Summary
Dune: Awakeningdrops you in the middle of Arrakis, the most iconic planet from the Dune book series, and also the most unforgiving. The desert landscape is tough to navigate, and full of scavengers, other players to contend with, and most importantly sandworms. With all of these challenges coming your way, you might be wondering what to do first.
That’s why we’ve created this list. While many of the below tips and tricks can be triggered and tracked through the game’s main storyline, you can also deviate from these guidelines to pursue your own goals. With that in mind, here’s what to do first in Dune: Awakening.
8Build Up Your Sub-Fief
Home Sweet Home
One of the first tasks you’ll be given and shown how to do is construct a sub-fief, or home base for yourself on Arrakis. While, at minimum, you’ll be tasked with constructing the main structure and also adding a water filtration system and fabricator, you’ll want to build up your sub-fief as much as possible early on.
This is because, later in the game, you’ll be tasked with abandoning your sub-fief and moving beyond the starting area. The more you build up your sub-fief early, the more you can take with you later on. You’ll be gratned a fabrication tool that allows you to copy and paste your sub-fief into a new area, so spend time making sure the structure is something worth taking with you.
7Prioritize Storage
You Can’t Take It With You
Inventory management is essential for surviving Arrakis. However, it’s also very easy to lose your inventory if you die, or worst case scenario, get devoured by a sandworm. When this happens, you lose all inventory you have on your person.
That’s why you’ll want to add storage containers to your sub-fief, so that you always have an ongoing supply of basic resources like copper, mechanical parts, and more, even when you die. If you carry everything with you all the time, then you’re more likely to lose it all when you die.
6Craft A Stillsuit
Live Like The Fremen
Stillsuit fabrication is introduced early onin Dune: Awakening. However, while the task many seem optional, you should prioritize this goal. This is because, early on in Dune: Awakening, it’s pretty easy to run out of water, and find yourself constantly using moisture on dew plants to barely stay alive.
Once you fabricate the Stillsuit, you’ll find traversing Arrakis is a lot easier than before. So, as soon as you’re prompted to craft a Stillsuit, follow the in-game instructions and do so immediately. In this way, you’ll open up a lot of other options for early game progression.
5Fill Up Your Blood Reserves
Yucky, But Necessary
In your sub-fief, you’ll get the opportunity to create a blood filtration system that takes the blood you scavenge off of other players and NPCs on Arrakis and transform it into water you can drink and store on your person. This machine is always running in the background, even when you’re not in your sub-fief.
So, before you set out on a journey away from your sub-fief, make sure you drink as much water as you can, filling up any water containers you may have, and then deposit as much blood as you can into the system, so that it can filter more water for you while you’re away. In this way, you can rest easy knowing that you always have more water coming your way.
4Unlock Research Trees
Study, Study, Study
One of the key mechanics at your disposal in Dune: Awakening comes in the form of Research. While you also have a skill tree and other combat mechanics you can unlock, your gear is your most important asset. And, the only way to get more gear is to research new technology.
You can do this by gathering Intel, a resource you can find marked on your map at various outposts. You also get Intel by leveling up and playing through the game normally. The more Intel you have, the more technology you can research, and the more powerful you can become.
3Discover Settlements And Trade Outposts
Rejoin Civilization
While most of Arrakis is a barren wasteland filled with scavenger camps and other locales to discover, there are also various settlements and trading outposts that are worth exploring. The first one you can discover in the starting area is called Griffin’s Reach Tradepost, and has a merchant in addition to some other important NPCs.
Discovering these locations is important for two reasons. One, you’ll get access to various contracts which can get you extra money. Two, you’ll also meet NPCs who can give you varoius quests, which can unlock important resources, abilities, and gameplay mechanics.
2Unlock New Trainings
Become A Paul-Of-All-Trades
At thestart of Dune: Awakening, you’ll have access to one particular kind of training. You select this at character creation. When you do so, you’ll gain access to an intricate skill tree. However, there are multiple types of trainings avaialble to you throughout the world of Arrakis, and you can unlock and learn skills from all of them.
While you can only wield a certain number of abilities at a time, you’ll want to find trainers, NPCs who can give you quests that help unlock these skill trees. For example, you’ll find one NPC at Griffin’s Reach Tradepost who can teach you how to unlock the Trooper skill tree by hunting down various bounties across the desert of Arrakis.
1Fabricate Optional Tactical Gear
Blink And You’ll Miss It
Lastly, while your Arrakis guide will teach you a lot about what kind of things you can fabricate and craft using various resources. There are two main pieces of optional gear you’ll want to craft early on: water carriers and suspensors.
These are important for different reasons. One, water carriers, perhaps obviously, allow you to carry more water with you as youtraverse the desert. This is great for staying alive, and sometimes imperative depending on the length of your journey. Suspensors are great for traversal as well, and allow you to negate fall damage when climbing up and down large cliffs.
