Tundra's debut roguelike takes FTL's paused ship combat and drops it into a techno-gothic future where the Solar Empire worships the Immortal God King Hyperion and three Ruinous Cults want the same prize you do. A run crosses exactly six sectors and the sixth is always the Imperial Coreworlds, whose final node is the Vault of Souls. Every playable hull carries 30 hull points and room for at most nine installed systems, and the only ship unlocked when you start is Imperial Cruiser A, the Triumph of Heaven. Crew come from seven human factions with more than seventy distinct types between them, so boarding parties are built rather than drafted.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Empire | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Raider Clans | A | Balanced | Best available |
| War Cult | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Death Cult | A | Balanced | Best available |
| Technocult | A | Balanced | Best available |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Void War tier list.
A-Tier: The Empire
The Empire is a top-performing option in Void War.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Cannons | Armaments that fire one or more physical rounds or energy bursts per salvo. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Reactor power across nine system slots | Systems do nothing until the Reactor feeds them, and no hull accepts more than nine installed systems, so every purchase is also a decision about what you will never fit. |
How to Play The Empire
The Empire focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Cannons does the damage and Reactor power across nine system slots 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: Raider Clans
Raider Clans is a strong option in Void War.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Beam Armaments | Beams fire in one continuous burst over several seconds and cut through multiple rooms on a single pass, which makes them the highest total damage option in the game per shot. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Cannons, beams, lances and missile templates | Cannons never pierce shields but each hit strips one layer, beams sweep multiple rooms in a single burst and bounce off any shielding at all, and Lances start pre charged and punch straight through shields for a limited number of shots per battle. |
How to Play Raider Clans
Raider Clans focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Pair Beam Armaments with Cannons, beams, lances and missile templates 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: War Cult
War Cult is a strong option in Void War.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Lances | Lances begin every battle pre charged, travel at high projectile speed and pierce shielding outright, which no other armament category does reliably. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Boarding actions with faction crew and wargear | You recruit crew from the human factions and equip them with weapons, armour and operational gear before sending them over. |
How to Play War Cult
War Cult focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Boarding actions with faction crew and wargear covers the gap Lances 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: Death Cult
Death Cult is a specialized option in Void War.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Ion Armaments | Ion weapons attack a system's capacity to draw power rather than the hull. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | A six sector run to the Vault of Souls | Six sectors, chosen from types such as Protostar Wastes, Raider Clanworlds, Imperial Shrineworlds and Forge Enclaves, then the Imperial Coreworlds at the end. |
How to Play Death Cult
Death Cult focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: This one leans on A six sector run to the Vault of Souls rather than raw numbers, and Ion Armaments 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: Technocult
Technocult is a specialized option in Void War.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Equipment | Missile Bays | A Missile Bay holds up to three Missile Templates simultaneously and you switch between them manually during a battle. |
| Core Gear | Best available for your level | Maximizes build potential |
| Stat Priority | Balanced offensive and defensive stats | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | Resonance unlocks between runs | Runs pay out Resonance whether you finish them or not, and Resonance buys the B and C variants of hulls you have already reached. |
How to Play Technocult
Technocult focuses on a balanced approach to content.
Why this build works: Missile Bays and Resonance unlocks between runs 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 Raider Clans: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to The Empire once you understand core mechanics and have access to Cannons
- Keep a War Cult setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Technocult 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.
- Shield power only moves in steps of two, and each additional barrier costs two upgrade levels. Budget for that before you buy a third weapon you then cannot power.
- Nine systems is the hard ceiling per hull. Installing a system you never intend to power is a wasted slot you cannot reclaim later in the run.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
More Void War Guides
- Void War Void War Overview
- Void War Tier List
- Void War Walkthrough
- Void War Beginner's Guide
- Void War Tips & Tricks
- Void War Weapons Guide
- Void War Combat Guide
- Void War Boss Guide
- Void War Maps & Locations
- Void War Crafting Guide
- Void War Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Void War, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Builds: roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Builds: roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Builds: roguelike game with similar mechanics
