Choosing a class

[Inhuman Infatuation]

Curious on what classes are most used/ tips for choosing a class. I'm loving engineer, just because. No idea how I get new weapons or anything but driller isn't for me so much during solo matches, but the other three are fun. Sort of reminds me of something from that Prey game where you can make platforms. I like the zip line and grapling is win but the platforms just help me mark my way back up, however i'm very new to the game despite owning it for a long time. I don't know if i bought it at release of EA or not, have to check my purchase, but man, my wife and I have been missing out so much haha.

[Syncourt]

Scouts are most common for new players, it's easy to evade and escape death. Easy to traverse any terrain. A hard class to master combat with though.

Engineer is in a bit of an OP state at the moment since his sentry guns got buffed with all the new mods. MK2 sentry with defender mod especially, will almost never run out of ammo and can kill almost anything with the armor breaking mod. You can pretty much just run around in front of the turret and let it do most of the work.

So those will be most common.

Gunner is somewhat common, a pretty straight forward class with good all-round combat abilities with a life saving shield for moments that get a bit too chaotic.

Driller is probably the least common, it's a more difficult class to learn.

I'm sure the devs would have the hard numbers, but they haven't shared that info as far as I know.

[savinguptobebroke]

Class wise, I also enjoy the scout, engi and gunner. My favourite is the engi. To get new weapons you need to level up your character and check the terminal that says "assignment board". It's next to the mission selection terminal. When it comes to choosing a class my advice is to play them all, which it sounds like you've done.

The engi is nice because it's a can do almost everything by its self.
The gunner shreds armour and is great against hoards of grunts.
The driller is good at killing anything that gets close to him however he does require the most skill to play.
The scout is good at killing high priority targets and staying alive through his high mobility.

There lots of guides under the "guides" section on steam with useful tips so look there.
Here is a good one:
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1647072988

[jajomba]

play whatever class you feel like at the moment, they're all fun. Playing all classes will grant you more account levels (blue ones)

Engi is pretty straightforward. His guns are pretty good, his turret does a really good job at killing stuff with MK2+defender system upgrades.

Scout is the most mobile, but not as good at taking out waves as other classes.

Driller might be a bit tricky at first, but he's very versatile and his unlockable secondary, the plasma charger, is the best gun in the game.

Gunner is fun, his shield is great, but he has a problem with engi and driller outperforming him in combat with their instakill guns. Gunner doesn't have one, sadly.

[ViperClaw]

The Gunner has pretty accurate, sustained damage over long distances and can use ziplines to outmaneuver melee enemies and even most of the Dreadnought attacks with ease. If you have enough space to fight and propably a friendly scout to light big caverns, the Gunner shines and very brightly so.

[MrPurple33]

I'd say Engineer is still by far my favorite class, but once you play for a while, you should probably be Liking and playing all 4 classes- I do, and tend to promote them all at the same time (all 4 of mine are Bronze 3)

Engineer- Best Defense, solid damage with the Shotgun and SMG- Breech Cutter hard to use, but there are those who Like it- Grenade Launcher is just...... WHAM !! so fun- sounds Like you have a handle on the Platforms --- Teamwise- Platforms so Scout can quickly grab hard to reach objectives, Platforms to help everyone, Turrets as Defense, and warning systems at crossroads and chokepoints

Gunner- easiest to concieve and play, why he's the tutorial character- his name says it all- GUN Everything Down- all 4 guns are solid, but Autocannon is MAH BABY !! - get Fear on the AC, and watch the Praetorions run away from YOU --- Teamwise- Gunner can mine just fine, but you want to Let Scout and Driller do their jobs, and actively be covering the group- shoot those Mactera, Bugs, and Grabbers before they get close to your team- Ziplines, sounds Like you have these down too, help the team get places easier and faster, can be Key for moving Aquarq on Point Extractions, these are also good for marking Locations, especially big maps Like Biozone and Sandblasted- don't be dependent, or spam the Shields, use them to defend the Team

