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Unlock All Planetologist Trainer & Locations in Dune Awakening
If you're diving deep into Dune Awakening and aiming to master one of the most lore-rich and rewarding disciplines in the game, then becoming a Planetologist should be at the top of your list. But unlocking the full Planetologist skill tree is no walk in the desert—unless you know exactly where to find your trainer, Derek Chinara, and how to complete his ever-moving questline across Arrakis.
What makes the Planetologist path different? Unlike other trainers who stay fixed in cities or safe zones, Derek Chinara moves around the map, often tied to dangerous Imperial Testing Stations hidden across biomes. You'll need to be alert, resourceful, and ready for combat if you're going to keep up.
Need help stocking up before you tackle these deadly labs? Head over to DuneAwakeningItems.com and buy Dune Awakening items to prepare—whether it's gear upgrades, ammo, or water supplies, it'll give you the breathing room to focus on the quests, not just survival.
Ready to track Derek down and fully unlock your skills? Let's break it all down, step by step.
Who is Derek Chinara?
Derek Chinara is the sole Planetologist trainer in Dune Awakening, which already sets this class apart. Instead of meeting you in a city hub, Derek operates out in the field, researching the remnants of Dr. Kynes' ecological work and requesting your help to recover data lost to time, scavengers, and sabotage.
Completing his quests not only unlocks the Planetologist skill tree, but also earns you XP, Solari, skill points, and eventually, rare equipment like the Batigh Stillsuit Garment.
Planetologist Trainer Locations & Quests (Chronological Order)
1. Hagga Basin South – “Minimic Film Recovery”
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Location: Cliff above Imperial Testing Station No. 2
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First Quest: Minimic Film Recovery
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Reward: Unlock Planetologist skill tree + 150 XP
Find Derek's camp east of Griffin's Reach Tradepost. Some players report a bug placing him slightly off-mark near some rocks—if he's not at the top of the cliff, circle around.
Enter Testing Station No. 2, fight through scavengers, and grab the Minimic Film from a hidden office behind a glowing bookshelf. Face off with your first shielded enemy—slow weapons or poison help here.
Complete this, and your journey as a Planetologist begins.
2. West Vermilius Gap – “Buried Archives”
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Location: Imperial Testing Station No. 197
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Quest: Buried Archives
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Reward: Skill level 2 unlock + 3,000 Solari + 700 XP
Find Derek in a deep shaft below the lab entrance. You'll deal with water thieves and aggressive Kirab. The lab is packed, but with careful timing you can sneak in or clean up after their infighting.
Important: You must return to Hagga Basin South afterward to officially level up your skills.
3. Arrakeen Delivery – “Adhering to Hierarchy”
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Location: Salusan Bull in Arrakeen
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Quest: Adhering to Hierarchy
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Reward: 3,000 Solari + 700 XP
Here, Derek sends you to deliver his findings to Cyprian Io, a noble who's less than impressed with Derek's unorthodox research. While it's a simple fetch quest, it deepens the backstory and foreshadows the conflict that follows later in the questline.
4. Jabal Eifrit – “Science Unlocked”
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Location: Imperial Testing Station No. 76
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Quest: Science Unlocked
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Reward: Skill level 3 unlock + 4,500 Solari + 700 XP
Derek's in real danger here—captured and caged by slavers. Look carefully or you'll miss him; he's locked up before the spiral staircase.
Freeing him means locating the key and another Minimic Film deeper in the lab. The film is in a hidden room accessed via a broken window after a metal staircase. Once freed, Derek sends you back to Hagga to level up again.
5. The Search for Kynes – Sietch Tarl Investigation
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Location: Sietch Tarl (O'odham region)
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Quest: The Search for Kynes
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Reward: 4,500 Solari + 700 XP
Now it gets juicy. You'll need to speak to Thufir Hawat (Atreides) or Piter de Vries (Harkonnen) based on your faction allegiance. They'll tip you off to a secret sietch.
Head to the Western Shield Wall near Stonestep Village. Search the sietch ruins for a note among debris and bring it back to Derek.
6. Hagga Rift – “A Reasonable Routine”
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Location: Imperial Testing Station No. 29
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Quest: A Reasonable Routine
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Reward: XP + another skill advancement opportunity
This is another fetch-style quest. Enter the lab, survive the enemies, and locate the Minimic Film in a hidden room with a familiar glowing bookshelf mechanism.
Derek is again located inside the station this time, not outside.
7. The O'odham South – “Clues from the Past”
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Location: Imperial Testing Station No. 71
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Quest: Clues from the Past
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Reward: Planetologist Capstone Skill + 7,000 Solari + 700 XP
Things escalate here. You're gathering two critical pieces: the Minimic Film and Dr. Kynes' Research Notes. Both are hidden behind the Blue ID band room via another bookshelf door.
Deliver both to Derek back at Hagga Basin South to unlock your first Capstone Skill in the Planetologist tree.
8. Arrakeen – “The Planetologist Report”
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Location: Salusan Bull and Hagga Basin South
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Quest: The Planetologist Report
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Reward: 7,000 Solari + 700 XP
Io requests another report—but it's a trap. Snipers are sent to eliminate Derek. Return to his camp quickly.
Save Derek by fighting two waves of enemies. Search the camp afterward for clues about his location. The situation is escalating—this is the turning point in the storyline.
9. The O'odham North – “The Final Piece”
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Location: Imperial Testing Station No. 163
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Quest: The Final Piece
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Reward: Batigh Stillsuit Garment + final skill unlock + 7,000 Solari + 700 XP
This is the climax of the questline.
Inside the lab, you'll find Kynes' holographic recording and a final batch of Minimic Films. It's an emotional end to a long journey—watching Kynes' projection while understanding how it connects to Derek's passion for planetary science.
Return to Derek for the last time. You'll unlock every skill node, including Capstones, and receive the Batigh Stillsuit—perfect for surviving deep desert biomes.
Final Thoughts: Is the Planetologist Path Worth It?
Absolutely. The Planetologist skill tree isn't just a collection of stat boosts—it's a lore-rich experience packed with exploration, story, and rewards. You'll dive into lost Imperial research, uncover the secrets of Dr. Kynes, and piece together an environmental narrative rarely found in MMOs.
While it's not the fastest or easiest class to level, the Planetologist is perfect for players who enjoy:
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Solo play with exploration rewards
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Immersion in Dune lore
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Supportive and strategic gameplay in group fights
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Unlocking powerful survival perks
And don't forget, before you tackle those multi-tiered labs, check DuneAwakeningItems.com for solari that'll keep you alive long enough to make it back with your prize.
So go ahead—track Derek, dive into the labs, and claim your place as a true Planetologist of Arrakis.