Unlock every Risk of Rain 2 Survivor, from REX’s risky Fuel Array run to Acolyte’s hidden realm. Get DLC unlocks, challenge steps, and veteran tips.
Still running Commando because half the Risk of Rain 2 roster is locked? Let’s fix that.
If you’ve spent any time on Petrichor V, you already know how quickly a promising run can fall apart. You find a few damage items, start building a ridiculous proc chain, and suddenly a random Blind Pest sends you back to the character select screen. We’ve all been there.
But unlocking more Survivors is where Risk of Rain 2 really opens up. Want to zip around the map with Loader’s grappling hook? Melt bosses with Artificer’s elemental attacks? Turn Acrid into a poison-spreading menace? Every Survivor changes how you approach a run.
The catch is that some unlocks require little more than playing normally, while others involve hidden bosses, Lunar Coins, secret realms, and objectives that are easy to mess up.
This guide explains how to unlock all 20 playable Survivors across the base game and its four expansions, including the new Enforcer and Acolyte from Hallowed Concepts, released on October 8, 2026. You’ll also find the special Heretic transformation, practical challenge strategies, and instructions for unlocking six new alternate skills introduced in the October update. Official October 2026 patch notes
No unnecessary grinding advice. No outdated Huntress requirements. Just the unlock conditions, the routes you need, and the veteran tricks that can save you a few failed runs.
Risk of Rain 2 All Character Unlocks: Quick Reference
Before you commit to another run, find your target in this table. The base game has 11 Survivors, and the four expansions add nine more.
| Survivor | How to unlock | Required content |
|---|---|---|
| Commando | Available from the start | Base game |
| Huntress | Available from the start | Base game |
| Bandit | Complete the third Teleporter event without dying | Base game |
| MUL-T | Complete the first Teleporter event five times | Base game |
| Engineer | Complete 30 stages | Base game |
| Artificer | Free the frozen Survivor in the Bazaar Between Time for 10 Lunar Coins | Base game |
| Mercenary | Obliterate yourself at the Obelisk | Base game |
| REX | Deliver the Fuel Array to the broken robot in Abyssal Depths | Base game |
| Loader | Defeat the Alloy Worship Unit on Siren’s Call | Base game |
| Acrid | Stabilize the Cell in the Void Fields | Base game |
| Captain | Beat the game by defeating Mithrix and escaping the Moon | Base game |
| Railgunner | Available by default with the DLC | Survivors of the Void |
| Void Fiend | Escape the Planetarium or complete Wave 50 in Simulacrum | Survivors of the Void |
| Seeker | Available by default with the DLC | Seekers of the Storm |
| CHEF | Complete the Wok’s recipe in Reformed Altar | Seekers of the Storm |
| False Son | Purify the False Son’s Heart using the Halcyon Seed | Seekers of the Storm |
| Operator | Available by default with the DLC | Alloyed Collective |
| Drifter | Free the Survivor from the vault in Solutional Haunt | Alloyed Collective |
| Enforcer | Available by default with the DLC | Hallowed Concepts |
| Acolyte | Complete the Soulbound Threshold encounter and revive the Fallen Acolyte | Hallowed Concepts |
Quick tip: Start with Bandit, MUL-T, and Engineer if you want straightforward unlocks. Save REX, Acrid, and the more involved DLC Survivors for runs where you’re ready to explore and deal with specific objectives.
You can track your progress in the in-game Challenges menu. For the current unlock list, check the Risk of Rain 2 Wiki’s challenge reference.
Important DLC information: You need the relevant expansion to unlock and play its Survivors. The six alternate skills added in October 2026 are part of the separate free update, not exclusive to the paid Hallowed Concepts expansion.
How to Unlock Every Base-Game Survivor in Risk of Rain 2
The original roster is the best place to start. Several Survivors unlock naturally as you play, while others require you to visit hidden locations or complete very specific challenges.
Commando and Huntress: The Two Starting Survivors
Unlock requirement: Both are available from the start.
You don’t need to complete an achievement to unlock Commando or Huntress.
Commando is your starting character, but don’t mistake his simple kit for a lack of potential. His rapid-fire attacks work brilliantly with on-hit items. Stack Tri-Tip Daggers, Ukuleles, and AtG Missile Mk. 1 to build proc chains that can shred groups of enemies once your attack speed gets rolling.
Huntress is the other starting option. Her homing attacks let you focus on movement while your shots track targets. She’s especially useful when you want to maintain momentum instead of standing still and trading hits.
Older character guides sometimes claim you need to survive the first three stages to unlock Huntress. That’s outdated. The challenge to complete the third Teleporter event without dying now unlocks Bandit.
Veteran tip: Mobility is one of the most reliable forms of defense in Risk of Rain 2. Items like Paul’s Goat Hoof and Energy Drink help you avoid attacks, escape dangerous groups, and reposition before a boss catches you standing still.
