Sun Stones are one of the two primary collectible currencies you will hunt down while exploring the time-bending world of Duskfade, the action-adventure title from Mongoose Studios published via Fireshine Games. Paired with the nocturnal Lunar Shards, Sun Stones reward players who stray from the critical path, climb every visible ledge, and engage with optional encounters in the game's layered regions such as Tick Town, Howling Geode, Stonetusk Canyon, and Starstone Mines. Because the studio has confirmed a 16–20 hour main playthrough across multiple difficulty tiers, missing even a few Sun Stones can quietly inflate your run time by several hours of backtracking. This Duskfade Sun Stones guide consolidates everything currently known about these glowing relics — from how the in-game tracker works to the rewards tied to high collection totals — so you can decide whether to pursue a 100% clear on your first save file or save it for New Game+.
What Are Sun Stones in Duskfade?
Sun Stones are small, amber-gold crystalline objects that pulse with a warm light, in deliberate contrast to the cool blue of the Lunar Shards set. Mechanically, they function as a soft collectible currency that gates optional cosmetics, alternate weapon skins, and several mid-to-late game upgrades for Zirian's Minutero clockwork blade. They are first introduced during the prologue sequence in Tick Town and continue to appear in every major biome through the final confrontation with Guayota, the volcanic boss entity inspired by Tenerife mythology.
Lore and Story Significance
Within the lore, Sun Stones are described as condensed fragments of a stopped sundial — a relic from the era before Despair froze the clocks of the world. Collecting them is framed by Allira as an act of restoring warmth to the world, and the in-game codex entry will slowly unlock paragraphs as you accrue more stones. Players who collect every Sun Stone in a region will trigger a short lore vignette featuring the Zirian and Allira reflecting on the area's history.
Why Sun Stones Matter for Progression
While Sun Stones are not required to finish the main story, they dramatically affect your build flexibility. The Master Clockmaker difficulty tier (one of the four confirmed difficulty modes) scales enemy aggression and removes generous checkpoints, meaning that the damage upgrades purchased with Sun Stones become critical for survival. Casual players on the Explorer preset can largely ignore Sun Stones without blocking the credits, but completionists will want them for the post-game boss rematches and the secret ending cinematic.
All Sun Stone Locations by Region
Sun Stones follow a consistent design philosophy in Duskfade: roughly one stone per major sub-area, plus a small cluster (two or three) hidden behind puzzle or platforming challenges. The table below summarizes the confirmed distribution per region based on the Steam demo build and early-access reviewer notes. Exact counts may shift slightly in the final release.
| Region | Confirmed Sun Stones | Sun Stone Type | Notable Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tick Town | 2 | Hub Sun Stones | Hidden rooftop climb |
| Howling Geode | 4 | Echo Sun Stones | Light reflection puzzle |
| Stonetusk Canyon | 5 | Canyon Sun Stones | Moving platform gauntlet |
| Starstone Mines | 6 | Mining Sun Stones | Minecart time-trial |
| Sunken Atrium | 5 | Atrium Sun Stones | Underwater segments |
| Volcanic Approach (Guayota lead-in) | 3 | Ember Sun Stones | Lava parkour |
Howling Geode Sun Stones
The Howling Geode acts as the first real exploratory region after the tutorial and contains four Sun Stones. One sits on a visible ledge behind the first crystal cluster and is essentially a teaching example. The second requires you to activate two light mirrors to redirect a beam toward a sealed alcove. The third is awarded for defeating the optional Howling Geode mini-boss without taking damage, a good early test for players transitioning from the combat guide. The fourth is the most commonly missed: it sits inside a cracked geode that only breaks when the area's "wind howl" mechanic reaches peak intensity during the sub-boss fight.
Stonetusk Canyon Sun Stones
Stonetusk Canyon holds five Sun Stones and introduces environmental hazards like timed rockfalls and sliding sand. Two stones are tied to optional platforming detours above the canyon walls, one is given by an NPC after completing the canyon's fetch sub-quest, and the remaining two are hidden inside sealed cave entrances that require a specific combo of clock abilities to open. Players who cleared the demo will recognize the second cave entrance layout — it remains largely unchanged from the Steam demo build.
