SCROOMS Tier List Hub

Use this hub to decide what to buy first with Chimes. SCROOMS progression is instrument-gated: Leo’s free Wooden Lute opens Songkeeper’s Grove, then shop ladders and quests unlock higher Resonance (I–X by Hz). Rankings below focus on the early game — first few hours through Bluestone Caverns — not every endgame marimba.

Detailed breakdowns live on the child pages:

• Instruments Tier List — full shop and quest instruments with Resonance notes
• Mutations Tier List — Melodic, Harmonic, Resonant, and mutation labels that change sell price

Cross-check routes in the Guides Hub and zone context on the Players Hub.

Early-game instrument tiers (through first caverns)

Criteria: Chime efficiency, Resonance coverage for common Grove/Cavern Hz bands, quest utility, and how soon the instrument stops feeling mandatory. Prices are community-reported shop values and can shift after patches.

S tier — buy or unlock ASAP

Instrument	Cost / source	Why it is S
Tamer’s Guitar	100 Chimes	First real upgrade after Wooden Lute; huge catch consistency for starter Scrooms
Ocarina	Halden statues quest	Song-playing utility and Magic Melody style progression; not just a catch stick
Deepchord	16,000 Chimes (+ quest chain context)	Opens mid Resonance bands needed before Undergarden farming feels smooth

Tamer’s Guitar is the single best early spend. Sitting on Wooden Lute while grinding Julian/Jane sales only delays every later board.

A tier — strong once you leave pure tutorial pace

Instrument	Cost / source	Why it is A
Adventurer’s Tambourine	750 Chimes	Percussion family coverage, solid Luck/Tune Speed for Grove clears
Violin of Pilgrimage	4,500 Chimes	Strings step that carries into pilgrimage-style quests and mid Grove Hz
Prospector’s Lute / early Caverns board	~5,000–9,500 Chimes range	Required feel for Bluestone Caverns spawns once Grove is farmed out

B tier — situational or quest-gated value

Instrument	Notes
Floral Flute / Forest Spirit’s Lyre	Quest rewards (Elanor / Fenna lines) — excellent when free, not a shop priority
Blackwood Fiddle	Strong caverns pick if you already cleared cheaper boards
Battlebass / early Undergarden tools	Shine after Undergarden unlock; overkill if you still need Songtreads

C tier — prestige, late zones, or luxury

Instrument	Notes
Ballad of Three Reigns	~160,000 Chimes, level/quest gates — endgame flex, not early
Heartwood Drum / Tall Trees exclusives	Fifth-zone economy; ignore until Crescendo Valley / Tall Trees routes
Ultra-high Resonance X showpieces	Collection goals after Index and cooking loops are stable

How mutations change the “tier” of a catch

Instrument tier answers “can I catch it?” Mutation tier answers “should I sell or keep?” Approximate sell multipliers:

• Melodic — about x1.25
• Harmonic — about x1.5
• Resonant — about x2.5

Mutation cosmetics and tags such as Wooden, Mossy, Runic, Metallic, Charged, and Verdant stack value fantasy and trade interest. A Resonant Metallic on a common Grove Scroom can out-earn several base sells — see the Mutations Tier List for keep/sell rules.

Cooking buffs from Undergarden ingredients (Coinleaf, Glintberry, Quickthistle) improve farm loops more than jumping two instrument tiers early. Pair this hub with the Cooking Recipes tool when you enter that update.

Suggested Chime spend order

1. Sell duplicates to Julian or Jane until you hit 100 Chimes → Tamer’s Guitar.
2. Stabilize catches, finish Leo/Halden early quests, unlock Ocarina via statues.
3. Save toward Adventurer’s Tambourine (750) then Violin of Pilgrimage (4,500).
4. Push level toward Songtreads (~25) and Shax race goals, then Bluestone Caverns boards.
5. Bank for Deepchord (16,000) before heavy Undergarden Resonance work.
6. Only then plan luxury purchases toward Ballad of Three Reigns.

Related links

• Instruments Tier List
• Mutations Tier List
• Getting Started
• Guides
• Players: Instruments
• Players: Areas
• Updates

Ranks will shift when Crescendo Valley and new shop boards land. Recheck after reading the Updates Hub, and treat S-tier as “efficient,” not “only viable.”