Here’s a full breakdown of all Planetologist skills and upgrades in Dune Awakening, with exact buffs, abilities, and how each tree works.
Dune Awakening throws you headfirst into the brutal desert of Arrakis, where every step can be life or death. It’s a survival MMO set in the Dune universe, and it gives players a ton of freedom in how they want to approach the game. You’ll build, explore, fight, trade, and depending on the class (and build) you pick, your journey will play out very differently.
There are five classes in Dune Awakening: Trooper, Mentat, Bene Gesserit, Swordmaster, and Planetologist. Each one focuses on a different aspect of gameplay. In this article, we’re focusing on the Planetologist.
This class is all about surviving in harsh environments, scanning terrain, gathering resources, and using science to make the most out of Arrakis. Below, we’ll go through every single skill in the Planetologist’s tree, including buffs, upgrades, and how they all fit together.
Planetologist Skill Trees
The Planetologist class is split into three different skill trees:
- Scientist: Focuses on energy, water, and raw resource efficiency
- Explorer: Improves mobility, stamina, hydration, and scanning
- Mechanic: Specializes in vehicle usage, fuel saving, and spice harvesting
Each tree has its own set of passives and abilities. Now, let’s break down all of them in detail.
Scientist Skill Tree
Cutteray Mining (Passive)
Boosts your yield when mining with a cutteray tool.
- Level 1:
- Cutteray Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Cutteray Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Cutteray Yield: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Dew Gathering (Passive)
Improves water collection from Dew Reapers.
- Level 1:
- Dew Reaper Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Dew Reaper Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Dew Reaper Yield: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Rerouting (Passive)
Increases how fast your power pack recharges.
- Level 1:
- Power Regeneration: 2%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Power Regeneration: 5%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Power Regeneration: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Deep Analysis (Passive)
Gives extra bonus yield when using analysis mode on your cutteray.
- Level 1:
- Bonus Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Bonus Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Bonus Yield: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Compaction (Passive)
Improves how efficient your compactor is during use.
- Level 1:
- Compactor Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Compactor Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Compactor Yield: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Overcharge (Passive)
Increases your total power capacity.
- Level 1:
- Maximum Power: 20
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Maximum Power: 30
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Maximum Power: 40
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Conservation of Energy (Technique)
Lowers the power cost of all actions you perform.
- Level 1:
- Power Usage: -3
- Skill Points Cost: 2
- Level 2:
- Power Usage: -6
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Power Usage: -9
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Explorer Skill Tree
Suspensor Pad (Ability)
Deploys a suspensor device that launches you (and enemies) into the air.
- Level 1:
- Cooldown: 15
- Stamina Cost: 15
- Skill Points Cost: 1
Cartographer (Passive)
Lets you create sinkcharts from surveyed areas via the Map screen.
- Skill Points Cost: 1
Mountaineer (Passive)
Reduces stamina drain while climbing.
- Level 1:
- Climbing Stamina Drain: -15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Climbing Stamina Drain: -20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Climbing Stamina Drain: -25%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Scanner Mastery (Passive)
Increases the range of your hand scanner.
- Level 1:
- Detection Radius: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Detection Radius: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Detection Radius: 25%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Stillsuit Seals (Passive)
Improves how much water your stillsuit reclaims.
- Level 1:
- Detection Radius: 5%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Detection Radius: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Detection Radius: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Spice Surveyor (Passive)
Lets you identify how dense a spice bed is when surveying. Especially useful in the Deep Desert.
- Skill Points Cost: 2
Mechanic Skill Tree
Vehicle Repair (Passive)
Lowers the durability loss when repairing your vehicles.
- Level 1:
- Reduce Max Durability Loss: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Reduce Max Durability Loss: 25%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Reduce Max Durability Loss: 35%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Fuel Efficient Driver (Passive)
Reduces how much fuel ground vehicles use.
- Level 1:
- Fuel Usage: -15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Fuel Usage: -20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Fuel Usage: -25%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Vehicle Mining (Passive)
Boosts the yield when using vehicles to mine.
