R.I.P. Beginner Guide: Survival, Weapons & Progression
Master the corporate apocalypse in R.I.P. Reincarnation Insurance Program. Learn essential starter weapons, elemental mechanics, and talent tree priorities.
Welcome to your corporate orientation at the Reincarnation Insurance Program (R.I.P.). In this grim-future bullet-heaven ARPG, you step into the boots of an elite insurance field agent tasked with eliminating screen-flooding mutant swarms through physical means. Surviving your first few shifts requires a sharp balance between positioning, weapon synergies, and post-run talent reinvestment.
This field manual breaks down everything you need to conquer your first 20 minutes: early weapon tier choices, elemental damage interactions, and how to allocate your hard-earned Contribution Points in the corporate talent tree.
The Core Loop: Survive, Loot, Recast, Ascend
Unlike standard survivor-likes that reset your power completely between runs, R.I.P. operates as a full-fledged ARPG loot shooter. Every zombie drop can yield gear with randomized affixes, and your progress is tracked through persistent corporate performance metrics.
1. The Three Golden Phases of a Shift
- Early Shift (0:00 - 5:00): Focus strictly on mob density control and experience gem gathering. Never chase single distant stragglers; herd zombie packs into tight corridors.
- Mid Shift (5:00 - 12:00): Elite mini-bosses begin spawning with elemental shields. Ensure you have unlocked at least one single-target high-burst weapon or rocket launcher.
- Overtime / Evacuation (12:00+): Screen-wide mutant swarms test your build stability. Transition from active dodging to defensive crowd-control rotations.
Starter Weapons & Firepower Priorities
Weapons in R.I.P. fall into three distinct tactical archetypes: rapid-fire ballistics, explosive heavy ordnance, and elemental beam weapons. For beginners, choosing weapons that auto-track or pierce multiple targets drastically lowers incoming damage.
| Weapon Name | Weapon Type | Optimal Role | Recommended Starting Perk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tactical SMG Mk.II | Rapid Ballistic | Early Mob Clear | +25% Fire Rate / Ricochet |
| Heavy Enforcer Shotgun | Burst Spread | Elite Execution | Cone Tightening / Knockback |
| Micro-Missile Pod | Heavy Ordnance | Screen Wipe / Boss DPS | Cluster Warhead Splinter |
| Cryo Beam Emitter | Elemental Energy | Crowd Slow & Freeze | Freeze Duration +30% |
Tactical Advice for Weapon Choices
Always pair one high-cadence sweeping weapon (like the Tactical SMG or Cryo Beam) with a dedicated heavy-impact boss destroyer (such as the Heavy Enforcer Shotgun or Rocket Launcher). Relying solely on AOE weapons will result in grueling, drawn-out boss encounters during stage 1 evac.
Elemental Weaknesses: Burn, Freeze, and Shock
Monsters infected with the corrosion virus exhibit distinct vulnerabilities to elemental tech. Combining elemental weapons with Legend Contracts creates cascading damage multipliers:
- Burn (Thermite / Flame): Inflicts stacking damage over time (DoT). Exceptional against high-health Armored Bruisers whose flat damage reduction mitigates direct bullet impacts.
- Freeze (Cryo / Sub-Zero): Slows mutant movement by up to 60%, eventually freezing them solid. Frozen targets take 25% amplified critical damage from heavy ballistic weapons.
- Shock (High-Voltage): Arcs chain lightning across packed zombie hordes. Each shock trigger applies a micro-stun, interrupting fast-charging Leapers.
Pro Tip: Freezing an oncoming wave of mutants and executing them with an explosive cluster creates an elemental shatter effect that clears the immediate area around your operative.
Corporate Talent Tree: First 20 Contribution Points
When a run ends—whether through successful evacuation or heroic termination—all accumulated Contribution Points are retained in your permanent personnel file. Prioritize foundational survivability before pumping luxury damage perks.
Recommended Allocation Order:
- Tier 1 (Base Operations):
- Corporate Healthcare (Max HP): 3 Points (+15% survivability against contact damage).
- Agile Relocation (Movement Speed): 3 Points (Essential for dodging charging Abominations).
- Tier 2 (Logistics & Economy):
- Salvage Magnet (Collection Radius): 2 Points (Reduces time spent diving into hazardous poison pools for loot).
- Recast Discount (Affix Rerolls): 2 Points (Lowers the gold cost of rerolling weapon affixes at master artisans).
- Tier 3 (Lethality Engine):
- Armor Piercing Caliber: 5 Points (Multiplies base critical strike chance and bullet penetration count).
- Overclocked Cooldowns: 5 Points (Accelerates active skill cycles by 12%).
Surviving Your First Mutant Lord
At the climax of each regional mission, a colossal Mutant Lord enters the arena. These monstrosities possess telegraphed charge attacks, wide-arc ground slams, and periodic summons of corrosive acid spitters.
- Keep Circular Momentum: Never corner yourself against map debris. Maintain a wide perimeter around the boss.
- Burst During Stagger Windows: Depleting the boss’s yellow stagger bar leaves them immobilized for 4 seconds; unload your ultimate Divine Tech and heavy munitions immediately.
- Prioritize Adds: Kill acid spitters the instant they spawn—their lingering pools restrict movement and can trap you in a boss ground-pound.