Dome Keeper: Best Upgrades, Weapon Choice, and Mining Guide

To survive runs in Dome Keeper, dedicate your first four to five cycles entirely to resource extraction before spending Iron on dome defenses. Early waves deal minimal chip damage, so rushing Drill Strength Tier 1, Carry Capacity Tier 1, and Jetpack Speed Tier 1 compounds your resource yield while rock layers are soft. Pair this economic opening with the consistent hitscan coverage of the Laser Dome, automate your central shaft with a Lift, and preserve Cobalt for high-threat waves.

Optimal Early-Game Upgrade Order

Returning to the dome with slow hauls drains the time you need to prepare for combat. Follow this step-by-step sequence through the first five cycles to establish steady income before harder rock strata appear:

1. Cycle 1: Dig straight down beneath the central dome stem. Collect whatever Iron you uncover in the initial vertical shaft and return immediately when the wave timer warns of incoming enemies, ignoring side branches.
2. Cycle 2: Purchase Drill Strength Tier 1 at the dome terminal. This cuts the required hits against soft dirt and prevents wasted drill time on early mineral veins.
3. Cycle 3: Purchase Carry Capacity Tier 1 and Jetpack Speed Tier 1. This lets you carry three to four mineral blocks without losing upward flying speed, allowing you to clear an entire vein in fewer trips.
4. Cycles 4–5: Buy your primary weapon’s initial damage boost or tracking speed. Delaying defensive upgrades until this window ensures your mining speed is already optimized while still preparing you for faster aerial and melee attackers.

Primary Weapon Selection: Laser Dome vs. Sword Dome

Your choice of primary weapon sets the defensive rhythm and upgrade priority for the entire run:

• Laser Dome: The most consistent option for clearing standard runs. The laser fires hitscan damage directly at targets, eliminating the risk of missing agile flying monsters. However, its base rotation speed is slow. Prioritize tracking speed alongside base damage so split attacks from opposite flanks do not damage the dome while the beam turns. Upgrading to double-lens output enables the laser to melt armored ground units before they reach the dome.
• Sword Dome: Offers heavy burst damage, long-range blade projectile launches for artillery bugs, and the ability to parry projectiles. The weapon demands strict timing: missing a swing or misjudging blade return travel leaves the dome exposed to melee ground attackers.

Stick with the Laser Dome for steady progression unless you are specifically practicing melee timing with the Sword.

Gadget Comparison and Utilities

Gadgets found in subterranean chambers provide passive utility or automated mining. Choose gadgets based on how well they reduce travel time back to the dome:

The Lift offers the highest utility. Installing it in your primary vertical shaft allows you to throw loose Iron, Water, and Cobalt into the beam and continue digging downward while the orbs transport the haul to your dome.

Resource Triage: Iron, Water, and Cobalt

Managing your three mineral pools properly prevents sudden defensive failures in mid-to-late waves:

• Iron: Powers your core operational upgrades. Spend early Iron exclusively on drill speed, carry strength, and primary weapon damage. Avoid buying situational dome perks until your offensive capabilities and mining loop are stable.
• Water: Fuels utility accelerators, gadget enhancements, and weapon overcharges. Conserve surplus Water to overcharge your primary weapon right before large swarm waves or elite encounters.
• Cobalt: Functions as your repair currency and structural hardening material. Never spend Cobalt on standard hull repairs if dome integrity remains above 50%. Minor scratches can be tolerated; save Cobalt to absorb massive damage spikes during the final defense waves.

Mode Strategies: Relic Hunt vs. Prestige

Adjust your mining layout according to the game mode:

• Relic Hunt: The main relic is located in the lower third of the map. Use a strip-mining layout: drill vertical shafts spaced two unmined tiles apart to spot embedded resources without clearing useless dirt. Once you locate the relic chamber, haul its switches to the surface, spend stored Cobalt to fortify hull health, and activate the core to face the final attack wave.
• Prestige Mode: Waves scale indefinitely, requiring you to actively convert spare Iron and Water into rocket payloads for points. Establish automated hauling through a Lift or Teleporter immediately, strip the map efficiently, and send payloads before enemy offensive scaling outpaces your weapon damage. Extract before incoming damage overwhelms your shield capacity.