How to Unlock Bandit in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Complete the third Teleporter event without dying.
Bandit unlocks through the Warrior challenge. You don’t need to defeat Mithrix or finish the entire run. You only need to survive and complete the third Teleporter event.
Here’s the route:
- Start a run and progress through the first two stages.
- Collect enough damage and movement items to handle the third stage.
- Activate the third Teleporter.
- Defeat the boss and complete the event without dying.
Once the challenge registers, Bandit becomes playable.
The easiest strategy: Don’t spend forever looting when you’re already strong enough to handle the boss. Grab a few useful items, stay mobile, and finish the event. Extra chests are great, but they won’t help if you get deleted before the challenge completes.
Bandit rewards aggressive positioning. His Backstab passive guarantees critical hits against enemies attacked from behind, and his Lights Out special can reset its cooldown when it secures a kill.
That makes him a great Survivor for learning how to control fights instead of simply throwing more damage at everything.
Important: You don’t have to defeat Mithrix for the Bandit unlock. The challenge is completed when you finish the third Teleporter event without dying.
How to Unlock MUL-T in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Complete the first Teleporter event five times.
MUL-T unlocks through the Verified challenge. This progress is cumulative, so you don’t need five first-stage completions in one run.
- Start a run.
- Find the first Teleporter.
- Activate and complete the event.
- Repeat until you’ve completed five first-stage Teleporter events.
That’s it. Keep playing normally, and this unlock should happen without much trouble.
Veteran tip: If you’re specifically grinding this challenge, prioritize completing the Teleporter event rather than fully clearing the map every time. Save your slower, exploration-heavy runs for objectives that actually need them.
MUL-T is also valuable for certain equipment-based strategies because his Retool ability lets him switch between two equipment slots. That becomes especially useful when you’re working on challenges that involve volatile equipment.
How to Unlock Engineer in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Complete 30 stages.
Engineer unlocks through Engineering Perfection. You don’t need to finish 30 stages in one run; the progress accumulates across runs.
Engineer plays very differently from Commando. Instead of relying entirely on your own attacks, you deploy turrets that inherit your items. That means the right inventory can turn your setup into an automated damage machine.
For example, Bustling Fungus is particularly useful because it supports Engineer’s stationary turrets. Position your turrets where they can hold their ground, and build around their strengths.
Veteran tip: If you’re grinding the 30-stage requirement, choose a difficulty you’re comfortable with and keep progressing. Drizzle is a perfectly reasonable option when the goal is completing a challenge rather than proving something to the local Lemurians.
Don’t forget that turrets still need good positioning. They won’t save you from every boss attack, and you can still lose a promising run if you stop moving.
Important: Engineer’s unlock counts completed stages across your progress. You don’t need to clear all 30 stages during a single run.
How to Unlock Artificer in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Spend 10 Lunar Coins to free Artificer from the crystal in the Bazaar Between Time.
Artificer is trapped in a crystal in the Bazaar Between Time. To complete the Pause challenge, you must reach the hidden shop and pay the required Lunar Coins.
- Collect at least 10 Lunar Coins.
- Find a Blue Portal that leads to the Bazaar Between Time.
- To force a portal yourself, locate a Newt Altar and spend one Lunar Coin before completing the Teleporter event.
- Enter the Bazaar and find the frozen Artificer.
- Spend 10 Lunar Coins to free her.
If you’re using a Newt Altar to force the portal, bring 11 Lunar Coins total: one for the altar and ten for Artificer. If a Blue Portal appears naturally, you can save that extra coin.
Important Lunar Coin tip: Lunar Coins persist between runs. There’s no need to force this unlock when you’re short on currency; save your coins until you can afford the purchase.
Artificer is a powerful elemental caster who specializes in burst damage. Her alternate utility, Ion Surge, also provides strong vertical mobility. Learning to use that movement effectively will help with some of her later skill challenges.
Veteran tip: Artificer’s playstyle rewards positioning. Use her mobility to get above enemies and avoid dangerous ground-based attacks instead of standing still and trading hits.
How to Unlock Mercenary in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Complete the True Respite challenge by obliterating yourself at the Obelisk.
Mercenary’s unlock takes you into the hidden realm A Moment, Fractured.
Here’s how to get there:
- Reach Stage 5, Sky Meadow.
- Before activating the Teleporter event, interact with the outer rings of the Primordial Teleporter to align it with the planet.
- Complete the event and continue looping through stages.
- Look for a Celestial Portal on a later third-stage variant after looping.
- Enter the portal and navigate the floating platforms in A Moment, Fractured.
- Reach the Obelisk and interact with it to obliterate yourself.
The Celestial Portal route is the important part. If you want to obliterate yourself, make sure you realign the Primordial Teleporter instead of accidentally sending yourself toward the final boss.
