Lethal Company is Zeekerss' cooperative horror game where employees of 'The Company' land on abandoned moons to collect scrap and meet profit quotas — or face termination. The game's tension comes from balancing greed (collecting more valuable scrap) against survival (increasingly dangerous creatures and environments). With procedurally generated interiors, 15+ unique monster types with distinct AI behaviors, and a darkly humorous corporate dystopia setting, Lethal Company became a massive streaming sensation.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scout | A | Enter first, call out dangers, map the facility layout for the team. | Flashlight or Pro-Flashlight, Walkie-Talkie |
| Loot Goblin | S | Grab everything valuable, know when to leave, accept occasional death as cost of business. | Two-handed for heavy items, knowledge of item values |
| Radar Operator | A | Watch radar, call out creature movement, open doors for teammates, teleport endangered players. | Terminal access, Walkie-Talkie, Teleporter knowledge |
| Bait Runner | B | Draw creature aggro, lead them away from the team, survive if possible. | Flashlight, Stun Grenade, fast reactions |
| Ship Manager | B | Sort scrap, calculate quota needs, optimize selling strategy. | Organization, value knowledge, Company selling strategy |
A-Tier: Scout
First player into the facility, mapping rooms and identifying creature locations. Scouts call out hazards via walkie-talkie before the team enters. High risk, high information value. Flashlight and Pro-Flashlight are essential.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Shovel | A melee weapon that damages creatures. |
| Core Gear | Flashlight or Pro-Flashlight, Walkie-Talkie | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Awareness > Speed > Communication | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | quota system | Every 3 days, you must meet a scrap quota that increases each cycle. |
How to Play Scout
Enter first, call out dangers, map the facility layout for the team.
First player into the facility, mapping rooms and identifying creature locations. Scouts call out hazards via walkie-talkie before the team enters. High risk, high information value. Flashlight and Pro-Flashlight are essential.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Shovel and quota system creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Flashlight or Pro-Flashlight, Walkie-Talkie amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Awareness > Speed > Communication) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Loot Goblin
Prioritizes grabbing the highest-value scrap regardless of danger. Knows item values and prioritizes gold bars, apparatus, and high-value electronics. The player most likely to die but also most likely to meet quota.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Zap Gun | Stuns creatures continuously while you hold the trigger, but drains battery and you can't move while using it. |
| Core Gear | Two-handed for heavy items, knowledge of item values | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Speed > Greed management > Escape routes | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | moon selection | Different moons have varying difficulty, weather, and loot quality. |
How to Play Loot Goblin
Grab everything valuable, know when to leave, accept occasional death as cost of business.
Prioritizes grabbing the highest-value scrap regardless of danger. Knows item values and prioritizes gold bars, apparatus, and high-value electronics. The player most likely to die but also most likely to meet quota.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Zap Gun and moon selection creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Two-handed for heavy items, knowledge of item values amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Speed > Greed management > Escape routes) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Radar Operator
Stays on the ship monitoring the radar and communicating creature positions via walkie-talkie. Can open/close facility doors remotely, flash lights to signal warnings, and trigger the Teleporter to save players. The safest role.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Stun Grenade | Throwable that stuns all creatures in the blast radius for several seconds. |
| Core Gear | Terminal access, Walkie-Talkie, Teleporter knowledge | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Communication > Terminal commands > Timing | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | scrap collection | Scrap items have random values and spawn inside the facility. |
How to Play Radar Operator
Watch radar, call out creature movement, open doors for teammates, teleport endangered players.
Stays on the ship monitoring the radar and communicating creature positions via walkie-talkie. Can open/close facility doors remotely, flash lights to signal warnings, and trigger the Teleporter to save players. The safest role.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Stun Grenade and scrap collection creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Terminal access, Walkie-Talkie, Teleporter knowledge amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Communication > Terminal commands > Timing) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Bait Runner
Deliberately draws creature attention while teammates loot. Understanding creature AI is essential — kiting a Thumper away while others grab scrap nearby. High skill ceiling, frequent deaths.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Extension Ladder | Not a weapon but allows access to fire escapes and upper entrances of facilities. |
| Core Gear | Flashlight, Stun Grenade, fast reactions | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Creature AI knowledge > Speed > Sacrifice willingness | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | creature AI | Each creature has unique behavior patterns. |
How to Play Bait Runner
Draw creature aggro, lead them away from the team, survive if possible.
Deliberately draws creature attention while teammates loot. Understanding creature AI is essential — kiting a Thumper away while others grab scrap nearby. High skill ceiling, frequent deaths.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Extension Ladder and creature AI creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Flashlight, Stun Grenade, fast reactions amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Creature AI knowledge > Speed > Sacrifice willingness) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
B-Tier: Ship Manager
Organizes scrap in the ship, manages inventory, and ensures high-value items are stored safely. Manages the sell process at The Company and decides what to keep vs sell. Less glamorous but essential for meeting quotas.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Jetpack | Allows short flight for reaching elevated positions and crossing gaps. |
| Core Gear | Organization, value knowledge, Company selling strategy | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Value assessment > Organization > Quota math | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | ship upgrades | Spend credits on ship upgrades: Teleporter (teleports a player back to ship), Inverse Teleporter (sends a player to a random location inside), Flashlight, Walkie-Talkie, and more. |
How to Play Ship Manager
Sort scrap, calculate quota needs, optimize selling strategy.
Organizes scrap in the ship, manages inventory, and ensures high-value items are stored safely. Manages the sell process at The Company and decides what to keep vs sell. Less glamorous but essential for meeting quotas.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Jetpack and ship upgrades creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Organization, value knowledge, Company selling strategy amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Value assessment > Organization > Quota math) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Loot Goblin — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Scout once you understand core mechanics and have access to Shovel
- Keep a Radar Operator setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Ship Manager for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Sell at exactly the quota amount to keep extra scrap for the next cycle. Overselling wastes potential future quota credits.
- The Inverse Teleporter sends a random player inside the facility — useful for reaching areas behind locked doors or rescuing trapped scrap. Keep one purchased.
- 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.
