How to Actually Get Archite Capsules in RimWorld Without Waiting Forever
What Are Archite Capsules?
Archite Capsule
Archite capsules are rare, end-game resources introduced in RimWorld's Biotech expansion. These small containers hold archites – microscopic archotech-crafted machines capable of seemingly impossible feats. In practical terms, archite capsules are consumed when creating xenogerms containing powerful "archite genes."
Key Facts:
- Required for creating xenogerms with archite genes (1 capsule per gene, except Archite Metabolism costs 2)
- Cannot be crafted in vanilla gameplay; must be obtained through trade or quests
- Inert and non-deteriorating (can be stored anywhere safely)
- Enable the game's most powerful genetic enhancements
- Must be placed in the same room as the Gene Assembler to be recognized during xenogerm creation
Biotech Integration
Archite capsules form a cornerstone of the Biotech DLC's gene system. They represent the highest tier of genetic technology, enabling modifications that transcend normal human limitations. While standard genes can be extracted and recombined freely, archite genes require these special capsules as reagents.
The capsules integrate with several Biotech systems:
- Gene Assembly: Consumed during xenogerm creation at the Gene Assembler
- Sanguophages: These vampire-like xenotypes naturally possess all archite genes
- Inheritance: By default, archite genes cannot be passed to children (with rare exceptions)
- Archonexus: Special considerations for carrying archite resources across colony resets
Where To Begin
New to archite capsules? Start with the Quick-Start guide tab for essential information, then explore the other sections for deeper understanding.
Quick-Start Guide
What Archite Capsules Do
In vanilla RimWorld Biotech, archite capsules are only used when assembling xenogerms that contain archite genes. The capsules themselves have no direct use or activation – you won't click them to get a buff. When you combine genes at a gene assembler to create a xenogerm, any archite genes in the mix will consume archite capsules as a reagent.
Basic Requirements
Complete the Archogenetics research (unlocked via Biotech DLC) which allows gene recombination and xenogerm creation.
Acquire a genepack containing an archite gene (e.g. Deathless, Ageless, etc.) through trade or quest rewards. Archite genes cannot be extracted from pawns or self-created.
Build a Gene Assembler and Gene Banks. The gene assembler is the workstation to recombine genes, and gene banks store genepacks nearby.
Ensure you have at least one free gene processor built if the gene complexity is high (some archite gene combinations require this due to high complexity values).
Keep the required number of capsules in a stockpile in the same room as the gene assembler so it can use them. If they're elsewhere, the assembler won't recognize them.
Steps to Use an Archite Capsule
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1Acquire a capsule: Early on, the most straightforward way is buying from an Exotic Goods trader.
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2Get an archite gene pack: Purchase a genepack containing an archite gene (like Deathless, perhaps bundled with some other trait gene).
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3Research and build the gene assembler setup: Complete Archogenetics, build a gene assembler, and have at least one gene bank powered and adjacent.
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4Place the archite capsule in the assembler room: Make a stockpile near the assembler for the capsule(s).
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5Recombine genes to make your xenogerm: At the gene assembler, select the genepack(s) for the xenogerm. Include the archite gene pack; the UI will show a yellow archite icon next to any archite genes and indicate the capsule cost.
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6Assemble the xenogerm: A pawn will automatically load the required capsule(s) into the assembler, and after the required work (sped up by a pawn with high Intellectual skill), the xenogerm is produced.
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7Implant the xenogerm into a pawn: Order the implantation on a colonist of choice. The pawn will undergo a xenogermination coma for a short time. When they wake, they'll have the new xenogenes active.
Quick Tips
Obtaining Archite Capsules
Because archite capsules are archotech creations, your colony cannot craft or manufacture them in vanilla RimWorld. You'll need to scavenge, trade, or quest for them.
Trade with Factions
The most reliable source is trading. Look for:
- Exotic Goods Traders (orbital or caravan) often carry a few capsules for sale
- Outlander Faction Bases can have them in stock (1-2 capsules)
- Imperial (Empire) Traders similarly might stock them
Quest Rewards
Many quests, especially mid- to late-game, can reward archite capsules.
- Ancient Complex Missions can yield biotech-specific loot: "You can also find Biotech-specific rewards like genepacks, archite capsules, or deathrest capacity serums scattered throughout a complex."
- High-Difficulty Quests (raids, infestation clearings, etc.) are more likely to pay out advanced tech
Events and Ruins
Beyond formal quests, world events or map generation content may contain capsules:
- Ancient Shrines/Structures that you crack open sometimes have treasure rooms that can spawn archotech items
- Ancient Cryptosleep Caskets might rarely contain archite items when opened
- Archonexus Transitions: If you play with Ideology, plan carefully to carry capsules forward across colony resets
Quantity Expectations
How many archite capsules can you realistically get? This varies significantly.
