Icarus is a session-based survival game from RocketWerkz (DayZ creator Dean Hall) where players drop from an orbital station onto a terraformed alien planet for timed prospect missions. Each drop is a race against the clock — gather resources, complete objectives, and return to your dropship before the timer expires or lose your character permanently. Between drops, you spend earned currency on Workshop gear that persists across missions. The Open World maps added permanent bases, and the game has evolved significantly since launch with biome additions and talent rework.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best builds, equipment worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
prospect missions
Prospects are timed missions lasting hours to days (real-time) with specific objectives: scan locations, hunt exotic creatures, mine rare veins, or survive extreme weather events. Failing to return to the dropship before the timer expires results in permanent character loss. Solo prospects are tuned for 1-3 players, while harder prospects require full groups of 8.
orbital station
Between drops, you access the Orbital Workshop where you spend Exotics and credits on persistent equipment (Workshop items). These items — better pickaxes, firearms, armor — give you a head start on each new prospect. Workshop gear has durability and drops with you, but losing your character loses the gear too.
talent trees
Three talent trees (Solo, Construction, Combat) provide passive bonuses that persist permanently. Solo talents boost gathering and crafting speed, Construction talents improve building durability and reduce costs, and Combat talents increase weapon damage and resistances. Talents can be respecced at any time, letting you optimize for specific prospect types.
weather survival
Icarus features brutal weather systems: temperature extremes, storms with lightning that damages structures, and blizzards that reduce visibility and cause hypothermia. Shelter tier matters — Tier 1 (thatch) barely blocks rain, Tier 2 (wood) survives storms, and Tier 3 (stone) handles everything. Carrying Oxite and wearing fur armor are essential for Arctic biome prospects.
resource extraction
Resources follow a tiered progression: fiber/sticks > wood/stone > iron/copper > platinum/titanium > exotic materials. Mining exotic veins (special deposits found during certain prospects) yields Exotics currency for the Workshop. Resource nodes respawn on a timer, and deep mining caves contain the rarest ores.
Builds Overview
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Build | S | Efficient resource gathering, quick shelter setup, complete objectives methodically. | Solo talents (gathering, crafting speed), then Combat (bow/rifle damage) |
| Construction Spec | A | Build forward bases, set up crafting stations for the team, maintain shelter during storms. | Construction talents (cost reduction, durability), then Solo (crafting speed) |
| Hunter Build | A | Track and kill wildlife for resources, provide security against predators, handle combat objectives. | Combat talents (rifle/bow damage, headshot bonus), then Solo (stamina) |
| Agriculture Build | B | Set up farms near base, process herbs for medicines and buffs, manage team food supply. | Solo talents (crop speed, yield), then Construction (farm building costs) |
| Combat Medic | B | Craft and distribute healing items, handle combat when needed, keep team healthy during extended prospects. | Combat talents (resistance), Solo talents (crafting speed for medicines) |
Solo Build (S-Tier): The Solo talent tree maximizes self-sufficiency with bonuses to gathering speed, crafting efficiency, and stamina. Solo players should rush Tier 2 shelter and a Hunting Rifle, as most prospects are manageable alone with proper gear. The Solo tree's reduced food/water consumption is crucial for long prospects.
Construction Spec (A-Tier): Construction talents make buildings cheaper and more durable, letting you establish outposts faster during long prospects. The reduced material costs for Stone and Concrete buildings let you build storm-proof shelters sooner. Essential in group play where one player handles base logistics.
Hunter Build (A-Tier): Focused on Combat talents for bow and rifle damage, the Hunter excels at prospect missions requiring creature kills. Hunting bears, wolves, and exotic fauna provides leather, fur, and meat for the team. Workshop firearms with scopes make this build deadly from range.
Agriculture Build (B-Tier): Farming talents reduce crop growth time and increase yield, providing reliable food for long prospects where hunting is insufficient. While slower to start than hunting, farms produce passive food income once established. Less useful on short prospects where hunting is faster.
