Undawn Guide for Beginners: From Zero to Rambo

Despite its deceptively simple appearance, the cross-platform survival MMORPG Undawn is filled with complex mechanics that can pose guaranteed challenges for newcomers. As of the last update of this guide, I’ve been playing Undawn for 4 months, right from its launch on Steam. During this time, I’ve learned a great deal. This post serves as a comprehensive guide to the game. Here, you will find answers to practically all the most important questions about the game.

Guide Map

This is the map of all (or nearly all) Undawn guides that are already available on the website. Use it for navigation and quick access to the information you need.

The most important basics:

• Character Stats Guide (crucial!)
• Character Enhancement Guide: How to Get Stronger
• Survival System Guide: Body, Mentality, Metabolism, Hygiene
• World Navigation Guide: Transport, Fast Travel, Map, Resources
• Crafting System Guide
• Tips and Tricks for Beginners
• Weapon Guide: Which one is better?
• Tactical Training Guide
• Gene Guide
• Currencies Guide: How to earn and what to spend on
• How to Earn Gold Quickly and Easily
• How to Get Silver: All the Ways
• How to Sell Items: Equipment, Materials, and more
• Extreme Weather Guide (Map Events): Free Materials and Coupons
• Redemption and Creator Codes: How to Get and Use
• How to Earn XP and How Character Leveling Works
• Donate Guide: What to Buy for Maximum Profit

Game mechanics:

• Cooking Guide
• Farming Guide
• Fishing Guide
• Homestead Guide
• Pet Guide
• Precision (Supplies) Locator Guide
• NPC Relationship Guide
• Skill Chip Guide
• Charisma Guide
• Camp Guide
• Roles Guide
• Survival Squad
• Vehicle Guide
• Friendship Guide
• Safety Rope and Extension Ladder
• Storage Management
• Character Customization
• How to Expand Inventory

Game modes:

• Blockade Guide
• How to Win PVP Battles (even Free-to-Play)
• Explosive Gas Guide: Where to Find All 12 Tanks
• Climb Challenge Guide
• Hold the Line Guide: Tips to Complete Any Level
• Infiltration Guide
• Aurich Island Strongholds

PRO-level:

• How to Get Gold Weapon Quickly and Easily
• How To 100% Get Purple Stats in Equipment: Effective Modification Guide

Other about the game:

• What’s next in Undawn: Future Updates Preview
• Undawn Review after 120 hours

The Impact of Character Rating on PVE Damage

This is perhaps the most crucial mechanic that a newcomer should be aware of. The character rating directly affects the damage dealt and received in almost all PVE modes, including Hold the Line, Astral Tower, and others.

If your character’s rating matches the recommended level, you will deal and receive normal damage. However, if your character’s rating is significantly lower than the recommended level, your damage to mobs will be substantially reduced, while the damage from mobs to you, on the contrary, will be significantly increased.

In the screenshot above, you can clearly see the difference. All I did was unequip my drone to lower my rating by 3214 points. That’s why it’s essential for you to actively increase your character’s rating. A “normal” rating can be considered the one at which you have no issues with weekly and daily missions.

Survival System

At first glance, the survival system may seem complex, but in practice, it is rather mundane and consists of four main components. Press “U” to open the Health Monitor.

• Body: Nutrition and physical exercise affect the character’s “Body Type” (weight) and “Fitness.” If the character is in good shape, they receive a bonus to max energy, which is required for sprinting, jumping, rolling, and so on.
  
• Mentality: Sleep improves the character’s “Vigor” and “Reason,” providing a bonus to gathering speed.
  
• Hygiene: The character must regularly wash and launder their clothes. This can be done directly in the river. Otherwise, their well-being will deteriorate, their clothes will appear dirty, and flies will start buzzing around them.
  
• Metabolism: You need to eat, drink water, and even use the restroom to maintain the “Bladder” and “Stomach” meters in good condition.
  

A detailed guide on the survival system in Undawn has already been published on the website, where each of the mentioned aspects is thoroughly explained. I will just remind you that at the bottom of the Health Monitor interface, you will find all the necessary buttons: Drink, Add Water, Pee, Poop, Wash Clothes, and others. Keep an eye on your character’s condition to always stay clean, well-fed, strong, and healthy.

Character Leveling System

Character leveling in Undawn is achieved through daily quests that repeat day after day, as well as through the main story missions. If you open the Schedule section, you will find these daily quests inside.

At the top of the interface, you will see the daily experience limit that you can earn, as well as the Current Server Level Cap. The thing is, when Undawn servers are newly launched, the ability to level up your character is gradually unlocked. Initially, you will be able to level up by around 5-10 levels per day, after which the leveling process gradually slows down. For example, currently, at levels 45-50, players are allowed to level up by an average of 1 level per day. The reset occurs at 6 AM.