Important route tip: Check the Primordial Teleporter’s alignment before starting its event. If you want to loop, you need the planetary alignment rather than the Moon route.
Veteran tip: Mercenary’s mobility and invulnerability frames reward good timing. Chain his skills to avoid damage, but don’t burn every cooldown at once and leave yourself exposed when the next group of enemies arrives.
If you’re learning him for the first time, expect a few messy runs. Once his movement clicks, he can become one of the most satisfying Survivors to play.
How to Unlock REX in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Carry the Fuel Array from your Escape Pod to the broken robot in Abyssal Depths.
REX unlocks through the Power Plant challenge. The Fuel Array is volatile, so this is one of the base game’s most stressful unlocks.
The array automatically activates if your health reaches 50% of its maximum. After a short countdown, it explodes and is destroyed. That makes every unnecessary fight a potential run-ending mistake.
Follow these steps:
- Start a run with a Survivor who has an Escape Pod.
- Interact with the hatch at the back of your pod to retrieve the Fuel Array.
- Progress through the stages while keeping your health above the danger threshold.
- Reach Stage 4, Abyssal Depths.
- Find the broken robot on the upper platforms near the center of the stage.
- Interact with the robot while carrying the Fuel Array to complete the challenge.
The safest strategy: Avoid blood shrines and unnecessary fights, prioritize healing and defensive items, and don’t let a random burst of damage ruin the trip.
Important warning: The Fuel Array can explode when your health drops to 50% or below. Monitor your health throughout the run, and don’t risk unnecessary fights just to collect one more chest.
Multiplayer cheese: MUL-T’s second equipment slot can help you carry the Fuel Array without keeping it actively selected, but MUL-T doesn’t start with an Escape Pod in a standard solo run. You need a valid way to obtain and transfer the array in multiplayer for this trick to be useful. For a normal solo unlock, choose a Survivor who has an Escape Pod.
Temporary barrier from items such as Topaz Brooch can also help absorb incoming damage before your actual health falls too low. It is useful protection, but it isn’t a substitute for staying alert.
Once unlocked, REX has a very different risk-reward playstyle. Several abilities spend health to deal damage, so you’ll need to balance aggression with recovery instead of blindly spamming every skill.
How to Unlock Loader in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Defeat the unique guardian of Siren’s Call.
Loader unlocks through the Guidance Offline challenge. The boss is hidden, so you’ll need to explore the stage instead of simply rushing to the Teleporter.
- Reach Stage 4 and look for Siren’s Call.
- Search the environment for the blue eggs scattered around the map.
- Destroy five eggs to summon the Alloy Worship Unit.
- Defeat the boss to unlock Loader.
Check elevated areas, pillars, and corners you might otherwise ignore. The eggs are easy to miss when you’re sprinting through the map.
Veteran tip: The Alloy Worship Unit has a substantial health pool. Try to build enough sustained damage before summoning it. Triggering the fight with a weak build can turn a straightforward unlock into a drawn-out battle while additional enemies pile in.
Loader is absolutely worth the effort. Her grappling hook allows you to fling yourself around the map, and her charged punches can deliver enormous burst damage when you build momentum. She also ignores fall damage, making aggressive movement much more forgiving.
Practical tip: Search the entire stage before giving up on the eggs. Check elevated platforms, pillars, and hidden corners rather than only looking at ground level.
How to Unlock Acrid in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Stabilize the Cell in the Void Fields.
Acrid is trapped in the Void Fields, a hidden area accessible through the Bazaar Between Time. You need to complete the …To Be Left Alone challenge by stabilizing all nine cells.
- Reach the Bazaar Between Time.
- Drop through the opening beneath the shop area and follow the hidden route into the cave.
- Enter the Void Fields.
- Activate the cells and survive their encounters.
- Stabilize all nine cells to complete the challenge.
The Void Fields are dangerous because the environment itself damages you outside the protected cell areas. Moving too slowly between objectives can be just as dangerous as fighting the enemies.
Important survival tip: The Void Fields damage you outside the protected cell bubbles. Move between the cells deliberately, keep an eye on your health, and prioritize healing instead of spending too much time fighting unnecessary enemies.
Acrid’s poison is excellent against high-health enemies, but damage-over-time effects don’t automatically solve every encounter. You’ll still need a plan for finishing targets and dealing with enemies that resist or avoid your attacks.
How to Unlock Captain in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Beat the game.
Captain unlocks through the Washed Away challenge. You must reach the Moon, defeat Mithrix, and complete the escape sequence.
- Progress through the stages until you reach the final route.
- Enter Commencement, the Moon stage.
- Fight through the stage and reach Mithrix.
- Defeat the final boss.
- Complete the escape sequence to finish the run.
Mithrix hits hard and punishes sloppy positioning. His final phase is particularly dangerous because he steals your items, forcing you to fight without the build you’ve spent the entire run assembling.