Scout- Run and Gun Son !! Don't Listen to those who say he's weak, he's a solid Dwarven Warrior, he just requires a few more bullets, and a bit more accuracy- all 4 weapons are solid, and Interchangable, but you'll have to watch your Ammo with the M1000-Sawed Off Combo- Your role should be supporting the team from the sides, and sniping Mactera, Acid Spitters, and other Long-range dealing pests with the AR, or especially the M1000- Flares- USE THE DAMN FLAREGUN !! you have more than you think, and they resupply, use 2-3 at a time to Light up a huge cave, not sure if you need a flare here? SHOOT IT OFF ANYWAY, #1 complaint of Scouts is they don't use their Flaregun- seeing enemies and Objectives HELPS dangit !! --- also teamwise, communicate with the Engie to get platforms placed, Scout is the easiest to roam about and revive downed teammates, use the IAD Grenade not just for you, but to help a teammate get out of a sticky situation

Driller- you're right to take your time getting used to him- Driller is a class unique to DRG, and has some methods to Learn, but once you Learn them, you'll want to play Driller 80% of the time, just for the ability to get anywhere, anytime, really easy- Flamethrower and Cryo have a shorter range, but those with the Damage Capability of the Drill Arms, make him great up close- both the EPC and Subata are better Long Range options than you think- EPC gives you a charge shot option, shreds Mactera, and aimed right can Liquefy packs of Grunts- I once killed 9 Grunts with a well-aimed shot down a tunnel- Subata is Listed as a "basic pistol, alright for a backup" LIES !! the Subata is one of my personal favorite weapons, and IMO, the "True" Driller Primary- solid gun, great acurracy, huge ammo- just shoot extra shots when you need to, you have the bullets !! - the Drills take some practice, especially the Key Team-Saving Technique of Drilling straight back to the Drop Pod on complex maps, but you should get the hang of Driller after 5 missions or so- Driller also makes Point Extractions and Egg Hunts a breeze - C4/Satchel makes cake of Praetorians, even blow up several at once, just watch out for your Teammates (except for noob, careless Scouts, blow those guys up, then revive them- they'll Learn a valuable Lesson) --- Teamwise- Get those Loose Dirt Piles, nothing worse than a Driller that won't freakin' Drill !! - use the Drills to make access tunnels or staircases up huge cliff faces- use the Drills to quickly get Aquarq, Eggs, and diggables (Gold Chunks, Pearls, Bittergem, Jadiz)- use the Drills to get to Minerals up on walls, when a Scout is unavailable, or unwilling- use the Drills to go straight through walls to rescue a downed Teammate, if no one can seem to get to him- use the Drills all the dang time, Drill, Drill, Drill - and then hit "R" watch the Drills grind together most satisfactorly

Those are my Insights on the classes, and how I tend to choose them for a mission- also, once you get good with all 4, pick the class the team Does Not currently have- be helpful

You'll probably always have a class you prefer over others, mine is Engineer, and when I feel aggressive, Gunner with Autocannon- but you'll probably find you go on streaks with a certain class, then switch and go on a streak with another - If you're having Bad Luck, and fail a few missions in a row, fall back on the class you feel you're best with

[Inhuman Infatuation]

Hey thanks for the replies! Been running driller a lot, learned how to use it. Digging insta tunnels to set up a "hot gate" situation and throw grenades, everything dies. Also easy to get away inside a wall if you dug a bad setup lol. Engineer is by far my favorite tho. Idk all of em are a blast but i'm playing solo to learn it. Likely with my wife after than and then online, same as we always do ha. Don't like to join randoms and be that one random.

[Inhuman Infatuation]

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

I'd say Engineer is still by far my favorite class, but once you play for a while, you should probably be Liking and playing all 4 classes- I do, and tend to promote them all at the same time (all 4 of mine are Bronze 3)

Engineer- Best Defense, solid damage with the Shotgun and SMG- Breech Cutter hard to use, but there are those who Like it- Grenade Launcher is just...... WHAM !! so fun- sounds Like you have a handle on the Platforms --- Teamwise- Platforms so Scout can quickly grab hard to reach objectives, Platforms to help everyone, Turrets as Defense, and warning systems at crossroads and chokepoints

Gunner- easiest to concieve and play, why he's the tutorial character- his name says it all- GUN Everything Down- all 4 guns are solid, but Autocannon is MAH BABY !! - get Fear on the AC, and watch the Praetorions run away from YOU --- Teamwise- Gunner can mine just fine, but you want to Let Scout and Driller do their jobs, and actively be covering the group- shoot those Mactera, Bugs, and Grabbers before they get close to your team- Ziplines, sounds Like you have these down too, help the team get places easier and faster, can be Key for moving Aquarq on Point Extractions, these are also good for marking Locations, especially big maps Like Biozone and Sandblasted- don't be dependent, or spam the Shields, use them to defend the Team

