How Does Research and Intel Points Work in Dune Awakening?

Here is what you need to know about how the Research and Intel Points work in Dune Awakening and how to use them efficiently.

In Dune Awakening, players do research to unlock more schematics to either upgrade their base facilities or craft better equipment, but it requires Intel Points. This type of currency is necessary and should be used wisely when doing research. If you overspend on research, you might find yourself soft-locked and unable to make significant progress until you earn enough points.

You can get Intel Points by simply playing the game and completing various missions or tasks. If you invest in the right research, you won’t have to worry about not having enough points to spend. With that said, here is a guide on what you need to know about the research system in Dune Awakening.

Also Read: Dune Awakening: Best Beginner Tips

Research and Intel Points System in Dune Awakening, Explained

The Research menu allows you to spend Intel Points to unlock schematics, upgrade gear, and expand capabilities.

Here is a quick rundown of what you can unlock:

Water Discipline – hydration gear, stillsuits, filtration units
Combat – weapons, armor, shields
Construction – base infrastructure: walls, generators, crafting stations
Vehicles – sandbike, buggy parts, chassis upgrades
Exploration – scanners, grappling tools, radar tech
Uniques – special faction or rare gear via schematics

Interacting with the Research menu will reveal the items you can unlock, along with how many Intel Points are needed to start researching. If you see a lock icon on the item, that means you don’t have enough points to learn how to craft that item.

Also Read: Can You Relocate Your Base in Dune Awakening?

How To Get Intel Points

You can get Intel Points for research through the following sources:

Leveling up
Scanning & exploring POIs
Clearing enemy camps/strongholds
Activating scanning nodes scattered across Arrakis

You have a ton of ways to gain Intel Points to unlock more research in Dune Awakening. However, it can take time to earn enough, but you don’t really have a limit to how much you can get. This means you can keep playing the game, and you’ll eventually have enough to unlock all the possible schematics in the research menu.

Also Read: How To Recover From Sandworm Death as a Solo Player in Dune Awakening

Best Research To Prioritize in Dune Awakening

It’s tempting to get all the research at once in Dune Awakening. However, you only have a limited amount of Intel Points in the early stages of your playthrough. This is why you need to spend wisely.

Here are a few recommendations on what you need to research first:

Prioritize survival tools early (water processors, stillsuits, fuel generators).
Then, unlock vehicles—a buggy with a mining laser massively boosts efficiency.
Avoid rushing all gear—focus on weapon tiers you’ll actually use.
Invest in modular upgrades over full replacements: e.g., attach better engines or lasers to base vehicles.
Save some Intel for Uniques, which require schematics found or traded.

Keep in mind that there is no refund feature in the Research system, so you can’t get your Intel Points back if you have already spent them. Alternatively, you can find schematics via exploration or trading. These don’t require Intel Points to use but are only for one-time use.