Remnant: From the Ashes: Complete Guide

A player guide to Remnant: From the Ashes: archetypes, the Dragon Heart and checkpoint loop, how upgrades and Traits work, the world order and key bosses, Adventure and Survival modes, the two DLCs, and co-op tips.

Researched September 2026 — current as of the final PC version (Subject 2923 DLC, August 2020; the sequel Remnant 2 released July 2023). Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.

Quick Start

• It's a soulslike shooter. You fight with guns first, melee second, and dodge-roll through attacks. Checkpoints (red crystals) refill your Dragon Heart and respawn enemies.
• The Dragon Heart is your healing. It refills at checkpoints. You start with 3 charges; the Root Mother (once rescued) raises the cap one charge at a time, up to 10.
• Worlds are randomized. Each player's campaign rolls different side dungeons, bosses, and events from each world's pool. Two players can see different bosses in the same world.
• Upgrade weapons first, armor second. Weapon damage scales faster and makes bosses much easier.
• Traits are permanent stat boosts. You earn trait points from leveling and unlock new traits by exploring and killing bosses.
• Co-op scales enemy health. It's usually easier with a coordinated team but not automatically so.
• Hunt the adds, then the boss. Most bosses spawn waves of minions; clearing them is the main skill check.
• Use Adventure Mode to farm specific worlds for missing weapons, armor, and bosses without restarting your campaign.

Archetypes (Starting Classes)

Per Fextralife, you pick one of three archetypes at the start. All starting gear can later be bought, and all traits are unlockable by anyone.

Archetype | Starting gear highlights | Weapon mod | Starting traits | Plays like

Scrapper | Shotgun, Repeater Pistol, Scrap Hammer, Scrapper armor | Hot Shot (fire damage) | Vigor, Endurance, Warrior | Close range, heavy armor

Ex-Cultist | Coach Gun, Repeater Pistol, Scrap Hatchet, Cultist armor | Mender's Aura (team heal) | Vigor, Endurance, Spirit | Self-sufficient; the heal saves consumables

Hunter | Hunting Rifle, Repeater Pistol, Scrap Sword, Hunter armor | Hunter's Mark (see enemies through walls) | Vigor, Endurance, Shadow Walker | Ranged, weak-spot focused

Beginner pick: Ex-Cultist for solo (healing) or Hunter if you're comfortable with precise aim.

The Core Loop

• Explore a world from its checkpoint.
• Kill enemies for scrap (currency), materials, and XP.
• Find dungeons and events, which hide weapons, rings, amulets, and traits.
• Kill the boss to earn boss material for crafting a boss weapon or mod.
• Return to Ward 13 (the hub) to upgrade gear with Rigs and craft boss weapons and mods with McCabe.
• Reroll or move to the next world.

Upgrades and Materials

Per the Fextralife Crafting Materials page, regular weapons and armor go to +20 and boss weapons to +10, with the iron tier stepping up as you go:

Material | Regular weapons and armor | Boss weapons | Where it shows up

Scrap | Paid on every upgrade | Paid on every upgrade | Everywhere; the currency

Iron | +1 to +5 | +1 to +3 | Earth and Rhom

Forged Iron | +6 to +10 | +4 to +5 | Rhom, Corsus, Yaesha

Galvanized Iron | +11 to +15 | +6 to +7 | Corsus and Yaesha

Hardened Iron | +16 to +19 | +8 to +9 | Random drops and chests

Simulacrum | The final (max) level | The final (max) level | Rare; also used for Dragon Heart upgrades

Lumenite Crystal | Not used | Crafting boss weapons and mods, and boss-weapon upgrades | Elites and bosses

Boss materials | Not used | Crafting a specific boss weapon or mod at McCabe | The matching boss

Ace sells crafting materials, so spare scrap can fill a small iron shortfall.

Dragon Heart upgrades (Root Mother): each extra charge costs 1 Simulacrum, 10 Lumenite Crystals, and 1,000 scrap. That makes Simulacrum the key choice of the game: an extra heal for every fight, or a max-level weapon. Extra heart charges help every build, so they are a safe early spend.

Rules of thumb:

• Upgrade your main long gun and hand gun steadily; it's the easiest way to make the game fair.
• Armor upgrades help less than weapons early; invest once your weapons are strong.
• Boss weapons and mods are some of the best items in the game; craft the ones that fit your build.
• Rings and amulets define builds; many come from dungeons and events.

Traits

• You earn one trait point per level-up and spend it on any trait you have unlocked. Each trait ranks up to level 20.
• Tomes of Knowledge are rare pickups hidden in the worlds that grant one extra trait point each; check dead ends and side rooms.
• Scaling example from the Fextralife Traits page: Vigor gives +2.5 health per point, for +50 health at level 20.
• Your archetype's starting traits are just a head start; every trait can be raised later on any character.
• Other traits worth knowing: Elder Knowledge (more experience), Executioner (higher critical chance), and Revivalist (faster teammate revives in co-op). The Kingslayer trait comes from killing the Undying King.
• Traits include survival (Vigor for health, Endurance for stamina, Spirit for mod power), damage (Warrior for melee), and utility (Shadow Walker, and many more found in the worlds).
• Priority for most builds: Vigor and Endurance early, then damage traits for your weapon type, then utility.

