Diving into Once Human for the first time can be overwhelming, especially with all the intricate mechanics and progression systems. Here are 10 critical things you’ll want to know as early as possible to save time, avoid frustration, and conserve vital resources.

1. You Can’t Repair Found Weapons or Armor

One of the biggest early mistakes: investing in a weapon or armor piece you didn’t craft. Found gear, even if powerful and full of perks, cannot be repaired. Once it breaks, it’s gone. Crafted gear, on the other hand, can be repaired endlessly, making it a much smarter investment for calibration and long-term usage.

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2. Stay Hydrated to Maintain Movement and Stamina

Your thirst meter affects your performance more than you’d think. If even the first notch is empty, your character will run significantly slower. If the second notch isn’t filled, stamina regeneration tanks. Always keep water on hand and refill regularly.

3. Mystical Crates = Weapon & Armor Blueprints

Every zone with an anchor has a mystical (red) crate, and finding it should be a priority. These contain the blueprintsthat allow you to craft higher-tier weapons and armor—core to long-term progression. They’re often hidden in big or far-off buildings, especially opposite the rift anchor. Don’t leave a zone without securing this reward.

4. Prime Wars Drop Essential Star Chrom

Prime War bosses are among the best sources of Star Chrom, the rare currency used at Wish Machines to gamble for top-tier blueprints. Don’t ignore them—but also don’t show up unprepared. You’ll need explosives like rocket launchers or Claymores to break their armor before you can deal damage.

5. Use Grilled Mushrooms & Gummies to Manage Sanity

Sanity loss affects your health bar and performance. Combat it with two key items:

• Sanity Gummies: Crafted from sugar, water, and logs.
• Grilled Mushrooms: Even better, if you pick the Compost Bin specialization in your mimetic tree, your spoiled food becomes mushrooms automatically.

6. Healing and Resurrection Items Are Craftable

Two powerful consumables to keep in stock:

• Activators: Restore 50% HP and are cheap to make.
• Adrenaline Shots: Auto-revive you after death but consume Stardust, so use them sparingly—save for bosses or remote zones.

Pro tip: Campsites are quick to craft from wood and gravel and serve as both teleport spots and respawn points. Place one any time you’re far from base.

7. Crossbow Is Ammo-Free and Deadly Early On

A well-calibrated crossbow offers deadly precision and recoverable arrows. Land a shot, loot the arrow from the corpse, and repeat. It’s incredibly ammo-efficient, especially early when you’re short on materials. Firearms are great too—just make sure you keep your ammo stockpiled with consistent copper and gunpowder farming.

8. Camera Zoom Improves Gameplay Comfort

You can adjust camera distance in the control settings. By default, the camera is tight and obscures your view. Zooming out gives a full-body view, improves awareness, and makes exploration smoother.

9. Reshape Your Character with a Mirror

Hate how your character looks? No worries. Build a Floor Mirror (under furniture) in your base. It lets you fully re-edit your character’s appearance at any time.

10. Your Bike is Free—Don’t Craft One Early

You’ll get a bike for free by progressing through the Deadsville questline. No need to waste early materials crafting one.

Bonus Tip: Check smaller side roads when scavenging fuel. Cars on major roads rarely have fuel. Side-road vehicles have much better odds of giving you what you need.

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Additional Tips

• Stardust Resonant Filter: Before purifying Stardust at your base, prepare for a five-minute base defense event. Upgrade base walls to stone and stock up on ammo.
• Flashlight (N key): Often forgotten, but invaluable in dark areas.
• Deviants Are Critical: Capture and place deviants that farm wood, ore, or generate power. For example, a beaver deviant collects wood passively—perfect for charcoal crafting.

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These 10+ tips will significantly ease your learning curve and elevate your early gameplay experience in Once Human. Make sure to prepare smart, gather efficiently, and never underestimate the value of planning ahead.