Combat Medic (B-Tier): Combining Combat talents with healing item crafting, the Combat Medic keeps the group alive during dangerous prospects. Anti-poison, splints, and bandages are crucial when exotic fauna inflict status effects. Less impactful solo where you can just avoid danger.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Icarus builds guide.
Equipment Guide
| Equipment | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting Rifle | The first firearm you can craft, requiring iron ingots and a Machining Bench. | Hunter Build and Solo Build — reliable ranged damage for wildlife and hostile fauna |
| Compound Bow | Craftable at Tier 2, the Compound Bow is silent (doesn't alert nearby wildlife) and uses craftable arrows. | Solo Build for quiet hunting, Hunter Build as a secondary weapon |
| Recurve Bow | The starting ranged weapon available at Tier 1, using basic wood and leather. | All builds in the first 30 minutes of any prospect |
| Bolt Action Rifle | The strongest craftable firearm, requiring platinum ingots and advanced components. | Hunter Build — top-tier damage for dangerous prospect targets |
| Spear | The earliest melee weapon, crafted from sticks and stone. | Emergency melee in the first 10 minutes, before crafting a bow |
Hunting Rifle: The first firearm you can craft, requiring iron ingots and a Machining Bench. It uses Rifle Rounds and deals solid damage with a slow fire rate. Headshots on bears and wolves are one-shot kills with proper talent investment. The Workshop version comes with better stats and a scope mount.
Compound Bow: Craftable at Tier 2, the Compound Bow is silent (doesn't alert nearby wildlife) and uses craftable arrows. Bone arrows deal more damage than stone, and carbon arrows are the best craftable option. The bow's silence makes it superior to rifles for stealth hunting near predator-dense areas.
Recurve Bow: The starting ranged weapon available at Tier 1, using basic wood and leather. Damage is modest but sufficient for wolves and deer. It serves as your primary weapon until you can craft a Hunting Rifle or Compound Bow. Keep a stack of bone arrows for better damage early.
Bolt Action Rifle: The strongest craftable firearm, requiring platinum ingots and advanced components. Higher damage per shot than the Hunting Rifle with better accuracy at range. Workshop Bolt Action Rifles with scoped attachments are the best weapons in the game for prospect missions requiring exotic creature kills.
Spear: The earliest melee weapon, crafted from sticks and stone. While underpowered compared to ranged options, spears work for emergency self-defense against wolves when caught without a bow. Thrown spears deal moderate damage but are lost on miss. Mostly obsolete after Tier 2.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Biome | Beginner prospects | Iron, Copper, basic leather/fur, abundant wood and stone |
| Arctic Biome | Mid-level prospects (Tier 2-3 gear) | Platinum Ore, Arctic-exclusive fauna drops, high-value Exotics veins |
| Desert Biome | Mid to high-level prospects | Titanium, Desert fauna materials, rare mineral veins |
| Riverlands | Early to mid-level prospects | Gold deposits, fish (reliable food), river fauna drops |
| Styx Map | All levels (permanent base) | Permanent progression, all biome resources, Open World mission board rewards |
Forest Biome: The most forgiving biome with moderate temperatures, abundant wood, and basic wildlife (deer, rabbits, wolves, bears). Most starter prospects take place here. Resources are plentiful but spread out — iron deposits are common in rock faces and cave entrances.
Arctic Biome: Freezing temperatures (-30C to -50C) that drain health without Fur Armor and shelter. Blizzards reduce visibility to near zero and cause rapid hypothermia. Rich in Platinum deposits and exotic ice fauna. Bring Oxite for emergency warmth and build Tier 2+ shelter immediately upon landing.
Desert Biome: Extreme heat during the day with cold nights. Sandstorms reduce visibility and damage exposed players. Water is scarce — bring Rain Reservoirs or find oasis points. Rich in Titanium deposits and contains unique desert fauna with valuable drops.