Additionally, the level of your Homestead also affects the maximum level of your character. If you click on the character level icon in the main interface (or press the “Y” key), you will access your character’s parameter screen. Here, you can click on the “Info” icon next to the XP bar and check your current leveling restrictions.

How to Upgrade Homestead Level

In the game’s main menu (Esc), open the Homestead section. At the top of the interface, there is a large yellow “Upgrade” button.

By clicking on it, you will be able to increase the level of your Homestead and / or find out what resources are needed for it. Don’t worry, we will come back to resource gathering and processing later.

Currencies and How to Spend Them

Undawn features various currencies, and a separate guide on currencies has already been published on the website. From that guide, you can learn the details about each currency, ways to earn them in the game, and advantageous ways to spend them. In this section, I will simply remind you of the key points.

Press “B” to open the inventory. At the top left, you can see the four main currencies of the game (RC, Coupons, Gold, Silver). By clicking on the “More Points” button, you will get a list of all the currencies available to your character. You can click on the “Use” button to learn how to spend each currency or click on the “Info” button to find out more details about the currency and ways to obtain it.

All the stores in the game are accessible directly from the menu, so you don’t have to search for merchants. Press “Esc” and go to the “Market” section. Here, you will be able to spend most of the currencies.

Additionally, there is a “Store” section in the game where you can spend RC and Gold.

Moreover, Gold is used for trading with other players in the “Trade” section.

In the same “Trade” section, there is a “Merchant Guild” tab where you can spend Coupons, one of the rarest and most valuable currencies in the game.

World Navigation

You can teleport your character completely free of charge to Road Signs (Travel Points; green icon with a car on the map), Signal Towers, and Strongholds. This is done using the map: select a point and click “Go.” However, these points must be unlocked beforehand. This means that the first time you will have to reach them on foot or by using transportation.

Transportation in Undawn is summoned by the “Tab” key in almost any location in the open world. By default, you will have a red motorcycle, but in the future, you will be able to craft its black counterpart and various other vehicles. Read the detailed guide on world navigation in Undawn to learn more about all of this.

It is also important to remember the “Follow” / “Regroup” functions available in the group interface.

If you are the group leader, click “Regroup” to summon the other group members to your location. If you are a regular member of the group, click “Follow” to teleport to the group leader or follow them.

Resource Gathering and Processing System

In the game, there are four primary sources of resources: trees, ore deposits, plants, and animals. From each source, you are guaranteed to obtain a basic resource (wood from trees, stone from ore deposits, fiber from plants, meat from animals), as well as special resources of uncommon or rare quality. The level of resources increases from region to region (Lv. 1, Lv. 2, and so on), but globally, nothing changes.

To enable the display of resources on the map, you need to open the regional map (M), go to the tab with a plant icon, and mark the resources you need.

On the global map, the locations of resources are indicated approximately. The specific locations of ore deposits / trees / bushes / animals are only shown on the mini-map when you are nearby.

The harvested materials are in their raw form, and you must process them before you can use them for crafting. Processing is done using the Raw Material Workbench, which you must create using the Construction Workbench and place it in your home.

Note that the Raw Material Workbench has limits on resource processing. These limits can be increased with special items that can be purchased in the Esc → Market section.

Professions (Roles)

In Undawn, your character has a range of professions (accessed through the Esc → Roles section) that are gradually unlocked as you progress through the story and level up. The gathering professions include Logger, Miner, Gatherer, and Hunter. Other professions are leveled up separately.

Every day, you can earn a limited amount of Resource Proficiency experience points regardless of the specific activity you engage in: chopping trees, mining ore, hunting animals, or gathering fiber from plants. The earned experience can be spent to level up any of these four gathering professions.

Leveling up a profession unlocks access to perks that facilitate gathering and provide other useful bonuses. I recommend actively leveling up the Gatherer and Hunter professions as materials from animals and plants are generally obtained at a slower rate compared to ore deposits and trees. The Logger profession is ranked second in priority. The Miner profession should be leveled up last.

As for the other professions, you need to cook food (covered later) to level up the Chef profession, fish to level up the Angler profession, and complete the daily “Settlement Mission” in the Scavenger Settlement to level up the Scavenger profession.

Please note that by clicking on the “Info” icon in the professions interface, you can view the current experience limits for each profession.

Crafting System

Processed raw materials are referred to as “Normal Materials,” and they can be used to craft certain items either at a Workbench or through the character’s crafting menu (press the “O” key). For example, you can create Repair Parts to repair equipment, Tactical Gear to use skills, or First Aid Kits to restore health in combat.

Using the Workbench, you can create Advanced Materials from Normal Materials, such as Plywood Board, Flax Flannel, Yarn, Crude Leather, and more.

