The recommendations below are practical priorities, not an official tier list. The developers publish patch notes, but they do not publish a permanent ranking of keeper classes. Some detailed upgrade values come from the community reference wiki and may change after future patches.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
For most players, start with the Assessor and build spheres, movement, and bundle control before chasing specialist upgrades. Use the Infiltrator if you already understand route planning and want the fastest mine traversal. Pick the Beastmaster for sustained resource collection, especially in longer runs or multiplayer. The Engineer is the best learning choice because drilling, movement, and carrying are easy to understand. Whatever class you choose, buy enough mining power to reach new layers, then movement or transport, and only then specialize for combat.
Classes
Which keeper should you choose?
Dome Keeper has four keepers: the Engineer and Assessor in the base game, plus the Infiltrator and Beastmaster from The Lost Keepers DLC. Each changes both mining and the way resources reach the dome, so class choice matters more than a small numerical upgrade.
The Engineer drills one tile at a time, accelerates quickly, and is slowed by carried resources. The Assessor uses bouncing kinetic spheres and can bundle small resources into a controllable package. The Infiltrator is gravity-bound but compensates with jumps, wall slides, rope movement, and explosive kunai. The Beastmaster uses tentacles to move and relies on catgoblins to collect nearby resources.
- Best beginner choice: Engineer.
- Best general-purpose solo choice: Assessor.
- Best speed and movement ceiling: Infiltrator.
- Best logistics and sustained hauling: Beastmaster.
| Keeper | Strength | Main weakness | Recommended role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engineer | Simple controls and dependable drilling. | Carrying resources reduces speed. | Learning, balanced runs, and safe progression. |
| Assessor | Excellent remote mining and bundled transport. | Floaty movement takes practice. | Efficient solo mining and deep resource runs. |
| Infiltrator | Fast traversal and powerful kunai mining. | Gravity-based movement and limited carrying require precision. | Aggressive routes and high-tempo runs. |
| Beastmaster | Catgoblins provide strong resource logistics. | Personal mining and carrying are deliberately limited. | Long runs, logistics, and multiplayer support. |
The four-keeper roster and each keeper's core role are verified by the game's reference material and store information. The labels such as “best beginner” and “best speed” are recommendations based on those mechanics, not official rankings.
Build routes
Recommended upgrade order
A reliable route follows the same economic rule for every class: improve the action that creates income, then reduce travel time, then add convenience. Buying too much dome weapon power early can leave the mine underdeveloped and make later waves harder to answer.
Start each run by purchasing the cheapest mining improvement that lets you break the rock you are currently encountering. After that, invest in movement or transport. Keep enough iron for one combat purchase before the next wave, but do not stop mining upgrades completely.
- Early route: one mining upgrade, one movement or transport upgrade, then a basic dome weapon upgrade.
- Mid-game route: specialize in the keeper's unique tool, then improve resource delivery and return speed.
- Late-game route: buy repeatable mining or damage upgrades only after your transport system can keep up.
- Use cobalt for repairs and dome durability rather than treating it as a normal mining currency.
| Stage | Priority | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| First cycles | Mining strength or primary mining tool. | Faster rock breaking increases every later purchase. |
| Early waves | Movement, carrying, bundles, rope, or catgoblin support. | Shorter trips create more mining time between attacks. |
| Mid-game | Class-specific scaling skill and transport gadget. | The mine is deeper, so efficiency matters more than raw starting power. |
| Late game | Repeatable mining, combat scaling, and defensive upgrades. | Long runs require both income and reliable wave clearing. |
If the next wave is already dangerous, take one combat upgrade first. A perfect economic route is not useful if the dome loses before the next mining cycle.
Assessor
Assessor build: spheres into bundle control
The Assessor is the most comfortable recommendation for players who want mining and transport to reinforce each other. Fire kinetic spheres along long corridors and angles that let them ricochet through several tiles. Continue moving while spheres work, because launching them does not interrupt compression mining.
The strongest general route is Sphere Supply first, followed by Sphere Lifetime when your shots expire before reaching useful rock. Add Gravitational Movement when returning from deep tunnels feels slow. Take Compression Mining when dense rock makes sphere routes awkward, then purchase Bundle Guidance and later Gravity Column if resource packages are regularly being left behind.
- Early: buy additional spheres before expensive convenience upgrades.
- Mid-game: add sphere lifetime and movement, then take Compression Mining for dense layers.
- Transport route: Center Marker, Bundle Guidance, Gravity Column, and Powerful Bundle in that order when your map and playstyle support it.
- Supplement recommendation: Cascading Impact is the clear mining choice when available because destroyed tiles can trigger adjacent destruction.
| Stat or skill | Priority | Practical use |
|---|---|---|
| Sphere count | High early priority. | More simultaneous mining lines improve coverage. |
| Sphere lifetime | Medium priority. | Longer-lived spheres matter on wide or deep routes. |
| Gravitational Movement | Medium priority. | Improves acceleration and return trips. |
| Compression Mining | Situational priority. | Useful when direct tile mining is more efficient than setting up a sphere angle. |
| Bundle control | High mid-game priority. | Turns scattered resources into fewer, faster deliveries. |
The reference data lists Assessor movement improvements from a top speed of 65 to 90 and then 120, while Compression Mining improves from 0.40 to 0.65 and 1.20 damage. Treat these values as reference figures, not guarantees for every future patch.
