Don't Starve Together is Klei Entertainment's multiplayer survival game with a distinctive Tim Burton-esque art style where you're trapped in a mysterious wilderness called the Constant. Managing hunger, sanity, and health while surviving through seasons, crafting tools, and fighting bosses creates a uniquely punishing experience. The game features 40+ playable characters each with unique abilities, a deep crafting system with hundreds of recipes, and seasonal bosses that can destroy your entire base.
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.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson | B | Jack of all trades — farm, fight, build. Use Beard Hair for resurrection insurance. | Standard gear, Meat Effigy for resurrection |
| Wigfrid | S | Fight everything, sustain through combat healing, carry the team in boss fights. | Battle Helm, Battle Spear, Ham Bat (later), Log Suit |
| WX-78 | S | Rush Ruins for gears, reach max stats, become the strongest character in the game. | Gears (as many as possible), Lightning Rod near base |
| Wortox | A | Collect souls from combat, heal teammates, teleport to avoid danger. | Soul collection from killing, healing focus |
| Wolfgang | S | Eat constantly to maintain Mighty form, deal double damage to everything, eat more. | Huge food supply (Pierogi, Meatballs), melee weapons |
B-Tier: Wilson
The default character with no weaknesses but no major strengths. His beard provides insulation in winter (saves resources on warm clothing). Shaving the beard yields Beard Hair for Meat Effigies (self-resurrection). Good for learning the game.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Dark Sword | The highest-damage melee weapon (68 damage) crafted from Nightmare Fuel and Living Logs at the Shadow Manipulator. |
| Core Gear | Standard gear, Meat Effigy for resurrection | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Learn base mechanics > seasonal preparation > exploration | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | sanity system | Sanity drains from darkness, wet conditions, eating monster food, and certain items/creatures. |
How to Play Wilson
Jack of all trades — farm, fight, build. Use Beard Hair for resurrection insurance.
The default character with no weaknesses but no major strengths. His beard provides insulation in winter (saves resources on warm clothing). Shaving the beard yields Beard Hair for Meat Effigies (self-resurrection). Good for learning the game.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Dark Sword and sanity system creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Standard gear, Meat Effigy for resurrection amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Learn base mechanics > seasonal preparation > exploration) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Wigfrid
The warrior character who gains health and sanity from dealing damage and only eats meat. Her Battle Helm and Battle Spear are craftable cheaply. The combat sustain makes her the easiest character for boss fights. Perfect for aggressive players.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Ham Bat | A Pig Skin + Meat weapon that starts at 59. |
| Core Gear | Battle Helm, Battle Spear, Ham Bat (later), Log Suit | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Meat supply > combat gear > boss preparation | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | seasonal boss fights | Each season has a giant boss: Deerclops (Winter), Moose/Goose (Spring), Antlion (Summer), Bearger (Autumn). |
How to Play Wigfrid
Fight everything, sustain through combat healing, carry the team in boss fights.
The warrior character who gains health and sanity from dealing damage and only eats meat. Her Battle Helm and Battle Spear are craftable cheaply. The combat sustain makes her the easiest character for boss fights. Perfect for aggressive players.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Ham Bat and seasonal boss fights creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Battle Helm, Battle Spear, Ham Bat (later), Log Suit amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Meat supply > combat gear > boss preparation) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: WX-78
A robot that upgrades by eating Gears (found in Ruins and from Clockwork enemies). Each gear gives +20 max HP, Hunger, and Sanity up to 400/400/400. Can eat spoiled food without penalty. Lightning supercharges it for speed and light. The strongest late-game character.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Weather Pain | A ranged weapon that fires tornadoes dealing 33 damage each. |
| Core Gear | Gears (as many as possible), Lightning Rod near base | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Gear farming > max stats > general survival | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | character switching | The Celestial Portal (endgame structure) lets you switch characters while keeping your inventory. |
How to Play WX-78
Rush Ruins for gears, reach max stats, become the strongest character in the game.
A robot that upgrades by eating Gears (found in Ruins and from Clockwork enemies). Each gear gives +20 max HP, Hunger, and Sanity up to 400/400/400. Can eat spoiled food without penalty. Lightning supercharges it for speed and light. The strongest late-game character.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Weather Pain and character switching creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Gears (as many as possible), Lightning Rod near base amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Gear farming > max stats > general survival) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Wortox
An imp who collects souls from dying creatures. Souls heal nearby players when released, making Wortox the best healer. He teleports by spending souls. Food restores only half hunger, requiring twice as much eating. Essential support character in multiplayer.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Thulecite Club | A powerful melee weapon (59. |
| Core Gear | Soul collection from killing, healing focus | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Soul management > food supply (double needed) > team positioning | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | base building | Build Science Machine then Alchemy Engine to unlock recipes. |
How to Play Wortox
Collect souls from combat, heal teammates, teleport to avoid danger.
An imp who collects souls from dying creatures. Souls heal nearby players when released, making Wortox the best healer. He teleports by spending souls. Food restores only half hunger, requiring twice as much eating. Essential support character in multiplayer.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Thulecite Club and base building creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Soul collection from killing, healing focus amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Soul management > food supply (double needed) > team positioning) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
S-Tier: Wolfgang
A strongman with a Might mechanic — staying well-fed keeps him in Mighty form with 2x damage and extra health. In Wimpy form (low hunger), he deals reduced damage. Requires constant food supply but is the highest DPS character when fed.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Morning Star | An Electric weapon dealing 72 damage in rain (46 when dry). |
| Core Gear | Huge food supply (Pierogi, Meatballs), melee weapons | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Food production > stay Mighty > combat weapons | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | crafting stations | Progression requires tier-specific stations: Science Machine (tier 1), Alchemy Engine (tier 2), Prestihatitator (magic), Shadow Manipulator (dark magic), and the Ancient Pseudoscience Station (ruins). |
How to Play Wolfgang
Eat constantly to maintain Mighty form, deal double damage to everything, eat more.
A strongman with a Might mechanic — staying well-fed keeps him in Mighty form with 2x damage and extra health. In Wimpy form (low hunger), he deals reduced damage. Requires constant food supply but is the highest DPS character when fed.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Morning Star and crafting stations creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Huge food supply (Pierogi, Meatballs), melee weapons amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Food production > stay Mighty > combat weapons) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Wigfrid — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Wilson once you understand core mechanics and have access to Dark Sword
- Keep a WX-78 setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Wolfgang for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Pick a character that matches your playstyle — Wigfrid for combat, WX-78 for power gaming, Wortox for healing, Wolfgang for DPS. Character choice matters more than gear.
- Crockpot recipes are far better than raw food. Meatballs (1 meat + 3 filler) restore 62.5 hunger. Pierogi (1 meat + 1 egg + 1 veggie + filler) restore 40 HP. Learn 3-4 key recipes.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
See our tier list for current meta rankings, or the beginner's guide if you're just getting started.
