All 10 Mission Types and Objectives in Deep Rock Galactic

In Deep Rock Galactic, a mission type is the kind of job your team takes on underground, and it decides what you need to do once you're in the caves. The types range from gathering ore and carrying it out to hacking into a security system. Each type has a main goal you need to finish, plus an optional bonus goal to aim for. Knowing how the types differ helps you pick runs you'll enjoy and makes it clear what your team is working toward.

Mining Expedition

A connected cave route where miners extract Morkite from wall deposits.

Primary Objective

Collect and deposit the assigned Morkite quota into the M.U.L.E.

Cave Layout

A linear series of connected caves, with dirt walls separating the sections.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 1, Cave Complexity 1 — collect 200 Morkite.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 1 — collect 225 Morkite.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — collect 250 Morkite.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 2 — collect 325 Morkite.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — collect 400 Morkite.

Egg Hunt

A central cave and branching tunnels hide Alien Eggs inside the walls.

Primary Objective

Collect and deposit the assigned number of Alien Eggs; digging an egg out can trigger an enemy wave.

Cave Layout

A central starting room is typically connected through dirt walls to a larger room with offshoot caves and tunnels.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 1, Cave Complexity 1 — collect 4 Alien Eggs.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — collect 6 Alien Eggs.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 2 — collect 8 Alien Eggs.

On-site Refining

Teams build pipelines from a refinery to three Liquid Morkite wells.

Primary Objective

Find three Liquid Morkite wells, connect them to the refinery with pipelines, and defend the refinery during extraction.

Cave Layout

The Drop Pod and Mobile Refinery land in one large cave with a side cave nearby; the three well locations vary in distance from the refinery.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — refine Liquid Morkite from 3 wells; well-to-refinery distance varies.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 3 — refine Liquid Morkite from 3 wells; well-to-refinery distance varies.

Salvage Operation

Recover Mini M.U.L.E.s, then repair and defend a damaged Drop Pod.

Primary Objective

Repair the assigned Mini M.U.L.E.s, then restore the Drop Pod communications and fuel systems and defend it through launch.

Cave Layout

A small starting room branches into one large cave containing the broken Drop Pod and scattered Mini M.U.L.E. parts.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — salvage 2 Mini M.U.L.E.s.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — salvage 3 Mini M.U.L.E.s.

Point Extraction

Collect Aquarqs across a large cavern while enemy groups grow over time.

Primary Objective

Mine and deposit the assigned Aquarq quota into the Minehead, then launch it to call the Drop Pod.

Cave Layout

One large cavern contains the Drop Pod landing area and the Minehead; Aquarqs are buried in its walls and terrain.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 3 — collect 7 Aquarqs.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — collect 10 Aquarqs.

Escort Duty

Keep the Drilldozer running through cave stops until it cracks the Heartstone.

Primary Objective

Protect the Drilldozer through its refueling stops and Heartstone drill, then deposit the Ommoran Core in the M.U.L.E.

Cave Layout

A large starting room leads to several separate caves of varying sizes and enemy density along the Drilldozer route.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — protect the Drilldozer through 1 refueling stop.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 3 — protect the Drilldozer through 1 refueling stop.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 2 — protect the Drilldozer through 2 refueling stops.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — protect the Drilldozer through 2 refueling stops.

Elimination

Search a branching cave system and fight two or three Dreadnoughts.

Primary Objective

Find the Dreadnought cocoons and kill every assigned target.

Cave Layout

A central starting room has multiple dirt walls leading to other rooms and tunnels.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — kill 2 Dreadnought targets.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — kill 3 Dreadnought targets.

Industrial Sabotage

Disable two Power Stations, then fight the Caretaker guarding the Data Vault.

Primary Objective

Hack both Power Stations, defeat the Caretaker guarding the Data Vault, and deposit the Data Rack in the M.U.L.E.

Cave Layout

A small starting room branches into a large central room with the Data Vault and two side rooms, each containing a Power Station.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 1 — hack 2 Power Stations.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — hack 2 Power Stations.