Scout- Run and Gun Son !! Don't Listen to those who say he's weak, he's a solid Dwarven Warrior, he just requires a few more bullets, and a bit more accuracy- all 4 weapons are solid, and Interchangable, but you'll have to watch your Ammo with the M1000-Sawed Off Combo- Your role should be supporting the team from the sides, and sniping Mactera, Acid Spitters, and other Long-range dealing pests with the AR, or especially the M1000- Flares- USE THE DAMN FLAREGUN !! you have more than you think, and they resupply, use 2-3 at a time to Light up a huge cave, not sure if you need a flare here? SHOOT IT OFF ANYWAY, #1 complaint of Scouts is they don't use their Flaregun- seeing enemies and Objectives HELPS dangit !! --- also teamwise, communicate with the Engie to get platforms placed, Scout is the easiest to roam about and revive downed teammates, use the IAD Grenade not just for you, but to help a teammate get out of a sticky situation

Driller- you're right to take your time getting used to him- Driller is a class unique to DRG, and has some methods to Learn, but once you Learn them, you'll want to play Driller 80% of the time, just for the ability to get anywhere, anytime, really easy- Flamethrower and Cryo have a shorter range, but those with the Damage Capability of the Drill Arms, make him great up close- both the EPC and Subata are better Long Range options than you think- EPC gives you a charge shot option, shreds Mactera, and aimed right can Liquefy packs of Grunts- I once killed 9 Grunts with a well-aimed shot down a tunnel- Subata is Listed as a "basic pistol, alright for a backup" LIES !! the Subata is one of my personal favorite weapons, and IMO, the "True" Driller Primary- solid gun, great acurracy, huge ammo- just shoot extra shots when you need to, you have the bullets !! - the Drills take some practice, especially the Key Team-Saving Technique of Drilling straight back to the Drop Pod on complex maps, but you should get the hang of Driller after 5 missions or so- Driller also makes Point Extractions and Egg Hunts a breeze - C4/Satchel makes cake of Praetorians, even blow up several at once, just watch out for your Teammates (except for noob, careless Scouts, blow those guys up, then revive them- they'll Learn a valuable Lesson) --- Teamwise- Get those Loose Dirt Piles, nothing worse than a Driller that won't freakin' Drill !! - use the Drills to make access tunnels or staircases up huge cliff faces- use the Drills to quickly get Aquarq, Eggs, and diggables (Gold Chunks, Pearls, Bittergem, Jadiz)- use the Drills to get to Minerals up on walls, when a Scout is unavailable, or unwilling- use the Drills to go straight through walls to rescue a downed Teammate, if no one can seem to get to him- use the Drills all the dang time, Drill, Drill, Drill - and then hit "R" watch the Drills grind together most satisfactorly

Those are my Insights on the classes, and how I tend to choose them for a mission- also, once you get good with all 4, pick the class the team Does Not currently have- be helpful

You'll probably always have a class you prefer over others, mine is Engineer, and when I feel aggressive, Gunner with Autocannon- but you'll probably find you go on streaks with a certain class, then switch and go on a streak with another - If you're having Bad Luck, and fail a few missions in a row, fall back on the class you feel you're best with

I'm curious on a specific thing you mention with driller, the drilling back to the drop. The controller map brings up a zoomable but sort of glitches out and swaps weapons if you try to turn the map on zoom. Any tips for orientation? I tend to find myself digging away from the new access area for a second or two, and driller I get way into nowhere lol. I honestly just learned you can run not long ago so that's made escapes easier, was doing h4 and walking back...i had one where it was 2 seconds to go and barely got in where the door was (facing a wall, no way to get in without digging, driller saved that game)

Also, is there a way to know where the pod will come back? Seems its near the drop off point most times but I get so carried away mining that I forget where I dropped. saw you can waypoint which is cool.

[Chibbity]

Originally posted by Omunall:

I'm curious on a specific thing you mention with driller, the drilling back to the drop.

