Beginner's Guide to Outlast Trials

In this guide I will be focusing on the first steps in Outlast Trials as well as Rigs, Prescriptions and AMPs and general leveling. This guide is work in progress and will definitely be expanded with basic gameplay tips, more advanced techniques and precise measurements.

Introduction

TL;DR Skip to Leveling Guide to know what to invest your first points into. Check Rigs, Prescriptions and Amps sections to check out the upgrades.

The Outlast Trials is an interesting addition to the Outlast series, offering a fresh twist on horror walking simulators. Building upon the legacy established by games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this title enhances the disturbing atmosphere while introducing unique elements such as night vision battery management, heart-pounding jump scares, and thrilling chases. Remarkably, these elements successfully transition into a multiplayer experience. In The Outlast Trials, one to four players can participate in trials featuring diverse objectives and numerous obstacles that push the limits of your fear resilience.

How much content is there?

In its current Early Access state, The Outlast Trials offers the following content:

• Three Trials featuring distinctive maps, each with three different difficulty levels that introduce Variators.
  
• Two MK-Challenges per map, where you explore the same map but with different starting points and objectives. These challenges are typically shorter than the Trials.
  
• Program X, a collection of Trials and MK-Challenges with Variators, which will receive occasional updates. Access to this program is available once you obtain grading on all other Trials and MK-Challenges.

While it may not seem like a lot to some players, especially those who prefer speedrunning or focus solely on solo play (although solo mode is more challenging), the true depth of the game lies in investing time to learn, identify mistakes, and adapt effective strategies. Moreover, there are plenty of upgrades to unlock for Rigs, Prescriptions, and Amps, which can significantly alter your gameplay. You may also find yourself adjusting your playstyle to complement your teammates. And for those seeking an extra challenge, try playing without your Rig once the game starts feeling too easy.

How does the matchmaking and team finding work?

The matchmaking process is generally smooth, allowing you to quickly jump into a game within a minute. However, it's worth noting that you might come across lobbies where players have significant level differences (with the most recent Hotflix 1.0 this doesn't seem to be the case anymore) . Occasionally, group finding may be interrupted if someone declines, requiring you to restart the process. Additionally, some players may leave if they dislike the chosen Trial or MK-Challenge, even after it has started. While these are minor inconveniences, it's expected that the developers will address these issues for the final release.

How does the communication in-game work?

In the game, there's a ping system that lets you communicate important messages to your teammates. It's all you really need to have fun playing. There's also a voice chat option available, but personally, I haven't used it and don't plan to.

What's the playerbase like? Is there a lot of BMing and toxicity?

The worst thing that I have experienced so far is a player holding the game hostage by not coming to a checkpoint. Unless there are slurs and insults being thrown left and right on the voice chat, I'd say players are pretty chill and usually cooporate pretty well.

Is it grindy?

Not at all. Leveling up happens quite fast, especially if you score A+ on Trials and MK-Challenges. You do have to wait for level-ups to earn Vouchers for upgrades, but if you genuinely enjoy the game, you won't even notice it when you reach level 20 or higher.

Trials and MK-Challenges

Currently there are 3 Trials in the game:

• Kill the Switch – this Trial is set in a Police Station. Your objective is to infiltrate the station, locate the snitch, and execute them,
  
• Grind the Bad Apples – in this Trial, you find yourself in an Amusement Park. Your task is to gain access to a ride called Root Canal and destroy a group of child mannequins,
  
• Cleanse the Orphans – this Trial takes place in an Orphanage. You'll be assigned various tasks aimed at converting the children (mannequins) to the Faith..

Each Trial offers a choice of three difficulties, and each difficulty level introduces different Variators to increase the challenge. Your performance in the Trial or MK-Challenge is graded, and achieving an A+ grade for the first time also grants you a bonus.

Rigs, Prescriptions and Amps

As you level up your character, you will unlock Rigs at Therapy Level 2, Prescriptions at Therapy Level 3 and Amps at Therapy Level 10. They are extremely useful upgrades, that will help you achieving A+ grades on highest difficulties.
Every upgrade will cost you Vouchers, which you get after leveling up – at first you get only 1 Voucher per level, around level 10 you will start getting 2 per level and soon after that 3 per level. For the final 3 levels (currently capped at 40 Therapy Level) you get 6 Vouchers.