Veteran tip: Don’t rely entirely on proc chains in the final phase. Learn the boss’s attacks, keep moving, and use the terrain when it helps you avoid damage. Losing a God run to Mithrix is practically a Petrichor V tradition, but you don’t have to make it a regular one.
Captain’s Defensive Microbots automatically shoot down many incoming projectiles, giving him strong passive defense. His orbital abilities also provide powerful tools for controlling dangerous encounters.
Important: Defeating Mithrix isn’t the only thing that matters. Complete the escape sequence to finish the run and satisfy the unlock condition.
How to Unlock the Survivors of the Void Characters
The Survivors of the Void expansion adds two Survivors: Railgunner and Void Fiend. One is available immediately, while the other requires a separate challenge.
Railgunner: Available by Default
Unlock requirement: Own and enable Survivors of the Void.
Railgunner is available as soon as the DLC is enabled. You don’t need to complete a Survivor-unlock challenge first.
She’s built around precision shots, weak-point damage, and deleting priority targets. Her active reload mechanic rewards good timing, while her sniper scope gives you an opportunity to line up devastating attacks.
Veteran tip: Railgunner is a great choice when you want to focus on individual threats rather than spreading damage across a crowd. Prioritize positioning and accuracy, especially during boss encounters.
How to Unlock Void Fiend in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Escape the Planetarium or complete Wave 50 in Simulacrum.
Void Fiend unlocks through the Dragged Below challenge. You can complete either objective; you don’t have to do both.
Route 1: The Planetarium
Progress through the Void-related content and reach the Planetarium. Complete the encounter and escape to satisfy the challenge.
Route 2: Simulacrum
Play Simulacrum and survive until you complete Wave 50. This alternative is ideal if you prefer a wave-based mode over the Planetarium route.
Veteran tip: If you’re taking the Simulacrum route, plan around sustain and consistent damage. Engineer’s turrets can provide useful support, but you still need to handle enemies and survive as the waves get more dangerous.
Void Fiend’s Corruption mechanic makes him unlike the rest of the roster. He shifts between a controlled ranged form and a more aggressive corrupted form, so learning when to manage that transformation is part of mastering him.
Important: You only need to complete one of the two listed unlock routes. Choose the Planetarium or Simulacrum route that best matches your preferred playstyle.
How to Unlock the Seekers of the Storm Survivors
Seekers of the Storm adds Seeker, CHEF, and False Son. Seeker is immediately available with the expansion, while CHEF and False Son have specific unlock conditions.
Seeker: Available by Default
Unlock requirement: Own and enable Seekers of the Storm.
Seeker is available once the DLC is enabled. Her kit emphasizes close-to-mid-range combat and healing, making her a useful choice if you prefer a Survivor who can sustain herself and support teammates.
You don’t need to hunt for a hidden item or defeat a secret boss to select her.
Important: If Seeker remains unavailable, make sure you own and have enabled the Seekers of the Storm expansion.
How to Unlock CHEF in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Complete the Wok’s recipe in Reformed Altar.
CHEF unlocks through the Order Up! challenge. You’ll need three specific items:
- Infusion
- Bison Steak
- Cautious Slug
You don’t necessarily need to collect all three in one run. Your progress toward the unlock can persist across runs, which makes this challenge much less frustrating.
Here’s the route:
- Collect Infusion, Bison Steak, and Cautious Slug. Keep track of which items you’ve already delivered.
- Find and activate a Halcyon Shrine.
- Feed the shrine enough gold by killing enemies nearby.
- Defeat the boss that spawns.
- Enter the green portal to reach Reformed Altar.
- Find the Wok area and place the required items in the recipe slots.
Once the recipe is complete, CHEF unlocks permanently.
Veteran tip: The Artifact of Command can make this challenge much easier by allowing you to select the required items rather than relying on random drops. If you’re using it, look for the exact items you still need and don’t waste picks on unnecessary upgrades.
Important multiplayer note: The player who delivers the final required item is the one who receives the unlock, so coordinate with your team if you’re completing this together.
How to Unlock False Son in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Purify the False Son’s Heart using the Halcyon Seed.
False Son unlocks through the Purified Freedom challenge. The important part isn’t simply defeating the boss; you must take a Halcyon Seed into the encounter.
- Reach the Gilded Coast and defeat Aurelionite to obtain the Halcyon Seed.
- Progress toward the False Son encounter.
- Enter the boss fight while carrying the Halcyon Seed.
- Fight False Son through the encounter.
- When the third phase begins, False Son takes the seed and summons Aurelionite.
- Defeat False Son to complete the unlock.
The third phase can be more difficult because Aurelionite joins the fight. You don’t necessarily need to defeat Aurelionite for the challenge to register, but it can remain a threat after False Son goes down.
