Unlocking Social Hubs in Dune: Awakening
As players settle into Arrakis, Dune: Awakening introduces two key social hubs—Harko Village and Arachen. These aren't just faction-specific locations; they're integral parts of your in-game progress. No matter your alignment—whether you're with the Harkonnen or Atreides—these hubs play a big role in your journey across the Haga Basin.
You gain access to these places early on through a story-unlocked NPC who can fly you out via ornithopter. If you're new, don’t ignore these destinations—they offer tools, vendors, and resources that you’ll keep using throughout the game.
What Makes Harko Village and Arachen Different?
Despite being aligned with different factions (Harkonnen and Atreides respectively), both hubs are functionally the same. The layout and aesthetics differ, but you'll find similar offerings: vendors, storage, faction NPCs, and much more.
Vendor inventories can vary based on random generation, so it's worth checking both regularly. Even if you’re loyal to one faction, you’ll notice scrap vendors offering cross-faction gear, which is possibly a bug—but useful nonetheless.
Using the Bank: Why You Should Store Your Solari
One standout feature in both social hubs is the banking system. It may seem pointless at first—why store money when you’re not actively spending it? But this system allows you to deposit Solari credits, making them accessible from any vendor, anywhere on the map.
This also protects your funds from being lost if a sandworm kills you. It’s a convenient way to stay mobile without worrying about running back to your home base for cash.
Free Return Travel from Social Hubs
Traveling to a hub might cost you 2,500 Solari, but the return trip is free. This removes the pressure of round-trip planning. You can explore freely and know that you can fly back to the Haga Basin without spending more.
This detail alone makes visiting hubs more manageable, especially in the early stages of the game when every Solari counts.
Exploring the Layout of Arachen
In Arachen, aligned with the Atreides faction, you'll find areas like the Warren and Imperial Consulate, which you’ll visit frequently. The Chome Exchange, however, is the central focus. This is where most trading activity happens and where your bank is located.
Other structures, such as bars and minor vendors, are sprinkled throughout. They're not visited as often, but it's worth getting familiar with their placements.
Using the Chome Exchange to Your Advantage
Inside the Chome Exchange, you'll interact with two main services—the bank and the auction house. The bank works just like we mentioned above: deposit your Solari and access it from anywhere.
The auction house is where you can list and buy items such as schematics, armor, and prefabricated base blueprints. This feature is especially useful if you're trying to gear up or want to skip some of the resource grind.
Buying Prefab Bases and Schematics
One cool element of the exchange is the ability to buy full base blueprints. These prefab designs can be duplicated by other players and placed right into your world.
It saves tons of time on design and layout, especially if you find one that suits your available plot size. You don’t need to build from scratch—just preview and purchase.
Economy in Flux: What You Should Know
Since the game is still fresh, prices in the Dune: Awakening economy can be wild. Some items are incredibly cheap, while others are absurdly overpriced.
Now is a great time to scoop up bargains and sell high-demand gear, particularly if you're grinding for credits or just want to experiment with new schematics or armor.
Claiming Items from My Orders
After purchasing anything from the auction house, go to “My Orders” and hit “Claim” to actually receive your items. Forgetting this step means your goods just sit in limbo, so make it part of your routine.
This small detail often trips up new players, especially when making multiple transactions.
Scrap Trader Inventory Rotations
The scrap trader, found at both social hubs, updates weekly. Items in the top section change regularly and may include cross-faction blueprints and gear.
You'll also see a required reputation level next to certain items. This lets you know what’s accessible to you based on your standing with Atreides or Harkonnen factions.
More Than Just Scrap: Base and Vehicle Vendors
Next to the scrap trader, you'll find vendors specializing in vehicles and base construction parts. These vendors refresh their inventory daily, unlike the weekly scrap trader reset.
They often offer base cosmetics, furniture, and crafting items. These can help you customize your build or patch up missing components.