As you level up your character, you'll unlock useful upgrades that can greatly improve your gameplay:

• At Therapy Level 2, you'll gain access to Rigs.
  
• At Therapy Level 3, you can unlock Prescriptions.
  
• Finally, at Therapy Level 10, you'll unlock Amps.

These upgrades are crucial for achieving A+ grades on the highest difficulty levels. To acquire them, you'll need Vouchers, which you receive when you level up. Initially, you'll earn 1 Voucher per level. However, as you progress, around level 10, you'll start earning 2 Vouchers per level, and soon after, you'll receive 3 Vouchers per level.

Rigs

Rigs are additional equipment with powerful effects. However, using these Rigs comes with cooldowns (you start the game with that cooldown as well). Before using any of them, you will have to buy them from Noaks (the Engineer) for 1 Voucher when you reach Therapy Level 2. Currently, there are four different Rigs available in the game, each offering unique benefits. Additionally, there are eight possible upgrades for these Rigs, ranging in cost from 1 to 3 Vouchers:

• Stun – a throwing device that stuns the enemies,
  
• Blind – a landmine that once triggered blinds the enemies,
  
• Heal – an aerosol gas that heals you and nearby players,
  
• X-ray – an enhancement that allows you to see enemies through walls,

Stun is a pretty useful Rig, especially if you are caught unexpectedly by an enemy and can save you the run when in a pinch. The enemy that you hit is stunned for a moment, unable to make any action, giving you a wide enough window to run away.












The upgrades are as follows:

• ACTIVATE (1) – base upgrade, unlocks the Rig,
  
• EXPANDED RADIUS (1) – expands the area of the explosion, potentially making it easier to hit multiple enemies,
  
• DISARM (1) – the explosion destroys any traps, door traps and enemy mines,
  
• EXTENDED DURATION (2) – extends the duration of the stun effect,
  
• RESTORE (2) – reduces the cooldown if you miss the throw,
  
• ELECTRIC BOOST (3) – players caught in the explosion get their battery charges and stamina back,
  
• DECREASED COOLDOWN (3) – decreses the cooldown,
  
• PREPARED (3) – start with the RIg ready to be used.

Blind is another tool that allows you to stun the enemy. Instead of being a throwable, Blind is a landmine and because of that, it has a setup time. The payoff is a way longer explosion duration that covers more area and can even blind enemies that weren't in the radius of the initial explosion.











The upgrades are as follows:

• ACTIVATE (1) – base upgrade, unlocks the Rig,
  
• EXPANDED RADIUS (1) – expands the area of the explosion,
  
• DEPLOY TECHNIQUE (1) – the setup time is quicker,
  
• EXTENDED DURATION (2) – extends the duration of the blinding smoke,
  
• RECHARGE (2) – the mine re-arms itself once,
  
• FRENZY (3) – gives any player who walks through the smoke an adrenaline boost effect,
  
• DECREASED COOLDOWN (3) – decreses the cooldown,
  
• PREPARED (3) – start with the RIg ready to be used.

Heal is a support Rig that may come in handy if you find yourself (or your fellow Reagents) struggling with keeping yourselves alive. While it's never safe to be running around with one health bar, you should usually focus on not getting damaged in the first place.












The upgrades are as follows:

• ACTIVATE (1) – base upgrade, unlocks the Rig,
  
• EXPANDED RADIUS (1) – expands the area of the healing effect,
  
• SILENT HELP (1) – makes the healing silent,
  
• EXTENDED DURATION (2) – extends the duration of the healing effect,
  
• DETOX (2) – healing gas will also heal Psychosis,
  
• POISON (3) – healing gas will also slow down enemies affected by it,
  
• DECREASED COOLDOWN (3) – decreses the cooldown,
  
• PREPARED (3) – start with the RIg ready to be used.

X-ray is another support Rig, giving you the ability to see the enemies through the walls and with a couple of upgrades, useful items as well. While it can be helpful when you're having difficulty sneaking past enemies, in most cases, relying on your listening to the cues or finding alternate routes is more effective.