Veteran tip: Don’t confuse reaching the boss with completing the unlock. The Halcyon Seed is the critical requirement. Plan your route around acquiring it before committing to the fight.
How to Unlock the Alloyed Collective Survivors
Alloyed Collective introduces Operator and Drifter. Operator is ready to play with the DLC, while Drifter requires a longer route through the expansion’s stages and vault.
Operator: Available by Default
Unlock requirement: Own and enable Alloyed Collective.
Operator is available by default when the DLC is enabled. No separate Survivor challenge is required.
Operator’s playstyle centers on controlling engagements with specialized tools and defensive options. If you prefer managing space and supporting your team rather than rushing directly into every fight, Operator is worth trying.
Important: Operator is a DLC Survivor. Make sure Alloyed Collective is enabled if you can’t find the character in the selection menu.
How to Unlock Drifter in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Free the Survivor from the vault in Solutional Haunt.
Drifter unlocks through the Lost in Transit challenge. This is one of the more involved DLC routes because you need to pass through several areas and collect two Prison Matrices.
Here’s the general route:
- Progress through the Alloyed Collective route until you find the Access Node event on Stage 3.
- Activate the node and complete the Teleporter encounter, including the required bosses.
- Enter the Encrypted Portal to reach Conduit Canyon.
- Find the Sentry Keys dropped by enemies protected by force fields. You may need to fight them from inside the relevant protective areas.
- Use the keys on the Sentry Terminals to progress through the area.
- Complete the next boss encounter and take the route to Solutional Haunt.
- Reach the lower area and defeat Solus Wing.
- Search the newly accessible tunnels and Solus Coffers for the two Prison Matrices.
- Use the first Prison Matrix on the vault terminal to open the way forward.
- Use the second Matrix on the terminal inside to free Drifter.
Defeating Solus Wing opens the area you need to explore, so don’t leave immediately after the boss fight. The unlock requires completing the vault objective, not just defeating the boss.
Veteran tip: This route rewards exploration. Once you reach Solutional Haunt, take a moment to check the side tunnels instead of immediately sprinting toward the next stage. The required matrices are easy to miss if you’re focused only on combat.
Drifter’s resource-based playstyle lets her collect junk and turn it into useful effects. If you enjoy adapting to whatever a run gives you, she’s an excellent addition to the roster.
How to Unlock the Hallowed Concepts Survivors
The Hallowed Concepts expansion launched on October 8, 2026. It adds two Survivors: Enforcer, available by default, and Acolyte, who requires a hidden-realm encounter.
Enforcer: Available by Default
Unlock requirement: Own and enable Hallowed Concepts.
Enforcer is available immediately with the expansion. You don’t need to complete a challenge to select him.
His defensive playstyle revolves around controlling his position and using his shield to deal with incoming threats. If you’re tired of relying on constant movement to avoid every hit, Enforcer provides a different way to approach combat.
Veteran tip: Defensive tools are strongest when you understand what they can and cannot block. Learn your shield’s timing and keep an escape route available instead of standing still in front of every enemy.
How to Unlock Acolyte in Risk of Rain 2
Unlock requirement: Reach Soulbound Threshold, defeat the Anima Harvester, and revive the Fallen Acolyte.
Acolyte is the most involved unlock from Hallowed Concepts. You’ll need to access Soulbound Threshold, defeat the Anima Harvester, and revive the Fallen Acolyte.
Step 1: Get the N’tormat and at Least One Page
Enable Hallowed Concepts and start a new run.
You can obtain the N’tormat and pages through the new Wake and Trial events. Another route is to visit the Bazaar Between Time, descend into the pit, and look for the gong that starts a Trial.
Complete the event and collect the rewards you need. You need the N’tormat and at least one page before attempting the next part.
Important: Collect the required items before attempting to activate the Shrine of Descent. Entering the encounter without the necessary prerequisites can waste an otherwise promising run.
Step 2: Find the Shrine of Descent
Look for a Shrine of Descent beside a Teleporter. Its appearance depends on the run’s conditions and whether you have enough N’tormat pages.
Activate it to turn the next Teleporter event into the Soul-binding trial. You must survive the event, including the additional boss encounters, until the ritual is complete.
Before committing, make sure your build is ready. This is not the time to enter with a handful of weak items and hope One-Shot Protection (OSP) saves you.
Veteran tip: Prepare for the Teleporter encounter before activating the shrine. Get enough damage and sustain to deal with the additional threats instead of rushing in with a weak build.
Step 3: Enter Soulbound Threshold
Once the trial is complete and the portal appears, enter the Soulbound Threshold hidden realm.
Follow the route into the arena and interact with the console to trigger the ritual encounters. Fight through the boss waves until the Anima Harvester appears.
The Anima Harvester has two phases, so keep enough damage and sustain available for the full fight.
