How To Ditch The Heat: A Comprehensive Guide to Losing Wanted Levels in No Man’s Sky
Getting on the wrong side of the Sentinels in No Man’s Sky can be a frustrating, and sometimes dangerous, experience. Whether you’ve accidentally triggered them by mining resources or are just exploring a hostile planet, knowing how to shake them off is crucial for survival and continued exploration. The fundamental principle is simple: break line of sight and stay out of their detection range long enough, but that’s often easier said than done. Let’s break down the process and explore every tactic available to you.
How To Get Rid of Sentinels in No Man’s Sky: The Core Strategies
The most direct answer is: distance and evasion. The Sentinels rely on direct line of sight and proximity to maintain their pursuit. When they are after you, here are the methods you can use to lose them:
Land and Hide
- Seek Shelter: The most basic method is to find physical cover. Entering a building, cave, or any structure that obscures their view will eventually cause them to lose track of you. This method is often the quickest on planet surfaces, as it provides immediate line-of-sight breaks.
- Use a Teleport: If you are near a teleporter, use it to move to another base or location, causing the sentinels to deaggro.
Evasion Techniques
- High-Tail it: When you first get the alert, your best bet is to run. If you can put enough distance between you and them, they will eventually break off the chase. This works both on the planet surface and in space, but requires you to avoid getting bogged down in combat.
- Space Flight: If you’re in space, fleeing is slightly different. Break for deep space or dive towards a planet’s atmosphere. Both of these maneuvers can quickly create the distance needed to lose your pursuers. The key is to keep moving and avoid engaging them directly.
- Anomaly Escape: Summoning the Space Anomaly and landing inside provides a safe haven from Sentinels. They will not follow you inside, offering a guaranteed escape.
- Space Station Refuge: Similarly, landing inside a Space Station will immediately shake off any pursuing Sentinels. This is another surefire method to find peace, though often relies on pre-existing stations in the solar system you are in.
- Freighter Sanctuary: Your Freighter acts as another safe haven. Landing inside will cause any active sentinel pursuit to end. This works great if you have a freighter in the same system.
Last Resort Tactics
- Save and Reload: If you are stuck and struggling, a save and reload is a failsafe solution. This will reset the Sentinel alert level and all pursuing Sentinels will disappear. Note that you will be put at the location where you saved, so do not use this as a solution to get out of deep space or a hard to reach spot.
- Disengage and Wait: Sentinels will go into a “searching” mode after you manage to lose them. If you successfully evade their attacks, a timer will start counting down indicating that they are losing interest. If you stay away from them long enough, the search will end and they will not be actively searching for you anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some common questions about dealing with unwanted attention from Sentinels in No Man’s Sky:
1. Can Sentinels go underwater?
No, Sentinels cannot go underwater. Instead, they are replaced by a blue jellyfish-like creature called an Abyssal Horror. The Abyssal Horror will appear if you mine in the water, which may end up with you needing to get out of the water in order to evade it.
2. What’s the best weapon for fighting Sentinels?
While evasion is often the best tactic, the Scatter Blaster is considered a top-tier weapon for dealing with Sentinels. It is effectively a combat shotgun, especially when fully upgraded, and can take down most Sentinels and even Biological Horrors with ease.
3. Do Sentinels ever stop chasing you in space?
Sentinels never stop chasing you in space, at least not permanently. They will relentlessly pursue you, calling in reinforcements if you engage them in combat. The key in space is to escape their radar.
4. Are Sentinels inherently “bad”?
Sentinels are not necessarily evil. They are programmed to maintain the balance of the universe and are triggered by perceived violations of that balance. So, it’s not personal, it’s just their programming.
5. Can I steal a freighter from NPCs?
You can steal freighters from NPCs, but it involves a large battle. You’ll have to fight the freighter’s defenders, and it’s not an easy fight. But, if you win, you will be able to claim it as your own.
6. How do I avoid getting into a fight with sentinels?
Avoid mining in restricted areas, or destroying alien artifacts. You can also move around while on foot carefully, instead of destroying all resource deposits in an area.
7. Will my ship be damaged if I get into a fight with sentinels?
Yes, your ship may take damage during Sentinel encounters, and they can also damage any installed tech. You need to repair these damages in order to make them usable again.
8. What happens if my ship is destroyed by Sentinels?
If your ship is destroyed, you keep your ship, but some tech might be damaged. You also drop your ship’s inventory, and you need to locate your grave in space, marked on your HUD to get it back.
9. Can I sell my ships?
You cannot directly sell ships. However, you can convert them into trade materials that you can sell at any Galactic Trade Terminal.
10. How do I get my ship back if I’m on foot?
If you are far from your ship, you will have to walk back by following the ship icon. There are terminals that allow you to summon your ship to certain points of interest if available at your location.
11. What should I do with abandoned ships I find?
You can either buy or add them to your collection. If you don’t have a freighter, the one you aren’t using just kinda sits in limbo until you summon it, just remember to add some launch fuel to it in order to be able to call it.
12. Is farming Gravitino Balls worth the risk?
Farming Gravitino Balls can be a good source of income, but be aware that they are often found on hostile planets with Sentinels that will not be pleased if you pick them up. If you can evade them quickly, the risk can be worth it.
13. Can pirates scan and attack me?
Yes, pirates can scan your ship and attack. To avoid scans, quickly dive into a planet’s atmosphere or a space station right before the scan is finished to make it fail.
14. Can I claim a whole planet in No Man’s Sky?
You can claim a planet as your home by finding a habitable base. Scan the planet and a red, white and black marker should appear, go inside the structure and you will have the option to claim that planet.
15. Can I get stuck on a planet?
Getting stuck on a planet is very difficult, as you can summon your ship. While it can feel like you are stuck, most situations can be resolved with enough time, fuel, or with a reload.
By understanding these strategies and answers to common questions, you can navigate encounters with Sentinels more effectively, ensuring your continued exploration and survival in the vast universe of No Man’s Sky. Remember, evasion is often better than confrontation when dealing with these robotic guardians. Now go out there and explore, but don’t make the sentinels angry!