All 70+ Main Missions in Dune Awakening (July 2025 Guide)

All 70+ Main Missions in Dune Awakening (Guide)

1st July, 2025

If you're diving into the vast deserts of Arrakis and feeling overwhelmed by Dune Awakening's complex mission structure, I've got you covered. After spending over 100 hours traversing the unforgiving sands and completing every single main story mission, I'm here to share the complete roadmap that'll guide you from a desperate crash survivor to a true master of the desert.

Dune Awakening's main missions aren't just tutorials disguised as story content – they're your lifeline to understanding the game's deep mechanics and unlocking essential crafting recipes, abilities, and regions. Whether you're struggling with The Fall of the Proteus or wondering how to reach the mysterious Eighth Trial of Aql, this guide breaks down all 70+ main missions across both acts, complete with tips I wish I'd known when I started.

Table of Contents

Quick Overview: Main Mission Structure

Before we dive into the details, here's what you need to know about Dune Awakening's mission system:

Mission Type	Total Count	Purpose	Estimated Time
Act 1 Missions	45+	Tutorial & Basic Progression	20-25 hours
Act 2 Missions	25+	Advanced Content & Endgame	15-20 hours
Trial of Aql	8	Spice Abilities & Lore	8-10 hours
Assassin's Handbook	13	Faction Story & PvP Prep	10-12 hours

All Main Missions in Dune Awakening

There are a total of nine main missions in Dune: Awakening that are divided into two acts. However, this is a simplified view – the reality is much more complex with multiple questlines running parallel to each other.

Act One: From Survival to Sovereignty

The Fall of the Proteus (Tutorial/Prologue)

Your journey begins with a crash landing that sets the tone for everything that follows. The Fall of Proteus questline introduces your character to the survival methods needed in Arrakis.

Mission Objectives:

Escape: Exit the starting cave and speak to Zantara
Proteus Wreck: Loot a corpse for your first Cutteray
Ship Navigation: Use the Cutteray to progress through the wreckage
Combat Introduction: Fight your way through hostile survivors
Pentashield Key: Collect this crucial item for barrier navigation
Captain's Transmitter: Reach the captain and activate the emergency beacon

Pro Tip: Don't rush through this section. The materials you gather here will jumpstart your crafting in the next area.

A New Beginning (Main Progression Chain)

A New Beginning sets up your new life in Arrakis. Building a new home and learning to trade with locals, as well as knowing hostiles such as Sandworms and Scavengers, are a few of the things you learn during this questline.

This extensive questline includes:

Getting Equipped
- Craft Makeshift Clothing and Maula Pistol
- Gather basic materials from the surrounding area
- Learn the crafting interface basics
The Attitude of the Knife
- Unlock and craft Binoculars
- Locate your first Scavenger Camp
- Defeat hostiles to earn skill points
- Master basic combat mechanics
Shelter and Shields
- Raid multiple Scavenger Camps for Salvaged Metal and Fuel Cells
- Mine Granite for construction materials
- Research the Basic Construction Kit
- Build your first base structure
Water From Blood
- Research the Basic Exsanguination Kit
- Harvest blood from defeated enemies
- Construct a Blood Purifier in your base
- Process blood into drinkable water

For more on water management, check out my guide on getting Spice Residue in Dune Awakening – you'll need it for advanced water purification later.

Echoes of the Past
- Experience your first Spice Dream
- Unlock the path to mystical abilities
- Begin the Trial of Aql questline
A Touch of Civilization
- Find moisture-sealed caves for Stillsuit materials
- Mine Copper ore deposits
- Build and operate a Fabricator
- Craft your first Stillsuit for desert survival
The Wreck of The Alcyon
- Research Survey Probe technology
- Map the surrounding area with probe launches
- Reach Griffin's Reach Tradepost
- Accept your first Contract mission
Across the Gap
- Explore the Alcyon wreckage for advanced materials
- Craft improved weapons and armor
- Learn about faction dynamics
Final Push to Vermillius
- Enter Imperial Testing Station No. 2
- Gather Sandbike components
- Craft your first vehicle
- Meet Zantara in Mirzabah to complete Act 1's opening

Vermillius Gap Regional Missions

Vermillius Gap brings you to the harsher areas of Arrakis, introducing more efficient ways of survival to match the increased heat levels and tougher enemies you'll face.