- Level 1:
- Mining Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Mining Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Mining Yield: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Vehicle Scanning (Passive)
Increases the range of vehicle-mounted scanners.
- Level 1:
- Detection Radius: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Detection Radius: 20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Detection Radius: 25%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Fuel Efficient Pilot (Passive)
Reduces fuel usage when piloting ornithopters.
- Level 1:
- Fuel Usage: -15%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Fuel Usage: -20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Fuel Usage: -25%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Sandcrawler Yield (Passive)
Improves spice yield when using sandcrawlers.
- Level 1:
- Sandcrawler Yield: 10%
- Skill Points Cost: 1
- Level 2:
- Sandcrawler Yield: 15%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
- Level 3:
- Sandcrawler Yield:20%
- Skill Points Cost: 4
Heat Management (Passive)
Lowers how much heat your vehicles generate while using spice powers.
- Level 1:
- Heat Generation: -20%
- Skill Points Cost: 3
All Planetologist Skills
Below is a table that lists all the skills available for the Planetologist class in Dune Awakening.
| Skill | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
 Cartographer | Passive | You can now create sinkcharts of the areas revealed by your surveys. Create sinkcharts from the Map Screen, but you will require a blank sinkchart in your inventory. |
 Compaction | Passive | You’ve made minor adjustments to the way you use the compactor that improves the efficiency of its resource yields. |
 Conservation of Energy | Technique | When you focus your efforts, you can reduce the power drain of every action that you take. Techniques only take effect when equipped. |
 Cutteray Mining | Passive | Your understanding of structural and mineral composition leads to an increase in the resource yield when using a cutteray. |
Deep Analysis | Passive | You develop an understanding of analysis mode mining with the cutteray. Your bonus yields are increased. |
 Dew Gathering | Passive | Careful manipulation of the Holtzman field on the dew reaper allows you to increase the water yield. |
 Fuel Efficient Driver | Passive | Driving groundcars has taught you several techniques for fuel conservation while exploring. This applies to all types of ground vehicles. |
Fuel Efficient Pilot | Passive | Piloting ornithopters has taught you several techniques for fuel conservation while exploring. This applies to all types of ornithopters. |
 Heat Management | Passive | While under the influence of large amounts of melange, you can instinctively sense where and how to shift a vehicle to reduce heat buildup. |
 Mountaineer | Passive | You are better at finding handholds and footholds while climbing, reducing your stamina drain. |
 Overcharge | Passive | You have learned to push your power pack beyond its limits, allowing you to increase the maximum power capacity. |
 Rerouting | Passive | Tinkering with your power pack allows you to increase the recharge rate. |
Sandcrawler Yield | Passive | Your understanding of sand and the vacuum static action of the sandcrawler allows you to harvest spice more efficiently. |
 Scanner Mastery | Passive | You have become proficient with the hand scanner – improving the range of detection. |
 Spice Surveyor | Passive | Through research and field experience, you’ve learned to recognize the density of a spice bed from surveys. This ability is of most use in the Deep Desert. |
 Stillsuit Seals | Passive | Though you have no formal training with the stillsuit, you’ve adjusted several seals and tabs that must be properly fitted for the suit to act with optimal efficiency. Your water reclamation while wearing a stillsuit is improved. |
 Suspensor Pad | Ability | Drop a suspensor device that launches yourself (and targets) into the air. Useful for navigation and traversal. Abilities must be equipped and activated from the ability bar. |
Vehicle Mining | Passive | Applying your understanding of structural and mineral composition to heavier vehicle machinery results in a larger resource yield. |
 Vehicle Repair | Passive | Your field training as a mechanic reduces the maximum durability loss of vehicle components when performing repairs. |
Vehicle Scanning | Passive | You have become proficient with vehicle mounted scanners – improving the range of detection. |
That’s the full Planetologist skill tree in Dune Awakening. This class is all about getting the most out of your tools and your time. It won’t win you a duel, but if you like optimizing systems and making sure your group never runs dry on resources, it’s a great pick.
Before You Go
If you’re looking to really master the Planetologist, make sure to check out our full guides:
