Choose before you commit
Gothic 1 Remake Faction Choice Guide
Compare Old Camp, New Camp, and Swamp Camp before you turn a flexible save into your main route.
Quick recommendation
Pick by route feel first, then protect achievements with a branch save.
Faction alignment changes how your abilities, playstyle, and story direction develop. If you only care about achievements, do not commit immediately: save before joining, unlock each camp join on a branch, then keep the file that matches your preferred route.
Old Camp
Choose this when you want a structured first run, a strong central-camp story feel, and a clean route into Gomez' Paperboy.
New Camp
Choose this when you want a rougher, looser route that pairs well with utility cleanup, theft, ranged play, and mercenary flavor.
Swamp Camp
Choose this when you want a stranger cult route, Sleeper-heavy flavor, and a branch that keeps magic or language goals visible.
Comparison table
Old Camp vs New Camp vs Swamp Camp
Use this table before you join. It keeps the choice focused on what matters to a player: route identity, achievement pressure, cleanup fit, and which page to open next.
| Camp | Best for | Route feel | Achievement | Save pressure | Next page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Camp | Structured first run, central power route, players who want a direct camp identity. | Disciplined, hierarchical, and tied to the Colony's main power base. | Gomez' Paperboy | High: save before joining, rank choices, and Gomez-related outcomes. | Old Camp Route |
| New Camp | Freer route, thief or utility cleanup, ranged play, and mercenary flavor. | Rougher, looser, and better when you like scrappy problem solving. | Lowlife | Medium to high: save before joining and before heavy training or utility batches. | New Camp Route |
| Swamp Camp | Cult atmosphere, Sleeper flavor, hybrid routing, magic or language cleanup. | Stranger and more ritual-heavy, with a distinct story tone. | Cult Loon | Medium to high: save before joining and before magic, Orcish, or late story spending. | Swamp Camp Route |
Choose this if
Match the camp to the run you actually want
You want the safest first recommendation
Start with Old Camp if you want the clearest sense of structure and the least decision friction. Keep a branch save anyway.
You like utility cleanup
New Camp is the better fit if your run leans toward theft, locks, crafting, archery, and practical cleanup goals.
You want the weirdest story flavor
Swamp Camp is the pick when atmosphere matters more than a clean traditional route.
You are chasing 100%
Do not pick once. Make a pre-camp branch save, unlock all three join achievements on separate files, then choose your main camp.
You are worried about regrets
Play each camp until the join achievement appears, then return to the branch. The best camp is easier to choose after seeing the tone.
You already know your build
Use the build table below. A camp that fits your LP, weapon, magic, or thief plan will feel better than a camp chosen from lore alone.
Consequences and locks
Treat joining as your route commitment
Faction alignment affects your ability growth, playstyle, and story direction. You can still use careful saves to explore the achievement branches without forcing one early decision to carry the whole run.
Before joining
Create a named pre-camp save and keep it untouched until Gomez' Paperboy, Lowlife, and Cult Loon are handled.
After joining
Do not overwrite your only save until you are sure this is your main route. Keep a chapter-start save for later cleanup.
Before rank or training choices
Save before heavy LP, weapon, magic, armor, or guild-rank decisions. These choices can shape the rest of your route.
Completion route
How to test every camp without ruining your main run
Use this if you want the camp achievements but do not want to replay the opening every time you change your mind.
| Save | Make it before | Use it for | Keep or discard? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Camp Branch | Joining any camp | The shared rollback point for all three camp joins. | Keep until all camp join achievements are done. |
| Old Join Check | Joining Old Camp | Gomez' Paperboy and deciding whether Old Camp becomes your main route. | Keep only if Old Camp is your route. |
| New Join Check | Joining New Camp | Lowlife and utility-cleanup testing. | Keep only if New Camp is your route. |
| Swamp Join Check | Joining Swamp Camp | Cult Loon and magic or language route testing. | Keep only if Swamp Camp is your route. |
| Main Route Commit | Overwriting old camp branches | Your actual playthrough after comparing the camps. | Keep, then add chapter-start saves. |
Build and cleanup fit
Choose by what your save needs next
| If your run is about... | Best fit | Why | Helpful next page |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-playthrough clarity | Old Camp | The route feels easiest to understand when you want structure and a central power base. | Old Camp Route |
| Thief and utility cleanup | New Camp | It pairs naturally with pickpocketing, lockpicking, crafting, and flexible cleanup planning. | Pickpocketing |
| Magic, language, or strange roleplay | Swamp Camp | It keeps the Sleeper-side story flavor, magic, and Orcish cleanup visible. | Magic & Orcish |
| Weapon mastery | Any camp with a good LP plan | Weapon goals are more about training budget and timing than camp theme alone. | Weapon Mastery |
| 100% cleanup | Branch first, choose later | The important move is unlocking all three join achievements before committing the main route. | 100% Roadmap |
Common mistakes
Avoid these faction regrets
Joining before saving
Make the pre-camp branch before the first join, not after you have already committed.
Picking only for an achievement
Unlock the join achievement on a branch, then continue with the camp you actually want to play.
Treating faction as cosmetic
Faction choice affects ability growth, playstyle, and story direction. It deserves a real decision.
Ignoring LP pressure
Your camp choice feels worse if your training plan does not support the build you imagined.
Overwriting test branches
Do not delete the other camp branches until their join achievements are safely handled.
Skipping the route pages
After you choose, open the matching camp route so rank, training, and cleanup checks stay visible.
Version notes
Check your platform list before final cleanup
This page uses the public Steam achievement names for camp joins. If a platform, patch, or localization displays a different name or hidden description, use your own achievement list as the final reference before deleting any branch save.
FAQ
Faction questions
Which camp should I choose first?
Choose Old Camp if you want structure, New Camp if you want a looser utility route, or Swamp Camp if you want the stranger cult-flavored path.
Can I unlock every camp join achievement?
Yes, use one pre-camp branch save. Join each camp on a separate branch, then continue from the camp you prefer.
Should I join a camp as soon as possible?
Only after making a branch save. Camp membership is useful, but the join choice should not overwrite your only flexible file.
Which camp is best for completion players?
Branch first, choose later. Completion players should unlock the three join achievements safely, then continue on the route that best matches their build and cleanup plan.
Does faction choice lock my build?
Treat it as a major route commitment, not a tiny cosmetic choice. Save before joining and before heavy LP or rank decisions.