Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor has two upgrade systems: permanent meta upgrades between dives and temporary choices during a dive. This ranking covers the mid-dive upgrade categories—the choices that shape a run—rather than permanent meta progression. It is an editorial priority guide, not an official developer ranking; your weapons, class, mission, difficulty and stage can change what is most valuable.
How to read this ranking
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a single-player survivor-like auto-shooter built around procedural caves and waves of enemies. During a dive, upgrades can improve damage, XP gain, mining speed and other character or collection stats. Weapons also offer Overclock choices at levels 6, 12 and 18. Upgrade bonuses in the same category stack additively, according to the official wiki’s example, rather than multiplying one another. See the mid-dive upgrade guide for category details.
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The order below weighs broad usefulness across builds against situational value. It is not based on a controlled performance test or a published ranking, and the sources do not establish a universal best order. When choosing an upgrade, consider the weapons and tags you actually have, the threats in the current dive and whether you can safely use the benefit.
The 10 best mid-dive upgrades, ranked
| Rank | Upgrade category | Main role | Why it ranks here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Damage | Offense | Supports a wide range of builds, provided it benefits the weapons and tags you are using. |
| 2 | XP gain | Progression | Helps you reach more level-up choices during a dive; that is a progression advantage, not a proven win-rate increase. |
| 3 | Mining speed | Resource gathering | Can make resource gathering more efficient when you have the opportunity to mine safely. |
| 4 | Luck | Upgrade quality | A category players prioritize, though the sources here do not establish an exact current formula or a universal payoff. |
| 5 | Critical-hit chance | Offense | Can help builds that benefit from critical hits; its value depends on the weapons and damage mechanics involved. |
| 6 | Max health | Defense | Gives you a larger margin for mistakes and is more attractive if you regularly take hits. |
| 7 | Armor | Defense | Offers another defensive option, with its value shaped by incoming damage and your other defenses. |
| 8 | Life regeneration | Sustain | Can provide recovery over a dive, but should not be treated as a guarantee against dangerous encounters. |
| 9 | Movement speed | Mobility | Helps with repositioning and escape; it becomes more valuable when mobility is central to your mission or build. |
| 10 | Pickup radius | Collection utility | Makes collecting drops and XP easier, but is a convenience and collection benefit rather than direct damage. |
When to move a lower-ranked upgrade up
Match upgrades to your weapons and tags
A general-purpose stat is only useful when it applies to your current build. Prefer damage or critical-hit chance when your weapons can make effective use of them; the value of a tag upgrade likewise depends on the weapons carrying that tag. The latest official balance source identified here, Funday Games’ Steam announcement feed, lists 1.1 Patch 2 on 22 June 2026, including changes to weapons, gear, Overclocks and tag upgrades. For example, Favourite tag bonuses were increased, while Spray’s tag upgrade changed from a fire-rate modifier to piercing and damage. Check current patch notes if relying on older build advice.
Adjust for the class, mission and stage
Move health or armor higher if surviving incoming damage is your immediate problem; favor movement speed when escaping or repositioning matters more. A PC Gamer report on the Heavy Duty expansion describes a Demolisher build leaning more on health and armor for close-range play, an example of context changing priorities rather than a rule for every class. Mining speed is less compelling if you cannot mine safely, while pickup radius can be helpful when collecting is difficult.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Meta upgrades are a separate between-dive decision
If by “best upgrades” you mean what to focus on between runs, this mid-dive ranking does not answer that question. Permanent meta upgrades are a separate progression layer; the official wiki lists categories including damage, XP gain, mining speed, luck, critical-hit chance, max health, armor, life regeneration, movement speed and pickup radius. Their priorities depend on your progression and play style. See the meta upgrade guide for that system.
Rank #2
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Older Early Access advice may also describe obsolete unlock requirements. The 1.0 release notes say Morkite Reactor Cores, previously used to gate higher-level meta upgrades, were removed as part of a rebalance that also changed mastery progression and boss rewards. The 1.0 release notes dated 17 September 2025 give the details. Because balance continued to change after release, treat any fixed priority list as a starting point and check it against the current version.
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Best Value
- Survivor: The Tribe Has Spoken, the first Official Survivor card game is here. Designed by Jeff Probst, players can collect advantages, find hidden Immunity Idols, form secret alliances, and vote out other players to become the sole survivor.
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Rank #4
- The Official Survivor card game is here: Collect advantages, find hidden Immunity Idols, form secret alliances, and vote out other players to become the sole survivor.
- Designed by Jeff Probst: From the 67 Action Cards and 12 Survivor Character Cards to the Voting Box and Survival Guide– each one underwent rigorous testing by the King of Survivor.
- Perfect For Survivor Fans And Newbies Alike: It’s easy to learn and quick to play for adults, teens, and kids aged 8 and up.
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Rank #3
- The richest mine ever discovered just happens to be on the deadliest planet. It is also where you work
- Become a badass space Dwarf and team up to dig, explore, and fight your way through a massive cave system filled with hordes of enemies and valuable resources
- Play cooperatively with up to 4 players online
- Choose one of 4 unique customizable classes
- Explore procedurally generated cave systems with fully destructible environments
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