Best Alters to Unlock First in The Alters: Explained

Figuring out the best Alters in The Alters is on every player’s mind. While games like Once Human have Deviants, this survival game by 11 Bit Studios lets you team up with yourself. By that we mean clones, and not one of those mindless troopers from Star Wars. If you’re just starting, you might be wondering what are the best Alters to unlock first. While the game lets you pick almost any Alter you want, not all of them are equally helpful at the start. Some are much more useful for getting your base running and keeping Jan alive.

Each Alter is a clone of Jan with a special skill. Some are great at research, others at farming, and some are just faster at certain jobs. Picking the right Alters early can make your game much easier, especially when you’re trying to escape the deadly sun and keep your base going.

Here’s our guide for the Best Alters in The Alters and which Alter to unlock early on, so you can make smart choices and avoid getting stuck.

Best Alters in The Alters to Unlock First

The Scientist

The Scientist is one of the Best Alters in The Alters to unlock early. He can use the Research Lab to unlock new modules, upgrade your base, and help you gather materials faster. You’ll also need the Scientist to move the story forward in Act 1. Almost every upgrade the Scientist can research is useful, so getting him early means you can start improving your base and equipment right away.

The Botanist

As your base grows and you add more Alters, you’ll need more food. The Botanist is the best choice for this. He grows crops in the Greenhouse twice as fast as anyone else. Raw Food is much better than the basic mush you can make from Organics, and it keeps your Alters happy. If you research the “Efficient Food” tech (unlocked at Qubit Level 3), the Botanist can make a pack of 10 Raw Food in about six hours. This is more than enough to feed your whole crew for a day. Getting the Botanist early removes a lot of stress about food for the rest of your playthrough.

The Refiner

The Refiner is not always the most important Alter at the start, but you need him to unlock the Worker, who is one of the Best Alters to Unlock later. The Refiner becomes more useful as you find more ALX and Enriched Metals on the planet. In Act 1, the Refiner helps you make Polymers, which are needed for building bridge anchors to move the story forward. Refinery jobs are short, but having a Refiner means you can focus on other resources while he handles Polymers.

The real benefit of unlocking the Refiner early is that you can then unlock the Worker. The Worker is 50% faster at making items in the Workshop. This is a huge help, as you’ll need lots of Drill Cartridges, Radiation Filters, Pylon Parts, Anomaly Shields, and Repair Kits as you go. Having a Worker to keep your supplies up while you explore and complete main tasks is a big advantage.

The Miner: Pros and Cons

The Miner can be tricky. He’s very good at mining metals, working 50% faster than anyone else. Metals are super important in The Alters, so this sounds great. But the Miner also has personal problems that can make him stop working after a few days. You’ll need to build an Infirmary and help him recover, or he’ll just use up resources and not help at all. If you can manage his issues, the Miner is a great addition, but he can also be a distraction if you’re not ready.

And that’s all you need to know about the best Alters in The Alters. For more helpful guides for The Alters, stay tuned to RetroNoob.