All 6 Biomes and Hazards in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is a top-down shooter and a spin-off of Deep Rock Galactic, where you play a dwarf fighting swarms of alien bugs on the planet Hoxxes IV. Each run, called a dive, takes place in a biome, which is a distinct area with its own terrain, hazards and goals. Biomes change how every dive plays out, from lava and explosive plants to slippery ice and jump pads, and each one can be played on higher hazard levels for a tougher run.

Crystalline Caverns

The baseline cave biome has purple mineable rock and large crystal formations.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Purple, mineable cave rock with large crystal formations.

Hazards

-

Enemy Differences

-

Magma Core

Lava and explosive plants make this dark-rock biome dangerous to cross.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Dark rock is broken by exposed lava and explosive plants.

Hazards

Lava damages the dwarf on contact.; Explosive plants detonate when approached.

Enemy Differences

-

Hollow Bough

Regrowing vines and damaging red growths shape the routes through this cave.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Thin brown vines regrow after mining; the cave also has thick red vines.

Hazards

Red vines damage the dwarf on contact and regrow after mining.

Enemy Differences

-

Salt Pits

Brittle rock and falling ceiling crystals make mining part of the danger in the Salt Pits.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Pale, brittle rock lies over red ground; most of the rock is easier to mine than the dark-grey strips.; Stalagmite Clusters resonate when mined and can bring unstable crystals down from the ceiling.

Hazards

Falling ceiling crystals can strike the dwarf or nearby bugs.

Enemy Differences

Q’ronar Younglings roll after the dwarf and bounce off terrain; Q’ronar Mini-Elites can tunnel through terrain.

Azure Weald

Healing crystals, launch membranes, and distinctive Glyphids shape the wet Azure Weald.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Wet, blue-green caves contain glowing plants and crystal formations.; Bouncy membranes launch the dwarf; glowing crystal formations heal both the dwarf and Glyphids.

Hazards

The biome has no Red Sugar.; Enemy waves build from quieter periods to larger, more intense spawns.

Enemy Differences

Glyphid Wardens reduce damage taken by nearby Glyphids.; Glyphid Mini Exploders move quickly and appear in larger groups than standard Exploders.; Big Praetorians are a biome-specific, tougher Praetorian variant.

Glacial Strata

Heavy Duty’s frozen biome trades fast ice slides for less control and falling icicle traps.

Terrain and Biome Effects

Smooth ice makes the dwarf slide faster but reduces steering control.; The frozen cave has green icicles and snow.

Hazards

Shattering green icicles can trigger falling icicle traps.

Enemy Differences

Cryo-infused enemies adapted to the cold.

What Changes From One Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor Biome to Another

A biome changes far more than how a dive looks. Some hazards hurt you when you touch them, like the lava in Magma Core or the red vines in Hollow Bough. Others change how you move, such as the slippery ice in Glacial Strata, where dwarves speed up but lose control, or the jump pads in Azure Weald, which launch you high into the air. Some biomes also have objects you can knock down, like the stalagmite clusters in the Salt Pits, which can drop unstable crystals from the ceiling onto the bugs below.

Healing changes from place to place too. Azure Weald has no Red Sugar, and instead, crystal columns heal you over time when you or any creature stands close to them. Knowing where your healing comes from matters, because it changes how careful you need to be when your health is low.

How Sectors and Hazard Levels Work

Each biome is split into five sectors, and each sector has its own goals. A sector also sets a minimum hazard level, which climbs from Hazard 1 in Sector 1 to Hazard 5 in Sector 5. So Sector 3 can only be played on Hazard 3 or higher. The hazard level is the difficulty you pick, and the sector decides how high it has to be.

Every sector asks you to complete the dive, plus two goals tied to that biome. The goals grow as you climb. In Glacial Strata's first sector, you shatter 75 green icicles, and in the Salt Pits' first sector, you destroy six stalagmite clusters. By the third sector, both of those numbers have doubled, so there's more to do in the same kind of dive.

Elimination, Escort Duty and Egg Hunt

Each biome has a separate set of five sectors for each mission type. Elimination and Escort Duty come with the base game, and Egg Hunt is added by the Heavy Duty DLC. The goals differ between mission types, so the same biome can ask for different things depending on which one you're playing.

Egg Hunt follows the same five-sector structure in each biome, with its own goals and minimum hazard levels. That means the way you climb through a biome stays familiar, even when the mission itself is new.

Glacial Strata and the Heavy Duty DLC

Glacial Strata came with the Heavy Duty DLC, which also brings a new class called the Demolisher and 11 new weapons. The biome is a frozen cave where smooth ice speeds up dwarves sliding across it, though it's harder to steer. Green icicles hang from the ceiling and can be shattered, but they can also hurt you, so you need to keep an eye on where you stand.

Freezing is part of the biome's identity too. One of its later sector goals asks you to freeze 3,500 bugs, so freezing enemies matters more as you climb.

FAQ