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Survivors and Loadouts

By ScotPublished Updated Sources checked

Tactical Quick Answer

Risk of Rain Returns has sixteen playable survivors, including the secret character Robomando. You begin with only the Commando and Huntress and unlock the rest by completing specific tasks during runs, such as clearing the third stage for Bandit or obtaining 30 unique items in one playthrough for Loader. Each of the fifteen base survivors also gets three alternate abilities, most of them from Providence Trials.

Your choice of survivor dictates your entire approach to a run. Every character has a unique set of four skills that determine their mobility, damage output, and survivability. You begin the game with only the Commando and Huntress unlocked. You must complete specific achievements to expand your roster.

Unlocking Survivors​

The game features sixteen playable survivors, including the secret character Robomando. Unlocking them requires completing specific tasks during your runs. Some unlocks happen naturally as you play, while others require deliberate effort and planning.

  • Enforcer: Kill the Magma Worm, Wandering Vagrant, and Colossus.
  • Bandit: Clear the third stage.
  • HAN-D: Open the broken gray container on the final stage. It always spawns, and it always sits on the left side of the map.
  • Engineer: Purchase 40 drones total across all playthroughs. Repairing a destroyed drone counts, because a destroyed drone reverts to an interactable you buy again.
  • Miner: Defeat the Direseeker, a hidden boss variant of the Elder Lemurian. Go to the bottom-right corner of Magma Barracks variants 1 and 2 and wade through the lava in the small tunnel there.
  • Sniper: Beat the game.
  • Acrid: Defeat Acrid in combat after opening his metal container, which appears in the top right corner of Sunken Tombs variants 1 through 3.
  • Mercenary: Beat the game five times.
  • Loader: Obtain 30 unique items in a single playthrough.
  • CHEF: Obtain Meat Nugget, Bustling Fungus, Sprouting Egg, Bitter Root, and Foreign Fruit in one run.
  • Pilot: Collect 15 Monster Logs.
  • Artificer: Visit 10 unique stages.
  • Drifter: Recycle 6 drones in a single playthrough.

Focus on unlocking the Bandit and Enforcer early. The Bandit provides high single-target burst damage through Lights Out, a 500% headshot that resets all his cooldowns if it kills. The Enforcer plays slow and durable behind a shield, which suits players struggling with survivability.

Alternate Abilities​

Every survivor has four skill slots, and each of the fifteen base survivors has exactly three alternate abilities to unlock. That works out to two options in three of the slots and a single option in the remaining one, so there is always one slot you cannot change. HAN-D is the one survivor that splits differently, with three options in its Secondary slot and none in its Primary or Utility. Robomando has no alternates at all, in any slot.

Most alternates come from Providence Trials, which are short, character-specific challenges accessible from the main menu. Twelve do not. Those come from ordinary in-run challenges instead, such as killing 8 Elder Lemurians without losing your Scorching status for the Miner's Drill Dash, or killing the caged Acrid in under 15 seconds for Acrid's Corrosive Wounds.

Every trial-gated alternate also has a second route, which matters if a trial is beating you. Each one can be earned instead by defeating 3,000 enemies, collecting 300 items, or completing 25 stages as that survivor. Both paths award the same skill.

If you find a character's default kit clunky, check their available Providence Trials to see if an alternate ability fixes your issue. The Commando's default combat dodge, Tactical Dive, is a simple roll that makes you untouchable while rolling. The alternate, Tactical Slide, lets you fire in either direction while you slide, which vastly improves his offensive mobility.

Building Your Loadout​

Before you drop into a stage, review your loadout carefully. Consider the combos between your chosen skills. If you swap a movement ability for a high-damage attack, you need to rely more heavily on positioning and movement items during the run to compensate.

Always make sure your loadout includes at least one reliable source of area-of-effect damage. Single-target damage is great for bosses, but you will quickly get overrun by hordes of basic enemies if you lack crowd control.

Frequently Asked Questions​

How many survivors are in Risk of Rain Returns?

Sixteen, counting the secret character Robomando. You start the game with only the Commando and Huntress unlocked.

Which survivors should you unlock first in Risk of Rain Returns?

Focus on Bandit and Enforcer early. Bandit provides high single-target burst damage through Lights Out, a 500% headshot that resets all his cooldowns on a kill, and Enforcer plays slow and durable behind a shield if you keep dying to survivability problems.

How do you unlock the Engineer in Risk of Rain Returns?

Purchase 40 drones total across all of your playthroughs. Repairing a destroyed drone counts too, because a destroyed drone reverts to an interactable you buy again.

How do you unlock alternate abilities in Risk of Rain Returns?

Mostly by completing Providence Trials, which are short character-specific challenges from the main menu. Twelve alternates come from ordinary in-run challenges instead, and every trial-gated one can also be earned by defeating 3,000 enemies, collecting 300 items, or completing 25 stages as that survivor.

How do you unlock the Miner in Risk of Rain Returns?

Defeat the Direseeker, a hidden boss variant of the Elder Lemurian. Go to the bottom-right corner of Magma Barracks variants 1 and 2 and wade through the lava in the small tunnel to reach its room.