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.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Crystalline Caverns
Key resources: Biome Points, baseline Class Mod unlocks, safe hazard level practice Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Magma Core
Key resources: Biome Points, Nitra focused goals, environmental damage practice Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Hollow Bough
Key resources: Biome Points, vine mining goals, the best test of whether your escape routes are planned Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Salt Pits
Key resources: Biome Points, fast mining terrain, stalactite triggered crowd damage Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Deepcore GK2 max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Azure Weald
Key resources: Biome Points, healing crystals, jump pad terrain destruction Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Deepcore GK2 max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Crystalline Caverns to Magma Core)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun once accessible
Mid Game (Hollow Bough)
- Push "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Deepcore GK2
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Salt Pits to Azure Weald)
- Max out Deepcore GK2. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Hollow Bough farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- 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.
- Farm Hollow Bough during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Guides
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Overview
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Best Builds
- 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 Classes & Characters
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