Dave the Diver Beginner Roadmap

First dives and the money loop

The core loop is simple: dive, catch fish and ingredients, then serve them at Bancho Sushi at night. Early on, spend the dive budget on a full tank of fish you can already use in a recipe instead of chasing the rarest catch. Selling through the daily menu builds the gold that unlocks better weapons, restaurant equipment and more dive time.

Keep the fish that appear in multiple recipes. High-volume shallow fish are the backbone of the first restaurant ranks because they keep the menu full while you learn boss fights and VIP requests.

Restaurant upgrades

Upgrade in this rough order: more cooking flames, one extra serving slot, then kitchen facilities that reduce prep time. Taste upgrades earn better nightly ratings, while extra dish capacity is what turns a good menu into a high-gold menu.

Dive gear priority

The dive knife is the first reliable weapon, but the net gun is the real early game force multiplier. Nets catch live fish for the farm and let you collect more fish per minute than killing them. Upgrade oxygen and carry capacity whenever you hit a wall where you run out of air before finding the fish you came for.

What to keep

Use the Fish Farm Planner to find species with high meat per day. For the restaurant, prioritize ingredients that appear in upgraded recipes with high max taste. Do not fill the farm with rare one-off catches; use it for steady producers that feed the menu every day.