The upgrades are as follows:

• ACTIVATE (1) – base upgrade, unlocks the Rig,
  
• SHARED INTEL (1) – allies can see the locations of tagged enemies,
  
• RESSOURCES INTEL (1) – X-ray reveales consumables (Medicines, Batteries, Adrenaline, Bricks, Bottles, Lockpicks, Syringes, Rig Rechargers),
  
• CLASSIFIED INTEL (2) – X-ray reveales basically every interactable item in the game (Documents, Posters, Booster Items, Master Key, Mines, Traps),
  
• EXTENDED DURATION (2) – extends the X-ray duration,
  
• BATTERY TRANSFER (3) – using X-ray recharges your battery,
  
• DECREASED COOLDOWN (3) – decreses the cooldown,
  
• PREPARED (3) – start with the RIg ready to be used.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions are permanent enhancements that boost your physical and mental capabilities. You can buy them from Emily Barlow (the Nurse) as soon as you reach Therapy Level 3. There are two tiers of them and the second tier unlocks after buying the whole first one, but you can buy them in any order among the tier. There are 7 Tier 1 Prescriptions and 9 Tier 2 Prescriptions:
The Tier 1 Prescriptions are:

• INSTANT USE – allows you to hold down left click when interacting with the item to use it immeadietly,
  
• SLIDE – pressing the crouch button when running causes your Reagent to slide,
  
• REGENERATION – you regenerate health to a full health bar after some time,
  
• SELF DEFENSE TECHNIQUE – press right click while being assaulted by a pouncer to escape their grasp,
  
• KICK TO HELP – allows you to kick enemies that grabbed your fellow Reagent,
  
• LIFE SAVER – allows you to kick enemy that attempts to execute your fellow Reagent,
  
• RUN AND SMASH DOORS – allows you to instantly open doors while running, unless they are locked (you will crack them though).

The Tier 2 Prescriptions are:

• EXPANDED INVENTORY – gives you additional inventory slot, for a total of 4 slots,
  
• DOORS BASHER – when trying to break through locked doors, you need only 2 hits instead of 3 to break them
  
• BREACHING TECHNIQUE – bashing doesn't deplete your stamina,
  
• SPEED BOOST – increases running speed,
  
• ENDURANCE – reduces stamina consumption while running,
  
• ATHLETE – increases maximum stamina,
  
• PARKOUR TECHNIQUE – reduces stamina consumption for jumping and climbing,
  
• BATTERY EXTENSION – extends night vision battery life,
  
• HEAVY TRAINING – increases movement speed while carrying large objects.

Amps

Amps are impactful contraband that function as passive skills in the game. You can buy them from Dorris (the Smuggler) a bit later in the game, when you reach Therapy Level 10. You can equip a total of 3 Amps, with each slot being unlocked at levels 10, 15 and 20. Each of them costs 3 Vouchers.

• SLIPPERS (unlocks at 10) – walking on glass is silent,
  
• HIDE AND BREATHE (unlocks at 12) – in a hiding spot, stamina recovery begins immediatly,
  
• CACOPHONY (unlocks at 14) – bricks and bottles are noisier, making them better distractions for enemies,
  
• DOUBLE DOSES (unlocks at 16) – syringes can be used twice,
  
• HIDE AND HEAL (unlocks at 18) – in a hiding spot, health recovery begins immediatly,
  
• STRONG ARM (unlocks at 20) – bricks and bottles pack a stronger punch when thrown at an enemy, potentially stunning them for longer,
  
• NOISE REDUCTION (unlocks at 22) – noise you make when running and opening doors is reduced,
  
• QUICK ESCAPE (unlocks at 24) – after taking damage, temporarily increases your stamina and speed,
  
• ANTITOXIN (unlocks at 26) – allows you to regain sanity after some time and psychosis will last half as long.

Leveling Guide

NOTE: This section is going to be pretty subjective, but I strongly believe that it will help out new players with Vouchers' attribution to Rigs, Prescriptions and Amps. Feel free to share your suggestions!

How should I spend my vouchers?

For the first 10 levels, you will basically be able to only upgrade either Rigs or Prescriptions. Starting Therapy Level 10, you will gain access to Amps and new ones will be available every 2 Therapy Levels.
What should your priorities be then?

• Buy your first Rig – I recommend picking either Stun or Blind as your first choices. They will save you in difficult situations, allowing you to manoeuvre around enemies and getting ahead of them. You can also put a couple of points into upgrading them – for both of them reaching EXTENDED DURATION is good choice.
  
