Summary
InThe Alters, survival is less about brute force or resource hoarding and more about assembling the ultimate crew. Every Alter is a walking fork in the road, a specialist spun from Jan Dolski’s different life choices. Together, they transform a tense, solo journey across a dying planet into a dynamic battle of personalities, priorities, and skillsets.
What setsThe Altersapartisn’t just the looming threat of a relentless sun or the ticking clock on every action—it’s how each Alter adds both a new tool and a new emotional wrinkle, demanding players weigh short-term gains against long-term stability, resource mastery, and the fragile moods of their own fractured crew. Therefore, this ranked list answers the aching question every player has had—who are the best Alters inThe Alters, and why does it matter?
8Guard
The Reluctant Bouncer of Jan Dolski’s Psyche
The Guard represents a version of Jan who chose to collaborate with amorally dubious workshopinstead of walking away. This path forged a loyal but rigid disciplinarian whose main job was to manage crew morale by sending unruly Alters to the Contemplation Room.
While this can speed up their mood recovery, his entire function is reactive. He’s the solution players turn to when things have already gone wrong, offering no proactive bonuses to research, crafting, or resource gathering. For players who successfully keep their crew happy with good food and fulfilled requests,the Guard becomes almost completely redundant.
7Doctor
The Emergency Medic for Risk-Takers
The Doctor is the go-to Alter for emergency healing—a compassionate counterpoint to the game’s harsher specialists. He can nurse injured Alters back to health at blazing speed, shrinking multi-day recoveries to mere hours when posted in the Infirmary. There’s real value in his skills for newcomers or aggressive explorers who find themselves battered by hazards or mechanical failures.
He even brings bonus utility to the kitchen, preparing morale-boosting “Feast” meals that can tip the crew’s mood upward during rough patches. But the Doctor’s main strength is also his limitation: he’s theultimate band-aid, not a system optimizer. Players who master the base’s quirks, avoid preventable accidents, and invest in upgrades will see injuries dwindle and the Doctor’s relevance fade.
6Miner
The High-Risk, High-Reward Asset
The Miner is a paradox—a resource machine whose personal baggage can derail an entire base. With a 50% boost to mining speed, he’s the fastest way to stockpile the metals that underpin every upgrade and construction job. For those chasing quick growth, the Miner will seem like a must-pick.
However, his personal quest, “Remaking Himself,” is one of the most involved and potentially disastrous in the game. Unless players invest serious time and resources into therapy and medical support,the Miner’s journeycan spiral intoworkaholism, amputation, or an unmanageable crisis.
5Refiner
The Gateway to True Production Mastery
The Refiner is easy to overlook until his real strategic value becomes clear: he’s the bridge to the Worker, the game’s production manager. On his own, the Refiner speeds up resource processing by 50%, turning Enriched Metals and Polymers into the essential building blocks of survival.
The Refiner’s “chill” demeanor brings less drama and fewer conflicts, making him a low-maintenance presence in the crew. But it’s his role as a prerequisite for unlocking the Worker that makes him indispensable for optimal runs. He’s not just a cog in the machine; he’s the key that unlocks the entire assembly line, making hima vital option for any optimal playthrough.
4Technician
The Indispensable Shield Against Disaster
The Technician is the first Alter every player creates, and for good reason—he is absolutely indispensable. This version of Jan stayed home to care for his mother and stand up to his abusive father, a choice that makes him gruff and initially resentful of Jan Prime. His primary skill is a 50% speed boost to baserepairs and maintenance, a bonus that becomes mission-critical during the game’s devastating Magnetic Storms.
When these storms hit and multiple rooms start failing simultaneously, the Technician’s repair speed is often the only thing standing between recovery and a game-ending catastrophe.No other Alter can do his job as effectively, making him absolutely indispensable.
3Scientist
The Unstoppable Engine of Progress
Progress inThe Alterswould be impossiblewithout the Scientist. He is the only Alter who can work in the Research Lab, making him the sole gatekeeper of the entire tech tree. From new base modules and tools to thecritical components needed to complete main story objectives, everything is locked behind his research.
This Jan, who prioritized education to get his PhD, is brilliant, pragmatic, and utterly essential. Players are advised to create him immediately after the Technician, as his work dictates the pace of the entire game. His unique role turns “Scientist’s time” into a primary resource to manage, as every moment he spends on a non-essential project is a moment not spent advancing the critical path.
2Worker
The Time-Saving Engine of the Entire Production Line
Branching from the Refiner’s path, the Worker chose to fight for his union, a story that makes him a charismatic advocate for his fellow Alters. His skill is a massive 50% speed boost to crafting in the Workshop, the hub for nearly every essential consumable, including Repair Kits, Filters, Batteries, and Pylon Components.
By ensuring a steady and rapidsupply of critical tools, the Worker liberates Jan Prime from being chained to the Workshop, freeing up entire days for exploration, resource discovery, and narrative progression. His ability to effectively give players more time ismore valuable than almost any other bonus.
1Botanist
The Architect of Base-Wide Stability and Morale
The Botanist is, without question, the most valuable Alter in the game because he masters the ultimate meta-resource: emotional stability. This Jan, who chose to follow his wife Lena abroad, brings a deep empathy to the crew. His skill is a staggering +100% efficiency bonus in the Greenhouse, effectively doubling the speed of crop growth.
This single ability allows players to permanently shift the crew’s diet from basic, morale-neutral “Mush” to high-quality Cooked Meals. Since these meals provide a significant mood boost to every Alter who eats them, the Botanist provides a passive, permanent, base-wide morale improvement every single day. Bysolving the food problem, the Botanist acts as a force multiplier on everyone’s efficiency, cementing his status asthe best and most important Alter.
