What Happens When Your Cyclops Dies in Subnautica?
The Cyclops, a colossal submarine and arguably the most significant vehicle in Subnautica, is not invincible. If its hull strength reaches zero, the Cyclops will meet a dramatic end. Rather than simply disappearing, it explodes, causing a significant event and leaving behind a wrecked hull. This wreck is not just a visual element; it has crucial implications for gameplay. Here’s a detailed look at what happens when your Cyclops dies:
The immediate aftermath of a Cyclops’s destruction involves the vessel flooding and sinking to the ocean floor. Critically, everything inside the Cyclops remains intact, including your Seamoth or Prawn Suit if docked, along with any resources or equipment you had stored. This means you haven’t lost your vehicles or the precious resources you’ve carefully accumulated. Further aiding recovery, the destroyed Cyclops emits a beacon, allowing you to easily locate its final resting place on the map. While the Cyclops itself cannot be repaired or deconstructed, the wreckage serves as a potential salvage point for materials which can be very useful for later crafting upgrades.
It is worth emphasizing that the wreck is not inaccessible. The explosion creates openings in the bridge, vehicle bay, and stern, granting you multiple entry points to recover your belongings. This ensures that while your main base of operations is gone, it’s not a complete loss. However, you can no longer use the wreckage of the Cyclops for mobile base purposes, even after looting. Understanding the specifics of what happens when a Cyclops dies is crucial for any player of Subnautica, given its importance in mid to late-game exploration.
Cyclops Demise: Detailed Breakdown
The death of a Cyclops follows a clear sequence:
- Hull Breach: Sustained damage, typically from leviathan attacks, environmental hazards, or collisions, causes the hull integrity to weaken.
- Explosion: Once the hull strength reaches zero, the Cyclops undergoes a destructive explosion. This is a catastrophic event marked by visual and auditory cues, letting you know what happened and why.
- Wreck Creation: The exploding Cyclops leaves behind a submerged wreck with openings in key areas.
- Beacon Deployment: The wreckage emits a beacon, making it easy to locate and navigate to.
- In-situ Stored Items: All items and vehicles stored within the Cyclops remain intact inside the wreckage.
- Permanent Destruction: The Cyclops cannot be repaired or deconstructed after it’s wrecked; the wreck itself acts as a stationary salvage location.
Recovering from the Loss
Although losing your Cyclops is a major setback, it’s not insurmountable, especially given the ability to recover stored vehicles and resources. This makes it crucial to stay calm, locate the wreck, and start making plans for recovery. Key aspects of recovery include:
- Locating the Wreck: Use the beacon emitted by the destroyed Cyclops to find its location.
- Salvaging Resources: Enter the wreck through the newly formed openings in the bridge, vehicle bay, or stern to reclaim resources and vehicles.
- Rebuilding: Begin collecting resources to build a new Cyclops or prioritize other forms of travel like a Seamoth or Prawn Suit, until a new one can be crafted.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 related FAQs to provide additional information:
1. Can the Cyclops explode?
Yes, absolutely. If the Cyclops’s hull strength is completely depleted, it will explode violently, creating a wreck where it sank.
2. Can you recover a destroyed Cyclops?
No, the Cyclops itself cannot be repaired or resurrected after being wrecked. However, you can salvage materials from the wreck and recover all items and vehicles that were inside.
3. Can you Respawn in your Cyclops?
No. After death, you always respawn at a base or a Cyclops (if it is still intact). Saving doesn’t affect this respawn behavior.
4. Can Ampeels damage the Cyclops?
Yes, Ampeels can deal damage to the Cyclops due to their electric attacks. It is best to avoid them, as they can disrupt both the Cyclops and Seamoth.
5. Can Reaper Leviathans hurt the Cyclops?
Yes, Reaper Leviathans are a major threat to the Cyclops. They will often attack the Cyclops, causing considerable damage and potentially leading to its destruction.
6. What is the deadliest creature that attacks the Cyclops?
The Sea Dragon Leviathan is arguably the deadliest creature in terms of attacking the Cyclops directly. It is very aggressive and can cause massive damage with its teeth, claws, and magma attacks.
7. What is the biggest creature in Subnautica?
The Gargantuan Fossil Leviathan is the biggest creature, though it’s not encountered alive in the game. Amongst living leviathans, the Sea Emperor is the largest.
8. Can Warpers hurt the Cyclops?
No, Warpers do not attack the Cyclops or teleport you while you’re inside. They can be an annoyance but pose no threat to the vehicle itself.
9. Do Reaper Leviathans follow you?
Yes, Reaper Leviathans can follow you if you remain in their detection range for too long. If they pursue you, you must break the line of sight or get far away until you no longer hear them.
10. Can the Cyclops sink in Subnautica?
Yes, a Cyclops will sink to the seabed if its hull integrity is reduced to zero. This is a direct result of being damaged, like when attacked.
11. How do you get infinite energy on Cyclops?
While there isn’t truly “infinite” energy, a technique involves using your PRAWN Suit to recharge power cells in thermal vents, then using those cells in the Cyclops.
12. What to do if Cyclops is attacked?
You can use a creature decoy, turn off the engines, or use the shield module (if installed) to defend against attacking creatures.
13. What to do if Cyclops is stuck?
You can use Floaters to lift the Cyclops if it gets stuck. Place Floaters evenly around the Cyclops to increase buoyancy, and then drive it to a location with deep water and remove them.
14. What is the rarest leviathan in Subnautica?
The Sea Dragon Leviathan is considered one of the rarest and most dangerous leviathans due to its aggression and habitat, making encounters less common.
15. Can the Sea Dragon Leviathan be killed?
Yes, Sea Dragon Leviathans can be killed by the player. If you manage to kill one, it will not respawn. However, this is a very difficult undertaking.
Understanding the mechanics of the Cyclops death and its aftermath is crucial for survival in Subnautica. While losing your primary mobile base is a setback, by understanding the recovery process you can navigate the ocean with confidence and rebuild to face the many dangers beneath the waves.