Raft is Redbeet Interactive's oceanic survival game where you start on a tiny wooden raft in an endless ocean, collecting floating debris to expand and improve your floating home. The game features a story-driven progression through island stops, each revealing more about why the world is flooded. With a persistent shark enemy that attacks your raft, research-based crafting progression, and both survival and creative modes, Raft offers a unique take on the survival genre.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Builder | A | Expand the raft constantly, automate resources, create a floating city. | Building Hammer, Collection Nets on all edges, Sprinklers, Paint Mill |
| Explorer | S | Follow radio signals, explore every island thoroughly, progress the story. | Receiver + Antennas, Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Head Light, Metal Spear |
| Farmer | A | Plant crops, raise animals, keep the team fed without fishing. | Large Crop Plots, Sprinklers, Grass Plots for animals, Shears |
| Fisher | B | Fish during raft travel time, cook catches, sell rare fish. | Fishing Rod, Bait (from Earthworms), Grill or Cooking Pot |
| Diver | A | Deploy Shark Bait, dive for ores and clay, surface before oxygen runs out. | Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Shark Bait, Head Light, Metal Hook |
A-Tier: Builder
Focuses on raft expansion and aesthetics. Builders create massive multi-story rafts with dedicated rooms for storage, cooking, farming, and animal husbandry. The builder playstyle maximizes resource collection nets and automated water purifiers for self-sufficiency.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Metal Spear | The upgraded melee weapon dealing more damage than the Wooden Spear. |
| Core Gear | Building Hammer, Collection Nets on all edges, Sprinklers, Paint Mill | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Plank collection > Net placement > Foundation reinforcement | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | raft building | Your raft starts as a 2x2 platform and grows as you add foundations, walls, pillars, and decorations. |
How to Play Builder
Expand the raft constantly, automate resources, create a floating city.
Focuses on raft expansion and aesthetics. Builders create massive multi-story rafts with dedicated rooms for storage, cooking, farming, and animal husbandry. The builder playstyle maximizes resource collection nets and automated water purifiers for self-sufficiency.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Metal Spear and raft building creates a gameplay loop that outperforms other options. Core gear like Building Hammer, Collection Nets on all edges, Sprinklers, Paint Mill amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Clear stat priority (Plank collection > Net placement > Foundation reinforcement) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
S-Tier: Explorer
Prioritizes story progression by following Receiver signals to story islands. Explorers dive deep for underwater loot, explore caves, and solve environmental puzzles. The most progression-focused playstyle.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Machete | A crafted melee weapon with faster attack speed than the Spear. |
| Core Gear | Receiver + Antennas, Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Head Light, Metal Spear | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Receiver setup > Diving gear > Combat weapon | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | ocean exploration | The ocean generates islands, story locations, and floating debris procedurally. |
How to Play Explorer
Follow radio signals, explore every island thoroughly, progress the story.
Prioritizes story progression by following Receiver signals to story islands. Explorers dive deep for underwater loot, explore caves, and solve environmental puzzles. The most progression-focused playstyle.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Machete and ocean exploration creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Receiver + Antennas, Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Head Light, Metal Spear amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Clear stat priority (Receiver setup > Diving gear > Combat weapon) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Farmer
Focuses on food sustainability through crop farming and animal husbandry. Crop Plots grow food from seeds, and animals (Cluckers, Goats, Llamas) produce eggs, milk, and wool. Sprinklers automate watering. A well-set-up farm makes food infinite.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Bow | Ranged weapon using Stone or Metal Arrows. |
| Core Gear | Large Crop Plots, Sprinklers, Grass Plots for animals, Shears | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Crop Plot setup > Animal pens > Sprinkler automation | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | island stops | Story islands are major locations with puzzles, loot, and narrative progression. |
How to Play Farmer
Plant crops, raise animals, keep the team fed without fishing.
Focuses on food sustainability through crop farming and animal husbandry. Crop Plots grow food from seeds, and animals (Cluckers, Goats, Llamas) produce eggs, milk, and wool. Sprinklers automate watering. A well-set-up farm makes food infinite.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Bow and island stops creates a gameplay loop that offers reliable performance. Core gear like Large Crop Plots, Sprinklers, Grass Plots for animals, Shears amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Clear stat priority (Crop Plot setup > Animal pens > Sprinkler automation) makes gearing straightforward
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Fisher
Uses fishing rods and nets for primary food source and occasional rare items. Fishing provides Raw Fish (cook for food) and occasionally rare fish that sell for Trading Post currency. Early game, fishing is the most reliable food source.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Net Launcher | Captures animals (Cluckers, Goats, Llamas) for transport to your raft. |
| Core Gear | Fishing Rod, Bait (from Earthworms), Grill or Cooking Pot | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Fishing Rod > Bait supply > Cooking station | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | research table | New crafting recipes are unlocked by placing materials in the Research Table. |
How to Play Fisher
Fish during raft travel time, cook catches, sell rare fish.
Uses fishing rods and nets for primary food source and occasional rare items. Fishing provides Raw Fish (cook for food) and occasionally rare fish that sell for Trading Post currency. Early game, fishing is the most reliable food source.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Net Launcher and research table creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Fishing Rod, Bait (from Earthworms), Grill or Cooking Pot amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Clear stat priority (Fishing Rod > Bait supply > Cooking station) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Diver
Specializes in underwater resource gathering. Underwater nodes provide Metal Ore, Copper, Sand, and Clay — essential materials only available by diving. Shark management is critical — Shark Bait buys 1-2 minutes of safe diving time.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Throwable Anchor | Anchors your raft at island locations so it doesn't drift away while exploring. |
| Core Gear | Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Shark Bait, Head Light, Metal Hook | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Oxygen capacity > Shark Bait supply > Underwater harvesting speed | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | shark management | Bruce the shark constantly circles your raft, periodically attacking foundations and players in the water. |
How to Play Diver
Deploy Shark Bait, dive for ores and clay, surface before oxygen runs out.
Specializes in underwater resource gathering. Underwater nodes provide Metal Ore, Copper, Sand, and Clay — essential materials only available by diving. Shark management is critical — Shark Bait buys 1-2 minutes of safe diving time.
What makes this build work: The synergy between Throwable Anchor and shark management creates a gameplay loop that provides a unique approach. Core gear like Flippers, Oxygen Bottle, Shark Bait, Head Light, Metal Hook amplifies this further.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Clear stat priority (Oxygen capacity > Shark Bait supply > Underwater harvesting speed) makes gearing straightforward
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Explorer — the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Builder once you understand core mechanics and have access to Metal Spear
- Keep a Farmer setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Diver for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first — it gives the biggest power spike
- Build collection nets on all edges of your raft early. Nets automatically catch floating debris (planks, plastic, leaves, barrels) so you gather resources passively.
- Seaweed + Plank = Rope, your most-needed resource. You'll burn through rope constantly for nets, bows, and other crafting. Always gather Seaweed when diving.
- 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.
