Beginner's Guide to Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core

Since Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core came out recently, there are a lot of things that are a little different from the original co-op game. Mastering those differences could be what makes the difference between success and failure.

Most things will work roughly the same, but setting up each mission and completing it will be a little difficult. Since this is a roguelike, you'll be repeating things a lot of the time, especially in the first few hours.

For this guide, we'll break down what you can expect in each mission, meta-progression, and how to be successful in this new world of Deep Rock Galactic. If you've played DRG before, things might seem similar, but don't forget you're a Reclaimer now, and that means something different.

Rogue Core Gameplay Loop

It's actually very similar to DRG, not surprising anyone. Basically, you'll be going on dives that have a certain number of sections, with four being the smallest. Every mission works relatively the same; find the elevator to the next floor until you reach the boss.

Once you wipe out the boss, you'll automatically be pulled back up to the ship and collect your earnings. The biggest difference here is that you have no control over what you bring into a dive. What you can control is the class you choose, along with the enhancements you earn from completing missions.

Every dive will provide you and your crew with a random assortment of weapons and equipment as you level your way through each section of the mission by mining the new resource, Expenite. Much like minerals in DRG, you can find this one plastered all over a cave.

When you get back from completing your mission, you'll level up the class you chose and go check out anything new that you've earned. You'll also want to grab a nice cold beer in Deep Rock Galactic with your crew before you decide where to head next.

Completing missions will level your character, but if you want to take on harder levels, you'll need to complete specific tasks. These can be found in the mission menu and will help you plan out what you should be doing during a mission.

The Classes

Each class in Rogue Core fills out a sort of niche that you might recognize from other RPG-style games. Unlike in DRG, there are five classes to choose from, and each one comes with three abilities.

The classes you can choose from currently are:

• Spotter — A support class that increases damage on enemies and provides ammo for allies.
• Slicer — A DPS class that focuses on using its ability to slice through waves of enemies.
• Retcon — A survivalist class that can rewind their own time.
• Guardian — A tank class that focuses on protecting allies and creating space.
• Falconer — A DPS/support class that can damage enemies with its ability while also buffing or reviving allies.

Choosing the class you like the most is the best option, but you'll end up trying them all out at some point. The only thing that'll be individual is most cosmetics and the level of that specific class.

Just like every good roguelike, we've got to have some kind of progression that matters. In Rogue Core, you'll unlock a special currency that lets you pick and choose what enhancements you'd like to use when you select your class.

These range from extra health to more melee damage, and pretty much everything in between. These work much the same way that Perks worked in DRG, except these are a bit easier to unlock.

You'll work your way down the enhancement tree as you earn currency to unlock better versions of enhancements. Each one can be equipped for a class, and you can have up to eight in total.

These are the primary ways you'll build up your progression, outside of learning the game. Choosing the ones that suit your playstyle the best is the smartest way to go about it, since these will help push your in-game builds just over the top if used right.

Upgrades, People, Upgrades

During a mission, you'll collect various kinds of upgrades, but the main kind you'll get will be level-up upgrades from collecting Expenite. These can come in all sorts of rarities and should be chosen to complement your character and current in-run build.

Every time you level up, you and your team will get a selection of them to choose from. You'll have to share them among everyone, so sometimes picking one that is less beneficial for you can be an important play.

You can also synergize with your team to make some crazy combos that wipe out hordes of enemies in the blink of an eye. Communication and making the right choices here will be what contributes to your success.

There are also upgrades you can get from Workbenches you find on each level. These are individual and provide you with a way to upgrade your abilities and weapons. They're less common, so make sure you pick what fits your build the best.

Really, that's about everything you need to know at a glance. The most important part of this roguelike is to experiment and play around with things. Testing out new builds and new classes is a key part of the experience, but most of all, have fun with the group you get and don't forget to Rock and Stone!