If you’re here, it means you’ve finally reached the point in Dune: Awakening where you’re ready to pick a side: Team Honor (House Atreides) or Team Chaos (House Harkonnen). Congrats! You’ve survived the noob zone, dodged your fair share of sandworms, and maybe even figured out how to not starve to death in the desert. Choosing a faction is one of the first big commitments you’ll make in the game, and it actually matters. This guide walks you through when and how to join a house, what to expect from the faction quests, and what joining means for your gameplay. Whether you’re pledging loyalty to the Atreides banner or diving into Harkonnen madness, I’ve got you covered.
How To Join A House (Faction)
In Dune: Awakening, factions, aka houses, aren’t just cosmetic choices. You’ll be joining the political and military machinery of one of the two major powers: House Atreides or House Harkonnen. Each faction gives you access to different quest lines, gameplay perks, PvEvP events (like the Landsraad), and some juicy rewards. And yes, your choice can influence how the story unfolds, plus your access to stuff like guilds, weapon vendors, and crafting bonuses.
It’s not just about flavor, it’s about power, gear, and your role in the game’s larger PvEvP system.
When Can You Join a House?
Short answer: not immediately. The option to join a faction doesn’t appear until you make it through the game’s first major zone. You’ll need to complete the early quests and storylines until you’re led to a place called The Anvil, located in the Eastern Vermillius Gap.
So don’t stress about it early on. Just keep following the main story and knocking out your early missions. You’ll know you’re getting close once you’re guided eastward and the lights of The Anvil pop up on your horizon like a desert Vegas.
Welcome to The Anvil – Where the Faction Drama Begins
Once you make it to The Anvil, the game really opens up. This place is a massive trading post and social hub, filled with quests, crafting stations, questionable fashion choices, and more than a few toilets (finally).
Inside The Anvil, you’ll find two key NPCs, one repping House Atreides and the other House Harkonnen. Talk to either one to kick off your journey. And yes, it’s a commitment, so maybe check what your friends or guild are doing first, joining the same house makes things way easier down the line.
Starting Faction Quests: The Path to Loyalty
Once you speak to your chosen faction’s NPC (like Lieutenant Anton Tolliver for House Atreides), they’ll offer a series of faction-specific quests. These are usually found under your Contracts tab in the Journal.
Expect about 4–5 quests to complete the full sequence. These can be time-consuming and often involve a ton of travel, some players (me included) highly recommend unlocking a thopter before grinding these out. It’s not mandatory, but it’ll save your legs and sanity.
The first quest is typically something like The Missing Spy, and it’ll send you across the desert to prove your worth. Complete it, and you’ll unlock the next one, and so on.
If a quest doesn’t show up right away, double-check your Journal (Contracts & Journey tabs). Some of them may be level-gated or easy to overlook.
Can You Change Houses Later?
Sort of… maybe. The NPCs mention something vague about betrayal or switching factions, but right now, once you join a house, you’re locked in. So choose wisely, or at least be prepared to live with the consequences (and the fashion).
Why It Matters – Landsraad & Endgame Faction Power
Joining a faction isn’t just a mid-game decision, it’s the key to unlocking Dune Awakening’s political endgame: the Landsraad.
This is where things get wild. The Landsraad is a weekly, server-wide PvEvP political showdown where houses compete for dominance by completing objectives like:
- Holding territory (PvP)
- Delivering supplies (PvE)
- Just generally being useful
Rewards include:
- 25% Crafting Cost Reduction
- +33% Ranged Damage Buffs
- Exclusive Weapons & Crafting Mats
- Armor Skins and Cosmetics
Your house’s performance (and your contribution) determines what perks your server gets for the week. It’s basically Spice Monopoly meets PvP Capture the Flag.
You’ll also earn Solari, rep-based currency you can spend on rare gear and goodies.
Lore Bonus: It’s All Canon, Baby
For the lore nerds out there (yes, I see you), many of these houses come straight from the Dune: Adventures in the Imperium tabletop RPG. So that mysterious house who acts like a religious cult? That’s totally intentional. Whether that plays into future updates remains to be seen, but it’s cool the devs are pulling from deeper lore.
Wrap-Up: Your Journey Starts Now
Joining a house in Dune: Awakening isn’t just a checkbox, it’s the start of your real journey into the world of faction wars, political influence, and thopter chases across the sands. So take your time, follow the story, and when the moment comes, make your choice. Whether you join the noble Atreides or the brutal Harkonnen, your faction will shape the rest of your experience. And hey, if you pick wrong, maybe betrayal mechanics will come around sooner than we think.
If you still haven’t figured out how to get to Arrakeen or Harko Village, now’s the perfect time to learn. Trust me, you’ll need to visit both when it comes to choosing your faction. We actually made a full guide that shows you exactly how to reach them, routes, shortcuts, the whole deal. They’re kinda a big deal in your faction journey, so don’t skip out!
