Welcome to Risk of Rain 2, a chaotic, third-person roguelike where you face off against alien hordes, collect powerful loot, and try to survive as long as you can. Whether you’re brand new or just starting to find your footing, this guide covers all the essentials: gameplay basics, survivors, item types, stage progression, and beginner-friendly tips to get you rolling.

---

🎮 Game Overview

In Risk of Rain 2, you select a survivor, drop into an alien world, and fight off waves of increasingly deadly enemies. As you defeat them, you earn gold, which you can use to open chests and gain items that enhance your abilities. Your goal is to get stronger, survive tougher stages, and—if you’re brave—take on the final boss.

🔑 Core Mechanics

1. Gold & Items
   • Kill enemies to earn gold.
   • Spend gold on chests, shrines, and drones to collect items.
   • Items stack and can dramatically alter your playstyle.
2. Time vs. Difficulty
   • Difficulty increases the longer you play.
   • Move too slowly and enemies will overwhelm you.
   • Move too quickly and you won’t have enough items.
3. The Teleporter
   • Each stage contains a teleporter. Find and activate it to summon a boss.
   • Defeat the boss and charge the teleporter to move on to the next stage.

---

🧑‍🚀 Survivors Overview

There are 14+ survivors to unlock, each with unique playstyles and skill sets:

Survivor	Role
Commando	Balanced, easy to learn.
Huntress	Mobile, auto-aim, glass cannon.
Bandit	High burst, stealth mechanics.
MUL-T	Durable with dual weapons.
Engineer	Stationary turrets, great defense.
Artificer	Burst damage mage-style caster.
Mercenary	Melee combo fighter.
Rex	Health-sacrificing support/DPS.
Loader	Grappling brawler, big damage.
Acrid	Poisonous hybrid attacker.
Railgunner	Long-range sniper.
Void Fiend	Dual state mechanic survivor.
Captain	Tactical utility and support.

🧠 Unlock more survivors by completing in-game challenges or visiting special locations like the Bazaar Between Time.

---

🧰 Items and Rarity System

Items are the backbone of every run. Each one buffs your survivor in a specific way—and stacking them makes those effects even stronger.

📦 Item Rarities

Rarity	Color	Description	Examples
Common	White	Basic, stackable boosts	Lens-Maker’s Glasses, Tougher Times
Uncommon	Green	More powerful, moderate effects	Will-o’-the-Wisp, Focus Crystal
Legendary	Red	Rare, run-changing items	Brilliant Behemoth, Dio’s Best Friend
Boss	Yellow	Dropped by bosses	Queen’s Gland, Genesis Loop
Equipment	Orange	Usable items with cooldowns	Primordial Cube, Royal Capacitor
Lunar	Blue	High-risk/high-reward	Shaped Glass, Transcendence
Void	Purple	Corruptions of other items	Singularity Band, Pluripotent Larva

💡 Tip: Don’t grab Lunar items too early—they often come with steep downsides.

---

🌍 Stage Progression

• Each stage is procedurally generated and has a unique biome and enemy set.
• Your objective is always the same: collect items, survive, find the teleporter, defeat the boss, and move on.

🏁 Final Stage: Commencement

• In Stage 5, you can:
  • Loop back to Stage 1 and keep scaling.
  • Or proceed to Commencement, the final stage.
• There, you’ll face Mithrix, the final boss with four phases:
  1. Standard Fight: Uses hammer swings and projectiles.
  2. Enemy Phase: Summons waves of enemies.
  3. Aggressive Phase: Faster, stronger attacks.
  4. Item Steal Phase: Takes your items before a final showdown.

🎯 Pro Tip: Surviving Phase 4 means dodging well and reclaiming your items quickly.

---

💡 Beginner Tips and Strategy

✅ General Tips

• Always move: Standing still is a death sentence.
• Loot first, fight later: Build power before triggering the teleporter.
• Stack useful items: The more of one item you get, the better the effect.
• Use terrain: High ground and vertical movement are great defensively.

🧩 Synergy Examples

• Sticky Bomb + Will-o’-the-Wisp = explosive AoE damage chain.
• Syringes + Tri-Tip Dagger = fast bleed stacks for DPS builds.
• Ukulele + Band Items = chain lightning + elemental bursts.

⚙️ Shrines and Equipment

• Shrine of the Mountain: Increases boss rewards but doubles the challenge.
• Drones: Provide healing, fire support, or utility—buy them when possible.
• 3D Printers: Let you trade one item for another—scrappers help you control what gets sacrificed.

---

🏁 Conclusion

Risk of Rain 2 is about chaos, discovery, and growth. There’s no “perfect” build—just the one that gets you through the chaos alive. Learn your survivors, stack the right items, keep moving, and embrace the randomness.

Every run teaches you something. So dive in, experiment often, and don’t fear failure—because in this game, rain is inevitable… but survival is earned.

Good luck, and may the teleporter always be near! 🚀