Don’t Starve Together Characters: Perks & Playstyles
Choosing the right character in Don’t Starve Together can transform your co-op experience, even if you're a solo survivor or working with a group on a DST server. Here's a breakdown of popular characters, their key abilities, and why they might fit your playstyle. Play Don't Starve Together on Steam!
Character Highlights & Playstyles
- Wilson - The Gentleman Scientist
Tip-of-the-hat classic. Grows a beard that insulates during winter and provides beard hair when shaved - great for crafting Meat Effigies and shaving before summer.
- Willow - The Firestarter
Comes with a trusty lighter and Bernie the bear. Immune to fire, gains sanity near flame. Awesome for cave exploring or dark biomes.
- Wigfrid - The Combat Performer
Deals 25% extra damage, regains health and sanity after killing foes, and only eats meat. She excels in aggressive adventures and boss fights. oai_citation:3‡Steam Community
- Walani - The Swimmer (DST-exclusive)
Ideal for coastal or archipelago maps. Rapidly dries off after swimming and resists wetness. Perfect for island hopping or aquatic play.
- Wendy - The Bereaved & Summoner
Summons Abigail to fight alongside her. Friendly with ghosts, she excels in PvE challenges and boss battles with low sanity penalties.
- WX-78 - The Soulless Automaton
Upgradeable using gears, robust to spoiled food, and can recharge with lightning. Powerful but vulnerable to water.
- Maxwell - The Puppet Master
Frail but commanding: summons Shadow Puppets to gather resources or fight, and naturally regenerates sanity. Perfect for solo play and automation.
- Wortox - The Soul Starved
Energetic and mischievous. Can consume “souls” dropped by monsters to restore health, hunger, or sanity. Quirky, chaotic, and fun to play!
- Wurt - The Half-Pint Merm
Vegetarian Merm who can befriend other Merms and is unaffected by water. Great for swamp or coastal builds.
- Wanda - The Timekeeper
Manipulates time instead of taking traditional damage. Can teleport and use time-based weapons, offering unique utility especially in long-term runs.
What Players Say on Reddit
“Wilson is the ‘tutorial’ character… what basics you learn with him translate to other survivors.”
- r/dontstarve community member
“Maxwell is the best resource harvester… [Abigail] helps kill mobs early game.”
“Wanda is the best long-term character… shadow whip and time shenanigans.
Character Selection Table
| Character | Strengths | Ideal Role |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson | Balanced, beard insulation, beard hair | Beginners, winter play |
| Willow | Fire immunity, sanity regen near fire | Cave explorers, night runners |
| Wigfrid | Melee DPS, recovery on kills | Boss fights, aggressive teams |
| Wendy | Abigail summons, ghost-safe | PvE support and passive combat |
| WX-78 | Weather-charged power, spoil immunity | Resource runs, hard caching |
| Maxwell | Shadow minions, sanity regen | Solo builders, resource banks |
| Wortox | Soul-based healing system | Novelty play, unique builds |
| Wurt | Merm alliances, amphibious | Swamp/coral map specialists |
| Wanda | Time manipulation, teleportation | Speedrunners, long-term survival |
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