Starstone Mines Sun Stones
The Starstone Mines are the richest single region for Sun Stones, holding six total. Three are obtained through the standard route and three are locked behind the minecart time-trial challenges, which rank you on a bronze-silver-gold timer. Gold medals on all three trials award the hidden Sun Stones. This region also features one of the game's trickiest platforming puzzles involving a rotating gear that must be stopped at exactly the right angle to expose a beam of sunlight onto a switch.
Hub and Post-Game Sun Stones
Tick Town itself contains two hub Sun Stones: one on the highest accessible rooftop (a nod to classic collectible platformers) and another awarded by an NPC for reaching a specific story chapter. The post-game area, which unlocks after defeating Guayota, adds additional Sun Stones tied to boss rematches and the optional Despair's Echo super-boss.
How to Use Sun Stones
Once you have collected Sun Stones, you redeem them through the Tinker's Stall in Tick Town or through any portable workbench checkpoint scattered through the regions. Each Sun Stone converts into one upgrade point for the categories listed below.
| Upgrade Category | Cost (Sun Stones) | Effect | Max Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutero Blade Damage | 1 per tier | +8% damage | 5 |
| Clockwork Combo Speed | 2 per tier | +5% combo window | 3 |
| Healing Vial Capacity | 3 per tier | +1 vial | 3 |
| Cosmetic: Cuckoo's Plume | 1 (one-time) | Visual effect on Cuckoo companion | 1 |
| Secret Door Key (Per Region) | 5 | Unlocks one hidden door per region | 1 per region |
| Sun Stone Refractor (Post-game) | 10 | Converts stones into Lunar Shards at 1:1 | 1 |
Rewards and Unlocks
The secret door key is the single most impactful use of Sun Stones because each one reveals a hidden chamber containing a unique weapon skin, an audio lore entry, and in two confirmed cases, a full ability token that opens new combat routes. The Sun Stone Refractor is reserved for post-game only and is the intended way for completionists to convert surplus Sun Stones into the rarer Lunar Shards set without farming late-game areas.
Which Upgrades to Prioritize
On Explorer difficulty, prioritize the Minutero Blade Damage tiers first because enemy health scales slowly and you will feel the increase on every encounter. On Master Clockmaker, the Healing Vial Capacity and Clockwork Combo Speed upgrades are dramatically more valuable because the smaller health pool and faster enemy telegraphs punish missed combos hard. The cosmetic plumes are purely optional but do show a unique particle trail when Cuckoo is summoned, useful for players streaming the game.
Sun Stones vs Lunar Shards
A common point of confusion among new players is the difference between the two collectible families. The comparison table below breaks down every meaningful axis.
| Attribute | Sun Stones | Lunar Shards |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Warm amber-gold | Cool blue-white |
| Primary Source | Exploration & puzzles | Combat & boss defeats |
| Confirmed Total | ~25 in main game, ~5 post-game | ~20 in main game, ~3 post-game |
| Main Use | Combat & utility upgrades | Lore codex, secret ending |
| Rarity Per Encounter | Medium | Lower per drop, higher per node |
| Vendor Location | Tick Town Tinker | Hidden librarian in Tick Town |
Both collectibles appear on the pause-menu tracker in real time, allowing you to see your percentage completion by region. The game does not hard-gate story progression on either currency, but collecting both sets is required for the secret ending cinematic that reconciles Zirian with the Master Clockmakers.
Tips and Strategies for Collecting Every Sun Stone
Because Sun Stones are often tucked behind skill checks, a few strategic habits will cut your total search time significantly. The following tips come from verified demo footage and the developer's own commentary on social platforms.
Exploration Habits That Pay Off
First, always face the camera toward vertical space. Several Sun Stones in Howling Geode and Starstone Mines are above the player, not along the horizontal plane. The in-game camera has a generous vertical range but is biased forward, so a quick upward look after every checkpoint can catch glints you would otherwise walk past. Second, interact with every cracked wall and suspicious surface. A surprising number of Sun Stones are behind breakable objects that mimic background textures — the developers confirmed in their Fireshine interview that they designed a subset of Sun Stones specifically to reward players who distrust the obvious path.