• Focus on getting to Tier 2 Prescriptions – There are some major upgrades available in Tier 2 Prescriptions, so sooner or later you have to buy all Tier 1 Prescriptions. The most important ones in Tier 1 are REGENERATION (can mitigate a whole health bar of damage) and RUN AND SMASH DOORS (essential when running away from the enemies). You will also want to buy KICK TO HELP and LIFE SAVER as soon as possible, otherwise your co-op players will hate you. SLIDE is a nice quality of life upgrade and INSTANT USE can save you a couple of seconds. SELF DEFENSE TECHNIQUE is pretty situational and usually you should rely on your fellow Reagents to help you out rather than using Bottle or Brick.
  
• Get stamina Prescriptions from Tier 2 – running away from enemies is the essential skill in Outlast Trials. Unfortunately, as you will experience very fast, the base stamina of the Reagent is quite underwhelming. That's why Prescriptions like ENDURANCE and ATHLETE are amazing upgrades you should probably get first when attributing points (no need to get them both at once, you can start with either of them and get the other upgrade later).
  
• Get Slippers from Dorris and forget about the Amps – honestly most of the Amps are pretty useless. SLIPPERS is a must have as it allows you to bypass one of the mechanics of the game. The next useful Amps are STRONG ARM (it can stun enemies for CRAZY amount of time) and NOISE REDUCTION (you will genuinly be shocked how often you'd have been spotted without this Amp). You could potentially consider taking QUICK ESCAPE to help you out in tricky situations, but it won't save you if the enemy is able to one shot you (with a DEADLY PRIME ASSET variator).

Basic Gameplay Tips (General)

• Whenever you are lost and not sure what to do next, click Tab to show your current objective.
  
  
• When exploring the map, remember to pay attention to gas mines and avoid them. As the name suggests, they spray gas when stepped on that causes Psychosis.
  You can either dodge them/jump over them or throw a Bottle/Brick to destroy them permanently (Stun Rig with an upgrade DISARM will also destroy them).
  The hitbox is pretty generous, even when the beeping sounds goes crazy.
  You can also jump over it while holding a heavy object, although the timing is a bit more challenging.
  
  
• When you approach doors, check out if there is any device installed to them (the red light is the best indicator). This means that the door is trapped and will incapacitate you as you open it.
  There are three ways to deal with it – you can open them while crouched, which allows you to avoid the incapacitating hit.
  You can also go around it and disarm it from the other side by holding M1 (this will reward you with a small battery).
  Or you can slowly open the door by holding M1 and pushing your mouse forward, which doesn't trigger the trap and allows you to disarm it.
  
  
• While finishing the main objective is obligatory to exit the trial, there is always a side objective in every Trial and MK-Challenge that requires you to collect 3 Propaganda Posters (5 in multiplayer). You can find them all over the map in different locations and their spawn is random (altough the spawn points are set). You won't be able to receive A+ rating without collecting them and any extra posters found don't contribute to a better grade.
  
  
• If you struggle with finding generators, pay attention to the signs near doors, they will tell you if you can find one in that particular room.
  The game will also automatically mark any generator near you, in case you miss it.
  
  
• In order to power a generator, you will need to fix the circuits and add the gasoline, after that you will be able to turn it on by pulling the crank. The first task is a mini-game in which you must flip all the switches green. The goal is to identify the switch that is responsible for flipping two at once. There are two circuits, one on each side of a generator.
  The second task requires you to hold M1 to fill the generator, the cannister is then put on a shelf near it to indicate that it has been fueled (remember that you are vulnerable during that time and can be interrupted). The final task requires you to pull the crank to start up the generator. This is a simple skill check that you must hit with M1. The fastest way to start the generator is to hit the green field three times. Hitting the yellow ones will also fill the gauge, but slower. This action makes noise that can attract nearby enemies.
  
  
• Altough electric traps are not always active, it's best practice to avoid them – the game will never cut your way off and there will always be a way to go around it.
  
  
• When prompted, always fill out the Clue token to update it in the objectives tracker. The body marked with the same sign as the one seen the TV screen near the gate will contain the key that opens it.
  This will also update it for your teammates (so one of you can go ahead and update the clues for whole map, while the others start looking for the keys).
  