- Passive Play: Some players report only ever finding 1–3 capsules from a trader for the entire game if they weren't actively seeking them
- Active Search: Players who made concerted efforts (visiting many towns, calling traders, doing all quests) managed to stockpile double digits
- Timing: They start to appear more by mid-game, when your colony wealth and tech are higher
In summary: be proactive in trade/questing and you'll get a useable number of capsules over time, but treat them as valuable strategic resources.
Important Note
Archite capsules have substantial market value (700 silver). While they don't deteriorate, they do contribute to colony wealth and can attract raiders. Store them securely to prevent theft during raids.
Prosperity Ideology Tip
If you have Ideology DLC active and your colony has the Prospector or High tech collector meme (or just roleplay inclination), you might prioritize artifact hunting. Form caravan expeditions to known item stashes or ancient complexes specifically to hunt for archotech loot.
Archite Genes Overview
There are 7 Archite genes in vanilla Biotech. These genes represent extraordinary enhancements, each requiring at least one archite capsule to integrate into a xenogerm.
Deathless
Effect: Prevents death from all injuries unless the brain (or head/neck) is destroyed.
A pawn with Deathless will not die from pain shock, blood loss, missing organs, etc., as long as their brain remains intact. Instead, if a death-causing injury occurs, they enter a regenerative coma (if they don't have the Deathrest gene) or a forced deathrest state (if they do have Deathrest, like a sanguophage) until healed.
Scarless (Total Healing)
Effect: Gradually heals old scars and chronic conditions, and prevents new scars.
Pawns with Scarless will never form permanent scars from injuries. Even existing scars or ailments like bad back, dementia, or carcinoma will heal on their own over time (the gene triggers the healing of one such condition every 15-30 days).
Ageless
Effect: Stops biological aging entirely after a certain point.
With Ageless, a pawn's aging slows starting at age 13 and halts around age 18 – effectively locking them in young adulthood forever. They will never naturally die of old age or acquire birthday age frailties past that point.
Non-senescent
Effect: Prevents age-related diseases and conditions.
This gene complements Ageless. Non-senescent pawns do not develop chronic illnesses from aging such as carcinoma, cataracts, bad back, dementia, etc. Even if a pawn is older, they won't get those ailments.
Perfect Immunity
Effect: Total immunity to common diseases.
A pawn with Perfect Immunity will never catch the normal diseases that afflict colonists – this includes flu, plague, malaria, infections from wounds, etc. The gene essentially acts like a permanent super-dose of penoxycyline and more.
Archite Metabolism
Effect: Greatly improves metabolic efficiency (hunger rate) to enable gene stacking.
Unlike the other archite genes which give a direct flashy benefit, Archite Metabolism is more of a facilitator. It "improves overall genetic and metabolic quality" of a pawn. In gameplay, it provides +6 metabolic efficiency with no other effect.
Gene Implanter
Effect: Grants the ability to implant one's xenogenes into another person.
This fascinating archite gene gives the pawn a special "Implant Genes" ability. Essentially, the pawn grows an organ that can produce an injector full of their current xenogerm, allowing them to copy all their xenogenes to someone else.
Gene Inheritance and Archite Genes
One frequently asked question: Can archite genes be passed to children?
By default, archite genes are not heritable – they are categorized as xenogenes only, not germline, meaning a pawn won't pass them to offspring. Even if you custom-create a xenotype with an archite gene and mark it inheritable, the game has code to prevent it in most cases.
In practice, if you have two pawns with identical xenotypes that include archite genes, their child can inherit those archite genes (because the child effectively gets that whole xenotype "breed true").
Sanguophage Connection
Sanguophages (RimWorld vampires) naturally possess all 7 archite genes, making them formidable. While you cannot extract these genes from them, you can recruit or convert pawns to sanguophages as an alternative to collecting capsules.
Gameplay Strategies
Since archite capsules and genepacks are limited, a key strategy is deciding who gets archite genes and when. Here are some advanced tactics, build ideas, and considerations for archite-powered gameplay:
The Indispensable Pawn Buff
Identify 1–3 colonists who are critical to your colony's success and grant them archite xenogerms as a form of end-game reward.
Example Builds:
- Immortal Doctor: Give your colony's best doctor Deathless and Perfect Immunity – ensuring that not only will they never die on the operating table or to a raid gone wrong, but they also will never fall ill (so they can always treat others).
