This is not the co-op shooter. Funday Games built Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor as a top down single player auto shooter under Ghost Ship Publishing, entering Early Access on 14 February 2024 and reaching 1.0 on 17 September 2025. You still play a dwarf on Hoxxes, still mine Nitra and Gold and still get pulled out by a Drop Pod, but nobody aims: your weapons fire on their own while you drive the dwarf around the cave and dig through terrain. A dive is five stages, each with a Supply Drop and an Elite, and stage five ends with a Dreadnought. The Heavy Duty Expansion of 30 April 2026 added the Demolisher, a fifth class riding a weaponised bulldozer.
Picking the right build determines how your experience plays out. These builds are ranked by overall effectiveness, factoring in damage, survivability, gear requirements, and how well they scale into endgame. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scout | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Gunner | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Engineer | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Driller | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Demolisher | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor tier list.
A-Tier: Scout
Scout is a top-performing option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Deepcore GK2 | The Scout's Classic starting weapon, a straightforward burst fire assault rifle with balanced numbers and no awkward firing pattern to work around. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Auto firing weapons and manual mining | Every weapon fires by itself, so the only inputs that matter are where you move and what you dig. |
How to Play Scout
Scout focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Deepcore GK2 does the damage and Auto firing weapons and manual mining keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Gunner
Gunner is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun | The Gunner's Weapons Specialist starting weapon, firing a hail of bullets in whichever direction you are facing. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Five stage dives and Supply Drops | A dive is five stages. |
How to Play Gunner
Gunner focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun with Five stage dives and Supply Drops and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Engineer
Engineer is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | LOK-1 Smart Rifle | An Engineer weapon that locks onto targets and fires homing bullets, which removes positioning from the equation almost entirely. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Overclocks at weapon levels 6, 12 and 18 | Weapons gain levels during a dive from the upgrade cards you pick. |
How to Play Engineer
Engineer focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Overclocks at weapon levels 6, 12 and 18 covers the gap LOK-1 Smart Rifle leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Driller
Driller is a specialized option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | CRSPR Flamethrower | A Driller weapon that projects a rotating beam of fire, burning everything it sweeps across. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Class Mods and weapon tags | Each class has several Class Mods that decide your starting weapon and specialisation, so the Scout's Sharp Shooter starts with the M1000 Classic and builds around critical hits, while the Engineer's Tinkerer starts with the Warthog Auto 210, gains experience faster and reaches overclocks sooner. |
How to Play Driller
Driller focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Class Mods and weapon tags rather than raw numbers, and CRSPR Flamethrower is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Demolisher
Demolisher is a specialized option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Breach Cutter | An Engineer weapon that fires bouncing projectiles linked by a plasma beam, so the damage is in the line between the projectiles rather than in the projectiles themselves. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Meta Upgrades, Milestones and Gear | Gold, Nitra and Red Sugar are spent inside a dive and do not carry over. |
How to Play Demolisher
Demolisher focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Breach Cutter and Meta Upgrades, Milestones and Gear pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Gunner: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Scout once you understand core mechanics and have access to Deepcore GK2
- Keep a Engineer setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Demolisher for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- This is a separate game from Deep Rock Galactic. That one is a first person four player co-op shooter from Ghost Ship Games; this is a top down single player auto shooter by Funday Games where weapons fire on their own and you never aim.
- Mining is the actual skill. Gold and Nitra buy weapon upgrades in the shop between stages, and the tunnels you carve decide from which direction the swarm can reach you, so digging is both economy and defence.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Guides
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Overview
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Tier List
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Walkthrough
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Beginner's Guide
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Tips & Tricks
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Weapons Guide
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Combat Guide
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Boss Guide
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Maps & Locations
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Crafting Guide
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Classes & Characters
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