When you are starting out in The Alters, the options of the type of Alter to create are limited initially, so picking the right ones early on is super important. You want alters that help you get the base running with minimal problems. Here is the list of the best alters to unlock first in the game.
Alter to Unlock First in the Womb
It’s all about prioritising what’s important and pushing the rest to the other day. Each alter we create via the Womb will be different, and its importance also differs from others. Here is the list of alters that you should unlock first.
Note: The requirement for unlocking the alter will be different; some of them will require Qubit Level II or III to unlock. But the guide focuses on the Alters that you will unlock initially to fill up the first three spots, to later areas when you get to the new zones.
1. Technician (Default)
+50% Efficiency when doing base maintenance
The very first alter you will unlock in the Womb is Technician. He will help you fix your base from damage by using repair kits. So, have a steady supply of repair kits in the storage. Any time your base runs into any sort of mechanical problems, the Technician will help you fix it. To make repairs on the base, head on over to the Assignment tab and choose Base Maintenance, and add Jan Technician to start the maintenance.
2. Scientist
Can research new technologies
The second slot should be saved for the Scientist, who will take care of the technology development side of the base building. Most of the main quest will revolve around developing new technologies, along with a handful of other key upgrades such as base expansion, mining efficiency, raw food creation, and storage expansion. After you unlock the Scientist alter via the Womb room, create a Research Lab room and assign the Jan Scientist to the building to carry out new research.
3. Miner
+50% Efficiency when mining metals
Metal will be the bread and butter of almost every building you want to add to your base in the Alter, and the Miner will help you get Metal from the mining dig site faster than any other Alter. After you have set up the mining outpost over a Metal dig site, head over to the Assignment tab and choose Jan Miner to the Metal Outpost to mine.
4. Botanist
+100% Efficiency when growing crops in the greenhouse
Food will severely impact the mood of your allies (Alters) in your base; serving good-quality food is essential when you fill your base with more Alters. Here, botanists will be of great help to grow crops in the Greenhouse. It will take around 16 minutes to grow crops in the greenhouse without the upgrade in the Research Lab.
Initially, you must invest a lot of time growing raw food in the Greenhouse. Having a botanist will carry out the task at a faster rate, just head over to the Assignment tab and choose Jan Botanist to the Greenhouse to get him to work. After the day ends, you can head over to the kitchen and quickly make a quality cooked meal for the crew.
5. Worker
+50 Efficiency when crafting items in the workshop
Radiation Filters, Repair Kits, Drill Cartridges, Pylons, and many more items require a Workshop and a handy employee to pump these items out faster. Workers here will help you craft any item in the Workshop quickly. The best thing about the crafting stuff in Workshop, you don’t need to get to the base to acquire the item; you can craft it while outside the base, and you will receive the item automatically once it is crafted. Just head over to the Assignment tab, choose Jan Worker and assign him to the Workshop to carry out the tasks.
Note: Worker is tied to Refiner. If you don’t unlock Refiner Alter, you will miss out on the Worker Alter branch.
6. Guard
Disciplines Alters in the Contemplation Room
When you are stranded in an isolated land, the crew will also get annoyed at almost everything. Here, having a guard around certainly helps keep morale high. You have to research the Contemplation Room via the Research Lab to assign Jan Guard to work on the alters who are in a rebellious mood. We have found the Guard can make things so much better in the base.
Note: You can always get the alternative Alter to Guard, which is the Shrink Alter. Instead of getting the strict ruling in the Contemplation Room, with a Shrink, you will have a pot-smoking therapist to calm the Alters down.
7. Doctor
Heals Alters 8x faster at the Infirmary, cooks food faster
Doctors can absolutely be a lifesaver to any alters who injure themselves at work. Which will happen a lot, since Enriched Metal, a quality material located in radiation zones on the map. Sending a worker to mine materials in an intoxicated area will inevitably expose him to high levels of radiation, and injuries are commonplace when you are in a survival game. Having a doctor onboard will mitigate most of the injuries quickly. Create Jan Doctor and assign him to the Infirmary to start healing faster in the base.
8. Refiner
+50% efficiency when refining enriched metals into metal and organics
If you are going all in on mining Enriched Metals to get Metal and Organic, then the Refiner is a must. If you are heading this route, then set up an Infirmary to lower the hazard and health risks and also have a steady supply of Radiation Filters for the base. Assign Jan Refiner to the Refinery to break down the Enriched Metals to common Metal and Organics.