Important combat tip: Don’t assume the fight is over after the first phase. Save enough healing, defensive options, and damage for the second phase so you don’t lose the run right before completing the unlock.
Step 4: Revive the Fallen Acolyte
After defeating the Anima Harvester, look for the Fallen Acolyte near the exit portal.
Interact with her and provide an eligible healing item from your inventory. The item is consumed, and completing the rescue unlocks Acolyte.
Important item warning: Carry a healing item you can afford to sacrifice. Don’t arrive at the end of a difficult hidden-realm encounter only to discover that you can’t complete the final interaction.
For more detail, see the Soulbound Threshold wiki page and the Acolyte unlock walkthrough.
How to Become Heretic in Risk of Rain 2
Heretic is different from the other Survivors. You don’t permanently unlock her as a selectable character through a standard challenge. Instead, you transform into her during a run by holding all four Heresy Lunar items at once.
You need:
- Visions of Heresy
- Hooks of Heresy
- Strides of Heresy
- Essence of Heresy
Collect all four in the same run, and your character transforms into Heretic. The transformation is temporary; once the run ends, Heretic won’t appear as a normal selectable Survivor.
Veteran cheese: Artifact of Command makes this much easier because you can choose items instead of depending entirely on RNG. Plan your Lunar Coin spending and collect the four items deliberately.
Heretic also has negative health regeneration. Don’t transform into her and assume your usual sustain will carry you. Check your build and plan how you’ll survive before committing to the transformation.
Important survival tip: Heretic’s negative regeneration can become a serious problem if you don’t prepare for it. Make sure your build supports your survivability before committing to the transformation.
The Best Veteran Strategies for Easier Character Unlocks
Some unlocks are straightforward, but others become much easier when you stop relying on RNG and start planning your build around the objective.
Unlock Artifact of Command to Control Your Item Drops
Artifact of Command lets you choose your items instead of relying on random drops. It’s one of the most useful tools for planning challenge runs, especially when you need specific items for an unlock.
To unlock it:
- Reach Stage 5, Sky Meadow.
- Find the Compound Generator, located beneath the main map.
- Enter the Artifact of Command code:
| Row | Pattern |
|---|---|
| Top | Square – Square – Square |
| Middle | Square – Square – Square |
| Bottom | Triangle – Triangle – Triangle |
- Submit the code and enter the Artifact portal.
- Complete the trial in Bulwark’s Ambry to unlock Command.
Once unlocked, enable the artifact at the start of a run. You’ll be able to select items instead of relying on random drops.
This can make challenges such as CHEF’s recipe much more manageable. It can also help you experiment with status effects or damage builds for alternate-skill achievements.
Important: Command doesn’t automatically complete an achievement. You still have to meet the challenge conditions and complete the required objective. Also, some players prefer to do their unlocks without artifacts; use the strategy that fits your run.
Use Scrappers and 3D Printers Without Destroying Your Build
Scrappers turn unwanted items into scrap, which you can feed into matching 3D Printers.
If a printer offers an item you really need, scrap unwanted items of the same rarity before using it. This gives you more control over your inventory and helps you build around the objective you’re attempting.
For example, if you’re trying to put together a particular damage build for a boss challenge, don’t risk valuable items in a printer before checking whether you have cheaper items you can scrap first.
Veteran tip: A printer can improve your build, but it can also wreck it. Know what you’re sacrificing before you commit. Scrapping a useful item without thinking about your build can turn a strong run into a struggle.
Build for the Challenge, Not Just Raw Damage
Some achievements require a specific kill or status effect. A build that deletes every enemy in half a second isn’t always the right build for the job.
Bandit’s Sadist challenge requires killing an enemy with 20 stacks of Hemorrhage. Cooldown reduction and Backup Magazines can help you apply stacks more consistently, but you still need to finish the correct enemy under the required conditions.
Similarly, if a challenge requires one large hit, random damage from missiles, bands, or other proc effects can complicate the attempt. Consider avoiding items that might finish the target before your intended attack does.
The takeaway: Read the challenge before the run and build for its specific condition. A smaller, controlled build is sometimes better than a screen full of explosions.
Protect Your Health During the REX Fuel Array Run
The REX challenge becomes much easier when you stop taking unnecessary risks.
The Fuel Array explodes if your health reaches 50% of its maximum, so avoid blood shrines and risky fights while carrying it. Healing, defensive items, and temporary barrier can help protect your health pool, but the safest strategy is still to avoid taking heavy damage.
If you’re playing multiplayer, the community has also discussed ways to keep the array in MUL-T’s inactive equipment slot. That can prevent the countdown from starting while the array is inactive, but it requires a valid way to obtain and transfer the array because MUL-T doesn’t start with an Escape Pod in a normal solo run.
See the community discussion about unlocking REX for player-tested strategies.
