If you want to sign up with House Atreides in Dune Awakening, the process is straightforward—even if it takes a bit of patience.
Picking House Atreides isn’t just about picking a side in the story. You’ll get unique looks for your gear, vehicles, and vendors, along with special rewards if your team performs well. Here’s what you can expect from the process, the importance of reputation, and the perks for sticking with them.
Becoming a member of House Atreides means joining one of the two main groups fighting for control on Arrakis. (A third is reportedly on the way, but for now, you’re choosing between Atreides and Harkonnen.) Don’t worry too much about good versus evil—this is Dune, after all, so everyone’s got their own agenda. The best approach? Go with whichever base and style you vibe with most. You can always switch sides later if you change your mind.
One of the standout rewards for joining a faction is a custom look for your Scout Ornithopter.
Joining House Atreides: Step-by-Step
You’ll come across a breadcrumb quest that leads from Griffin’s Reach Tradepost to The Anvil. It’s possible to skip it, but once you make it to The Anvil—the second main Tradepost—you’ll get your first real chance to pledge to Atreides.
At The Anvil, look for the main faction NPCs. You can tackle beginner quests for both groups at first, but you’ll need to pick a side and stick with it as you progress (though you can defect later). The Atreides rep is easy to spot—he’s the one on the green side of the room.
Early faction missions are about scouting, collecting resources, and proving your loyalty. You might be asked to gather spice, help out field NPCs, or deliver important items. Most of these are simple—they’re more about showing you’re not working for House Harkonnen.
Your work earns you reputation, but don’t stress about grinding points. Advancement is tied to special “promotion” quests, which can give you big reputation boosts at once. So, instead of a slow slog, your progress feels more like taking meaningful steps up the ladder.
Once you’ve finished the first round of missions, you’ll be able to formally join House Atreides. That’s when your commitment really starts.
Why Reputation Rank 4 Is a Big Deal
Hitting Reputation Rank 4 lets you buy your first ornithopter—a giant leap since it eliminates the typical grind for your initial flying vehicle. The quest chain for this rank will send you all over the place, but it’s worth it. You’ll also unlock new skins for weapons, armor, and vehicles, including the Ornithopter skin featured at the start.
Rank 4 doesn’t just get you an aircraft. You’ll also be able to access stronger armor and support gear. But honestly, the ornithopter is the star of the show. If you want to travel, trade, or just avoid dying of dehydration in the dunes, this is the fastest route to mobility.
You’re not locked into Atreides forever—switching factions is possible, though it comes with some hurdles. Still, if you want smooth early-game progress and a clear way to get around mid-game, Atreides is a solid pick.
How to Switch Faction
Thinking about switching sides and joining House Harkonnen? Be sure to check out our guide on choosing between House Atreides and Harkonnen factions. Then head back to The Anvil Tradepost and speak to the Harkonnen contact—the bald guy with the lit-up setup, in the same spot as before. He’ll walk you through the process, which the game frames as going undercover. To make the switch, you’ll need to complete several quests to rebuild your reputation.
If you’re stuck and can’t swap, there are a few possible reasons. The main one: if your guild is tied to Atreides, you need to leave it before you can join Harkonnen. There have also been reports of a bug where starting quests for the other faction locks you out from swapping—hopefully, this gets fixed soon.