The Worlds

Per Wikipedia and the in-game order:

World | Theme | Notable bosses

Earth | Post-apocalyptic city, root-infested | Singe, The Ent, Shroud

Rhom | Desert planet, alien civilization | Claviger, The Harrow, the Undying King (you must meet him, but can choose not to fight)

Corsus | Swamp planet, Iskal queen | Ixillis

Yaesha | Jungle world, Root corruption | Totem Father, The Ravager

Ward 17 | The final area | The Dreamer, who transforms into the Nightmare when defeated

Reisum (Subject 2923 DLC) | Frozen world tied to the Dreamers' origins | Brudvaak and Vargr, Harsgaard

Because worlds are randomized, you won't see every boss in one campaign; use Adventure Mode to hunt the ones you missed (boss lists per Fextralife). The Swamps of Corsus DLC also adds The Unclean One, and Subject 2923 ends with Harsgaard, Root Harbinger.

The Undying King choice (Rhom)

You have to reach the Undying King in the Undying Throne on Rhom (the Howling Key, from Claviger or The Harrow, opens the way), but you don't have to fight him. Per Fextralife:

• Take his deal: he gives you the Labyrinth Key and asks you to bring him the Guardian's Heart from Corsus.
• Fight him: you get the Undying Heart (crafting material), the Kingslayer trait, and the Labyrinth Key right away.
• You can agree first and betray him later, but the Guardian's Heart can only go to one of the Undying King or the Iskal Queen. Pick based on which reward you want; Adventure Mode lets you try the other branch later.

Boss tips (general)

• Clear the adds first. Many bosses constantly summon; killing adds prevents being overwhelmed.
• Weak points often glow; aim there for extra damage.
• Keep one reserve heal before committing to a long damage window.
• Stamina matters: don't dodge-roll with an empty bar.
• Change weapons for the fight. A fast-firing weapon for adds and a heavy-hitter for the boss is a common combo.

Ward 13: What to Do Between Worlds

Per Fextralife, the key Ward 13 NPCs are:

NPC | What they do

Rigs | Sells and upgrades weapons and armor

McCabe | Crafts boss weapons and weapon mods from boss materials

Ace | Sells crafting materials

Reggie | Sells consumables

Root Mother | Upgrades your Dragon Heart

Whispers | Sells armor skins

Commander Ford, Bo, Wallace | Story and security; talk to them after milestones

• Upgrade with Rigs, craft with McCabe, and visit the Root Mother whenever you have the materials for another Dragon Heart upgrade.
• Buy basics. Reggie and Ace cover consumables and materials; stock up on healing items before a hard boss.
• Talk to everyone after milestones. Hub characters open up new dialogue, lore, and sometimes new items to buy as the story progresses.
• Use the World Stone to travel to checkpoints in any world you've unlocked, and to reroll campaign or Adventure worlds.

Consumables Worth Carrying

• Healing items (bandages and the like) for when the Dragon Heart runs out.
• Status cures for bleed, fire, and corrosion, which are common in specific worlds.
• Damage and resistance buffs before long boss fights.
• Stamina items if your build relies on melee and heavy dodging.

Building Around Weapons

Loadout idea | Long gun | Hand gun / mod | Why

Solo sustain | Any upgraded long gun | Mender's Aura on a sidearm | Healing on demand; the forgiving choice

Weak-spot sniper | Hunting Rifle | Hunter's Mark | Wallhack plus crit damage

Close brawler | Shotgun-type gun | Hot Shot | Fire damage over time vs. Root enemies

Boss-weapon build | A crafted boss weapon | Its built-in mod | Unique effects that often define builds

Note: weapon mods in this game can be swapped between compatible weapons (boss weapons have fixed mods), and mod power charges as you deal damage — so the mod on your most-used gun charges fastest.

Modes

Mode | What it is

Campaign | The main story from Earth to Ward 17; rerollable

Adventure Mode | Reroll a single world to farm bosses, events and gear

Survival Mode | A roguelike mode (added with the Swamps of Corsus DLC) where you start with a pistol and scrap

Hardcore | Permadeath; needs a new character

Adventure Mode in practice

• Open the World Stone in Ward 13, go to World Settings, and choose Adventure Mode. There is no unlock requirement, so you can use it from early in the campaign.
• Each reroll changes the world's layout, dungeons, events, bosses, and enemy spawns without touching your campaign progress.
• Items and traits you find carry over to your character. Key story items (such as the Control Rod or Iskal Vial) do not count for the campaign.
• Earth, Rhom, and Yaesha are always available; the Corsus adventure needs the Swamps of Corsus DLC.

