're becoming aware of your presence. If this maxes out, they'll open their eyes and spot you hovering over them - instant mission failure.

Pain Meter - Tracks the discomfort from your dental procedures. Drilling and extraction cause pain to spike. Too much pain will wake them up screaming.

Fear Meter - Shows their subconscious awareness of danger. Loud footsteps, sudden movements, and prolonged tool usage all increase fear. The Fear Meter at the top of your screen is your early warning system.

Your Tooth Extraction Toolkit

You have five essential tools in your arsenal:

1. Fairy Dust - Your primary crowd control tool. Suppresses both Lucidity and Fear, keeping victims in deep sleep. Use it liberally when meters start rising.

2. Hook - Opens the victim's mouth to access their teeth. Simple but necessary first step.

3. Anesthetic Syringe - Reduces Pain spikes caused by drilling. Critical for managing discomfort during extraction.

4. Dental Drill - Loosens the tooth from the gums. This is the loudest, most dangerous part of the process.

5. Forceps - Completes the extraction once the tooth is loose and bleeding. The final, delicate step.

Step-by-Step: Your First Successful Extraction

Phase 1: Silent Entry (Minutes 0-2)

When you spawn outside your target's home, resist the urge to rush in. Take these steps:

1. Observe the environment - Look for creaky floorboards, obstacles, and the shortest path to your victim's bedroom

2. Practice ghost stepping - Use short, controlled taps of your movement keys (W, A, S, D) instead of holding them down

3. Enter slowly - One quiet step at a time, watching the Fear Meter for any spikes

Pro Tip: If you see the Fear Meter jump from a footstep, STOP immediately. Wait 3-5 seconds for it to settle before continuing.

Phase 2: Assessment (Minutes 2-3)

Once you're beside the sleeping victim, take a moment to assess:

- Check their character type (displayed on screen)

- Examine the starting levels of all three meters

- Plan your tool sequence based on their type

Phase 3: The Extraction Process (Minutes 3-8)

Here's the optimal sequence for a standard victim:

Step 1: Apply Fairy Dust (2 doses) to suppress Lucidity

Step 2: Use the Hook to open their mouth

Step 3: Apply one dose of Anesthetic

Step 4: Quick drill burst (1-2 seconds) - STOP immediately

Step 5: Apply Fairy Dust if Fear spiked

Step 6: Apply Anesthetic if Pain spiked

Step 7: Repeat steps 4-6 until tooth bleeds

Step 8: Use Forceps to extract the bleeding tooth

Step 9: Exit silently with your prize

Phase 4: Escape (Minutes 8-10)

You're not safe yet! Carefully retrace your steps using ghost stepping. Rushing now could wake them and cause all your work to fail.

Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake #1: Holding Down Movement Keys

New players constantly trigger the Fear Meter by running or walking normally. Every audible footstep is a potential alarm. Instead, use "ghost steps" - rapid, short taps that make your character glide silently.

Mistake #2: Continuous Drilling

The drill is your most dangerous tool. Beginners often hold it down, causing Pain and Fear to skyrocket simultaneously. Use short, controlled bursts of 1-2 seconds, then immediately check all meters.

Mistake #3: Ignoring the Lucidity Meter

Many players focus only on Pain and Fear, forgetting that Lucidity slowly rises over time. Even if you're being quiet and gentle, Fairy Dust must be applied regularly to keep them in deep sleep.

Mistake #4: Not Adapting to Victim Types

Each victim type requires a different approach. Using the same strategy on a "Tough" type as you would on a "Heavy Sleeper" will result in failure. Always read their characteristics and adjust your tool usage.

Mistake #5: Rushing the Bleeding Signal

Just because the tooth is loose doesn't mean it's ready. Wait for the blood. Extracting too early will cause massive pain and likely wake your victim.

Understanding Victim Types: Your First Encounters

The game features several victim types, each requiring adapted strategies:

Heavy Sleeper (Easiest - Start Here!)