Just drill towards the big text box that says "drop pod."

Couldn't be simpler.

[ViperClaw]

^ The Pod has it's own marker.

Cave systems in regular mining missions are declining deeper and deeper the further you go. So just open your map, zoom out, turn it a little and follow the way up again.

It's not always like that in other modes tho. The longer you play, the better your orientation will get. And talking about orientation. The longer you play Driller, the better you'll become.

Use your minimap, mark ressources, or let your allies mark them (Hold Ctrl and click it, you can see the marker through terrain) and drill towards the marker through walls and ceilings. And remember you can use Spacebar while using your map to orient your character in the direction you you face currently on your map. This will allow you to take a look, take aim and instantly drill towards your goal (Helps digging shortcuts from one cavern to another, getting alien eggs and break through dirt really really fast and easy).

[Inhuman Infatuation]

Originally posted by Chibbity:

Originally posted by Omunall:

I'm curious on a specific thing you mention with driller, the drilling back to the drop.

Just drill towards the big text box that says "drop pod."

Couldn't be simpler.

What I mean is can you tell where it's coming from? I'm getting the hang of reading the map on the fly for the most part ( I wish i could zoom out and rotate but if you can do this, it isn't able on xbox controller) so I have to quick glance and see where I should go. Wish there was a way to lock rotation of the direction your facing to just simply put your quick glance in order, or some sort of minimap. Every thread i've seen doesnt complain much tho, so i figure i'm just newbie.

Also damn this game is fun. My wife just left for the day, forgot she had plans. Had booted it up lol, started reading stuff from this and she had to go. Bummer, her loss bwhaha. Nah I just wanna jam with a co-op partner and not randoms yet, as i'll likely be that one guy. I hate playing with that one player that just dies all over the place. Bosco is awesome tho, really good AI for the most part.

[Inhuman Infatuation]

Originally posted by ViperClaw:

^ The Pod has it's own marker.

Cave systems in regular mining missions are declining deeper and deeper the further you go. So just open your map, zoom out, turn it a little and follow the way up again.

It's not always like that in other modes tho. The longer you play, the better your orientation will get. And talking about orientation. The longer you play Driller, the better you'll become.

Use your minimap, mark ressources, or let your allies mark them (Hold Ctrl and click it, you can see the marker through terrain) and drill towards the marker through walls and ceilings. And remember you can use Spacebar while using your map to orient your character in the direction you you face currently on your map. This will allow you to take a look, take aim and instantly drill towards your goal (Helps digging shortcuts from one cavern to another, getting alien eggs and break through dirt really really fast and easy).

I'm starting to think either I've not hit all the buttons or there are limitations to the controller support. I have not noticed a mini map, but then again I didn't know I could run...made for some fun escapes tho. I cannot rotate when zoomed. It drops the map if you don't hold the button, and trying to rotate while zoomed out switches weapons. Not sure if this has been reported.

[ViperClaw]

I was talking about the 3d map actually. I accidentally called it a minimap. My bad. :)

[Snaggle]

Originally posted by Omunall:

Originally posted by Chibbity:

Just drill towards the big text box that says "drop pod."

Couldn't be simpler.

What I mean is can you tell where it's coming from? I'm getting the hang of reading the map on the fly for the most part ( I wish i could zoom out and rotate but if you can do this, it isn't able on xbox controller) so I have to quick glance and see where I should go. Wish there was a way to lock rotation of the direction your facing to just simply put your quick glance in order, or some sort of minimap. Every thread i've seen doesnt complain much tho, so i figure i'm just newbie.

Also damn this game is fun. My wife just left for the day, forgot she had plans. Had booted it up lol, started reading stuff from this and she had to go. Bummer, her loss bwhaha. Nah I just wanna jam with a co-op partner and not randoms yet, as i'll likely be that one guy. I hate playing with that one player that just dies all over the place. Bosco is awesome tho, really good AI for the most part.

♥♥♥♥ it, be that one guy, most people don't mind greenbeards learning the ropes, if they do then ♥♥♥♥ em too. Enjoy it, revel in the learning experience, it's a lot more fun with even random people or friends than Bosco, as decent a fellow as Bosco is.

As for the pod, you shouldn't even need to open the scanner, when it's landing / landed a HUD marker directs you to it, whether you choose to make your way back through the cave system you've come through to this point, or if as a driller drill straight back as the crow flies, is up to you.