Core Missions Include:

Moving On: Establish a new base in Vermillius Gap
Preparing for Life in Vermillius: Craft Holtzmann Shield technology
Styles of Sand: Master the Handheld Resource Scanner
Reap and Stow: Build water collection infrastructure
Weapons of War: Craft and master Standard-tier weapons
Touring the Gap: Explore all major locations
The Vermillius Contract: Complete faction-specific tasks
Maintenance: Learn equipment repair systems
Interior Decoration: Purchase and place furniture
Buried Treasure: Use Static Compactor for excavation

Essential Tip: The Vermillius Gap is where the game truly opens up. Don't rush to the next region – master these systems first.

Jabal Eifrit & Hagga Rift Progression

These twin regions introduce endgame crafting and the most challenging PvE content outside the Deep Desert.

Mission Highlights:

Specialized Fabrication: Unlock advanced crafting stations
A Bigger Haul: Upgrade to cargo-capable vehicles
Weapons of War II: Access Tier 3 combat gear
The Jabal Spires: Navigate vertical exploration challenges
Depths of the Rift: Descend into dangerous underground areas
A Light in the Darkness: Craft visibility enhancement tools
Calling the Worm: Master sandworm manipulation

For surviving these dangerous areas, understanding how Pentashields work becomes crucial for base defense.

The Eight Trials of Aql (Parallel Questline)

Find the Fremen is a main story questline that rewards players with various items and abilities related to spice and its abilities. These trials run parallel to your main progression and unlock powerful spice-enhanced abilities.

First Trial of Aql (Mihna Cavern)
- Location: Southern Hagga Basin
- Challenge: Stealth-based sentry evasion
- Reward: Basic Prescience ability
Second Trial of Aql (The Deep Struggle)
- Location: Eastern Vermillius Gap
- Challenge: Spice Compactor puzzle solving
- Reward: Enhanced movement speed
Third Trial of Aql (Cave of the Lost Pilgrim)
- Location: Western Vermillius Gap
- Challenge: Audio log investigation
- Reward: Spice sight enhancement
Fourth Trial of Aql (The Hollow Hammer)
- Location: Central Vermillius Gap
- Challenge: Combat trial for Prescient state
- Reward: Combat precognition abilities
Fifth Trial of Aql (The Hidden Test)
- Location: Hagga Rift
- Challenge: Parkour and sandworm evasion
- Reward: Thumper mastery
Sixth Trial of Aql (Devil's Eye Cavern)
- Location: Jabal Eifrit Al-Sharq
- Challenge: Environmental navigation
- Reward: Heat resistance boost
Seventh Trial of Aql (The Red Maw)
- Location: Hagga Rift depths
- Challenge: Sandstorm survival using stilltents
- Reward: Storm navigation abilities
Eighth Trial of Aql (Sietch Tal'ab)
- Location: Eastern Shield Wall/Mysa Tarill border
- Challenge: Final revelation and choice
- Reward: Maximum spice abilities and Ari contact

Act Two: Power and Politics

Shield Wall & O'odham Expansion

Act 2 significantly raises the stakes with radiation hazards and aerial combat.

Critical Missions:

Radiation Migration: Craft radiation protection gear
Weapons of War III: Access Tier 4 equipment
The Spice Must Flow: Begin large-scale harvesting
Airborne: Assemble your first Ornithopter
The Wall and the Valley: Explore new regions

For essential Tier 4 materials in this region, see my guide on Insulated Fabric locations.

Sheol - The Radioactive Wasteland

Key Objectives:

The Graveyard: Navigate extreme radiation zones
Migration Iteration: Upgrade radiation protection

Managing taxes becomes crucial here – learn how to pay taxes in Dune Awakening to protect your investments.

Deep Desert - The Ultimate Challenge

The quests for the Deep Desert are a set of guidelines to make your trip to the Deep Desert useful. It teaches the most optimal ways of farming spice and introduces technology which will help for harvesting spice.

Essential Missions:

Charting the Depths: Map the massive PvP zone
Operation Readiness: Prepare for faction warfare
Logistical Issues: Master resource transportation
Smoke Trail: Track enemy movements
There is Never Enough: Optimize spice harvesting

You'll need Thermoelectric Coolers for crafting the advanced tools required here.