- Characteristics: Large Lucidity window, slow to wake

- Strategy: Perfect for practicing longer drill cycles and learning tool timing

- Beginner Tip: Use this type to get comfortable with the basic extraction sequence

Fragile/Brittle (Moderate Difficulty)

- Characteristics: Teeth shatter easily, low Pain threshold

- Strategy: Ultra-short drill bursts (0.5-1 second), heavy Anesthetic use

- Beginner Tip: Patience is critical - it's better to take 5 minutes of gentle work than fail by rushing

Tough (Challenging)

- Characteristics: Pain skyrockets quickly, requires more drilling

- Strategy: Alternate between Fairy Dust and Anesthetic around 70-80% on the Pain meter

- Beginner Tip: Pre-apply Anesthetic BEFORE drilling, not after the pain spike

Night Owl/Insomniac (Very Difficult)

- Characteristics: Starts with high Lucidity, barely asleep

- Strategy: Tap drill, apply Dust immediately, never linger with any tool

- Beginner Tip: Save these for when you've mastered the basics

Essential Tips for New Players

Audio is Your Best Friend

The Tooth Fae is designed to be played with sound on. Audio cues tell you:

- When the drill has loosened the tooth enough

- When Fear is rising (subtle sound changes)

- When you're making footsteps vs. ghost stepping

Recommendation: Use headphones and play in full screen for the best experience.

Start With the Tutorial Victim

Your first night should be a learning experience. Don't worry about speed or efficiency - focus on:

- Getting comfortable with ghost stepping

- Understanding how each tool affects the meters

- Recognizing the bleeding signal

- Practicing the complete extraction sequence

Save Your Progress Carefully

WARNING: Hitting the back button on the town screen will clear your collection progress! Always use the proper save/exit options.

Practice Makes Perfect

Each session typically lasts about 30 minutes. Don't be discouraged if your first few attempts end in failure. The Tooth Fae has a steep learning curve, but mastering it is incredibly rewarding.

Your Path to Mastery

Session 1: Learn the Basics

- Goal: Complete one successful extraction on a Heavy Sleeper

- Focus: Ghost stepping and tool familiarization

- Don't worry about speed or efficiency

Session 2-3: Build Consistency

- Goal: Successfully extract from 3 different Heavy Sleepers

- Focus: Refining your tool timing and meter management

- Start experimenting with different tool sequences

Session 4-5: Expand Your Skills

- Goal: Successfully extract from a Fragile or Tough type

- Focus: Adapting your strategy to different victim characteristics

- Begin working toward the 16-tooth collection

Session 6+: Master Level

- Goal: Attempt Night Owl/Insomniac types

- Goal: Work toward 100% completion (all 16 unique teeth)

- Focus: Speed, efficiency, and flawless execution

Technical Setup for Optimal Play

System Requirements

The Tooth Fae is a browser-based game, making it accessible on most systems:

- Browser: Chrome, Firefox, or Edge recommended

- Display: 1920x1080 or higher for best visuals

- Audio: Headphones strongly recommended

- Controls: Keyboard and mouse

Recommended Settings

1. Play in Full Screen - Essential for immersion and UI visibility

2. Sound ON - Audio cues are critical for success

3. Stable Internet - The game runs in-browser; lag can ruin precision timing

4. Quiet Environment - You need to hear subtle audio cues

Where to Play

The Tooth Fae is available for free on multiple platforms:

- Official itch.io page: https://ev-dev.itch.io/fae

- Various fan sites and game portals

Pro Tip: Playing on the official itch.io page ensures you have the latest version and proper save functionality.

Conclusion: Your Journey Begins Tonight

The Tooth Fae is a unique psychological horror experience that rewards patience, precision, and strategic thinking. Unlike traditional horror games that rely on jump scares, this game creates tension through its stealth mechanics and the constant threat of being discovered.

Your first successful extraction will be nerve-wracking and exhilarating. That moment when you carefully pull a bleeding tooth with your Forceps and silently escape into the night - that's when you'll understand why this 72-hour game jam creation has captivated so many players.

Remember: You must never be seen. A tooth that bleeds is ripe for plucking. And most importantly, every night is a new opportunity to perfect your craft.

Welcome to the world of The Tooth Fae. The Queen's cabinet awaits your collection.

Next Steps

Ready to go deeper? Check out our other guides:

- Advanced Strategies Guide: Master complex victim types and optimize your extraction speed

- Complete Tooth Collection Walkthrough: Detailed paths to finding all 16 unique teeth

- Lore and Story Deep Dive: Uncover the dark secrets behind the Tooth Fae mythology

Happy collecting, and remember - silence is survival.