Starting your initial shift at GATE brings with it the challenge of pure survival, and there won’t be a paycheck at the end of the month. Your role in Abiotic Factor depends on the type of scientist you aspire to be. Whether you prefer stealth or direct confrontation, various career paths await you in these challenging circumstances.

Once you’ve selected a career in Abiotic Factor, you cannot change your profession or modify your traits. If you are dissatisfied with your choices, though, starting a new game is an option. Your character’s looks, job, and attributes are linked to the server. As you navigate GATE, you might discover that certain playstyles suit you best, whether that’s evading enemies or confronting monsters directly. There are various builds available for you to test, but not all roles or traits are equally beneficial.

Which Abiotic Factor job is the most suitable?

The nine jobs you can select from each come with distinct stats and starting abilities. These jobs aren’t fundamentally unique, as the variance lies primarily in the initial skills you possess. Regardless of your choice, you will advance your skills through gameplay, meaning that whether you choose to cook, fight, sprint, or sneak, these abilities will develop the more you engage in those activities.

Thus, the focus should be on maximizing the benefits of your selected job. If your strategy is to rely on stealth and minimize combat, the Lab Assistant role is ideal. On the other hand, the Trans-Kinematic Researcher is for players who prefer a more aggressive approach. The Lab Assistant starts with skills in Sprinting, Stealth, and Sneaking, while the Trans-Kinematic Researcher comes equipped with Blunt Melee, Fortitude, Sprinting, and Strength for those more combative scientists.

However, the Summer Intern provides the best balance. This position grants the most initial points among all careers in GATE, allowing room for experimentation with your build as you level up your skills. If stealth isn’t your primary aim and you want the most from available traits, then starting as a Summer Intern is the optimal choice.

Which traits should you select?

Your choice of traits should align with your selected job. There isn’t a significant advantage outside of easing the early game by choosing traits that boost your starting abilities. Instead, the aim should be to choose traits that will enhance your survivability and provide unique benefits. Below is a brief overview of recommended traits for the Lab Assistant (stealth), Trans-Kinematic Researcher (combat), and Summer Intern (versatile):

Summer Intern

Positive traits

• Wrinkly Brainmeat: This trait is highly beneficial as it increases your experience gain by 20%.
• Fanny Pack: Adds two additional slots to your hotbar, making it easier to manage weapons, ammo, and healing items. Although somewhat costly for its effect, it significantly reduces the weight of hotbar items by 25%, proving especially handy early in the game.
• Buff Brainiac: Provides a strength boost, allowing you to carry more items without issue.

Negative traits

• Dry Skin: Water is plentiful in Abiotic Factor, so sourcing it should not be a problem.
• Slow Healer: This trait slows your healing time by 1.5 seconds, but it’s generally not a noticeable drawback and grants you three extra points for a positive trait.
• Weak Bladder: While it raises the survival challenge slightly, a 15% increase is often manageable if you pick this trait regularly.

Lab Assistant

Positive traits

• Wrinkly Brainmeat: As with the Summer Intern, this trait boosts your XP gain by 20%.
• Night Owl: This trait reduces fatigue accumulation by 50%, which can be critical as sleep is essential for survival.
• Inconspicuous: Enhances your ability to avoid enemies or sneak past them undetected.
• Self Defense: Increases damage by +3 for all weapons, aiding your early-game combat effectiveness.

Negative traits

• Dry Skin: Similar to the Summer Intern, the abundance of water means this won’t be an issue.
• Slow Healer: This trait has the same effects as previously noted, providing extra points for positive traits.
• Weak Bladder: Although it makes survival slightly harder, the impact is manageable over time.

Trans-Kinematic Researcher

Positive traits

• Wrinkly Brainmeat: Again, this trait boosts XP gain by 20%.
• Fanny Pack: Similar advantages for item management as noted before.
• Self Defense: Provides increased weapon damage, useful for early combat.

Negative traits

• Painfully Obvious: Not a major concern with this combat-focused build, as announcing your presence can be an advantage.
• Hearty Appetite: Rapid hunger shouldn’t dramatically affect you, as fighting often yields meat.
• Dry Skin: Water sourcing won’t pose problems.
• Slow Healer: Reflects previous details regarding HP regeneration.
• Weak Bladder: Similar to earlier notes, though it may add minor challenges.

There’s considerable overlap in our recommended traits due to the limited possibilities for creating unique builds. It’s advisable to steer clear of the most harmful negative traits: Fear of Violence, Slow Learner, and Feeble, as they can hinder your skill development and survival chances.