Important: Keep your health well above the Fuel Array’s danger threshold. Don’t let a greed play for one extra chest destroy the entire unlock attempt.
All Six New Alternate Skills Added in the October 2026 Update
The October update also introduces six new skills for returning Survivors. These are separate from character unlocks, and each has its own challenge.
These skill additions are part of the free update, not exclusive rewards for owning Hallowed Concepts. The paid DLC is required for its new Survivors and other DLC content, but not for these six skill challenges.
| Survivor | New skill | Challenge | Unlock condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commando | Sabotage (Special) | Retribution | Defeat the final boss with 8 Karma |
| Huntress | Laser Cyclone (Secondary) | Tomb Raider | Claim an Artifact from Bulwark’s Ambry within 25 minutes |
| Acrid | Cloying Breath (Special) | Miracle | Use a Shrine of Order and beat the game |
| Artificer | Tectonic Blast (Utility) | One Giant Leap | Reach Mithrix’s arena without charging a Pillar |
| Engineer | Laser Cutter (Primary) | Mad Scientist | Repair an Equipment Drone using a Fuel Array |
| REX | Proliferation (Utility) | Invasive Growth | Beat the game while holding five unique Lunar items |
You must complete each challenge while playing as the matching Survivor. Unlocking Huntress’s Laser Cyclone won’t unlock Commando’s Sabotage.
Important distinction: Unlocking a Survivor and unlocking that Survivor’s alternate skills are two different tasks. If you’re aiming for the complete roster and all skills, track both types of challenges separately.
Artificer: Unlock Tectonic Blast
Challenge: One Giant Leap
Reach the final boss arena on the Moon without charging any Pillar.
Artificer’s Ion Surge makes this considerably easier because it lets her gain height and travel vertically. Reach Commencement, skip the Pillar encounters, and use Ion Surge to reach the Mithrix arena.
The challenge is about reaching the arena without charging a Pillar, not winning the entire boss fight.
Veteran tip: Use Artificer’s vertical mobility to bypass the Pillars. Avoid accidentally activating a Pillar while exploring the Moon, because that defeats the purpose of this challenge.
REX: Unlock Proliferation
Challenge: Invasive Growth
Beat the game while holding at least five different Lunar items. Duplicates don’t count, so five copies of the same item aren’t enough.
The Bazaar Between Time is a useful place to plan this run because it lets you buy Lunar items. Make sure you collect five distinct ones and keep them in your inventory until you complete the ending.
Don’t confuse this with simply picking up five Lunar items at any point. You need five unique items when you finish the run.
Important: Track the individual Lunar items you collect. Five copies of one item won’t meet a requirement for five unique items.
Acrid: Unlock Cloying Breath
Challenge: Miracle
Use a Shrine of Order to sequence your inventory, then beat the game.
A Shrine of Order rerolls the items of each rarity into one shared item of that rarity. This can completely change your build, so it’s worth planning for the aftermath.
Find the shrine, interact with it once, and then finish the run as Acrid. The challenge doesn’t just ask you to use the shrine; you need to complete the game afterward.
Veteran tip: Don’t use a Shrine of Order with a build that depends on several carefully selected items unless you’re comfortable with the possibility of losing those synergies.
Engineer: Unlock Laser Cutter
Challenge: Mad Scientist
Repair an Equipment Drone using a Fuel Array.
You’ll need to retrieve the Fuel Array from the back of your Escape Pod, carry it without letting it explode, and find an Equipment Drone.
- Start a run as Engineer.
- Retrieve the Fuel Array from the Escape Pod.
- Keep your health safely above the explosion threshold.
- Find an Equipment Drone.
- Interact with the drone while carrying the Fuel Array to repair it.
The same volatility that makes the REX unlock annoying applies here. Avoid unnecessary damage and don’t trigger the Fuel Array’s countdown by dropping too low on health.
Important warning: The Fuel Array is fragile in terms of health management. Avoid unnecessary encounters and prioritize staying above the explosion threshold until the Equipment Drone is repaired.
Huntress: Unlock Laser Cyclone
Challenge: Tomb Raider
Claim an Artifact from Bulwark’s Ambry in 25 minutes or less.
Start as Huntress and reach a Compound Generator. Sky Meadow is the standard route, and the October skill guide also identifies Helminth Hatchery as another possible location.
Enter the code for an Artifact you haven’t unlocked yet, open the portal, and complete the Ambry trial. You need to claim the Artifact before the 25-minute timer expires.
Veteran tip: Lower the difficulty if you want to focus on speed rather than challenge. Don’t spend too long looting the early stages; your goal is to reach the trial and finish it within the time limit.
Commando: Unlock Sabotage
Challenge: Retribution
Defeat the final boss while holding 8 Karma with the new optional Karma system enabled.
Karma is an additional challenge mechanic introduced in the October update. Enable it before starting the run, build up the required Karma through its in-game objectives, and prepare for a much tougher final confrontation.
