Dune Awakening Vehicle Customization Guide & Upgrades
Time: 2025-05-15 by mmojugg Game: Dune Awakening Guide
In the unforgiving deserts of Arrakis, Dune: Awakening makes vehicles your lifeline for survival, exploration and combat. Whether you're outrunning sandworms, battling rivals, or harvesting spices, customising sandbikes, buggies, and ornithopters is crucial to your success in this open-world survival MMO. This guide covers everything you need to know about crafting, upgrading and managing vehicles. Keep an eye on MMOJUGG for more tips and updates to enhance your gaming experience.
Vehicle Tiers and Progression
Vehicles in Dune: Awakening are unlocked through a tier system tied to materials, with each tier introducing new vehicles and improved stats:
Copper: Unlocks the Sandbike, your first vehicle, available early through a main quest.
Iron and Steel: Upgrades Sandbikes to Tiers 2 and 3 with increased speed and armour. Steel also unlocks the Buggy, ideal for group travel.
Aluminum: Gives access to the Scout Ornithopter, a single-seat aircraft for quick scouting.
Dural Aluminum: Introduces the Assault Ornithopter (up to four seats) and higher-tier Sandbikes and Buggies.
Plastinium: Allows the Sand Crawler to harvest spices and the Carrier Ornithopter to transport the Crawler and up to six players.
Materials are gathered at Imperial Testing Stations or crafted at a Vehicle Fabricator, tying progression to exploration and resource management.
Crafting Your Vehicles
Building vehicles is a hands-on process that combines gathering and assembly:
Unlock Blueprints: Earn Intel Points through quests, combat or exploration to unlock vehicle blueprints in the Research tab. The Sandbike is available early on, while Ornithopters require more investment.
Gather Resources: Collect materials like copper, steel, or advanced components (e.g., particle capacitors, advanced servos) from dungeons or resource nodes. Store materials in your base, as all crafting stations can access nearby bins.
Craft Parts: Use a Vehicle Fabricator to create components such as chassis, engines and treads. Collaborative crafting allows teammates to pitch in on larger vehicles.
Assemble: Use a Welding Torch (Mark 1 or 2) to join parts together. Start with the chassis or hull, then attach components using an intuitive interface - right-click to cycle through options, left-click to apply.
For instance, a Sandbike requires one chassis, one engine, one PSU, three treads, and a hull. Larger vehicles such as the Sand Crawler require additional parts such as a centrifuge or vacuum.
Customization and Upgrades
Customization lets you tailor vehicles for speed, combat, or utility, with modular components and accessory slots:
Sandbike:
Treads: Higher treads (e.g. Tread Mark II) provide 50 armour, better traction, and lower vibration (20) to avoid sandworms.
Engine: Increases acceleration and speed. Blueprint engines, such as one reportedly capable of 100 mph in beta, outperform standard versions.
PSU: Improves fuel efficiency and heat management, vital for long desert journeys.
Chassis and Hull: Improves fuel capacity, armour and slots for seats, turrets or utilities.
Accessories: Add a speed booster (up to 100 mph uphill), an extra seat, or a resource scanner.
Buggy:
Seats two to four players with driver, passenger and optional turret slots.
Swap the rear for a machine gun, rocket launcher or storage. A cutter array helps with mining.
Upgrades focus on durability and combat utility.
Scout Ornithopter:
Single-seat with wings, engine, generator and cockpit.
Equip rocket launchers or engines for combat or speed. Storage is limited, so agility is a priority.
Assault Ornithopter:
Supports up to four players (pilot, co-pilot, two passengers).
Add rocket launchers or thrusters. The cabin increases capacity and armour.
Carrier Ornithopter:
Carries up to six players (pilot, five passengers).
Designed to carry the Sand Crawler. Add thrusters or storage for versatility.
Sand Crawler:
Features a centrifuge, vacuum and spice harvesting treads.
High armor, seats a driver and passenger, but slow and fuel-intensive.
Blueprints, found in the world or traded, unlock better variants. For example, a Sandbike engine blueprint can push speeds beyond standard limits. Cosmetic mods, applied via the Welding Torch's customize option, add visual flair, though options are limited early on.
Vehicle Management and Maintenance
Vehicles require careful maintenance to remain operational:
The Vehicle Backup Tool: Available early on, this tool stores Sandbikes and Scout Ornithopters to protect them from sandstorm damage. Right-click to store, left-click to deploy. Park under cover or in a base to prevent decay.
Fueling: Refuel with processed fuel cells (made at a Chem Station) via the Vehicle Management Console. Monitor your fuel, as Sandbikes and Ornithopters use cells quickly.
Repairs: Use the Welding Torch's repair function, but each repair reduces max durability. The Planetologist's Mechanic skill (unlocked in Hagga Basin) reduces durability loss by 15%, ideal for frequent drivers.
Permissions: Set co-owner or associate roles in the Vehicle Management Console to share access. Co-owners can drive, while associates use passenger seats or turrets.
Planetologist Skills for Vehicle Mastery
The Planetologist skill tree, unlocked through the Hagga Basin quest, improves vehicle performance:
Mechanic: Reduces durability loss during repairs.
Fuel Efficient Driver/Pilot: Reduces fuel consumption of ground and air vehicles.
Vehicle Scanning: Increases scanner range and duration for resource detection.
Sand Crawler Yield: Increases spice harvesting efficiency.
Heat Management: Reduces heat generation by 20%, essential for high-level vehicles.
Unlock higher levels by finding Basic, Advanced and Master Planetologist trainers, requiring Intel Points for progression.
Pro Tips for Vehicle Success
Hit Imperial Testing Stations: These dungeons provide advanced components such as servos and condensers, which are key to early crafting.
Build a Vehicle Fabricator ASAP: This streamlines the production of parts and saves time.
Equip Scanners: Use scanner modules to locate resources, especially in the Deep Desert.
Team Up: Collaborative crafting speeds up large vehicle builds, and co-owners can share driving.
Dodge Sandworms: Upgrade treads to minimise vibration and avoid rhythmic movement on open sand.
FAQs About Vehicle Customization in Dune: Awakening
How do I get the Sandbike?
Complete the Across the Gap quest (3-5 hours into the main campaign) to unlock and craft your first Sandbike.
Can I change vehicle appearance?
Yes, you can apply cosmetic mods using the Customise option on the Welding Torch, although early game options are limited.
Which vehicle is best for combat?
The Assault Ornithopter, with its rocket launchers and four seats, excels in PvP and PvE encounters.
How do I protect vehicles from sandstorms?
Use the Vehicle Backup Tool or park in a base to prevent decay from storms and heat.
Are blueprints worth chasing?
Definitely - blueprint variants (e.g. engines, treads) offer superior stats that increase speed or durability.
Thanks for Reading
Customizing vehicles in Dune: Awakening unlocks endless possibilities for conquering Arrakis, from high-speed chases to spice-hauling expeditions. Stay in the loop with MMOJUGG for more guides and tips to level up your gaming journey.
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