  
• Containers can also be trapped. When opening any of them (first aid kits, cabinets) look for a gas spray on the left side. Stand back and wait until the gas has dispersed. It can sometimes activate after a short delay.
  
  
• There will be multiple sound traps that can alert nearby enemies. These can be hanging tincans/baby dolls or shards of glass. Even if you don't care about triggering them while in chase, try to avoid them as they will lower your final score.
  
  
• Use Adrenaline before pushing/carrying heavy items to do it faster.
  
  
• While exploring the map, pay attention to these blue buttons you can find on walls nearby sealed doors. If you're playing solo, you will need to press both of them in short span of time with a timer set to start as soon as you hit the first one. If you're playing in co-op, you will need another fellow Reagent to hold one of them as you hit the other.
  Doing so will open the Secret Room, which often contains Large Medicines, Rig Recharges and a bunch of upgrades like Health Booster (heals you and adds a bar of health), Battery Booster (recharges your battery and extends its duration), Stamina Booster (allows you to run for longer before getting exhausted) or/and Master Key (instantly opens any locked container).
  
  
• Plan your escape accordingly and always have an offensive Rig/Bottle/Brick ready when pushing the button to call for shuttle, as you still have to wait for it for around 10 seconds to arrive.
  

Suggested Party Loadouts

General

Below you can find my personal tierlist of possible party loadouts with my personal favorites underlined.

• Best loadouts will work every time – these are the best Rigs combination to get A+ rating on most Trials and MK-Challenges.
  
• Optimal loadouts are pretty good as well and you should be able to beat any Trial or MK-Challenge without bigger issues, with exceptions of more difficult Program X Trials and MK-Challenges when you might want to consider switching one or two Rigs for something generally better or more suited for particular map.
  
• Average loadouts are either on the weaker side or don't utilize strength of Rigs to their full potential.
  
• Bad loadouts are self-explanatory. Aplogies to any X-ray enthusiasts!

You are generally going to be looking for a combination of 1-3 crowd-control Rigs (Stun/Blind) and 1-2 utility Rigs (Heal/X-ray) with the former being more important.

• For most Trials and MK-Challenges which require you to do tasks around the same area (like grilling the Snitch in Kill the Snitch or pushing the cart with children in Grind the Bad Apples) Blind is the best choice. Altough I find having more than 2 Blinds in the team a little bit excessive, especially with the RECHARGE upgrade, that rearms the mine.
  
• For Trials and MK-Challenges where you mostly push forward (like Open the Gates) you might find Stun to be more effective. On more dificult Trials and MK-Challenges, try to use it a bit more conservatively, keeping it for dangerous confrontations with Prime Assets.
  
• Heal can be useful if your party has troubles staying alive and finding healing items during the Trials, but it falls off in Program X Trials and MK-Challenges with variator DEADLY PRIME ASSET (which means that Coyle/Goosebumps will one shot you).
  
• X-ray, as much as I love the idea behind it, unfortunately falls short compared to other Rigs. If you decide to use it, make sure to share any useful items like Rig Recharges and Bottles/Bricks with your team to pull your weight. It can be useful if you prefer to take Trials and MK-Challenges slowly, being more immersive in the stealth aspects of the game, but you will still struggle with completing objectives.

Party Size\Rating	Best	Optimal	Average	Bad
1	Blind	Stun	X-ray Heal	-
2	Blind, Blind Blind, Stun	Stun, Stun Blind, Heal Blind, X-ray	Stun, Heal Stun, X-ray	Anything else
3	Stun, Blind, Blind Heal, Blind, Blind	Stun, Stun, Blind Stun, Stun, Stun Heal, Stun, Blind Heal, Heal, Blind X-ray, Blind, Blind X-ray, Stun, Blind X-ray, Heal, Blind	Blind, Blind, Blind Heal, Stun, Stun Heal, Heal, Stun X-ray, Stun, Stun X-ray, Heal, Stun X-ray, Stun, Blind X-ray, X-ray, Blind	Anything else
4	Stun, Stun, Blind, Blind Heal, Stun, Blind, Blind Heal, Stun, Stun, Blind	Stun, Blind, Blind, Blind Stun, Stun, Stun, Blind Stun, Stun, Stun, Stun Heal, Stun, Stun, Stun Heal, Heal, Blind, Blind Heal, Heal, Stun, Blind X-ray, Stun, Blind, Blind X-ray, Heal, Stun, Blind X-ray, X-ray, Heal, Blind	Blind, Blind, Blind, Blind Heal, Blind, Blind, Blind Heal, Heal, Stun, Stun Heal, Heal, Heal, Blind X-ray, Blind, Blind, Blind X-ray, Stun, Stun, Blind X-ray, Heal, Stun, Stun X-ray, Heal, Heal, Blind X-ray, X-ray, Blind, Blind X-ray, X-ray, Stun, Blind X-ray, X-ray, X-ray, Blind	Anything else

