For all the solo players out there wondering if they are going to be locked out of the endgame or if the game is going to be over when they get there, this guide is for you.
Quick Links:
- Preparing For The Endgame As A Solo Player
- Participating In The Deep Desert As A Solo Player
- Caveats/Challenges For Solo Players
- Some Things Solo Players Have To look Forward To
Tl;dr
- Is Dune Awakening's current endgame better suited for groups of players? Yes.
- How far can you push solo in Dune Awakening? There's no limit, but it'll be a challenge.
- Can you still enjoy the Deep Desert as a solo player? Absolutely!
Bit of background - I've been playing Dune Awakening solo since it was released in advanced access, everything I've crafted has been from my own little base (including Mk6 items) and I've cleared all PVE content solo.
I've seen a lot of concern online about solo players being locked out of the endgame, or that the Deep Desert is only suitable for Guilds and groups. While this is obviously rooted in some truth, I don't think that solo players should be dissuaded from participating in the Deep Desert.
In this guide I'll try and help you prepare for the Deep Desert as a solo player, break down what you can do there, outline some clear challenges for solo players and then end with some things that we have to look forward to at the end.
Preparing For The Endgame As A Solo Player
The long and short of it is, that there is nothing that can't be done solo in Dune Awakening, it just gets harder to play solo once you reach the Deep Desert. For the most part I actually prefer playing solo since it feels like the entire progression journey is mine, and I enjoy the grind.
In order to access the endgame (Deep Desert) as a solo player however, you will need to come super prepared. I have drafted a separate Deep Desert Survival Guide that goes through the consumables you'll need etc but will keep section this focused on preparing as a solo player.
Preparing Your Equipment
Before venturing out into the Deep Desert as a solo player, you will want to ensure that you have full Mk5 Heavy Armour (or Light depending on your build, but not a Stillsuit) and at least one Mk5 or higher Melee and Ranged weapon.
The reason that I say 'or higher' is because you can actually get gear that is more powerful than Duraluminum (Mk5) gear, just by doing the Advanced Trainer Quest lines. An example of this is the Jolt-sword that you unlock from doing the Swordmaster Advanced Trainer quest chain.
This sword does 110 damage per hit, which is only slightly lower than the 127 damage per hit on the Regis (Plastanium) Sword.
Preparing Your Skills & Build
You will probably also want to be around or beyond level 100 before tackling the Deep Desert solo. This is not a requirement of course, but without being able to put skill points in both combat skills and economic skills (Planetologist), you will either be slow to farm or struggle with the PVE content.
In terms of your build, most players are currently making use of powerful Swordmaster-focused melee builds which allow you to deal huge damage and also have incredible movement & manoeuvrability.
Preparing Your Vehicles
In terms of your vehicles, we've experimented with both Scout and Assault ornithopters extensively and right now I would recommend only using a Scout Ornithopter and upgrading your Wings and Engine as fast as possible.
The reasons the Scout Ornithopter is better suited for the Deep Desert:
- It is much faster than the Assault Ornithopter thanks to its acceleration, agility and great ability to glide without losing speed;
- It is much easier to escape enemy players in a Scout Ornithopter than in an Assault Ornithopter, generally you are not going to want to engage when you are alone;
- It can be stored using a Vehicle Back-up Tool (as long as the inventory is empty, so basically if you are engaging in PVE content or on your way to farm); and
- It is cheaper to replace if you do end up losing it - you can go with full Mk4 parts except for the Wings and Engine.
The trade-off is of course that you lose storage, with the Assault Ornithopter being able to carry 1,000v vs the Scout's 500v. However, when you factor in the speed differential I think this is a minor loss.
Participating In The Endgame As A Solo Player
So you've done all the preparation, you have all the gear, a kitted out Scout Ornithopter and now you're ready to go. So what does it look like participating in the endgame as a solo player?
Well there are three main activities that players undertake in the Deep Desert, so let's break each one down.
PVE Challenge Content
The Deep Desert is home to the most challenging PVE content in the game, in the forms of Wrecks and Testing Stations, with the latter being the most difficult. This is probably one of the areas that being a solo player will limit you most unless you enjoy a challenge.
This content is clearly designed to be tackled with a small group/party as it is significantly harder than the content on Hagga Basin. However - it is doable as a solo player and actually, as the loot is shared between all members of a party, doing it solo wield yield much better rewards since you will get to keep it all.
Before you venture out to take on either of these challenges, you should be aware that both Wrecks and Testing Stations in the Deep Desert contain content that forces you to kill large groups of enemies. This can either be by locking you in a room or by sending multiple waves your way before you can exit.
If you are a player that doesn't really enjoy challenging PVE content like that then yes, you will struggle with the content in the Deep Desert. The best advice I can give you in that case is to try and 'overgear' it by farming Mk6 armour and weapons before you go.
They will require crafting materials from PVE content that you will likely have to buy on the Exchange once more players get to the Deep Desert.
Wrecks are much more accessible however with the Wrecks I have completed so far only 'forcing' me to kill 5 enemies in a large room. They're still tough enemies, but it's very doable solo if you are patient and come prepared.
Harvesting Spice
One of the other major reasons for travelling out into the Deep Desert is of course to harvest Spice, the essential late-game crafting material that you can't come by anywhere else (reliably at least).
You probably don't need me to tell you that yes, harvesting Spice alone is more dangerous than harvesting spice as a group or with a Guild. Should that stop you? Definitely not.
You have to keep your wits about you for sure, but you will often find that on large spice fields, you can harvest it in peace with players doing the same on the opposite side.
Farming Ores (Titanium & Stravidium)
Other than the normal dangers of PVP in the Deep Desert, there should be nothing stopping you from going out and collecting the Titanium Ores and Stravidium you need to make your Plastanium Ingots.
Caveats/Challenges For Solo Players
Caveat 1 - The Deep Desert is clearly designed with group gameplay in mind. This guide is not trying to contest with that reality but rather to try and help maximise your enjoyment of existing game systems as a solo player.
Caveat 2 - The situation for solo players in the Deep Desert will become more challenging as time goes on. Once the Deep Desert starts to fill up with groups and guilds that reach the endgame, naturally it will become an increasingly dangerous place if you are on your own and can't defend against groups. There will also be more players looking to tackle the same PVE content, increasing the chance you run into hostile players within Wrecks or Testing Stations.
Caveat 3 - There will absolutely be players that just do not like the Deep Desert, especially solo. The Deep Desert can be pretty sweaty as a solo player and for those looking to just log on, chill out and farm in peace, this won't be their bag. I personally enjoy it but am also really looking forward to the PVE content they have planned without PVP elements.
Some Things Solo Players Have To Look Forward To
Instanced Content - We know that Dune Awakening will introduced 'instanced' PVE content in the near future which will of course eliminate the issue of worrying about being engaged by other players while you tackle it. Great for solo players.
Upcoming Content for PVE Enjoyers - We know from recent communication that there's new PVE experiences in the works: "While I can't spill what's coming just yet, there's stuff coming both for PVP and PVE enjoyers."
