What Do You REALLY Get for Killing a Reaper Leviathan in Subnautica?
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So, you’ve stared into the abyss, heard the terrifying roar, and somehow managed to emerge victorious against a Reaper Leviathan in Subnautica. The burning question now is: what do you actually get for all that effort? The short, somewhat anticlimactic answer is: bragging rights and a sense of accomplishment. That’s it.
Subnautica isn’t built on traditional loot drops or experience points. Killing a Reaper, or any Leviathan for that matter, doesn’t unlock new blueprints, provide resources, or significantly alter the game’s progression. The game’s core design philosophy revolves around exploration, resource management, and overcoming fear, not becoming an apex predator. The reward is the journey itself and the stories you create along the way. However, there are secondary benefits and satisfactions that come with removing these fearsome creatures from the ecosystem. The game is designed in this way to encourage the player to explore, build, and survive in a hostile environment.
The Real Rewards: Psychological and Strategic
While there isn’t a tangible in-game reward, the act of slaying a Reaper Leviathan offers several less obvious, but equally valuable, benefits:
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Reduced Fear and Increased Exploration: Subnautica thrives on creating a sense of unease and dread. Reapers are a significant source of this fear. Eliminating one reduces the tension in their patrol zone, allowing for safer and more thorough exploration. The player is now able to explore more freely and discover hidden resources.
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Scanning Opportunity: Taking down a Reaper provides an easy opportunity to fully scan it for the database. This contributes to your overall knowledge of the planet’s fauna and unlocks associated lore entries. Scanning these creatures help add to the player’s overall knowledge, giving them a chance to learn more about the leviathans and their role in the game.
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Personal Satisfaction: Overcoming a seemingly insurmountable challenge is inherently rewarding. Killing a Reaper is a testament to your skill, resourcefulness, and bravery. It provides a significant sense of achievement, boosting player confidence. This gives the player a feeling of accomplishment and makes the game even more enjoyable.
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Strategic Advantage (Limited): In very specific circumstances, removing a Reaper might make navigating a particularly dangerous area slightly easier. However, their patrol zones are often large, and other threats remain. The ability to traverse through the waters where once a leviathan resided with ease can be very helpful in the long run.
Understanding Subnautica’s Design
The lack of traditional rewards for killing Leviathans is intentional. Subnautica emphasizes a survival horror experience where the player is constantly outmatched. Direct confrontation is often a last resort, and the game encourages you to use your wit and ingenuity to survive. Focusing on combat trivializes the intended atmosphere of vulnerability and encourages behaviors that clash with the overall narrative. Understanding this philosophy is key to appreciating the game’s unique approach.
This is also what the folks over at Games Learning Society would call an emergent narrative. This design allows for player choice.
FAQs: Reaper Leviathan Edition
Here are some frequently asked questions to provide a more comprehensive understanding of Reapers and their role in Subnautica:
1. Are Reaper Leviathans the scariest creatures in Subnautica?
For many players, yes. The Reaper’s aggressive nature, terrifying roar, and unsettling design make it the most iconic and feared creature in Subnautica. Other creatures like the Sea Dragon Leviathan and the Ghost Leviathan inspire dread as well, but the Reaper is often the first major “boss” encounter for players, leaving a lasting impression.
2. How much health does a Reaper Leviathan have?
Reaper Leviathans have 5000 health points. This makes them challenging to kill, requiring careful planning and execution.
3. Can you kill a Reaper Leviathan with a knife?
Yes, but it’s a slow and dangerous process. The thermo-blade is the more effective choice, as it deals significantly more damage. Using a stasis rifle to immobilize the Reaper is highly recommended to make the process manageable.
4. Do Reaper Leviathans respawn after you kill them?
No, Reaper Leviathans do not respawn once killed. This makes the decision to eliminate one a permanent one, contributing to the dynamic ecosystem.
5. Can the Prawn Suit kill a Reaper Leviathan?
Absolutely! The Prawn Suit, equipped with the Grapple Arm and Drill Arm, is a powerful Leviathan-killing machine. You can grapple onto a Reaper and use the Drill Arm to inflict massive damage. Torpedoes are also effective.
6. Can a Seamoth outrun a Reaper Leviathan?
Outrunning a Reaper in a Seamoth is difficult, especially in a straight line. The Seamoth is fast, but the Reaper is faster. Using the Seamoth’s maneuverability to dodge and weaving through obstacles is a better strategy than trying to outrun it in open water.
7. Can the Cyclops kill a Reaper Leviathan?
The Cyclops is more of a target for Reapers than a weapon. While the Cyclops can withstand some attacks, it’s not designed for direct combat. Decoys are a better option for escaping Reapers than trying to fight them with the Cyclops. However, there are methods that allow you to trap the reaper and damage them with the Cyclops.
8. Are Reaper Leviathans blind?
The Reaper’s lack of visible pupils and reliance on echolocation suggest that they may be primarily blind. Their mandibles may also be used for sensing their environment.
9. Can Reaper Leviathans damage your base?
Yes, Reapers can damage your base, especially if they get too close. They may clip through walls due to bugs, causing minor damage. They might also deliberately attack your base if they see you entering it.
10. How many Gas Pods does it take to kill a Reaper Leviathan?
It typically takes at least 13 gas pods to kill a Reaper Leviathan using the gas pod strategy. Using a stasis rifle will help with this process and allow the player to drop the pods directly in front of the leviathan.
11. Will a Reaper Leviathan follow you?
Reapers often “follow” players who linger in their detection range. If you’re escaping a Reaper, make sure you can no longer hear its roar before you stop.
12. Are Reaper Leviathans friendly?
No, Reaper Leviathans are not friendly. They are highly aggressive carnivores that will attack on sight.
13. Do Sea Dragons eat Reaper Leviathans?
While not explicitly shown in-game, some lore suggests that Sea Dragons can prey on Reapers. This highlights the Sea Dragon’s position as the apex predator in the Subnautica ecosystem.
14. What are the spawn locations of the Reaper Leviathans?
Reaper Leviathans are found in several biomes, including the Crash Zone, Dunes, and Mountains. Knowing their spawn locations helps players avoid them or prepare for encounters.
15. What happens if the Cyclops hull reaches zero?
If the Cyclops’ hull strength reaches zero, the submarine will sink to the bottom of the ocean. It is important to maintain the hull strength of the vessel, or risk losing it to the depths.
Ultimately, killing a Reaper Leviathan in Subnautica is about personal accomplishment and a deeper understanding of the game’s mechanics and design. While there’s no treasure chest waiting for you, the experience itself is the true reward. Remember to embrace the survival horror elements and enjoy the journey! Learn more about how games can be designed for learning at GamesLearningSociety.org.