Don’t leave the setting until the last second. If Karma is disabled when you start the run, you’ll need to start another attempt with the system enabled.
Veteran tip: Lower the difficulty if your main goal is to unlock the skill. The requirement already makes the final boss fight significantly more demanding, so there’s no need to stack extra difficulty unless you want the challenge.
For the detailed objectives behind all six skills, see this October 2026 alternate-skill guide.
Why Are Risk of Rain 2 Characters Still Locked?
If you’ve completed what looks like the correct objective but a Survivor remains unavailable, check these common problems before starting another run.
The challenge didn’t register. Some challenges require a final interaction, escaping a realm, or completing a Teleporter event. Reaching the location or defeating a boss may not be enough.
You missed an item condition. False Son requires the Halcyon Seed for the relevant unlock. Acolyte requires the Soulbound Threshold rescue. Always read the challenge’s exact wording.
The DLC isn’t enabled. DLC Survivors require ownership of the relevant expansion and the DLC enabled for the run.
You left the area too early. Some unlocks involve extra interactables after the boss fight. Drifter’s vault, for example, requires finding and using the Prison Matrices after defeating Solus Wing.
You chose the wrong Survivor for a skill challenge. The six new alternate skills must be unlocked on the matching character. An achievement completed as Commando won’t unlock a skill for REX.
You assumed multiplayer credit was shared. Not every challenge grants credit to every player automatically. CHEF’s recipe, for example, awards the unlock to the player who delivers the final required item in multiplayer.
Troubleshooting tip: After completing a challenge, check the Challenges menu and Survivor select screen. If the character or skill hasn’t appeared, verify the precise objective before repeating the entire run.
Frequently Asked Questions About Risk of Rain 2 Character Unlocks
How many playable characters are in Risk of Rain 2?
As of October 2026, there are 20 playable Survivors across the base game and four expansions. The base game has 11, and the DLCs add nine more.
Which characters are unlocked from the start?
Commando and Huntress are available in the base game. Railgunner, Seeker, Operator, and Enforcer are available by default when their corresponding DLCs are owned and enabled.
Can you unlock every Survivor without buying DLC?
No. The base game includes 11 Survivors. The remaining nine require their respective expansions, and you need to own and enable those expansions to play their characters.
Buying tip: If you’re only interested in the original Survivors, the base game contains plenty of unlock challenges. You only need the expansions for their specific characters and DLC content.
What is the easiest Survivor to unlock?
MUL-T and Engineer are among the easiest because their requirements track normal progression. MUL-T requires five completed first-stage Teleporter events, while Engineer requires 30 completed stages.
Does Artifact of Command make character unlocks easier?
Yes, when the challenge allows artifacts and depends on building around specific items. Artifact of Command lets you choose items rather than rely on random drops, making some challenge runs much more predictable.
It doesn’t automatically unlock Survivors or bypass the stated objectives.
Important: Always check the challenge requirements before enabling artifacts. Item control can make a run easier, but you still need to complete the actual objective.
Can you permanently unlock Heretic?
No. Heretic is a run-specific transformation. Collect all four Heresy Lunar items simultaneously to transform into her, but she won’t become a permanent selectable character.
What is the newest Risk of Rain 2 Survivor?
The latest expansion, Hallowed Concepts, launched on October 8, 2026. It adds Enforcer, who is available by default with the DLC, and Acolyte, who requires the Soulbound Threshold rescue.
Are the six new alternate skills part of the paid DLC?
No. The October 2026 update adds the six alternate skills as free-update content. Each has a separate challenge, and you must complete the relevant one as the correct Survivor.
Final Thoughts: Unlock the Survivors, Then Start Breaking Your Runs
Unlocking every Survivor in Risk of Rain 2 takes a mix of normal progression, exploration, and carefully planned runs. Some characters unlock naturally; others need hidden bosses, special items, or secret realms.
Start with Bandit, MUL-T, and Engineer if you want quick wins. Save your Lunar Coins for Artificer, protect the Fuel Array for REX, and plan your route before attempting the more complicated DLC objectives. If a challenge becomes a frustrating RNG grind, use Artifact of Command where the challenge permits it.
Final veteran tip: Don’t be afraid to use the tools the game gives you. A well-planned build, the right artifact, or a little smart cheesing can turn a frustrating challenge into a manageable run. Save the high-risk Monsoon attempts for when you’re chasing the challenge itself, not just trying to unlock a Survivor.
Once you’ve got the roster, you can focus on the real fun: experimenting with builds, creating ridiculous proc chains, looping into increasingly chaotic stages, and trying not to get Mithrix’d right when your run finally becomes a God run.
Which Survivor are you unlocking next? Grab your items, build your strategy, and make Petrichor V regret dropping you on the planet.
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