Space Engineers is Keen Software House's block and voxel sandbox, on Steam Early Access from 23 October 2013 and fully released on 28 February 2019. You build ships, stations and rovers from large grid blocks 2.5 metres per edge or small grid blocks at 0.5 metres, and anything you build can be ground down, shot apart or flown into a mountain. The vanilla Star System holds eight bodies, and their ore rules set the whole progression: platinum appears only on moons and asteroids, uranium only on asteroids.
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. New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric mining ship | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Hydrogen launch vehicle | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Refining station | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Survival rover | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Combat gunship | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Space Engineers tier list.
A-Tier: Atmospheric mining ship
Atmospheric mining ship is a top-performing option in Space Engineers.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Hand Drill | The handheld mining tool every survival start ships with. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Large and small grid building | Large grid blocks measure 2. |
How to Play Atmospheric mining ship
Atmospheric mining ship focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Hand Drill does the damage and Large and small grid building keeps it running, which is why this sits at the top of the list. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Highest overall performance
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Popular pick, resources may be contested
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Hydrogen launch vehicle
Hydrogen launch vehicle is a strong option in Space Engineers.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Grinder | Breaks blocks back down into their components. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Ore refining and assembly | The Refinery converts ore to ingots at fixed yields, 70 percent for iron, 40 percent nickel, 10 percent silver, 1 percent gold and uranium and 0. |
How to Play Hydrogen launch vehicle
Hydrogen launch vehicle focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Grinder with Ore refining and assembly and the build stops depending on a good start, so it holds up across most content. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Most versatile option
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Lower peak damage than S-tier
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Refining station
Refining station is a strong option in Space Engineers.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Survival Kit | A combined respawn point, small assembler and stone processor. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Thruster and gravity flight | Atmospheric Thrusters do nothing in vacuum, Ion Thrusters do almost nothing in atmosphere, and Hydrogen Thrusters work everywhere at the worst fuel cost. |
How to Play Refining station
Refining station focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Thruster and gravity flight covers the gap Survival Kit leaves open, so the build stays usable even when a fight goes badly. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Best survivability
- Straightforward gearing path
- Works in all content types
Cons:
- Slower clear speeds
- Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Survival rover
Survival rover is a specialized option in Space Engineers.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Refinery | The full refinery, running at roughly twice the speed factor of the Basic Refinery and the only version that processes silver, gold, uranium or platinum. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Oxygen, hydrogen and life support | The O2 H2 Generator melts ice into gas, producing 250 litres of oxygen or 500 litres of hydrogen per five second cycle on large grid. |
How to Play Survival rover
Survival rover focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on Oxygen, hydrogen and life support rather than raw numbers, and Refinery is what makes that trade pay off. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Strong in group/team content
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- Weaker solo performance
- Requires deep game knowledge
A-Tier: Combat gunship
Combat gunship is a specialized option in Space Engineers.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Artillery Turret | One of the free Warfare 2 additions in update 1. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Block damage and repair | Every block carries its own integrity value. |
How to Play Combat gunship
Combat gunship focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Artillery Turret and Block damage and repair pull in the same direction here, which separates this from the safer picks above. See our weapons guide for detailed equipment breakdowns.
Pros:
- Unique, rewarding playstyle
- Straightforward gearing path
- Excels in its niche
Cons:
- High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
- Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Hydrogen launch vehicle: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Atmospheric mining ship once you understand core mechanics and have access to Hand Drill
- Keep a Refining station setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Combat gunship for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Invest in your primary equipment first, since it gives the biggest power spike. See our weapons guide for rankings.
- Uranium has not spawned on planets or moons since version 1.189. Nuclear reactors, railgun sabots, artillery shells and rockets all depend on it, so a planet locked base is permanently on solar, wind and hydrogen.
- Platinum appears on moons and asteroids but never on planets, and Thruster Components need it. Ion Thrusters and Jump Drives are therefore gated behind leaving the surface, so plan the Moon run before designing anything for deep space.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Space Engineers Guides
- Space Engineers Space Engineers Overview
- Space Engineers Tier List
- Space Engineers Walkthrough
- Space Engineers Beginner's Guide
- Space Engineers Tips & Tricks
- Space Engineers Weapons Guide
- Space Engineers Combat Guide
- Space Engineers Boss Guide
- Space Engineers Maps & Locations
- Space Engineers Crafting Guide
- Space Engineers Classes & Characters
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