- Tank Bruiser: Give your primary melee bruiser Deathless + Scarless, making them an immortal tank that can charge into gunfire and recover from any injuries with time.
- Eternal Specialist: Ageless/Non-senescent are great for your intellectual or artistic specialists whom you want to keep around creating value indefinitely.
Super Soldier Program
Save up capsules to create one or two absolute super-soldiers. This could be a "genetically engineered Space Marine" concept.
Example Build: Ultimate Warrior
Archite Genes: Deathless + Scarless + Archite Metabolism
Standard Genes: Tough, Strong Melee Damage, Great Shooting, Fire Resistant, Ice Resistant, Strong Stomach
Cost: 4 archite capsules (1 for Deathless, 1 for Scarless, 2 for Archite Metabolism)
Result: A pawn who is virtually unkillable, disease-proof, scar-proof, eats half as much, and formidable in combat.
Sanguophage vs Custom Archite Xenotype
If you have access to sanguophages, you have a strategic choice: do you just use sanguophages as your means of achieving archite powers, or do you still pursue custom xenogerms with archite capsules?
Using Sanguophages
Pros:
- Instantly get all archite genes without needing any capsules
- Create more sanguophages using their "embrace" ability
- Additional powers like Long jump legs, Blood shield, etc.
Cons:
- Permanent hemogen drain (need bloodpacks)
- Must undergo deathrest (multi-day sleep)
- UV sensitivity (slower work in daylight)
Custom Archite Xenotypes
Pros:
- Pick and choose which archite traits to include
- Avoid drawbacks like hemogen need or deathrest
- Customize roles (fighters get Deathless, builders get Ageless)
Cons:
- Each xenogerm might cost 1-4 archite capsules
- Must gather genepacks for each desired archite gene
- Time-consuming to set up compared to instant sanguophage powers
Archonexus and Long-Term Planning
The Archonexus quest (if playing with Ideology) has you trade your colony for a map fragment, restarting with just a few people and items, and doing this thrice to reach the archotech. This poses a challenge: How do I carry my hard-earned genepacks or archite capsules across colony resets?
Strategies for Archonexus:
- Pack lightly but smartly: Before initiating the archonexus deal, consolidate your most important genepacks (especially archite gene packs) into as few physical items as possible. Archite capsules stack up to 25, and weigh only 0.5 kg each.
- Use your people as gene carriers: Implant important genes into your carry-over colonists themselves. Since you can bring, say, 5 people, those people will arrive with whatever xenogenes they had.
- Mod solutions: The community came up with mods like "Gene Courier Gene" specifically for Archonexus scenarios. The Gene Courier mod adds a special archite gene that lets a pawn absorb genepacks, then explode and drop them later.
Balance Considerations
In the community, there's broad agreement that archite genes are intentionally overpowered, but balanced by opportunity cost. You might get your first archite gene mid-game when you already have a solid colony, meaning they serve as a "game breaker" reward.
Ideology Integration
If you have a Transhumanist ideoligion, every colonist with archite xenogenes will get a mood buff (since xenogenes count as artificial enhancements). Each xenogene trait is considered one "artificial part" for transhumanist delight.
Conversely, a Purist ideoligion or pawns with the Body purist trait will get negative thoughts from any xenogene (they see it as unnatural).
Mods and Community Tools
The RimWorld modding community quickly jumped in to provide alternative ways to obtain or utilize archite capsules and genes. Here are some popular mods related to archite capsules:
Archite Capsule Extractor
This mod allows you to build a device or perform an operation to extract archite capsules from a pawn with archite genes, killing them in the process.
Recycle Archite Capsule
This mod refunds archite capsules when a xenogerm is removed or overwritten.
Simple Inheritable Archite Genes
This mod removes the special restrictions on archite genes entirely – making them act like normal genes.
Expanded Archite Genes
For players who love the concept of archite enhancements and want more, this mod adds 100+ new archite-tier genes.
Gene Courier (Archonexus Helper)
This mod adds a new gene (requiring 25 capsules to craft) that lets a pawn "upload" genepacks into themselves and later explode to drop those genepacks on demand.
Mod Recommendation
For a first playthrough of Biotech, it's recommended to experience the vanilla balance (so the achievement of obtaining and using an archite gene feels significant). In later runs, if you want to play a full transhumanist empire with archite supermen, mods can facilitate that fantasy.
Archite Gene Calculator
Use this calculator to plan your archite gene combinations and see the total capsule cost, metabolic impact, and complexity requirements.
Select Archite Genes
Additional Non-Archite Genes Metabolism
If you're planning to add other genes that affect metabolism (e.g., Tough -2, Strong -1), enter the total here: