Every part list, tool and vehicle piece in the game sits behind your Craftbot's tier. Rushing the wrong upgrade wastes hours of scrap you didn't need to spend; skipping the right one leaves you stuck building the same three-wheeled buggy for days. Here's what each tier actually gates, and in what order to chase them.
- Tier 1 gets you moving — basic tools, a bed, and enough parts for a rough first vehicle
- Tier 2 is the real spike — suspension, engines, and the parts base defense depends on
- Tier 3 is a refinement tier — better versions of what you already have, not new capability
- Upgrading costs a growing pile of Refined Metal, so build your Refinery Bot before you chase Tier 2
- Don't rush Tier 3 — most players get more value finishing their base and vehicle at Tier 2 first
Tier 1 — getting off the ground
This is where you land after Day One. Tier 1 unlocks the Hammer, Lift Tool, Connect Tool, a bed, basic wheels, a driver's seat, and enough wiring parts to build simple logic. It's deliberately thin — the game wants you moving and looting before it hands you anything more complex.
There's nothing to rush inside Tier 1 itself. The priority is getting through it, which means stacking up Scrap and Refined Metal for the jump to Tier 2.
The Tier 2 spike
Tier 2 is where the game actually opens up, and it's also the most expensive single jump in the early game. It unlocks:
- Suspension parts — the difference between a car that flips on the first bump and one you can actually drive off-road
- Small engines — replaces battery-powered wheels with real torque
- Turrets and sensors — the parts your first proper base defense depends on
- Refinery Bot upgrades — faster Refined Metal output, which pays for the next tier
Because everything past this point leans on Refined Metal, it's worth placing a Refinery Bot and keeping it fed well before you have enough scrap for the Tier 2 unlock itself — you don't want to hit the unlock and then wait another hour for materials to catch up.
Tier 3 — refinement, not revolution
Tier 3 mostly upgrades what you already have rather than handing you new systems: stronger armor plating, higher-output engines, and late-game logic parts. It's real value, but it's not urgent — a solid Tier 2 base and vehicle will comfortably carry you through the Plasma Drill and Trash Bot content covered elsewhere on this site.
Push for Tier 3 once your base is defended and your vehicle already drives well. Chasing it earlier just means spending scrap on marginal upgrades instead of the tools that unlock whole new activities.
What to rush vs. what can wait
Rush these
- Refinery Bot placement — everything past Tier 1 depends on its output
- Suspension parts, the moment Tier 2 unlocks — your Day One car is a placeholder, not a build to keep
- Turrets, if a raid warning has already fired
These can wait
- Cosmetic paint and interior parts
- Tier 3 armor upgrades, until your base is already holding against raids
- Late-tier engine variants, unless you're already deep into vehicle building
Common mistakes
- Unlocking Tier 2 with no Refined Metal stockpile. You'll hit the unlock and then sit idle waiting for materials.
- Rebuilding your vehicle before suspension unlocks. Any car built on Tier 1 wheels alone will need a full rebuild at Tier 2 anyway.
- Chasing Tier 3 before defending your base. A raid can undo more progress than a tier jump saves you.