Dead Weight Strategy Guides

This hub collects every strategy guide on deadweight.wiki. Whether you bought on Steam during launch week at $9.74 or you are finishing the free demo, start here and drill into the topic you need. Guides reflect the July 2026 shipping build including action point combat, hub town meta, and three-region campaign content.

New buyers should start with First Run, the New Dawn hub guide, and the Lighthouse unlock guide after the launch guide. Demo players follow the beginner path below.

Full Game Launch Path

  • First Run — hub town, Gaby's Workshop, mercenaries, volcanic island, and Aluza prep.
  • New Dawn Hub — Tavern mercenaries, Temple, drifting ship fuel recovery, and fatigue economy.
  • Lighthouse & Telescope — unlock town recovery, mercenaries, and map vision without burning your run.
  • Aluza Boss Fight — defeat Mad Oracle Aluza: add control, self-damage mechanic, and mercenary prep.
  • Action Points Combat — hoard AP, danger tiles, and enemy telegraphs in the shipping build.
  • Full Game Guide — four characters, three regions, bosses, and launch discount details.

Beginner Path (Demo)

  • Getting Started — download the demo, learn the two-layer gameplay loop, survive your first goblin fight.
  • Combat Basics — turn order, positioning, and demo versus launch combat differences.
  • Push into Abyss — environmental kills, knockback skills, and edge control.
  • Ship & Fuel — route planning, port chains, and avoiding softlocks.

Launch & Advanced Systems

Related Resources

Pair guides with character pages, build recommendations, the build planner, and game updates to stay current through launch week.

Launch day checklist lives on the launch guide. Region 2 playtest details are on the Region 2 page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which guide should I read first?

Start with Getting Started, then Combat Basics and Push into Abyss — that trio covers 80% of demo deaths.

Do guides cover launch combat?

Yes. The Action Points Combat guide documents the hoarding system replacing one-action-per-turn demo rules.

Are guides updated for July 2026?

We update guides when Klukva Games posts Steam news or playtest changes. Check the Updates page for the timeline.