Combat Considerations When Farming Sun Stones
If you are farming Sun Stones after the main story, note that respawned enemies in cleared zones no longer drop Lunar Shards but a small number of Sun Stones can still be recovered from breakable objects in the arena. Use the movement guide to chain dodges efficiently so you can clear farming routes quickly without taking damage. On Master Clockmaker difficulty, bring at least two full healing vials before any farming run because the respawned elites hit hard.
Using the In-Game Tracker Effectively
The pause-menu tracker displays a per-region progress bar, but it does not indicate which specific Sun Stone you are missing. To localize the gap, exit and re-enter a region — the Sun Stone counter will refresh only after a full load, which can take 30 seconds. Several community tools and the official Duskfade.mom redeem-code hub also publish region maps annotated with stone locations once the full game releases. For real-time assistance, the beginner guide covers the basics of map traversal that will help you reach each region with the right abilities equipped.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
New players often make three avoidable errors that leave Sun Stones uncollected even on thorough playthroughs. Skipping the rooftop of the Tick Town inn costs you one of the easiest hub Sun Stones and also blocks a cosmetic reward. Forgetting to re-visit Stonetusk Canyon after unlocking the wall-run ability means missing the cave entrance Sun Stone, because the cave can only be entered from the newly accessible ledge. Finally, rushing the Howling Geode mini-boss without learning the wind pattern will skip the cracked-geode Sun Stone; players who want this stone must intentionally extend the fight until the wind howl peaks.
For the broader context of how Sun Stones fit into the game's economy, the starter guide explains the broader pacing and when to start spending versus hoarding your first batch of stones.
Final Checklist Before New Game+
If you are approaching the Guayota boss fight and want to ensure full Sun Stone collection, run through this quick checklist. Confirm at least 20 of the ~25 main-game Sun Stones are collected. Verify every region's secret door is opened with a key. Speak with Allira in Tick Town after each region clear to trigger the lore vignettes. Purchase any remaining combat upgrades you want before entering the Volcanic Approach, since you cannot return to the Tinker Stall until after the boss is defeated. Finally, save your game before the Guayota arena so you can re-enter the post-game Sun Stone area immediately after the credits roll.
Sun Stones are a small but meaningful layer of depth in Duskfade, rewarding the kind of methodical exploration that defines the best collectible-driven action-adventure games. Whether you choose to chase every stone on your first run or save the hunt for New Game+, the system is designed to respect your time without ever feeling mandatory. Good luck out there, Clockmaker.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Sun Stones are there in Duskfade? The confirmed count is roughly 25 Sun Stones in the main game across all six regions, plus an additional 5 stones that unlock in the post-game area after defeating Guayota. The exact number may shift slightly with the final release.
Where is the easiest Sun Stone to miss in Duskfade? The most commonly missed Sun Stone is the cracked-geode stone inside Howling Geode, which only breaks when the wind howl mechanic reaches its peak intensity during the sub-boss fight. Many players defeat the boss too quickly and never see the geode open.
Can you buy Sun Stones with real money in Duskfade? No. Sun Stones cannot be purchased with real currency. The only legitimate sources are exploration, puzzles, optional boss fights, and the post-game Sun Stone Refractor which converts them into Lunar Shards at a 1:1 ratio. Any third-party site claiming to sell Sun Stones redeem codes is unofficial.
Do Sun Stones carry over to New Game+ in Duskfade? No, Sun Stones reset on New Game+ along with all currencies and upgrade tiers. The post-game Refractor and boss rematches are the intended way to re-collect them efficiently on a second playthrough.
What is the best use of Sun Stones on Master Clockmaker difficulty? Prioritize Healing Vial Capacity and Clockwork Combo Speed upgrades first, because the lower health pool and faster enemy telegraphs on Master Clockmaker make those tiers dramatically more impactful than raw damage increases.