Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Classes & Characters: Complete Guide

Q: Is this the same as Deep Rock Galactic?

No. Deep Rock Galactic is a four player first person co-op shooter from Ghost Ship Games. Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a single player top down auto shooter built by Funday Games and published by Ghost Ship Publishing, where weapons fire automatically and you control movement and mining only. They share the setting, the classes and the weapon names.

Q: What classes are in Deep Rock Galactic Survivor?

Scout, Gunner, Engineer and Driller are the four base classes, each with three Class Mods that set your starting weapon and specialisation. The Demolisher is a fifth class added by the paid Heavy Duty Expansion on 30 April 2026, riding the Rockdozer and bringing 11 new weapons that other classes can also reach through the tag system.

Q: What biomes are there?

Crystalline Caverns, Magma Core, Hollow Bough, Salt Pits and Azure Weald in the base game, with Glacial Strata added by the Heavy Duty Expansion. Enemy difficulty rises with the biome, from no modifier in Crystalline Caverns to 15 percent extra health and damage in Salt Pits, and Biome Points from biome goals open the more hazardous ones.

Q: How do overclocks work?

Weapons level up during a dive from the upgrade cards you pick. A balanced overclock can be chosen at weapon level 6 and again at 12, and a single Unstable overclock at level 18. Balanced options are modest trades, while Unstable ones are extreme, which is why pushing one weapon to 18 usually beats levelling several to 12.

Q: How long is a dive?

Five stages. Stages one to four each involve surviving, collecting the Supply Drop and killing the Elite before taking the Drop Pod deeper. Stage five contains a Supply Drop, three Eggs that hatch into Elites, and the Dreadnought, which hits considerably harder than anything before it.

Every Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor build and class explained. Strengths, weaknesses, best gear, and which to pick for your playstyle.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

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.

Choosing the right build shapes your entire experience. This guide breaks down every option: what they're good at, what they struggle with, and which one matches your playstyle. For optimized builds with full gear sets, see our builds guide.

Quick Comparison

Build	Tier	Playstyle	Best Equipment	Beginner Friendly?
Scout	A	Balanced	Deepcore GK2	Yes
Gunner	A	Balanced	"Lead Storm" Powered Minigun	Yes
Engineer	A	Balanced	LOK-1 Smart Rifle	Yes
Driller	A	Balanced	CRSPR Flamethrower	Yes
Demolisher	A	Balanced	Breach Cutter	Yes

New player? Start with Gunner. See our beginner's guide for why.

Scout

Scout is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Deepcore GK2
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Auto firing weapons and manual mining

Strengths

Highest overall performance across all content types
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Deepcore GK2

Weaknesses

Popular choice, competition for resources
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Crystalline Caverns to learn Scout-specific mechanics
Focus on Auto firing weapons and manual mining. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Deepcore GK2 as your first major upgrade
See our full Scout build guide for the optimal gear progression

Gunner

Gunner is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	"Lead Storm" Powered Minigun
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Five stage dives and Supply Drops

Strengths

Most versatile, adapts to any situation
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun

Weaknesses

Lower peak damage than S-tier options
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Crystalline Caverns to learn Gunner-specific mechanics
Focus on Five stage dives and Supply Drops. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun as your first major upgrade
See our full Gunner build guide for the optimal gear progression

Engineer

Engineer is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	LOK-1 Smart Rifle
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Overclocks at weapon levels 6, 12 and 18

Strengths

Best survivability for learning hard content
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with LOK-1 Smart Rifle

Weaknesses

Slower progression speed
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Crystalline Caverns to learn Engineer-specific mechanics
Focus on Overclocks at weapon levels 6, 12 and 18. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize LOK-1 Smart Rifle as your first major upgrade
See our full Engineer build guide for the optimal gear progression

Driller

Driller is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	CRSPR Flamethrower
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Class Mods and weapon tags

Strengths

Excellent in group and cooperative content
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with CRSPR Flamethrower

Weaknesses

Less effective solo
Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively

Recommended Progression

Start in Crystalline Caverns to learn Driller-specific mechanics
Focus on Class Mods and weapon tags. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize CRSPR Flamethrower as your first major upgrade
See our full Driller build guide for the optimal gear progression

Demolisher

Demolisher is a strong option in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Breach Cutter
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Meta Upgrades, Milestones and Gear

Strengths

Highest skill ceiling with unique mechanics
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Breach Cutter

Weaknesses

Steep learning curve, punishing mistakes
Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively

Recommended Progression

Start in Crystalline Caverns to learn Demolisher-specific mechanics
Focus on Meta Upgrades, Milestones and Gear. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Breach Cutter as your first major upgrade
See our full Demolisher build guide for the optimal gear progression

Which Build Should You Pick?

For Beginners

Gunner is the clear winner. It's forgiving, teaches core mechanics, and remains competitive into endgame. Follow our beginner's guide for the best first-session experience.

For Maximum Performance

Scout is the top pick once you understand the game's mechanics. Pair it with Deepcore GK2 for the strongest overall setup.

For a Challenge

Demolisher offers the highest skill ceiling. It's punishing when misplayed but incredibly rewarding when mastered. Only recommended after you've completed the game with another build.

For Group Play

Driller shines in cooperative content with utility and team support capabilities.

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