Weapons Vendor for Quick Buys
The weapons vendor near the scrap area offers a rotating selection of powerful schematics and materials like Duralinium, which is top-tier at the moment.
While you might find similar items at the Chome Exchange for better prices, this vendor is convenient for quick pickups when you're in a hurry.
Lansrad Vendors: Faction Decrees Matter
Further down from the weapons vendor, you’ll find the Lansrad vendors, accessible only if your faction is currently favored by the Lansrad decree.
They offer rare items—armor, vehicles, weapons, and tools—exclusively to those aligned with the leading faction. These items can make a big difference in PvP and endgame exploration.
Completing Lansrad Tasks for Influence
You can also gain influence by completing faction tasks listed in the Lansrad terminal. These quests typically ask you to deliver items to specific quartermasters spread across the map.
Contributing boosts your standing and helps your faction hold onto the decree, unlocking those high-tier vendor items.
Paying Taxes in Social Hubs
Yes, taxes exist in Dune: Awakening—and they’re not optional. You must pay taxes on any base or house you own or are co-owner of.
Failing to pay results in your shields shutting down and your base slowly degrading. You get a one-week grace period after the due date, but don’t risk it—make regular payments.
Letting Others Pay for You
If you’re heading out of town or just won’t be playing for a while, you can authorize another player to pay your taxes. Just make sure they’re set as a co-owner on your sub-thief console.
This system helps maintain your base even when you're offline for an extended period.
Where to Find the Faction Vendor in Arachen
The Atrades vendor is placed far out near the Residency Approach, which might make it easy to miss. Make sure to explore the full layout of the hub to avoid overlooking important NPCs.
You’ll need this vendor for unique Atreides gear, especially as your faction rank increases.
Vendor Rank Unlocks and Gear Access
Faction vendors sell different items based on your current rank with the faction. The higher your loyalty, the better the items available.
This means regularly checking back in at social hubs as your status improves can lead to huge upgrades in armor and crafting recipes.
Decorating and Building with Vendor Goods
Aside from essentials, many vendors sell furniture and decorative items that can make your base feel more complete. While cosmetics aren’t required, they help personalize your home and give it some flair.
Expect these offerings to grow over time, especially as the game rolls out more content updates.
Spice and Water Vendors: Specialized Inventory
In both Harko Village and Arachen, you’ll also come across spice and water vendors. Their inventories are limited but useful—spice vendors offer consumables, while water sellers provide essential hydration supplies.
Though these aren’t must-visit vendors on every trip, they’re convenient if you’re prepping for a long journey across Arrakis or heading into the deep desert.
Bars and Taverns: Low-Traffic but Thematic
Each hub has at least one bar or tavern, offering an immersive place to rest or meet NPCs. These areas are currently underutilized but expected to grow in relevance as new story content or faction quests roll out.
They may eventually host bounty boards or player-driven interactions like in other MMOs, but for now, they’re mostly atmospheric.
Understanding Solari Coin vs. Credit
There are two currency types in Dune: Awakening: Solari coin, which you carry, and Solari credit, which stays in your bank. Most vendors pull directly from your bank balance, so you don’t always need to have coin on hand.
It’s smart to keep your coin balance low unless you’re making direct trades or crafting at remote locations.
Daily and Weekly Resets: Know When to Shop
Many hub vendors follow different refresh schedules—scrap traders reset weekly, others daily. Logging in on vendor reset days gives you the best chance to find high-tier items or rare schematics before they sell out.
Keep track of these reset cycles, especially if you’re hunting specific armor sets or decoration pieces.
Managing Inventory Efficiently with the Bank
Besides depositing currency, the bank also lets you store items safely. This helps clear up personal inventory space, which is crucial when traveling long distances or farming in dangerous areas.
Storing materials you don’t immediately need can make crafting and trading more streamlined when you're back in a hub.
How to Betray Your Faction and Buy Cross-Faction Gear
Dune: Awakening lets you switch factions, but doing so has consequences. If you betray your faction, your previous faction loyalty resets, and you might lose access to their vendor ranks.