Riverlands: A temperate biome centered around large river systems. Good for fishing (a reliable food source) and contains alluvial gold deposits. Wildlife is moderate — river predators (crocodile-like fauna) guard water access points. Less extreme weather than Arctic or Desert makes this a comfortable mid-game area.
Styx Map: An Open World map with no time limit, allowing permanent base construction. Players build persistent outposts with full crafting infrastructure. The Styx map contains all biome types and is the best option for players who dislike the timed prospect system. Mission boards in Styx provide objectives for Exotic currency.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Always bring Oxite on your first drop into Arctic prospects — without it, you can freeze to death before building any shelter. Oxite provides 10 minutes of cold resistance when consumed.
- Tier 2 wood houses survive storms but Tier 1 thatch does not — prioritize upgrading your shelter walls to wood within the first 20 minutes of any prospect.
- Skinning knife gives double animal resources compared to pickaxe or bare hands. Craft one as soon as you have iron — the extra leather and fur accelerate your armor progression.
- Fill canteens at rivers before heading inland — dehydration kills faster than starvation, and finding water in the Arctic or Desert biomes is much harder than in forests.
- Abandon prospects before the timer expires or your character is permanently lost with all Workshop gear they carried. Set an alarm for 30 minutes before deadline.
- Workshop items (gear bought with Exotics between missions) massively outperform craftable equivalents. Prioritize buying a Workshop Knife and Pickaxe first — they last many missions and speed up early gathering.
- Bears are the most dangerous common wildlife. They charge in straight lines and can be kited around trees or rocks. A Hunting Rifle headshot kills them in one shot with proper Combat talent investment.
- Build near cave entrances for easy access to iron and copper deposits. Caves also provide natural shelter from storms without building costs.
- Lightning during storms can destroy Tier 1 structures and kill exposed players. Build Lightning Rods on your base and stay indoors during electrical storms.
- In co-op, have one player spec Construction while others spec Combat/Solo — the Constructor builds and maintains the base while Combat players handle objectives and hunting.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to return to the dropship before the timer expires — this is permanent character death with all gear. Always track the prospect timer and head back with time to spare.
- Dropping into Arctic prospects without cold protection — hypothermia kills in under 2 minutes without Fur Armor or Oxite, and you'll die before crafting any shelter.
- Ignoring Workshop gear between missions — players who spend all Exotics on cosmetics instead of Workshop tools start every new prospect at a massive disadvantage.
- Building Tier 1 thatch shelters and expecting them to survive storms — lightning and wind destroy thatch instantly, killing you inside what you thought was safe shelter.
- Fighting bears with melee weapons early game — their charge attack one-shots players in Tier 1 armor. Use a bow from elevated ground or lure them into water where they move slowly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I don't return to the dropship in time in Icarus?
Your character is permanently lost along with any Workshop gear they were carrying. This is the core tension of the game — you must balance exploring/completing objectives with getting back safely. Always set a personal timer for 30 minutes before the prospect deadline.
Is Icarus a permanent survival game or session-based?
Both. The original design is session-based (timed prospects you drop into and return from), but the Open World maps (like Styx) added permanent base building with no time limit. Most players spend time in both — prospects for Exotics currency, Open World for relaxed building.
Can I play Icarus solo?
Yes. Most prospects are designed to be completable solo, though harder ones are tuned for groups of 4-8. The Solo talent tree provides bonuses specifically for solo play. Workshop gear helps compensate for the lack of teammates.
What Workshop items should I buy first?
Buy the Workshop Knife and Pickaxe first — they're used every single prospect and dramatically speed up early resource gathering. Next, get Workshop Armor (Fur for Arctic) and a Workshop Hunting Rifle. These four items make every prospect significantly easier.
What to Read Next
- Best Icarus Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- Icarus Tier List — Current meta rankings
- Icarus Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- Icarus Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- Icarus Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