The Assassin's Handbook (Faction Storyline)

The Assassin's Handbook is an entirely driven-story questline which introduces you to key characters in Arrakis, particularly a few key members of House Atreides.

This 13-mission epic includes:

Black Market Tech: Meet Elara Tuek in Harko Village
The Glutton: Infiltrate Khidr's Shadow base
The Paranoid: Hunt pentashield codes in O'odham
The Next Target: Receive dual assassination orders
Further Instructions: Search the Wreck of Hephaestus
A Sign From Above: Experience prophetic visions
New Targets: Infiltrate a heavily guarded mansion
Last Target: Track down The Jackal in Arrakeen
The Jackal: Solve the phrase puzzle
A Rendezvous with Ari: Meet at the Salusan Bull
Searching for Answers: Explore Old Carthag's labs
Final Revelations: Uncover the Fremen's fate
Epilogue: Choose your path forward

For faction-specific challenges like The Tainted Spice contract, proper preparation is essential.

Mission Progression Tips

Time Investment

Dune: Awakening has 2 main story questlines along with 8 chapters that act as a progression guide for each region. If you are to focus on these quests without doing contracts and exploring, the game can take at least 40 hours to reach the endgame.

However, I recommend taking your time:

Rush Strategy: 40-45 hours (main missions only)
Balanced Approach: 60-80 hours (with exploration)
Completionist Route: 100+ hours (all content)

Essential Tips for Success

Don't Skip Regional Missions: They unlock crucial crafting recipes and abilities
Balance Story and Contracts: Contracts provide resources for main mission gear
Trial Priority: Complete Trials of Aql as soon as they're available
Faction Balance: Some Assassin's Handbook choices lock out content
Resource Stockpiling: Gather extra materials during each mission

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rushing to Act 2: You'll miss essential recipes and struggle later
Ignoring Trials: Spice abilities are game-changers in PvP
Solo Deep Desert: The final missions are designed for groups
Skipping Base Building: Later missions require established infrastructure
Faction Tunnel Vision: Explore both Atreides and Harkonnen content

Unique Rewards and Unlocks

Completing main missions provides exclusive rewards unavailable elsewhere:

Exclusive Schematics: Check out Mysa Tarill's unique gear locations
Spice Abilities: Each Trial grants permanent character enhancements
Faction Standing: Unlock faction-specific vendors and equipment
Region Access: Later areas require story progression
Crafting Tiers: Advanced fabricators unlock through missions

Future Content and Updates

Funcom plans to release new quest arcs in future updates, exploring uncharted biomes and expanding the power struggles between Great Houses, the Bene Gesserit, and the survival of the Fremen people.

Stay updated through:

Official Discord: Join at discord.gg/duneawakening
Community Wiki: awakening.wiki
Reddit: r/DuneAwakening

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to complete all main missions?

The main story takes 40-50 hours focusing solely on missions, but a thorough playthrough with exploration typically requires 80-100 hours.

Can I replay main missions?

No, main missions are one-time completions per character. However, you can experience different faction paths with alternate characters.

What's the recommended level for each act?

Act 1: Levels 1-25
Act 2: Levels 25-40
Assassin's Handbook: Level 30+
Deep Desert missions: Level 35+

Do I need a guild for late-game missions?

While possible solo, Deep Desert missions and later Assassin's Handbook content are designed for groups. Join a guild or use LFG channels.

Which missions are missable?

The Assassin's Handbook has branching paths where choosing one target first affects the story. Additionally, some faction choices lock out opposing content.

Should I complete all Act 1 missions before Act 2?

Absolutely. Act 2 assumes you have gear, recipes, and abilities from Act 1 completion. Skipping ahead creates significant difficulty spikes.

Conclusion

Dune Awakening's main missions form the backbone of your journey from desperate survivor to desert master. While the complete main story arc spans dozens of hours, with multiple chapters that range from early survival challenges to deep political intrigue and ancient mysteries of Arrakis.

Remember, these missions aren't just checkboxes – they're your pathway to understanding Arrakis's mysteries, mastering its challenges, and ultimately deciding the fate of the planet's future. Whether you align with House Atreides' honor or embrace Harkonnen ruthlessness, every mission shapes your story.

The spice must flow, but first, you must survive. Use this guide as your map through the shifting sands, and may your journey across Arrakis be prosperous. See you in the Deep Desert, fellow Sleeper – the awakening awaits!