DLC keepers
Infiltrator and Beastmaster routes
The Infiltrator build rewards deliberate movement. Kunai can break very dense rock, have unlimited range, and do not follow gravity, but the keeper's slower firing rhythm means missed throws cost time. Start with Double Jump, then Slide Control, and build toward Multi Jump and Aerial Mastery if you are comfortable using wall slides and rope movement. Increase kunai damage or firing speed when the mine becomes too dense for the starting tool.
For transport, the Infiltrator has a small personal carrying capacity, so plan short collection loops rather than attempting Engineer-style hauls. The Rocket Carrier supplement can make kunai carriers ignore gravity, but its slower carrier speed is a trade-off. The official v5.0.8 notes also add manual pickup controls for Kunai Carriers, which is useful when several carriers are active.
The Beastmaster should be built around catgoblin throughput. Open a goblin hole near a compact resource cluster, leave resources within practical reach, and keep mining while the minions work. Buy movement and mining improvements only when they solve a real bottleneck, because catgoblins are the reason this keeper can spend more time away from the dome. Her personal carrying capacity is limited to three objects and cannot be upgraded, so do not plan around large manual hauls.
- Infiltrator early route: Double Jump, Slide Control, then kunai damage or firing speed.
- Infiltrator mid-game route: Multi Jump, Aerial Mastery, and carrier improvements when transport becomes the limiting factor.
- Beastmaster early route: establish a useful catgoblin hole, then improve mining rhythm and movement.
- Beastmaster mid-game route: expand minion efficiency and use the dome's transport gadgets to cover gaps.
| Class | First skill target | Second target | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infiltrator | Double Jump. | Slide Control or kunai scaling. | Carrying long routes without a transport plan. |
| Beastmaster | Catgoblin collection position. | Mining or movement that keeps minions supplied. | Spending the run as if personal capacity were unlimited. |
The Infiltrator and Beastmaster are part of The Lost Keepers DLC. The official store description identifies the Infiltrator's rope and jumps and the Beastmaster's tentacles and catgoblin minions as their defining playstyles.
Execution
Stats, domes and practical decisions
Think of stats in three groups: income, time, and survival. Mining strength and sphere or kunai scaling increase income. Movement, carrying, bundle control, lift speed, and teleport duration reduce wasted time. Weapon damage, dome health, repairs, and defensive tools provide survival. A strong run keeps all three groups moving, but income and time normally deserve the first purchases.
The Lift is especially valuable once branches extend far below the dome. Its orbs can carry resources upward, and its keeper-speed upgrades improve travel through the shaft. The Teleporter is strongest when the map has long return trips, while a Resource Packer or similar transport tool helps classes that cannot efficiently carry everything themselves.
For dome choice, favor the weapon you can operate consistently rather than chasing a universal ranking. Artillery gives broad control, Laser rewards tracking, Sword rewards close timing, and Tesla improves when targets can be kept in its effective area. The keeper and dome should cover each other's weaknesses: a logistics-heavy keeper benefits from a dependable defensive weapon, while an aggressive miner can tolerate a more hands-on dome if the player is confident.
- If you are losing to waves, buy combat power or dome health before another mining upgrade.
- If you are surviving but returning empty-handed, buy movement, carrying, bundles, lift, or teleport support.
- If resources are scattered, improve discovery and transport rather than only increasing raw mining damage.
- If your class feels awkward, test its movement upgrade path before abandoning it; each keeper has a different control rhythm.
| Problem | Best response | Classes most helped |
|---|---|---|
| Deep resources take too long to return. | Lift, Teleporter, movement, or bundle control. | All classes, especially Engineer and Beastmaster. |
| Dense rock blocks progress. | Mining-strength or primary-tool upgrades. | Engineer, Assessor, and Infiltrator. |
| Resources pile up away from the dome. | Transport gadget or class logistics upgrade. | Assessor and Beastmaster. |
| Waves arrive before you are ready. | One combat upgrade, then resume mining. | All classes. |
Official v5.0.8 changes include Infiltrator Kunai Carrier pickup options and drop-order settings for the Assessor, Infiltrator, and Beastmaster. If your controls or resource handling differ from older guides, check the current options before changing the build.
FAQ
Common questions
What is the best beginner class?
The Engineer is the easiest starting class because its drill, movement, and carrying rules are direct. The Assessor is a stronger next step if you want more efficient mining and transport, but its floaty movement and sphere angles take practice.
What is the best Assessor build?
Prioritize Sphere Supply, then Sphere Lifetime when your shots expire too soon. Add Gravitational Movement for return trips, Compression Mining for dense rock, and Bundle Guidance or Gravity Column when scattered resources are slowing delivery.
Is the Infiltrator stronger than the Engineer?
Not in every situation. The Infiltrator has a higher movement ceiling and excellent kunai mining, but it demands more precise movement and has less forgiving carrying. The Engineer is slower in expert hands but easier to stabilize in a new run.
How should I build the Beastmaster?
Build around catgoblin collection rather than personal carrying. Open holes near useful resource clusters, keep the minions supplied, and buy movement or mining upgrades when they improve the time between collection cycles. Remember that personal capacity is limited.
Should I upgrade combat or mining first?
Normally upgrade mining first, because it funds everything else. Take combat first when the next wave threatens the dome, when your weapon cannot handle current enemies, or when a defensive purchase prevents losing an otherwise strong run.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialOfficial Steam patch notes, v5.0.8
- OfficialOfficial Steam store page for The Lost Keepers
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Keepers overview
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Engineer
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Assessor
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Infiltrator
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Beastmaster
- ReferenceCommunity reference: Lift