Oxygen Not Included is Klei Entertainment's colony survival sim where you manage a group of Duplicants trapped inside a procedurally generated asteroid. Every breath of oxygen, calorie of food, and degree of temperature must be meticulously managed through complex piping, ventilation, and power systems. The Spaced Out! DLC adds multi-asteroid colonies and interplanetary rocket logistics. With hundreds of hours of depth in thermodynamics, gas physics, and liquid mechanics, ONI rewards systems-thinking players who enjoy solving cascading engineering puzzles.
New to the game? Start with our beginner's guide first.
Quick Rankings
| Build | Tier | Playstyle | Core Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Researcher | S | Parks at research stations full-time, occasionally operating telescopes for space data. | Super Computer, Virtual Planetarium, Data Banks, Telescope |
| Farmer | A | Tends crops, harvests, and delivers food ingredients to the kitchen. | Farm Tiles, Hydroponic Tiles, Fertilizer Synthesizer, Cooking Station |
| Miner | A | Digs out new areas, clears debris, and accesses buried resources. | Exosuit, Atmo Suit Checkpoint, Dig errands priority |
| Cook | B | Prepares meals at cooking stations, manages food storage and spice production. | Gas Range, Electric Grill, Spice Grinder, Refrigerator |
| Suit Wearer | S | Works in any hazardous environment while consuming suit oxygen supply. | Atmo Suit, Jet Suit, Atmo Suit Dock, Jet Suit Dock |
For detailed meta rankings, see our Oxygen Not Included tier list.
S-Tier: Researcher
Researchers are essential early game and remain valuable throughout. A high-Science Dupe stationed at a Super Computer tears through the tech tree, unlocking critical systems like Insulated Tiles and Smart Batteries before cycle 50. Late game, they operate Telescopes and Virtual Planetariums for space research.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Science, Learning | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | gas management | Gases in ONI have realistic density. |
How to Play Researcher
Parks at research stations full-time, occasionally operating telescopes for space data.
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Highest overall performance
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Clear stat priority (Science, Learning) makes gearing straightforward
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Works in all content types
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Popular pick, resources may be contested
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Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Farmer
Farmers handle all food production from Mealwood farms to Bristle Blossom hydroponic setups. High Agriculture skill increases crop tending speed and prevents withering. Late game, they manage Grubfruit and Nosh Bean farms for +8 morale food recipes.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Agriculture, Creativity | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | pipe systems | Liquid and gas pipes form the circulatory system of your base, carrying water, polluted water, petroleum, and various gases. |
How to Play Farmer
Tends crops, harvests, and delivers food ingredients to the kitchen.
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Most versatile option
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Clear stat priority (Agriculture, Creativity) makes gearing straightforward
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Works in all content types
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Lower peak damage than S-tier
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Needs specific gear to reach full potential
A-Tier: Miner
Miners with high Excavation skill dig faster and access Hard Digging for Abyssalite and Obsidian. They're your primary base expanders and resource gatherers. Pairing a Miner with Exosuit training lets them safely excavate in hostile biomes without breathing hazards.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Excavation, Athletics, Strength | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | duplicant skills | Each Duplicant has innate attributes (Athletics, Strength, Creativity, Science, etc. |
How to Play Miner
Digs out new areas, clears debris, and accesses buried resources.
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Best survivability
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Clear stat priority (Excavation, Athletics, Strength) makes gearing straightforward
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Works in all content types
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Slower clear speeds
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Needs specific gear to reach full potential
B-Tier: Cook
Cooks operate the Electric Grill and Gas Range to produce high-morale meals like Frost Burger (+6) and Berry Sludge. While important for morale, you only need one dedicated Cook since meal prep is fast. Cuisine skill level determines which recipes are available.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Cuisine, Creativity | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | research tree | Research progresses through tiers using Research Stations (tier 1-2), Super Computers (tier 3), and eventually Interplanetary Research for space-age tech. |
How to Play Cook
Prepares meals at cooking stations, manages food storage and spice production.
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Strong in group/team content
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Clear stat priority (Cuisine, Creativity) makes gearing straightforward
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Excels in its niche
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Weaker solo performance
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Requires deep game knowledge
S-Tier: Suit Wearer
Not a traditional class but a critical role. Any Dupe with Exosuit Training can work in hazardous areas without oxygen concerns. Suited Dupes ignore gas environments, allowing them to work in chlorine-filled areas, vacuum, or scalding hot biomes. Every late-game Dupe should have this skill.
Core Setup
| Slot | Choice | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Stat Priority | Athletics (suits slow movement), Strength | Optimal scaling |
| Key Mechanic | space exploration | Space exploration requires building rockets from modular components: nosecone, fuel tank, engine, cargo bay, and habitat modules. |
How to Play Suit Wearer
Works in any hazardous environment while consuming suit oxygen supply.
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Unique, rewarding playstyle
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Clear stat priority (Athletics (suits slow movement), Strength) makes gearing straightforward
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Excels in its niche
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High skill floor, punishing when misplayed
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Requires deep game knowledge
Build Progression Path
- Start with Farmer: the most forgiving option for learning the game
- Transition to Researcher once you understand core mechanics and have access to Electrolyzer
- Keep a Miner setup for content that keeps killing you
- Try Suit Wearer for a fresh experience once you've mastered the basics
Follow our walkthrough for the optimal progression path through each area.
Gearing Tips
- Build a SPOM (Self-Powered Oxygen Module) by cycle 30. One Electrolyzer, two Gas Pumps, a Gas Filter, and a Hydrogen Generator in a sealed room provides oxygen for 8 Dupes with zero external power.
- Insulate your base perimeter with Insulated Tiles made from Igneous Rock (not Sandstone) to prevent heat bleed from hot biomes. Temperature creep is the silent colony killer.
- Don't spread upgrade resources across multiple builds until endgame
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