[ViperClaw]

If you run a very long mining mission it can be a strategy to climb up a little to the halfway-point before calling the pod, because it's impossible to get a very long way then, the total lengh you could propably travel in either "worst case scenario" is halfed by default. That's why i was talking about that stuff. If you have a Driller you don't even have to do that ofc. (In a team that is, waves of enemies + a long path to travel can be a serious obstacle, even for a solo Driller)

[MrPurple33]

Originally posted by Omunall:

Originally posted by MrPurple33:

I'd say Engineer is still by far my favorite class, but once you play for a while, you should probably be Liking and playing all 4 classes- I do, and tend to promote them all at the same time (all 4 of mine are Bronze 3)

Engineer- Best Defense, solid damage with the Shotgun and SMG- Breech Cutter hard to use, but there are those who Like it- Grenade Launcher is just...... WHAM !! so fun- sounds Like you have a handle on the Platforms --- Teamwise- Platforms so Scout can quickly grab hard to reach objectives, Platforms to help everyone, Turrets as Defense, and warning systems at crossroads and chokepoints

Gunner- easiest to concieve and play, why he's the tutorial character- his name says it all- GUN Everything Down- all 4 guns are solid, but Autocannon is MAH BABY !! - get Fear on the AC, and watch the Praetorions run away from YOU --- Teamwise- Gunner can mine just fine, but you want to Let Scout and Driller do their jobs, and actively be covering the group- shoot those Mactera, Bugs, and Grabbers before they get close to your team- Ziplines, sounds Like you have these down too, help the team get places easier and faster, can be Key for moving Aquarq on Point Extractions, these are also good for marking Locations, especially big maps Like Biozone and Sandblasted- don't be dependent, or spam the Shields, use them to defend the Team

Scout- Run and Gun Son !! Don't Listen to those who say he's weak, he's a solid Dwarven Warrior, he just requires a few more bullets, and a bit more accuracy- all 4 weapons are solid, and Interchangable, but you'll have to watch your Ammo with the M1000-Sawed Off Combo- Your role should be supporting the team from the sides, and sniping Mactera, Acid Spitters, and other Long-range dealing pests with the AR, or especially the M1000- Flares- USE THE DAMN FLAREGUN !! you have more than you think, and they resupply, use 2-3 at a time to Light up a huge cave, not sure if you need a flare here? SHOOT IT OFF ANYWAY, #1 complaint of Scouts is they don't use their Flaregun- seeing enemies and Objectives HELPS dangit !! --- also teamwise, communicate with the Engie to get platforms placed, Scout is the easiest to roam about and revive downed teammates, use the IAD Grenade not just for you, but to help a teammate get out of a sticky situation

Driller- you're right to take your time getting used to him- Driller is a class unique to DRG, and has some methods to Learn, but once you Learn them, you'll want to play Driller 80% of the time, just for the ability to get anywhere, anytime, really easy- Flamethrower and Cryo have a shorter range, but those with the Damage Capability of the Drill Arms, make him great up close- both the EPC and Subata are better Long Range options than you think- EPC gives you a charge shot option, shreds Mactera, and aimed right can Liquefy packs of Grunts- I once killed 9 Grunts with a well-aimed shot down a tunnel- Subata is Listed as a "basic pistol, alright for a backup" LIES !! the Subata is one of my personal favorite weapons, and IMO, the "True" Driller Primary- solid gun, great acurracy, huge ammo- just shoot extra shots when you need to, you have the bullets !! - the Drills take some practice, especially the Key Team-Saving Technique of Drilling straight back to the Drop Pod on complex maps, but you should get the hang of Driller after 5 missions or so- Driller also makes Point Extractions and Egg Hunts a breeze - C4/Satchel makes cake of Praetorians, even blow up several at once, just watch out for your Teammates (except for noob, careless Scouts, blow those guys up, then revive them- they'll Learn a valuable Lesson) --- Teamwise- Get those Loose Dirt Piles, nothing worse than a Driller that won't freakin' Drill !! - use the Drills to make access tunnels or staircases up huge cliff faces- use the Drills to quickly get Aquarq, Eggs, and diggables (Gold Chunks, Pearls, Bittergem, Jadiz)- use the Drills to get to Minerals up on walls, when a Scout is unavailable, or unwilling- use the Drills to go straight through walls to rescue a downed Teammate, if no one can seem to get to him- use the Drills all the dang time, Drill, Drill, Drill - and then hit "R" watch the Drills grind together most satisfactorly

