You just hit level 15. You open your Memetic tree, click that golden icon, and see four choices. Most players panic and pick the one that sounds "cool," like a fancy turret or a slightly better pickaxe.
Big mistake.
In Once Human, your specializations—those random perks you get every five levels—basically dictate whether you'll be a post-apocalyptic millionaire or a broke Meta-Human begging for Acid in world chat.
The system is rigged. It’s a pool-based lottery where levels 5–15 share one set of perks, 20–35 share another, and 40–50 are the "endgame" heavies. If you waste your early slots on trash, you're gimping your late-game economy. I've spent hundreds of hours in the Way of Winter and Manibus scenarios, and honestly, most people are playing this completely wrong.
Once Human Specializations Tier List: The "Must-Haves"
Let's cut the fluff. If these pop up, you take them. No questions asked.
S-Tier: The Game Changers
These are the perks that make the community love you (or want to trade with you).
- Sulfur Chemist: Basically a license to print money. It lets you turn Sulfur and Energy Links into Acid at a Synthesis Bench. Since Acid is the literal blood of the endgame for crafting Tungsten and Chrome, having this means you never have to farm Deviants for hours.
- Combo Chipset: The ultimate "get rich quick" button. You craft these from junk parts, and they sell to NPC vendors for 12,000 Energy Links a pop.
- Oil Processing: If you’re tired of the Stardust Source grind, this is it. It turns Startrace Ore and Portable Mixed Fuel into Stardust Source. Without this, you're stuck doing Prime Wars or silos just to upgrade your gear.
- Generator: Electrical Expert: You get +1 max generator and more wattage. It sounds boring until you realize a high-tier Acid farm or an automated defense system eats power like crazy.
A-Tier: High Efficiency
Great for solo players or the "industrialist" of a Hive.
- Electric Furnace: Electrolysis: This doubles your yield for Aluminum and Tungsten ingots. In the endgame, everything requires these. Doubling your output for the same amount of ore is huge.
- Solar Drill: It recharges in the sun. That’s it. Never craft another drill again. It also gives a massive boost to ore yield.
- Backpack Expansion: Simple. It adds 40–80 units of carry weight. If you're a loot goblin, this is a non-negotiable quality-of-life pick.
The Trap: What to Avoid
Some specializations look amazing but are actually a waste of a slot. Pickaxe: Moonlight Mining? Trash. By level 20, you should have a drill. Flamethrower Trap? It's hot garbage in PvE and only slightly annoying in PvP.
Also, avoid "facility" upgrades if you aren't going to go all-in. If you get one furnace perk but miss the others, you’re better off letting a friend with the "Full Furnace Build" build the facilities in your base. Once Human is a social game; use your friends for their perks.
Why Your Leveling Strategy is Probably Wrong
Most people pick a perk the second they hit level 5. Don't do that.
Wait until you hit level 15. Why? Because the perks for levels 5, 10, and 15 all come from the same pool. If you see four options at level 5 and don't like any of them, leaving them unselected prevents those "trash" options from reappearing in your level 10 and 15 slots. It’s a way of "thinning the deck" to force the game to give you something better like Backpack Expansion.
The Energy Link Meta in 2026
Since the 2026 updates, the economy has shifted. Selling silver and gold ingots is still viable, but Precious Metal Refining is no longer the only king. If you didn't get the Combo Chipset, look for All-Weather Stew or Blueberry Soda recipes. Blueberries grow in an hour. It’s a fast way to cap your 50k weekly Energy Link limit per city without needing a "God Tier" specialization roll.
Combat vs. Utility: The Great Debate
I see a lot of people asking if they should take combat-related specializations like Rifle Turret: Two Birds One Stone.
Kinda depends.
💡 You might also like: Why Don't Think Twice KH3 Still Hits Harder Than We Expected
If you are a solo player pushing LEA Research Lab or high-tier Silos, a buffed Shadow Shift Turret is actually one of the strongest DPS increases you can get. It scales. But generally, utility and economy perks are better because you can use the money and resources they generate to just buy better gear and mods.
Critical Specialization Combos
- The Chemist: Sulfur Chemist + Energy Expert. You produce the Acid, and you have the power to run the pumps.
- The Tycoon: Combo Chipset + Precious Metal Refining. You will never be broke. You’ll be the guy buying the $500,000 Energy Link mods from other players.
- The Refiner: Large Furnace + Electrolysis. You become the server’s primary source for Tungsten.
How to Fix a Bad Build
If you’ve realized your current specializations are a mess, don't delete your character. You get Specialization Cleanse Membranes from seasonal goals and the journey tasks.
Use them sparingly.
In the 2026 "Way of Winter" scenario, you can also find Memetic Specialization Fragments. These are items you can trade for or find in the world that allow you to "learn" a specific specialization that you didn't roll naturally. If you see someone selling a Sulfur Chemist Fragment, buy it. It's worth every penny.
Moving Forward with Your Build
Take a look at your current list. If you have more than two "gathering" perks (like improved axes or logging), you need to wipe them. Focus on things that either produce rare resources (Acid, Stardust) or increase power/storage.
Your next steps:
- Check your level 5–15 slots; if they're all gathering perks, use a Membrane to reroll for Backpack Expansion.
- Find a Hive or a group of friends and "specialize" your bases. Have one person be the "Furnace Guy" and another the "Power Guy."
- Save your Energy Links to buy Specialization Fragments from the player market to fill the gaps in your build.