The harsh sands of Arrakis in Dune Awakening can be challenging for new players to come to grips with. Right off the bat, you’re thrust into an arid world where prolonged sun exposure can sear you like a steak, and the primary water resource is scarce patches of saplings. Life does get a bit easier as you follow the main quest path and craft some essential tools, but this introduction sequence leaves out a few crucial details that we’ve come to learn with experience. So, if you’re looking for some pointers, here’s our list of 12 best tips and tricks for Dune Awakening for you to have a smooth journey.
1. Secure a Steady Supply of Water
Water is everything in Dune Awakening. Well, maybe not everything per se, but you’ll need the resource across all facets of the game, ranging from basic survival to crafting essential items. The title introduces you to its Water Discipline mechanic early on, which is basically a dehydration meter on the bottom left corner of the screen. The meter has three bars, representing your current hydration level.
At the beginning of the game, your only water source is saplings, which fill just the first bar on the meter. To increase the other bars, you must produce and consume purified water by extracting blood from enemies and then processing it in the Blood Purifying station.
The game walks you through that last bit, but from then on, the onus is on you to secure a steady water supply. As our best ways to get water in Dune Awakening guide will tell you, we recommend crafting a Dew Reaper and a Literjon as early as possible. The former helps you harvest water from saplings and store it in the latter, giving you a portable source of water that you can refill quite easily. For ways sustainable ways, read the guide linked above and begin.
2. Walk on Rocky Outcrops to Avoid Sandworms
Getting swallowed by a Sandworm after a long resource-gathering expedition can lead to smashed keyboards. If the creature homes in on your position, death is inevitable in most cases. And by extension, so is the permanent loss of your equipment and the items in your backpack. Surprised? Did nobody tell you what happens when you die in Dune Awakening?
Nobody enjoys losing their progress, so the best way to avoid Sandworms is to stick to the rocky patches of land as seen in the image below.
Needless to say, you cannot avoid a long walk through heaps of sand on some occasions. During these cases, we recommend crouch-walking for most of the trek and using movement abilities like the Shigawire Claw once your destination is within reach. If you’re looking for other ways to escape a Sandworm attack, our dedicated guide has you covered.
3. Always Carry Respawn Beacons
The Respawn Beacon is a super useful item you’ll be introduced to during the first few hours of Dune Awakening. The item lets you create a respawn point at any location of your choosing, and when used strategically, it can save you from losing a ton of progress. We highly recommend always carrying a beacon and placing it a safe distance before you walk into fortified areas such as outposts or scavenger bases.
If you die while fighting the AI at these locations, you can respawn nearby, saving you from making a long trek back from your base. If you’ve traveled a great distance and are facing imminent danger, the beacon can also be used as a last-ditch resort to help retain some progress.
4. Unlock and Use Survey Probes
Survey Probes and their dedicated launcher can be researched fairly early into the game, and we recommend you do so. The probes are an excellent intel gathering tool that reveals the various POIs in your vicinity on the map.
With all the nearby scavenger bases, settlements, outposts, and moisture-sealed caves outlined, you can carefully plan your next resource trip. To use it, climb to the summit of a hill and fire the probe into the sky.
With that being said, it’s important to note that the POIs will remain revealed temporarily, as an in-game storm will eventually reset the area. So, make sure to use this period wisely.
5. Pick the Right Starting Class
During Dune Awakening’s character creation sequence, the Reverend Mother will ask you to name your mentor. You’ll have four different options to pick from, and your final decision will be cemented as your starting class. While all four choices are solid in their own right, it’s important not to select Trooper. The soldier archetype has many useful skills, including the excellent Shigawire Claw. But you’ll be able to unlock its skill tree by just completing the first few main quests.
The game offers a fluid class system, meaning you’re free to obtain the special abilities of the Bene Gesserit or the Mentat, for instance, if you find their trainer NPC location. And the Trooper’s basic trainer happens to be located near Griffin’s Reach – the first trade post players discover. As such, picking this class from the jump is an ill-advised decision.
