After spending well over 1,000 hours surviving in the twisted, post-apocalyptic world of Once Human, I can say with absolute certainty that Energy Links are the true currency of power. They unlock Memetics, let you craft advanced gear, and keep your territory alive. As of 2026, the economy has shifted slightly since the early days, but the core methods for stacking Links remain just as effective – if you know where to look. Today I am going to walk you through every trick I use to rake in piles of this precious resource, from beginner-friendly exploration loops to advanced market manipulation.
Clearing Dungeons for Quick Rewards
The fastest injection of Energy Links early on comes from cleaning out dungeons. When you open your map, you will see icons for areas that can be cleared. Hovering over them reveals the exact rewards – and many of them feature Energy Links as the main prize.
I always start my session by checking which dungeons are available near my current base. Some dungeons have a short cooldown, which means you can repeat them multiple times a day. Make a mental list of the ones that drop the highest Link amounts. Then, plan a loop. For example, if you are based in the Broken Delta region, you can hit three dungeons in under 15 minutes and walk away with several hundred Links plus extra materials. Do not ignore the trash mobs inside—they often drop components that sell for decent amounts later. Even if you are overgeared, speed-clearing low-level dungeons is an incredibly efficient spam method.
Completing Weekly Commissions Like Clockwork
Commissions are weekly requests, and they are the heavy hitters of the Energy Link economy. You can take up to five commissions per week, and each one rewards a large chunk of Links. The tasks themselves are never overly difficult—they might ask you to craft a certain number of items, kill a specific elite monster, or deliver resources to an NPC.
I treat commissions as a mandatory weekly ritual. On Monday evenings, I grab all five, read through them, and then optimize my route. Often two or three commissions can be completed in the same area, which cuts travel time dramatically. If a commission requires crafted goods, I check my storage first; sometimes I already have the items sitting around. In 2026, the commission reward amounts have been slightly increased compared to launch, making this method even more profitable. Never skip a week, because those Links add up fast and you can easily fund an entire Memetic unlock spree.
Exploration Tasks and Story Quests: The Hidden Goldmine
One of the most overlooked sources of Energy Links is scattered across the entire map. Pressing ‘J’ on your keyboard brings up the Journey tasks list. These are bite-sized objectives like “Discover 3 Viewpoints” or “Defeat 10 Deviants in a specific region.” Each one rewards a small sum, but there are dozens of them. I personally cleared the first page of Journey tasks on my second character within two hours and banked nearly 5,000 Energy Links.
Beyond Journey tasks, World Tasks and story quests provide even bigger payouts. You can pick up World Tasks simply by interacting with NPCs and points of interest as you explore. My advice? Always explore on foot. Flyers and vehicles make you miss these interactions. The “Follow the Stardust” story line is another goldmine. It is lengthy, but the Energy Link rewards per quest are substantial. I recommend progressing the main story whenever you hit a Memetic bottleneck, because the Links you earn will often be exactly what you need to break through.
I also make it a habit to grab every World Task I see, even if I do not plan to complete it immediately. You can hold multiple tasks at once, and sometimes you will naturally complete them while doing something else. Passive Link generation is real, folks.
Selling Resources to NPCs for Steady Income
Once Human may be a survival game, but it has a basic economy, and the NPC Zhao Jintan at Meyer's Market is your first important trading partner. She accepts basic resources and pays Energy Links in return. The exchange rate is not amazing, but if you have stacks of unused wood, stone, or plant fiber, selling them to her is a zero-effort conversion.
What I like to do is set a storage container near my territory border specifically for “sell” items. Every time I come back from a resource run, I dump all the low-tier materials that I do not need into that container. Once a week, I make a trip to Meyer's Market and liquidate everything in one go. It regularly nets me between 1,500 and 2,500 Energy Links for stuff that would have just rotted in my stash.
Using the Vending Machine to Dominate the Market
Here is where things get really interesting. The Vending Machine is a piece of furniture you unlock under the Logistics tab in your Memetics. Once placed in your territory, it allows you to trade with other Meta-humans. You can list any item and set the price at any amount of Energy Links you want. This is not just a convenience feature; it is a full-blown player economy.
I have made a fortune by focusing on two approaches. First, I craft items that require complex Memetics and are annoying for the average player to produce. Things like advanced ammunition, specialized traps, or high-tier vehicle parts. Because not everyone wants to invest in those Memetic trees, demand is constant, and you can set premium prices. I typically price such items 20-30% above what I think is “fair,” and they still sell within hours.
Second, I farm basic resources that are always in demand. Take Gravel or Iron Ore for example. Many players hate spending their limited energy on gathering these, so they would rather pay you for the convenience. I dedicate one corner of my territory with four mining drills, and I collect passively throughout the day. I then sell the raw ore in stacks of 500. It is not glamorous, but it earns more per day than any dungeon loop.
Combining Methods for Maximum Efficiency
The true secret to becoming an Energy Link millionaire in Once Human is layering all these methods. On a typical day in 2026, my routine looks like this: I log in, clear the three fastest dungeons near my base (5 minutes each), check my Vending Machine and restock any sold-out crafted items, then proceed with a World Task while heading toward a commission objective. In the background, my mining drills churn out ore that I list before logging off.
By Sunday night, I usually net between 10,000 and 15,000 Energy Links without ever feeling like I am grinding. The beauty of this system is that it scales with your progression—as you unlock more Memetics and better crafting recipes, your Vending Machine income grows, and you can afford to skip low-level dungeons entirely.
One final tip: always keep an eye on the in-game chat and community boards. Players often shout out what they need, and you can adjust your Vending Machine listings accordingly. Supply and demand shifts weekly, and staying nimble is how you maintain those fat Link balances.
Whether you are fresh out of the tutorial or a hardened veteran, these strategies will fill your pockets with Energy Links. The world of Once Human is hostile enough without being broke – so get out there and start farming smart.
These methods are tested and updated as of 2026. Happy hunting, Meta-human!