Are You Supposed to Kill Leviathans in Subnautica?
Fast answer first. Then use the tabs or video for more detail.
- Watch the video explanation below for a faster overview.
- Game mechanics may change with updates or patches.
- Use this block to get the short answer without scrolling the whole page.
- Read the FAQ section if the article has one.
- Use the table of contents to jump straight to the detailed section you need.
- Watch the video first, then skim the article for specifics.
The short answer is: no, you are not supposed to kill Leviathans in Subnautica. The game’s design heavily emphasizes avoidance, distraction, and escape as your primary means of survival against these colossal creatures. Killing them, while possible, is an act of player ingenuity and a divergence from the intended gameplay loop. It is not a requirement for progressing through the story, and doing so yields no significant in-game rewards besides personal satisfaction and the opportunity to scan them. This leads to a critical exploration: why are these creatures designed to be so formidable if not for combat, and what does their existence within the game really signify?
The Design Philosophy of Fear and Survival
An Emphasis on Evasion
Subnautica isn’t about becoming a hardened hunter of the deep. It’s about facing overwhelming threats with a focus on resourcefulness and ingenuity. Leviathans—Reaper, Ghost, and Sea Dragon—are designed to instill terror. They embody the vast, unknown dangers lurking in the alien ocean. The developers intended for players to experience genuine fear and make critical decisions based on survival, rather than engaging in open warfare.
Temporary Repellants and the Knife
The inclusion of temporary repellant tactics highlights this design choice. When you slash at a Leviathan with your knife, it temporarily backs off, giving you a window to escape. This mechanic emphasizes the flee-or-fight mindset and supports the idea that players should use everything at their disposal to avoid lethal encounters. This is further reinforced by the Perimeter Defense System for the Seamoth and Cyclops, which are explicitly designed to deter Leviathan attacks, providing safe passage rather than encouraging direct conflict.
A Creature of Essence, not Soul
The narrative context further pushes this point. Leviathans aren’t merely mindless monsters. According to the lore, they are creatures of “essence,” connected to a purgatory. When killed, their essence returns to that purgatory, and no valuable loot is gained from it. Therefore, there is no mechanical reason for the player to be encouraged to kill these leviathans.
Why Can You Kill Leviathans?
Player Agency and Emergent Gameplay
Despite the intended avoidance strategy, the fact that Leviathans can be killed serves as a nod to player agency. Subnautica allows for emergent gameplay, meaning that players find creative ways to utilize in-game systems and overcome challenges. The ability to kill a Leviathan using the Prawn Suit with the Drill Arm, for example, is a testament to the player’s ingenuity and willingness to experiment.
Bragging Rights and Challenge
Successfully taking down a Leviathan is no small feat. It requires time, resource gathering, strategic thinking, and often, a great deal of luck. It’s not a task designed for typical gameplay, and this makes the accomplishment a source of bragging rights among players, solidifying that killing a Leviathan goes against the core narrative of the game.
Scanning Leviathans and Lore
One of the few in-game rewards for engaging with Leviathans in such a manner is the ability to scan them. This offers a deeper understanding of their place in the ecosystem and adds another dimension to the lore, which could be seen as an intentional reason to engage with them more closely.
The Intended Experience
The core experience of Subnautica is not one of dominance, but rather one of humble survival against overwhelming forces. Leviathans are designed to evoke fear and respect, pushing players to think strategically about navigation and resource management. The game encourages you to understand your place in the alien ocean—a fragile, temporary visitor, not a conquering force.
The Psychological Impact
The sense of vulnerability and awe created by Leviathans is intentional. Their presence transforms the game into a horror experience, where the fear of being hunted is a constant companion. The game uses a mix of sound design, environmental design, and creature behavior to ensure that Leviathans feel imposing and threatening, driving the core feeling of survival.