Deep Scan

Scan Resonance Crystals before drilling down to a Morkite Geode.

Primary Objective

Scan the assigned Resonance Crystals, drill down to the Morkite Geode, and collect 7 Morkite Seeds.

Cave Layout

A large maze-like cave system has sprawling tunnels and a single Morkite Geode far below the main caves.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 1, Cave Complexity 2 — perform 3 Deep Scans.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 3 — perform 5 Deep Scans.

Heavy Extraction

Excavate Resinite Masses and fit them with Lift Rockets.

Primary Objective

Locate and excavate the assigned Resinite Masses, attach the Lift Rockets to each, and launch them for extraction.

Cave Layout

The generated cave system contains large amber Resinite Masses protruding from the terrain; miners search for each mass and clear the surrounding rock.

Length / Complexity Variants

Length 2, Cave Complexity 2 — extract 3 Resinite Masses.; Length 2, Cave Complexity 3 — extract 3 Resinite Masses.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 2 — extract 4 Resinite Masses.; Length 3, Cave Complexity 3 — extract 4 Resinite Masses.

What Is a Mission Type in Deep Rock Galactic?

A mission type is the set of rules for one run. It decides the main goal, how the caves are built, what enemies you face, and how the run ends. Each one has a primary objective, which is the job that has to be finished for the run to count. Every mission also has an optional secondary objective, and completing it earns extra credits and experience.

Each type comes in several sizes, based on its mission length and cave complexity. Bigger sizes bring bigger targets, larger caves, and higher payouts, so the same type can feel quite different from one run to the next. Many types also have you deliver your haul to the M.U.L.E., the machine that holds what you bring back.

How Deep Rock Galactic Mission Types Differ

The types are easier to understand when you group them by what your team actually does. Mining Expedition, Egg Hunt, Point Extraction, and Heavy Extraction are all about finding something and carrying it out. The thing you dig up changes from one type to the next, but the basic job of digging and hauling stays the same.

On-site Refining and Salvage Operation are more about building, repairing, and holding a position. In On-site Refining you connect pipelines to wells and keep them from leaking, while Salvage Operation has you find and repair broken machines while defending a spot. Both ask you to stay organized while enemies keep coming.

Escort Duty and Elimination are the fighting types. One asks you to keep a drilling machine alive through repeated attacks, and the other asks you to hunt down Dreadnoughts hidden in cocoons. Both put combat at the center of the run.

Industrial Sabotage and Deep Scan lean more on hacking and scanning than straight fighting, though both still have enemies to deal with. Knowing which kind of work a type involves helps you choose the runs that suit your team.

How a Mission Is Won or Lost

A mission counts as a success when its primary objective is fully finished and at least one player gets out through the Drop Pod at the end. Finishing the main job alone isn't enough, since the team still has to escape. A run fails automatically if every player goes down with no way to be revived. It also fails if a required part of the main objective breaks, such as a machine you're meant to protect being destroyed before its job is done.

What to Expect During a Mission and Getting Out

Many types get tougher as time goes on. Swarms are short surges where the number of enemies jumps, and some types grow more dangerous the longer your team stays. Once the main objective is finished, the team calls for extraction and has a limited time to reach the way out. Each type sets its own time limit, so the pace you need changes from one to the next.

Which Mission Type Should New Players Start With?

Mining Expedition is the best place to begin. It's the only type open when you start, and the game's tutorial is built around a version of it. That makes it the easiest way to learn how caves, deposits, and the M.U.L.E. fit together before you try the rest.

After that, the best type depends on what your team enjoys. Some players like steady digging, while others prefer fights or the puzzle of hacking and scanning. Trying a few from each group is the simplest way to find the style you like.

How to Unlock Mission Types

Mining Expedition is ready from the start. The rest open up as you progress, and the main step is finishing the Conquer Hoxxes IV assignment, which lets you host most types. Industrial Sabotage is the exception, since it needs its own Spec Ops assignment before you can play it.

Once a type is open, you pick a planetary region first and then choose the mission you want from that region.

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