6. Find Every Class Trainer
In addition to the last point, finding every trainer in the game is well worth your time. These NPCs will give you access to various skills, allowing you to create some truly overpowered builds.
Finding all of them will require plenty of legwork, so make sure to check out our guide on all trainer locations if you want to avoid roaming aimlessly.
7. Invest in Mobility Skills
Dune Awakening’s combat is common fare in the third-person genre. You have some standard over-the-shoulder shooting and unimpressive melee duels, mixed in with interesting combat abilities. But what really makes the game stand out are the incredible mobility skills, with prime examples being the Bindu Sprint, the Suspender Dash, and the Shigawire Claw.
All three skills are downright essential if you want to make the game’s traversal enjoyable. So, heed this Dune Awakening tip and make sure to obtain at least one of them. Still confused? Check out the best Dune Awakening skills and abilities here.
8. Get the Sandbike as Early as Possible
The Sandbike is an iconic element of the Dune universe, and an essential vehicle in Awakening. Following the main quest, you’ll unlock its schematics, but gathering the required resources can be tricky. Fortunately, the Imperial Testing Station #2 facility, which is located in the Hagga Basin region, has most of the items you’ll need.
If you don’t want to go the crafting route, there’s an even quicker way to get the Sandbike. It’ll require a bit of exploration since you’ll be on the lookout for an enemy outpost. Once you find it, sneak your way towards the garage and you’ll spot multiple Sandbikes parked within. Read on through our guide on how to get a Sandbike in Dune Awakening for the full process.
9. The Vehicle Backup Tool is a Must
This pointer is among the best tips for Dune Awakening that you’ll find anywhere. The Vehicle Backup Tool, or VBT, should be high on your crafting list after getting a vehicle. The tool ensures that your Sandbike, Buggy, or Ornithopter remains accessible at all times and also protects it from being lost.
With the VBT, you can summon your vehicle at any time and then safely store it after dismounting. Dying to a Sandworm or a Coriolis Storm while inside your vehicle would normally result in its permanent loss. But with a Vehicle Backup Tool, you can rest assured that your trusty ride is secure.
10. Explore at Night to Avoid Dehydration
The first few hours of Dune Awakening can be hellish since you’ll quickly realize just how dangerous the sun is. Staying exposed to it for even 10 seconds will see a meter pop on your screen that tracks the amount of sunlight you can bear before taking debuffs. Naturally, this highlights the need to always stay in the shade. But you can also wait out the day and conduct your expeditions at night instead.
Unlike other survival games where dangerous creatures typically emerge after dark, nights in Awakening are pretty quaint. You’ll still be grappling with the same dangers as daytime, but they’ll actually be more highlighted due to the use of lights. More importantly, the sunlight exposure is gone entirely, which also makes it slightly easier to stay hydrated.
11. Avoid Sardaukar Ships
The Sardaukar are an elite faction of merciless killers in service to the Emperor. And they’ll waste no time in ending your expedition once you’re caught in their crosshairs. What you’ll need to look out for are Sardaukar ships as seen in the image above. These vessels are outfitted with a spotlight, which you must avoid at all costs.
Being spotted by these patrols will result in your character being paralysed by a laser beam. This is followed by a bunch of Sardaukar Troopers dropping down from the ship and ruining your day using dart guns. Dealing with these enemies is simply impossible if you’re in the early game, so we highly suggest steering clear of them.
12. Don’t Build Your Base on Open Sand
This is a common mistake many players tend to make, especially since the game doesn’t inform them about the dangers of building in the sand. Besides placing you in a prime position for a Sandworm attack, a base built in sand runs the risk of being swept away by a storm. And by swept away, we mean straight from the foundation.
This is why we recommend building near rocky outcrops or in between hills. You can also try constructing a base near resource-rich POIs such as moisture-sealed caves and scavenger bases, but you’ll need to be smart about the positioning. Check out our Dune Awakening base building guide for all the help you need.
That wraps our list of the best Dune Awakening tips and tricks that you need to know. Which suggestion has helped you out the most? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