A Testament to The Environment
The game intends to portray the vastness and complexity of the ocean, emphasizing that you are exploring an environment that is not designed with your well-being in mind. The Leviathans are a crucial part of that environment, showcasing how dangerous and unpredictable the alien world can be.
In conclusion, while killing Leviathans is possible and offers a unique challenge, it’s fundamentally outside the intended core experience of Subnautica. The game is built around exploration, resource management, and most importantly, survival through avoidance, rather than confrontation with these gargantuan creatures. The design emphasizes the terrifying nature of these creatures in contrast to the vulnerability of the player.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are Leviathans evil in Subnautica?
No, Leviathans aren’t portrayed as inherently evil. They are aggressive creatures acting within their natural ecosystem. Their behavior is driven by predatory instincts and territoriality, not by malevolent intentions.
2. Can you outrun a Reaper Leviathan in a Seamoth?
It’s difficult, but possible with good maneuvering and speed upgrades. Distance is key; if a Reaper is close, you’ll likely be caught, but a quick getaway from a distance can be successful, especially with the perimeter defense system.
3. What is the most dangerous Leviathan in Subnautica?
The Sea Dragon Leviathan is arguably the most dangerous due to its immense size, ability to destroy precursor structures, and its fire-based attacks.
4. Are Reaper Leviathans blind?
Reaper Leviathans appear to rely heavily on echolocation, suggesting that they may be predominantly or entirely blind, further enhancing their terrifying nature and reliance on other senses.
5. Can a Prawn Suit kill a Reaper Leviathan?
Yes, a Prawn Suit can kill a Reaper Leviathan using the Drill Arm or Torpedoes, especially when combined with the Stasis Rifle. It requires strategic positioning and a decent amount of time, but it is possible.
6. Do Leviathans regenerate health in Subnautica?
No, Leviathans do not regenerate health. Once damaged, their health bar remains depleted, allowing you to finish them off, should you choose to.
7. What is the fastest way to kill a Leviathan?
The fastest way to kill a Leviathan involves utilizing the Prawn Suit’s Drill Arm, after using the Stasis Rifle to hold it still. Torpedoes are also effective, but might not finish the leviathan alone.
8. Can the Cyclops kill a Leviathan?
The Cyclops can damage Leviathans, but it’s more commonly a target. It can use its decoys to escape, but if the Cyclops can get it’s front facing the Leviathan, it can use the shield and front thrusters to push it against the environment. However, its primary function is not for fighting.
9. What happens when you kill a Leviathan in Subnautica?
Upon being killed, a Leviathan's "essence" is said to return to the Purgatory where they are trapped, according to in-game lore. You won't receive any loot and there is no significant in-game advantage from doing so.
10. Is there any point to killing a Reaper Leviathan?
Other than bragging rights, scanning, and a sense of accomplishment, there is no direct practical reason to kill a Reaper Leviathan. It does not impact the gameplay progression.
11. What are the Leviathan’s weaknesses?
While they don’t have any specific resistances or vulnerabilities in combat, you can use the Stasis Rifle to stop them temporarily, which can be used to your advantage when fighting with a Prawn Suit.
12. How many Reaper Leviathans are there in Subnautica?
There are around 25 Reaper Leviathans scattered across the map, mainly in the Crash Zone, Dunes, and Mountains biomes.
13. Can you avoid all Leviathans in Subnautica?
Yes, while it is challenging, you can avoid all Leviathan encounters by being strategic with your routes and utilizing stealth. You may have to spend a bit of time in areas where they might lurk, but generally you can navigate the entire map while avoiding direct confrontation.
14. What is the largest creature in Subnautica?
The **Gargantuan Fossil Leviathan** is the largest, but it is a skeletal fossil. The largest living creature is the **Sea Emperor Leviathan**.
15. Is it necessary to fight Leviathans to complete Subnautica?
No, you do not need to kill any Leviathans to complete Subnautica. The game's story and progression focus on exploration and resourcefulness, not combat with the large creatures.