Survival Mode in practice

• You start with a Repeater Pistol and a little scrap, visit random locations, and return to the Labyrinth hub between runs to spend scrap on gear, consumables, and upgrades.
• A red timer bar counts down; every time it empties, enemies get stronger. Killing bosses is how you buy time.
• Survival progress unlocks account-bound items (for example the Ring of Flawless Beauty and Black Rose) and Glowing Fragments that buy armor skins.

Hardcore Mode in practice

• One life: if you die in the open world or a boss fight, the character is gone for good. You can't convert an existing character.
• In co-op, a downed teammate can come back at a World Stone as long as someone survives; if the whole group dies, permadeath applies.
• Beating certain bosses on Hardcore unlocks account-bound rewards usable by all your characters, including the Nightmare Spiral and Onyx Pendulum amulets and rings such as the Ring of Supremacy and Band of Accord. Treat it as a second or third playthrough.

DLC

DLC | Release | Content

Swamps of Corsus | April 28, 2020 | New Corsus enemies, weapons, mods, and events, plus the roguelike Survival Mode (start with a pistol and scrap); Survival materials unlock cosmetic armor upgrades

Subject 2923 | August 20, 2020 | Story DLC about the origins of the Dreamers, with new locations (Reisum) and bosses

Both are included in the Complete Edition.

Difficulty

• Normal, Hard, Nightmare, and Apocalypse (the highest tier, added post-launch). Higher difficulties raise enemy damage and health and give better rewards.
• Many players finish Normal first, then use Adventure Mode on Hard and Nightmare to farm gear.

Co-op

• Up to three players (the host plus two).
• More players means more enemy health, more enemy damage, and more enemies (per the Fextralife co-op page).
• Items are shared: when one player picks up an item, everyone in the party gets it, so there's no need to race for loot.
• You play in the host's world, so the bosses and events are the host's roll. Join a friend who has a boss you're missing.
• Communicate: split adds and boss focus.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Spreading upgrades across too many weapons. Commit to one main loadout.
• Ignoring adds in boss fights. They're usually the real danger.
• Wasting Dragon Heart charges. Heal between fights at checkpoints instead.
• Rolling with no stamina. Watch the bar.
• Skipping dungeons. Side dungeons hide the best rings, amulets, and traits.
• Assuming everyone's world is the same. Bosses and events are randomized per campaign.

Advanced Tips

• Reroll Adventure Mode to find specific bosses, events, and rare loot.
• Build around rings and amulets: many combine for strong synergies.
• Mods matter: Mender's Aura for sustain, Hunter's Mark for visibility and damage, Hot Shot for fire damage.
• Aim for weak spots on bosses and elites for faster kills.
• Farm Simulacrum for max-level upgrades and Dragon Heart charges; higher difficulties give better boss drops (Fextralife notes that the Undying King's Simulacrum drop gets more common on Apocalypse).
• Stockpile Lumenite Crystals from elites and bosses; every boss weapon and mod you craft at McCabe costs them, and so do Dragon Heart charges.
• Hunt Tomes of Knowledge on rerolls; they're free trait points.

FAQ

Is Remnant: From the Ashes worth playing before Remnant 2? Yes. It sets up Ward 13, the Root, and the World Stones that Remnant 2 builds on.

How long is the campaign? It varies with your world rolls and how many side dungeons you clear; a first campaign is a multi-evening job rather than a weekend sprint, and the DLCs, Adventure Mode rerolls, and higher difficulties add a lot more.

Can I play solo? Yes. Ex-Cultist is the easiest solo start thanks to Mender's Aura.

How does co-op scaling work? Enemy health, damage, and numbers rise with party size; items picked up are shared with the whole party.

How do I get more Dragon Heart charges? Rescue the Root Mother during the campaign, then pay her 1 Simulacrum, 10 Lumenite Crystals, and 1,000 scrap per extra charge, up to 10 in total.

Is it on Switch? Yes. Wikipedia lists a Nintendo Switch release on March 21, 2023, alongside the original PC, PS4, and Xbox One versions.

How do I get more traits? Explore worlds, clear dungeons and events, and kill bosses.

What's the highest difficulty? Apocalypse, above Nightmare.

Sources

• Remnant: From the Ashes on Steam
• Remnant: From the Ashes — Wikipedia
• Remnant: From the Ashes Wiki — Archetypes (Fextralife)
• Fextralife — Ward 13
• Fextralife — Bosses
• Fextralife — Undying King
• Fextralife — Crafting Materials
• Fextralife — Dragon Heart
• Fextralife — Traits
• Fextralife — Adventure Mode
• Fextralife — Survival Mode
• Fextralife — Hardcore Mode
• Fextralife — Cooperative Play