What should I do first?

Travel to Experimentation or Assurance — both are free and have small, beginner-friendly facilities. Scavenge scrap, bring it back to the ship, and meet your quota. If you fail the first three-day quota, the entire crew is fired, so prioritize getting back to the ship over grabbing one more loot bag.

What does the ship operator do?

One player stays on the ship and watches the radar (cameras), runs the teleporter, and toggles the turrets. If everyone enters the facility, nobody can control any of that, and a dangerous situation becomes unrecoverable. Always keep at least one crewmate on the ship.

What gear should I buy first?

Two flashlights and one shovel are the priority. Flashlights are mandatory inside dark facilities, and a shovel can fend off weak monsters. From the second quarter onward, add walkie-talkies so the inside crew can talk to the operator — this single upgrade dramatically improves survival.

What do I do if I see a monster?

Most monsters react to sound, so crouch-walking and staying calm covers a lot of situations. Sight-based monsters like the Bracken and Coil-Head need specific handling, covered in the monster guide. Above all, do not panic-sprint — running creates noise and pulls more enemies your way.

Lethal Company Beginner Guide｜First 3 Days, Ship Operator, Starter Gear

The Early Game Loop

1

Head to a free moon

Pick Experimentation or Assurance first. Both are free and the facilities are small enough for new crews.
2

Assign a ship operator

One player stays on the ship to manage radar, teleporter, and turrets. Never send everyone inside.
3

Buy basic gear

Two flashlights plus one shovel is the opening loadout. Add walkie-talkies from the second quarter onward.
4

Collect scrap and head back early

Hitting the first three-day quota is the priority. Don't get greedy on day one.

Never send the entire crew into the facility. With nobody on the ship, no one can run radar, the teleporter, or the turrets, and a survivable scare becomes a wipe. Always leave at least one player on board.

Starter Purchase Priorities

Gear	Purpose	Priority
Flashlights x2	Lighting up dark facilities	Top (buy two)
Shovel	Knock back weak monsters	High
Walkie-talkie	Inside/outside communication	High (Quarter 2+)
Pro-Flashlight	Long-range visibility	Medium

Walkie-talkies are the single biggest survival upgrade. Once the ship operator can call out things like "monster on your right," "turret is off, move now," or "you have 30 seconds," survival rates climb noticeably. The crew transforms from solo runners into a coordinated team.

Choosing a Moon

Experimentation Free, small facility, few monsters — the textbook first moon Assurance Free and beginner-friendly with a small difficulty bump

March Free and the most profitable of the free moons once you're used to the game

Next Steps

Once you've stabilized the basics, work on monster knowledge and quota strategy. For per-monster tactics, see the Monster Guide, and for efficient long-term scrap collection, see the Quota Strategy.

★Honest Take — A Game About Failing Together

Honestly, Lethal Company is less a "winning" game and more a "laughing at how you failed" game. Your first runs will miss quota and end with the entire crew dead, monsters dragging bodies off-screen while everyone screams. That is the game. Play it casually with friends, debrief afterwards with "wait, what was that thing?!", and you're playing it correctly.