If you’ve spent even a few hours trekking across Enshrouded’s vast, monster-filled map, you’ve probably stared up at a distant cliffside ruin or hidden valley and wished there was a faster, safer way to get there without fighting every mob in your path. That’s where learning how to glide in Enshrouded changes the game entirely. I spent my first 10 hours of playthrough hoofing it everywhere, and once I unlocked gliding, I cut my travel time for resource runs by nearly 70%. This guide breaks down everything you need to know to unlock, use, and master gliding, no complicated exploits required.
How to Glide in Enshrouded: First Unlock the Glider
You can’t start gliding the second you spawn into the world, but unlocking the glider is far easier than most new players realize. The only pre-requisite is rescuing the Carpenter NPC from the first Forgotten Vault near the starting grasslands, a task you can complete as early as level 2 with basic stone tools. Once you bring the Carpenter back to your base, you can craft the starter glider at his workbench for just 10 wood planks, 4 cloth scraps, 2 twine, and 1 resin.
You don’t need to complete any main story quests to unlock the glider, so if you’re still in the early hours of your playthrough, prioritizing rescuing the Carpenter is one of the best choices you can make. All the required crafting resources can be collected within the starting area too, so you won’t have to venture into dangerous high-level Shroud zones to get your first glider. Once crafted, the glider is added permanently to your toolbelt, so you won’t lose it if you die or respawn at a different base.
Core Gliding Mechanics You Should Memorize First
Once you have the glider in your toolbelt, using it is straightforward, but there are a few core rules that will save you from a lot of unnecessary fall damage or frustrating missteps. To deploy the glider, first jump from a height of at least 2 blocks, then press the jump button a second time at the peak of your jump to open the glider. You can deploy your glider even if you accidentally fall off a cliff as long as you press the jump button before you hit the ground, which is a lifesaver when you're climbing steep rock faces.
Stamina dictates how long you can stay gliding—each second of gliding drains a tiny bit of stamina, so a higher stamina pool will let you glide much farther. You can adjust your glide path by moving your mouse or controller stick: dipping downward will build up speed, while pulling upward will slow you down but give you a small temporary height boost. If you run out of stamina mid-glide, you’ll start falling immediately, so always keep an eye on your stamina bar when you’re flying over long distances. When you’re learning how to glide in Enshrouded for the first time, start small by jumping off small hills near your base to get a feel for the controls before trying long cross-map flights.
Pro Tips to Extend Your Glide Distance and Safety
A lot of new players assume glide distance is fixed, but there are several small tricks you can use to glide 20-30% farther than the base length, and avoid taking damage or getting ambushed mid-flight. I’ve tested all of these across 50+ hours of play, and they work for both early and late game builds:
- Use updrafts from fire sources and Shroud towers—standing torches, campfires, and even the heat vents around ancient spires will push you upward for several seconds, letting you reset your height and extend your glide without spending stamina. You can spot these updrafts easily by the wavy orange lines rising from the source.
- Alternate between dipping and lifting your glider every 3-4 seconds. Dipping forward builds up speed, then pulling back slightly converts that speed into a small height boost, so you don't lose elevation as fast over long distances. Don't pull up too steeply, though, or you'll stall and start falling.
- Equip the Glider Skill from the Skill Tree once you hit level 5. This skill cuts gliding stamina drain by 40%, and lets you deploy your glider from half the height required for base gliding, so you can use it even off small hills to avoid fall damage.
- Always scope your landing spot before you deploy your glider. Look for flat, clear ground away from mob spawns, and avoid landing in thick forest where you might hit a tree mid-glide and take unexpected fall damage.
If you’re still getting the hang of how to glide in Enshrouded, practice these tricks in the starting grasslands first before trying them over mountainous or Shroud-covered areas. One mistake I made early on was trying to glide directly over a large Shroud zone without checking my stamina first, and I ended up landing right in the middle of a pack of level 10 Shroud wolves that took me out in two hits. Save yourself that frustration by planning your route before you take off.
Common Gliding Mistakes to Avoid
Even players who have logged dozens of hours can make these simple gliding mistakes that lead to wasted time or lost loot. The most common one is deploying the glider too early. If you jump and deploy immediately from a low height, you won’t get enough lift, and you’ll just fall a short distance, possibly taking fall damage. Wait until you're at the peak of your jump before deploying the glider to get maximum lift and distance out of every flight.
Another common mistake is ignoring weather effects. If it’s raining or storming, glide distance is reduced by 15%, and strong wind can push you off course by dozens of meters, so you might want to stick to fast travel or ground travel during bad weather if you’re heading to a precise, hard-to-reach spot. You also can’t use weapons or tools while gliding, so if you see a flying mob like a Shroud bat coming your way, adjust your course to avoid it instead of trying to fight back. If a mob hits you mid-glide, you’ll get knocked out of the air and fall, so it’s never worth the risk of engaging.
Don’t forget to carry a spare stamina potion with you on long exploration runs, either. If you’re mid-glide and realize you’re going to run out of stamina before you reach your landing spot, chugging a stamina potion will give you enough extra air time to make it to safety, instead of falling into a mob pack or the Shroud.
Gliding is one of the most useful quality of life features in Enshrouded, and mastering how to glide in Enshrouded will make every part of your playthrough smoother, from resource farming to exploring hidden areas. You don't need a high-level build or rare materials to get started, just a little bit of practice with the mechanics and the tips we covered above. Next time you're staring at a distant peak you want to explore, skip the long hike and take to the air—you'll be surprised how much more of the map you can uncover in half the time.