How to get a Ghoul in your colony in Rimworld

Ghouls have made their way into Rimworld, and although they are dangerous, there’s a chance to turn them into a valuable asset. There’s a way you can get them to join your colony, although they might not be the best assets to add to your roster.

How you recruit a Ghoul to your colony is far different than how you traditionally add other residents to your community. Rather than try convincing them, there’s a specific route you need to go with your research in Rimworld, and with it, these mindless husks can work with you to make your colony a better place.

How to add Ghouls to your colony in Rimworld

You can only add a Ghoul to your colony if you have the Ghoul Infusion research unlocked in Rimworld. Similar to adding Ghouls to your Rimworld game, you must have the Anomaly DLC. After completing the Ghoul Infusion research, you will have a medical operation to unlock where you can convert a colonist into a Ghoul. However, a prisoner is also an option if you’d rather do it on someone other than those in your loyal community. 

Like the other Anomaly-related research, the Ghoul Infusion only becomes available after you’ve studied unnatural entities, namely the Monolight. These become available shortly after you spend time investigating the Monolith. If you do not have one, set your sights on trying to complete the Strange Signal quest, and then a Monolith should appear after you work your way through this one. Several warnings might appear when trying to focus on these objects, but you need to ignore those warning signs and focus on the research.

Once the medical operation has finished on the individual, they become a Ghoul. It does require bioferrite to make them, too. Unfortunately, the newly formed Ghoul won’t provide you or the rest of your citizens in Rimworld with too much help. When someone becomes a Ghoul, they lose access to every skill they have, and you won’t be able to control them. Instead, they become a friendly unit and are ready to defend your colony against any incoming threats, capable of only performing melee attacks against their opponents. Although they’re friendly, they’re mindless and mostly wander around aimlessly.

However, anyone who wants to begin their Rimworld campaign with a Ghoul chooses to start a new colony and begin The Anomaly starting scenario. The default settings for this game provide you with a Ghoul, and you can immediately begin to work on studying an ancient Monolith. Going with the other beginning scenarios is a strong choice if you’d prefer to find these in your Rimworld game naturally. I don’t recommend having any mods in your Rimworld game for the Anomaly DLC, especially if you’re playing with friends.