Those are my Insights on the classes, and how I tend to choose them for a mission- also, once you get good with all 4, pick the class the team Does Not currently have- be helpful

You'll probably always have a class you prefer over others, mine is Engineer, and when I feel aggressive, Gunner with Autocannon- but you'll probably find you go on streaks with a certain class, then switch and go on a streak with another - If you're having Bad Luck, and fail a few missions in a row, fall back on the class you feel you're best with

I'm curious on a specific thing you mention with driller, the drilling back to the drop. The controller map brings up a zoomable but sort of glitches out and swaps weapons if you try to turn the map on zoom. Any tips for orientation? I tend to find myself digging away from the new access area for a second or two, and driller I get way into nowhere lol. I honestly just learned you can run not long ago so that's made escapes easier, was doing h4 and walking back...i had one where it was 2 seconds to go and barely got in where the door was (facing a wall, no way to get in without digging, driller saved that game)

Also, is there a way to know where the pod will come back? Seems its near the drop off point most times but I get so carried away mining that I forget where I dropped. saw you can waypoint which is cool.

Hmmm, not sure about the Xbox controller- I use the keyboard, for us you hold TAB and use the mouse and wheel to zoom and rotate- I'd Imagine there has to be a similar function on an Xbox controller- even If it's not Listed anywhere, next time you start a mission, start hitting buttons and see if any get the functions you're Looking for

Now once you do get the map as you Like it, you do have to wait for the Pod to come down before you start Drilling so you have an acurate path chosen- also, you might have to get a supply drop- 35 or more fuel SHOULD get you back, no matter what the Length, especially on "soft" terrain Like Salt Pits, Sandblasted, or Fungus - both Magma and Glacial can take some extra effort, and might be Longer, I'd definetly get 40 fuel for the Drills at Least - on any Map, If you're at 20-25 Fuel- refuel- sucks to get 85% of the way there, then strand the team in an Isolated tunnel, frantically pickaxing to try and beat the clock

The Drop Pod should show up as a Blue Bean Looking Icon- same as it does on Salvage Missions when you're searching for it- In most cases you'll want to do the Drill-cool at 90%- Drill-cool, etc- but stop every 3rd or 4th cool down, check the Map in case you have to reposition, sometimes you have to take an angled turn, or you might be about to bust through a wall into a Huge Cavern, dropping to your death - It's actually a smoother trek back If you Drill a certain way, hit a tunnel, run along that for a short way, then Drill to the Pod again

If you can't get the Map to visualise properly, OR if you're just Lucky on a Map (1/2 the Mining Missions will do this) - just center the White "Drop Pod- 133m" in the center of your sights, angle slightly to any side, and Dig straight to it- you want to do the slight angle so you don't eventually bump directly into the un-diggable, solid hull of the Pod's Drill, and have to awkwardly side tunnel around that - keep in mind this "Blind Faith" method does tend to work, but you run a risk of dropping into an undetected Cavern, dropping yourself (and probably others) deep down, and jeopardize the run back - also, If you know It's an easy Mining Map, usually It's faster to try and run on foot, Drilling only when neccesary - However, there have definetly been crazy, tangled Maps, where halfway down, as Driller, I've chatted to the team "I'm definetly going to have to Drill us back", and I start getting Ideas on the way down how I might plan it

Another Good Tip- when I first started playing Driller, got the hang of the Drills pretty quick, but was worried that the first time I had to do a Drill-Path back to the Pod, I'd screw it up, earning me the Ire of the team- If you're playing as another class, and see a more experienced Driller doing a Drill-Back, hug close to them, and see how they're doing it- most of the time it Isn't an easy straight Line, watch how they Cool the Drills and adjust their trajectory- I actually waited and watched 3 Drillers before I was fully confident to do it- then again, you also Learn by failing, but I'd recommend observing some other Drillers when you can- even when you know how to Drill Back, you usually still get some tip you didn't think of before

(Drill Thru) Rock and Stone Brother !!