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Beginner's Guide to Once Human

New to Once Human? This guide covers everything you need to survive in the Stardust-infected world.

What Is Once Human?

  • 1Once Human is an open-world survival game set in a post-apocalyptic world infected by Stardust.
  • 2You play as a Meta-Human with unique abilities, fighting to survive in a hostile environment.
  • 3The game features Deviants -- mutated creatures that can be captured and used as companions.
  • 4Once Human combines survival mechanics with base building, crafting, and multiplayer cooperation.
  • 5The world is shared with other players -- you can cooperate, trade, or compete.
  • 6Seasonal resets introduce new scenarios, keeping the game fresh and challenging.

First Steps

  • 1Complete the tutorial to learn basic controls, combat, and crafting mechanics.
  • 2Gather wood, stone, and fiber immediately -- these are essential for early crafting.
  • 3Build a basic shelter and workbench as your first priority for survival.
  • 4Find and equip a weapon quickly -- even a melee weapon is better than nothing.
  • 5Capture your first Deviant early -- even low-star Deviants provide valuable assistance.
  • 6Follow the main quest markers to unlock new areas and Memetics upgrades.

Understanding Deviants

  • 1Deviants are mutated creatures that can be captured using Deviant capture tools.
  • 2Each Deviant has a type (Combat, Utility, Mount, Decoration) and star rating (1-5).
  • 3Combat Deviants fight alongside you, Utility Deviants provide passive benefits.
  • 4Mount Deviants serve as transportation, Decoration Deviants improve territory comfort.
  • 5Higher star Deviants are rarer and more powerful but harder to find and capture.
  • 6Feed and care for your Deviants to increase their effectiveness and loyalty.

Combat Basics

  • 1Once Human features third-person shooter combat with cover mechanics.
  • 2Headshots deal significantly more damage -- aim for the head whenever possible.
  • 3Different weapon types excel at different ranges -- carry at least two weapon types.
  • 4Dodge and sprint to avoid damage -- standing still makes you an easy target.
  • 5Deploy combat Deviants to provide additional firepower during difficult fights.
  • 6Use healing items and food buffs before engaging tough enemies and bosses.

Progression & Memetics

  • 1Memetics is the tech tree system that unlocks new crafting recipes and abilities.
  • 2Earn Memetics points by completing quests, exploring, and defeating enemies.
  • 3Prioritize unlocking weapon and armor crafting nodes for immediate combat improvement.
  • 4Specialization paths unlock at a certain Memetics tier -- choose based on your playstyle.
  • 5Some Memetics nodes unlock new Deviant capture abilities and territory upgrades.
  • 6Plan your Memetics path before spending points -- respeccing costs valuable resources.