Notes and Plans

As mentioned in the Guide description, I plan to expand on the content in this it. I didn't see a comprehensive guide to this game yet and I think there are a couple of things the developers could introduce to the game to be a bit more beginner friendly. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to disable any Rig updrages or Prescriptions, so the testing capabilities are limited. I'd love to get the input from the community as well, start some discussions build a reliable reference guide for people interested in exploring the world of Outlast Trials.

Release Notes

• [0.1] WIP Guide Release – added sections Introduction Introduction, Trials and MK-Challenges, Rigs, Prescriptions and Amps, Rigs, Prescriptions, Amps, Leveling Guide
  
• [0.2] Added Basic Gameplay Tips (General)
  
• [0.3] Expanded on Basic Gameplay Tips (General) + added another way to deal with trapped doors (credits to Supur)
  
• [0.4] Added loadout tips

To-do

• Deep dive into grading system
  
• Check the cooldowns and effect time for Rigs
  
• Deeper explanation of each Rig upgrade
  
• Test all Amps
  
• Basic gameplay tips
  
• More advanced gameplay tips
  
• Guides for each Trial and MK-Challenge (map for each Trial would be awesome)
  
• Add description for each Variator
  
• Expand Leveling Guide
  
• Generally add more pics, screenshots and videos

In the meantime, you can check out following guides for information that is currently missing over here.

• For items descriptions, check out this guide by Fxasa
  https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2977981472
  
• For some pointers on grading system, check out this guide by RuZZn
  https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2979158076

[WillPwnForPancakes]

I've been an X-Ray enthusiast my entire time playing, and with new buff, I use X-Ray to tear through a trial super fast. Finding objectives and avoiding enemies is super easy, with added benefit of disabling traps and the recharge is insanely fast

[Phoenix Rose]

yet another guide that just does NOT have the cool down timer listed... how long does each rig take to cool down at base vs with the decreased cooldown? *sigh*

for those people who want to know at least the Heal one, at base it takes 180 seconds for the rig to recharge. not sure about the decreased timer upgrade as i haven't gotten it yet

and i think for the x-ray at base might be 30 seconds, not sure though

[now this diva]

@everyant Based solely on my experience and what I see people building the most: Blind > Stun > Heal >>> X-ray , most optimal party loadout is 2 Blinds, 1 Stun, 1 Heal . Blind makes Kill the Snitch and Grind the Bad Apples way easier, especially when playing solo, for other scenarios you can go with either Blind or Stun.

[everyant]

which do you guys think is better? Blind or Rig

[now this diva]

@Andrew I totally see your point and I agree that the game is pretty fun exploring on your own. But it's also not really beginner friendly. Blind or Stun Rig in my opinion is necessary in solo play and is significantly stronger than Heal or X-ray in lower levels, when you begin to learn mechanics and teamwork. The fact that you pay with the same currency for Rigs, Prescriptions and Amps may also be a bit too complicated for some people to decide where to spend your Vouchers first. Leveling is wasy easier when you receive A+ grades and if you're stuck with with bad upgrades it can really make your climb slower.

[Stranger]

SO FUN

[Sahi]

This guide is extremely detailed and you did a great job for doing it but I believe it feels way better if you figure out what rigs/prescription you wanna unlock/use and not just follow what recommended to do.

[Toruńska Cycolina]

omg ily <3

[A Normal Clown]

Remember that you can lock/unlock doors if you end up on the side with the sliding mechanism on it. Double doors don't appear to have this. This can help with making distance between you and an Asset.

[Oude Jaap]

Nice guide!

Take my points.