Advanced Materials are used to craft equipment and weapons for the character, which come in four rarity levels: Uncommon (green; can only be obtained through purchase in the store using silver), Rare (blue; 80% chance), Epic (purple; 15% chance), and Legendary (yellow; 5% chance). Note that in the “Trade” section, you can only sell and buy Epic and Legendary items.

For more detailed information on the intricacies of the crafting system, refer to the separate crafting guide linked.

Equipment Repair

Weapons and character equipment lose durability with use. When the durability is completely depleted, you can no longer use the item until it is repaired. Repairs can be performed using Repair Parts (crafted at the Workbench) on the Equipment Repair Table.

Keep in mind that equipment degrades quite quickly, with heavy weapons losing durability the fastest.

This mechanic is one of the key drawbacks of the game, as you will need to gather a significant amount of resources to repair items in a timely manner.

Skills and Expertise

In the Esc menu, under Skills, you can upgrade your character’s talents. They are divided into three types: Throw, Device, and Passive.

To obtain Talent Points, you must complete Stronghold Challenges and levels in the Hold the Line mode (accessible in the Esc menu under Ravens).

You can also purchase chests containing Talent Points in the Store using Gold, which is a highly advantageous investment. Read my separate guide on earning Gold quickly by selling resources.

As you level up your talents, your Talent Level increases, which is displayed at the top of the interface. You will receive 1 Expertise Point for each new Talent Level, starting from the 16th level.

Expertise Points can be spent on upgrading perks for heavy weapons in the Esc menu under Expertise. Note that heavy weapons can always be changed for free, and all Expertise Points will be retained.

If you are part of a Camp (Esc menu), there will also be a “Camp Training” tab with a dumbbell icon under the “Skills” section. These perks are only available to Camp members (the local equivalent of guilds) and can be upgraded using a special currency called Camp Contribution, which can be obtained by completing daily missions and participating in events.

I recommend prioritizing the upgrade of passive perks for the damage of your primary and heavy weapons, as well as perks that enhance your character’s survivability.

Types of Weapons and Their Differences

In Undawn, your character can be equipped with 3 types of weapons simultaneously: primary, heavy, and melee. Primary weapons include assault rifles, machine guns, submachine guns, shotguns, and light sniper rifles. Heavy weapons consist of the M134 Heavy Machine Gun, B39 Biotic Rifle, M32 Grenade Launcher, M82 Heavy Sniper Rifle, and SH95 Gun Shield. Melee weapons are rarely used in the game, so you shouldn’t focus your attention on them.

I recently published a detailed guide on weapons in Undawn, explaining which weapons are better and why. For example, the most powerful assault rifle in terms of damage (at least at my stage of the game) is the AK-47, which is perfect both for PvE and PvP battles. However, in the context of PvP, there are several factors to consider.

Firstly, primary weapons have recoil, fire rate, and magazine size. In Undawn, you need to pump a lot of bullets into an enemy to kill them.

Secondly, if you are playing on PC, players using smartphones will have a significant advantage in close combat because the “aim assist” system will do most of the work for them. Manual aiming with a PC is almost impossible. 

As for heavy weapons, you should choose them based on your play style. While the M134 Heavy Machine Gun is excellent for PvE battles and significantly boosts the overall damage of your primary weapon, the other types of heavy weapons are better suited for PvP battles.

Players often use the M82 Heavy Sniper Rifle and B39 Biotic Rifle (which can heal allies), but personally, I prefer the M32 Grenade Launcher because it can reach enemies hiding behind cover, although it’s not very convenient to use.

Equipment Enhancement System

Undawn offers multiple ways to strengthen your character’s equipment.

• Enhance: You can improve your equipment by enhancing its stats. Reinforcement Coatings can be obtained by completing daily quests and participating in events. They can also be purchased in the store using Coupons (Trade → Merchant Guild). Enhancements are character-bound and preserved when changing equipment.
  
• Accessory (Weapons): You can equip weapons with accessories such as Grips, Stocks, and more, which are created at the Workbench and upgraded using Accessory Blueprints. Accessory Blueprints can be obtained through quests, event participation, and can also be purchased from the Merchant Guild Shop using Coupons. I recommend spending Coupons mainly on Accessory Blueprints as they are the most challenging resource to acquire for upgrades. Enhancements are character-bound and preserved when changing equipment.
  
• Accessory (Equipment): Armor Plates can be inserted into equipment items to enhance their stats. They can also be obtained through quests, event participation, or purchased in the shop. Enhancements are character-bound and preserved when changing equipment.
  
• Polish: Any equipment item can be polished using Silicon Carbide Particles, which can be obtained through quests, events, or purchased with Gold in the “Store” section. This type of enhancement is similar to “Enhance” and is also preserved when changing equipment.
  
