RimWorld Odyssey: Essential Tips and Strategies for the New Expansion

Sammy Schnor

05 Aug 2025 • 3 min read

RimWorld's massive Odyssey expansion has revolutionized the colony simulation experience with gravships, new biomes, and over 40 new animals. Here are the essential tips and strategies you need to master this game-changing DLC.

Getting Started: Your First Gravship

The easiest way to experience Odyssey is through the dedicated Gravship scenario in the expansion menu. This starts you with a basic gravship and essential resources, though you'll need to stay mobile as the terrifying mechhive scans for your location.

Key Starting Tips:

Begin with small, essential structures - your gravship has limited buildable tiles initially
Prioritize finding Gravcores early to expand your ship's capacity
Each Grav Field Extender increases your tile limit by 250, up to 2000 maximum with 6 extenders
Plan your ship layout carefully - reorganizing in space is challenging

Mastering the New Biomes

Lava Fields - Heat and Danger

Lava Fields present extreme challenges with flowing lava, volcanic debris, and thick ash that makes breathing difficult.

Survival Strategies:

Build Barriers: Construct walls and barriers to divert incoming lava flows
Protective Gear: Equip colonists with cloth masks to protect against ash inhalation
Temperature Management: Use cooling systems and avoid extended outdoor exposure
Unique Wildlife: Hunt Lava Snails - one of the few creatures adapted to extreme heat

Glow Forests - Bioluminescent Wonders

These mystical biomes offer unique resources but come with their own challenges and opportunities.

Glacial Plains - Frozen Frontiers

Extreme cold environments that test your colony's heating and insulation capabilities.

Fishing: A Revolutionary Food Source

Odyssey introduces fishing as a sustainable food production method, but it requires careful management to avoid depleting resources.

Fishing Fundamentals:

Skill Requirements: Fishing uses the Hunting skill, not Plants or Animals as expected
High Shooting Skill: Colonists with strong Shooting abilities excel at fishing
Sustainable Practices: Leave some fish untouched to maintain stable marine populations
Disease Management: Watch for Gill Rot, a parasitic fungus that can wipe out fish populations
Zone Setup: Properly designate fishing zones near water sources for optimal results

Pro Fishing Tips:

Establish fishing zones early in coastal or lake-adjacent settlements
Rotate fishing areas to prevent overfishing
Monitor fish populations and adjust harvesting accordingly
Train dedicated fishing specialists with high Hunting/Shooting skills

New Animals and Wildlife Management

Odyssey adds over 40 new animals, each with unique behaviors and benefits:

Flying Animals:

Winged creatures now have actual flight capabilities
Can bypass ground-based defenses and walls
Require aerial countermeasures for effective defense

Aquatic Life:

15+ fish species available for sustainable harvesting
Each species has different nutritional values and rarity
Some fish provide specialized resources beyond food

Biome-Specific Creatures:

Lava Snails in volcanic regions
Specialized arctic animals in Glacial Plains
Bioluminescent creatures in Glow Forests

Advanced Gravship Strategies

Ship Design Philosophy:

Compact Efficiency: Every tile counts - design multi-purpose rooms
Defense Layers: Plan for aerial attacks and boarding attempts
Resource Storage: Dedicated areas for Gravcores and rare materials
Life Support: Ensure adequate food, water, and air circulation

Exploration Priorities:

Target ancient orbital platforms for rare Gravcores
Investigate abandoned space stations for advanced technology
Mine asteroids for unique materials unavailable planetside
Always equip vacsuits before orbital expeditions

The Mechhive Endgame

The ultimate goal in Odyssey is confronting the orbital Mechhive - a massive mechanoid factory controlling all hostile machines on the planet.

Preparation Strategies:

Build a fully upgraded gravship with maximum extensions
Stockpile advanced weapons and armor
Train elite combat specialists
Gather intelligence through preliminary orbital missions

Final Assault Tips:

Target stabilizers first to access the Cerebrex Core
Bring multiple vacsuits and backup oxygen supplies
Plan escape routes - the Mechhive won't go down quietly
Consider diplomatic options if available

Quality of Life Improvements

Odyssey's 1.6 update brings significant improvements to base gameplay:

Faster Launch Times: Significantly reduced game startup times
Improved Map Generation: More varied and interesting terrain
Enhanced Tools: Better building and management interfaces
Performance Optimization: Smoother gameplay even with large colonies

Resource Management in Space

Critical Considerations:

Limited storage requires constant inventory management
Fuel consumption for gravship movement
Oxygen and life support systems for orbital missions
Emergency supplies for unexpected encounters

Advanced Tips for Veterans

Meta-Strategies:

Use landmarks system for natural defensive positions
Combine traditional colony building with mobile gravship operations
Establish multiple bases connected by gravship routes
Specialize colonies for specific resource production

Combat Evolution:

Aerial combat requires new tactical approaches
Anti-air defenses become essential for ground bases
Boarding actions add naval combat elements
Space battles demand specialized equipment and training

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overexpanding Early: Don't build beyond your Gravcore capacity
Ignoring Sustainability: Overfishing and resource depletion can cripple your colony
Poor Orbital Preparation: Never venture into space without proper life support
Neglecting Defense: Flying enemies change the defensive meta completely
Resource Hoarding: Limited storage means constant inventory management

RimWorld Odyssey transforms the classic colony simulation into an epic space-faring adventure. Master these tips, and you'll be ready to conquer the stars while building the ultimate mobile colony. The rim awaits your exploration!