Reclaimer Handbook: Tactical tips to survive your first deployment

Hello Reclaimers,

Tomorrow, we take back Hoxxes.

Some of you may be veteran miners, having faithfully served this Company in the mines of Hoxxes IV. Others may be newly-enlisted, deploying to the depths for the first time.

Operations Command has assembled this tactical briefing to help you get the most of your Rogue Core experience and make sure you return back to the Ramrod in one piece. If you plan on deploying with other Reclaimers, Management asks that you share this resource with your squadmates as recommended reading. Proper training will help us minimize casualties on our first day of Operation Rogue Core.

1. Always keep an eye on your mission timer.

In Rogue Core, time is the biggest enemy of them all. You’ll be under pressure from the moment you step out of the Drop Pod, and managing your time is crucial for your survival. If you let the timer run out, you’ll enter Threat Level Critical — meaning the Core Spawn will throw everything they’ve got at you until you’re dead or gone.

As you fight through each level of the mine, you should aim to extract with time to spare. Otherwise you’ll have to deal with the Reaperworms.

2. Prioritize locating the elevator.

The elevator is your extraction point. It’s your ticket out of any level, and your only way of progressing further. As soon as you deploy, you should be focused on finding the next elevator. There will be a power cable leading from one elevator to the next, so you can use this as your trail of breadcrumbs.

Calling the elevator will trigger an enemy attack, so you should be grouped up and prepared for combat before you do this. You should also find as many upgrades and resources as you can before calling the elevator — but don’t wait too long.

3. A.C.E. - Always Collect Expenite.

The wünder-mineral Expenite is your key to earning powerful new upgrades during missions. If you’re used to Deep Rock Galactic, you can think of it like Nitra — a mineral you should always collect and deposit at every opportunity.

Expenite can be found in natural deposits within the mines, as well as side objectives (such as abandoned heavy machinery) you may encounter during missions.

Depositing enough Expenite in the Remote Expenite Processing Drone (R.E.P.D.) will earn you an upgrade. You’ll need to group up with your team and select these cooperatively. You don’t need to do this every single time you earn one — they will stack up, and you can claim several in a row. Time it with your team to get the best effect.

4. Make use of Workbenches and Bio-Boosters.

Workbenches and Bio-Boosters will be found on every level of the mine. They’re a surefire way to get stronger weapons and more powerful abilities, in addition to what you’ll earn from Expenite upgrades. Your enemies will be getting stronger, so you need to keep up.

Both these resources require a small unlock process to become active. Remember to ping these resources for teammates when you find them — it’d be a shame to extract before you collect your upgrade.

5. Don't expect to win your first run.

The baseline difficulty of Rogue Core is harder than Deep Rock Galactic. We’d say it starts somewhere close to Hazard 3 difficulty. Failure is part of this game. But unlike Deep Rock Galactic, Rogue Core doesn’t penalize failure as much. You’ll still collect rewards and progression proportional to your progress. We’ll just bio-print some new organs in the Med Bay, glue you back together, and you’re ready for another go.

6. You can (and should) upgrade your Reclaimers between missions.

Rogue Core is a roguelite game, meaning you have permanent player progression. When you complete missions (or if you die trying), you’ll earn Reclaimer Points, which unlock Merits and Enhancement Chips. You can spend Merit points to unlock upgrade slots for your character build, and Enhancement Chips unlock the upgrades to insert in these slots. This allows you to start every run with boosted stats.

As you progress, you’ll unlock more upgrades and more sockets — giving you more options to fine-tune your build exactly for the strengths you want.

7. Confiscate Security Cameras whenever possible.

As per company policy, all Deep Rock Galactic mining facilities are equipped with security cameras. These cameras monitor employee behavior and deter wage theft, but also contain oxygen and contaminant monitoring devices to ensure a safe working environment.

Until Management has a full understanding of the Grayout incident, the sensitive data in these cameras must be handled with the utmost discretion. Collect them whenever you come across them, and Management will reward you with a multiplier for your Reclaimer Points issued at the end of a mission.

8. Intel is your key to game progression.

Intel represents our understanding of the Grayout anomaly and Expenite research. You must collect Intel by completing specific Intel Tasks during missions. These tasks can be viewed, tracked and unlocked via the side panel in the Mission Terminal aboard the Ramrod.

As you collect more Intel, OMEGA will grant you an increased Clearance Level. Certain Clearance Levels are required to access more challenging missions, new biomes, and to activate resources and equipment in the mining facilities.

A diligent Reclaimer must always remember to complete Intel Tasks whenever possible, and redeem them to unlock new access privileges.

9. Remember the Reclaimer Handbook.

Knowledge is a Reclaimer’s most powerful weapon (if you don’t count guns, pickaxes, fists, grenades, superheated energy blades or electric shock drones). As such, it’s important you remember to refer to your Reclaimer Handbook to better understand your mission as well as your opponents.

You can expect to unlock new entries in the Handbook as you progress through Rogue Core. Some of these entries might contain useful hints and information. You can access the Handbook via the terminals in your personal cabin, or from the ESC menu.

On behalf of Management, we’d like to thank you for joining the Reclaimers, and being the first to the front in Operation Rogue Core. When you deploy, know that you do so with the support of the Company behind you.

We look forward to following your progress, and to restoring Hoxxes IV to full operating capacity.

Good luck tomorrow, Reclaimer. Rock and Stone.

With love,
The Ghost Ship Crew