• Set Bonuses (Accessory and Polish): You receive additional parameter bonuses by enhancing a certain number of equipment items in a specific way up to a certain level. For example, you may gain parameter boosts when you polish six pieces of equipment to level +6 or higher. Therefore, it’s advisable to develop your equipment evenly.
  

You can also insert Special Skill Chips into your equipment, but this is late-game content as acquiring Special Skill Chips is extremely challenging and expensive.

Another way to strengthen your equipment is by modifying additional parameters. Note that you can transfer additional parameters from one item to another for a small amount of Silver.

Character Enhancement System

When it comes to strengthening the character itself, the main method is to increase the rank in the Road of Raven (Esc → Ravens). To do this, you will need to complete Stronghold Challenges and levels in the Hold the Line mode. This will provide a permanent boost to the character’s stats.

You can also significantly enhance the character’s attributes with the Enhanced Syringe, which permanently increases the character’s Max HP by 3, damage by 2, and skill strength by 2. The main ways to obtain this consumable are by completing achievements and finding chests in the open world, which can then be exchanged for Enhanced Syringe using Exploration Points in a special shop.

Additionally, character stats can be enhanced by certain Titles (Y → Title), which can be obtained in various ways within the game. For example, the PVP title “Superkilla Vanguard” grants the character +10 Damage and +13 Skill Strength.

A more detailed guide on Undawn character and equipment enhancement has already published on the website.

Rewards for Exploring the World

In Undawn, players receive bonuses for exploring the open world. Open the Esc menu, select Exploration, choose a region, and click on “Collection Progress.” Here you can see which activities in the region you have yet to complete for full exploration, such as repairing Signal Towers, activating Road Signs, or finding specific supply crates.

By completing all the listed activities in the region, you will earn experience for exploring that region.

The more thoroughly you explore a particular region, the greater the rewards you will receive.

Rewards for Completing Story Quests

In the Esc menu, there are two sections in the Story tab that you should know about: Adventure Guide and Wilderness Anecdote. By completing quests from the Adventure Guide, you will not only learn new things but also receive many valuable rewards.

In the Wilderness Anecdote section, you can undertake side quests that will reward you with silver (which becomes more important in the mid-game), accessories, and some unique items.

Main PvE Game Modes

The main PvE game modes in Undawn, where you will fight against zombies, are the Special Ops missions. Initially, only one cooperative mission for 4 players called “The Lost City” is available, but as you level up, additional missions such as “King’s Station” and “Assault on the Refinery” will unlock. Some missions offer daily rewards, while others provide weekly rewards.

Undawn also features the PvE mode called “Astral Tower,” where 4 players must clear levels of a virtual tower and battle bosses on each floor.

You can receive rewards for this task three times a week. Additionally, a separate reward is given for the first completion of each floor of the Astral Tower.

Main PvP Game Modes

PvP game modes are available from noon until late at night. They include the Training Match (a classic 4v4 arena with rankings) and Aeronautical Base (capturing points on a large map with a high number of players).

By participating in PvP battles, you will earn Combat Points, which are necessary for increasing your Road of Raven level. You can find all available and upcoming events in the “Schedule” section.

Another PvPvE mode called Blockade allows you to fight not only against other players but also against mobs. Your goal in this mode is to defeat mini-bosses and bandits to find boxes with Special Skill Chip Modules.

Before opening the acquired containers, you need to evacuate them using a special helicopter pad by summoning a helicopter. While players can fight each other in this mode, it is not the primary focus. There is already a detailed guide on the Blockade mode available on the website that you can refer to using the provided link.

Additionally, Undawn features various PvP events involving battles between camps. These events occur according to a schedule, which can also be found in the “Schedule” section. Keep in mind that “Temporary Members” cannot participate in such events, so you will need to actively engage with your camp for several days until your status changes to “Member.”

Cooking

Cooking is an important aspect of the Undawn game, as different dishes provide various buffs to your character for 10 minutes, restore health, or even reduce weight. There is already a detailed cooking guide available on the website, which you can access through the provided link.

Just as a reminder, you will need a kitchen, a grill, and a campfire to cook food. By combining different ingredients, you will unlock new recipes, which will become available in the “View Recipes” section.

In the recipe book, you can find the ingredients for each dish, including locked ones. Clicking on a dish icon will reveal the bonus your character will receive upon consuming it.

Please note that special bonuses are only available for dishes prepared with 4 ingredients. The ingredients themselves can be found in the open world, grown on the farmland, or purchased from the in-game store.

Conclusion

These are the main mechanics of Undawn that you should know, but there is still much more to discover in the game. As I continue to explore it and level up my character, new guides on the most challenging and confusing aspects of the game will be released on the website soon. If you have any questions or anything to add, feel free to leave comments under this post. Happy surviving! 😎