Starting strong in Dune: Awakening can make all the difference on the harsh sands of Arrakis. Even if you’re trying to speed through early quests or just managing to survive the challenging environment, these tips will help you get the best start possible in the game.
Keep in mind that these tips are only if you want to min-max from the start. Any class choice is good depending on what you like to play, and there are a ton of different ways you can play Dune! So keep in mind that the following tips are here to help you make it fast and easy through the first zone, so you can head into the more challenging content sooner!
Don’t Start With the Trooper Class
It might be tempting to choose Trooper as your starting class, but it’s actually a suboptimal choice. Despite it being the best class for beginners, here’s why you should not pick it during character creation:
- The Trooper mentor is the first one you encounter in the opening zone, meaning you unlock the Trooper skill tree very early on anyway.
- Starting with Trooper locks you into a single class for longer than necessary.
- It’s much more efficient to pick a different class initially and then unlock Trooper soon after.
Once you do unlock the Trooper, you gain access to the grappling hook, which is one of the best tool for fast movement and vertical traversal, especially when combined with other mobility skills.
Bene Gesserit – The Best First Class Choice
The Bene Gesserit is arguably the best first class to pick:
- While the first skill you gain isn’t the strongest, you soon unlock an incredible speed-boosting ability.
- This speed lets you outrun enemies, cover large distances quickly, and makes up for the early-game lack of vehicles.
Combine the Bene Gesserit’s sprint with the Trooper’s grappling hook, and you’ll move through the environment at lightning speed.
If you have the Bene Gesserit sprint ability, you can also jump while sprinting, allowing you to cover more ground much faster.
Mentat – A Solid Alternative
Another strong starting option is Mentat, mainly for one reason: the Sentinel ability. The Sentinel acts as a fast-attacking combat companion, making it easier to kill early-game enemies and survive solo encounters.
Early Game Strategy: Do These Things First
As soon as you complete the tutorial and step into the open world, here’s what you need to do:
- Loot everything. Every resource counts early on.
- Watch for blue-colored rocks. You’ll need at least 40 of these for an upcoming quest related to reaching your first outpost.
- Follow the main story quests for a good progression path and unlocks.
- Don’t spend too much time on your very first base.
Where to Place Your Base
Ideal base location in the first zone is between the Wreck of the Alcyon and the nearby Shop on the left. This spot ensures that you have:
- Access to early missions and contracts without long travel times.
- Good placement for eventually heading north into more advanced regions.
Hydration Is Everything
Water management is essential in Dune: Awakening. Prioritize this early:
- Craft three blood pouches after unlocking the blood extractor.
- Use them to store blood and convert it into water, giving you a reliable hydration supply.
Vehicles & Leaving the First Zone
Once you get a vehicle:
- Never leave it outside during storms. If you are at an outpost, put your vehicle inside the nearby garage or the storm will destroy it.
- Add a chest to your vehicle before heading north. This will help carry resources and gear when relocating your base.
Before you leave your first area:
- Destroy your old base to recover materials.
- The second zone has fewer resources, so bringing extra is a huge advantage.
The trip north is dangerous. If the sandworm eats you while transporting your materials, you lose everything. So keep an eye out.
Optimize Your Routes
Once you get the second zone, plan ahead when you leave your base or the outpost. When taking a contract, check everything you can also do on your way there, and loot everything. Sometimes the next contracts will require you to explore what was in-between.
This allows you to already have the mats and items needed for the next contracts without having to go back and forth ten times.
- Plan your trips to complete multiple objectives before returning to base.
- This saves time and lets you stockpile useful items before the quests even ask for them.
A smart start in Dune: Awakening sets you up for the rest of the game. Pick the right class, maximize your movement, manage your resources carefully, and plan ahead for base expansions. Arrakis is unforgiving, but with these tips, you’ll be ready for anything it throws at you.
And most importantly: have fun. As mentioned, there are multiple ways to play this game, so if the best class to start with does not look attractive to you, pick something else. They are all worth it, and you can take your time to explore, build, craft, and more. You do not need to clear the first zone in an hour.
If you want to know more about the Deep Desert Base and even PvP, you can take a look at our in-depth guide!
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