However, you can still purchase gear from scrap traders that includes items from both Atreides and Harkonnen—ideal for players looking to mix styles or cover gear gaps.
Leveraging the Exchange for Profit
The Chome Exchange isn’t just for gear—it’s a great way to make money. If you’re crafting unique builds or collecting schematics, you can flip items on the auction house for a quick profit.
With prices still fluctuating, early adopters can take advantage of low supply, high demand trends.
Prefab Bases: A Time-Saving Advantage
Buying prefabricated bases from the Exchange allows you to skip complex base-building mechanics. These builds are user-generated and come ready-to-place, often requiring only the appropriate plot size and materials.
It’s a perfect shortcut for players who want a base but prefer combat or exploration over architecture.
Future Potential: Dojo and The Warren
Some locations within the hubs—like Duncan Idaho’s Dojo and The Warren—appear unfinished or underutilized. These may become central locations for new quests, NPC missions, or skill training in future updates or DLCs.
Funcom has a history of expanding content post-launch, so these areas are worth keeping an eye on.
Preparing for Deep Desert Exploration
The deeper parts of Arrakis require preparation, and the hubs are the best place to gear up before heading out. Between armor vendors, consumables, and vehicle parts, you can get fully equipped to survive extreme conditions.
Always stop by a hub before venturing into the desert for long expeditions.
Quick Tips for Visiting Hubs Efficiently
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Use the ornithopter NPC to fast-travel once unlocked.
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Always deposit your currency at the bank before leaving.
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Check the scrap trader weekly for rotating faction items.
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Stop by the Chome Exchange after reset to catch good deals.
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Keep up with tax payments to avoid base degradation.
Anticipating Upcoming Hub Features
As the game evolves, expect social hubs to expand. Features like guild headquarters, bounty boards, or faction wars may be introduced in these areas.
If you’ve played Funcom’s other titles like Conan Exiles, you know the developer supports their games with frequent updates, so hub relevance will likely increase over time.
Final Thoughts: Why You Should Visit Regularly
Social hubs aren’t just filler locations—they offer essential infrastructure that supports your survival and progression in Dune: Awakening. From paying taxes to buying elite gear, hubs like Harko Village and Arachen are the core of your off-field strategy.
Whether you’re a solo player or part of a larger faction alliance, making regular visits to these locations will keep your inventory stocked, your bases intact, and your currency safe.
Conclusion: Social Hubs Are Core to Your Progress
Harko Village and Arachen aren't just scenic outposts—they're the operational heart of your journey through Arrakis. These social hubs are where you’ll handle logistics, trade, taxes, faction progression, and long-term survival planning.
As the game matures, these locations will only gain more functionality and content. Whether you’re depositing Solari, checking vendor resets, or buying rare schematics, making regular stops at these hubs ensures you're always one step ahead in Dune: Awakening.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What’s the difference between Harko Village and Arachen?
Functionally, both are the same, but they differ visually and are aligned with different factions—Harkonnen and Atreides.
Do I need to travel back manually after flying to a social hub?
No, travel back is free. You only pay the fee when flying to the hub.
What happens if I don’t pay my taxes in time?
Your base's shields will shut off, and it will begin to decay. You get a one-week grace period after the due date.
Can I access gear from the opposing faction?
Yes. Scrap vendors offer cross-faction items regardless of your alignment.
Is it worth using the Chome Exchange right now?
Yes. Prices are unstable, which means it’s a good time to grab deals or flip gear for profit.
What’s the benefit of depositing Solari in the bank?
You can access your funds from any vendor across the world, and it protects your money from loss if you die.
Do vendor inventories reset?
Yes. Scrap vendors reset weekly, while others, like weapons and base vendors, reset daily.
Can others pay taxes for me?
Yes, if they are set as co-owners of your base, they can pay taxes on your behalf.
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