Once Human Beginner's Guide: Deviations, Best Early Weapons & Progression Tips

Once Human is a free-to-play post-apocalyptic survival looter-shooter set in a world twisted by alien Stardust. You gather resources, craft, build a base, manage hunger, hydration, and sanity, and fight mutated horrors called Deviations, some of which you can capture as helpful Deviants. It blends crafting survival with third-person gunplay and a server-based seasonal structure that keeps things fresh, and it's free to download on Windows. Whether you're here for cozy base-building or tense boss fights, this starter plan will keep you alive through the crucial first days.

Getting started

Before you sink hours into a character, understand how Once Human's servers and scenarios shape your run.

• Pick the right server type. PvE servers let you focus on survival and building in peace, while PvP servers add player raids and conflict. Choose based on how much stress you want.
• Understand scenarios. Servers run timed scenarios like Manibus and The Way of Winter that eventually reset. Your gear stays in that season, but progression carries forward through Eternaland, your persistent personal island.
• Follow the early quests. The main questline teaches core systems and hands out ciphers, which unlock memetics (your skill and blueprint tree). Don't skip it.
• Manage your meters. Keep food, water, and sanity topped up. Low sanity in contaminated zones will chip away at your health.

Best early Deviations and gear picks

Deviations are one of Once Human's signature systems. Catching the right ones early makes survival dramatically easier.

• A gathering Deviation that produces materials or crops passively is gold early on, since it feeds your base while you're out exploring.
• A combat Deviation that fights alongside you adds real damage and a distraction for tougher enemies.
• Prioritise a versatile primary weapon. A dependable assault rifle or submachine gun covers most early threats; don't over-specialise before you understand the enemy roster.
• Grab a shotgun or DMR as backup. Close-range Deviations and ranged pickers both show up, so a two-weapon spread keeps you flexible.
• Invest in your weapon mods and calibration rather than constantly swapping guns; a well-modded reliable weapon outperforms a rotating stash of raw ones.

Progression tips

Once Human rewards steady base growth and smart memetic choices over reckless exploration.

• Plan your memetics. Spend cipher points on blueprints and skills that match your playstyle and current weapon, not a scattershot unlock spree.
• Build near resources and water. A well-placed base cuts down travel time and keeps your crafting supplied.
• Clear Strongholds and Monoliths. These points of interest and boss encounters hand out strong loot and progression rewards; tackle them once your gear can handle it.
• Use rift anchors and fast travel to move efficiently across the map instead of running everywhere on foot.
• Bank valuables in Eternaland before a scenario ends so your effort carries into the next season.

Mistakes to avoid

• Ignoring sanity and hydration. Neglected survival meters quietly kill you in the field.
• Hoarding every weapon. Spreading upgrades across a dozen guns leaves none of them strong. Commit to a couple.
• Skipping Deviation capture. Passive gathering and combat Deviants save enormous time; catch them early.
• Overbuilding on day one. A sprawling base you can't defend or supply is a liability. Start compact and expand.
• Forgetting the scenario clock. Don't get caught with unbanked progress when a season resets.

Once Human is at its best when you treat survival, base-building, and combat as one connected loop. Secure a couple of useful Deviations, keep a focused loadout, and plan your memetics around how you actually play. Do that and the wasteland becomes a playground rather than a grind. Ready to survive? Play Once Human free on PC and start building today.