Difference between revisions of "Noctolith"

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{{Split|destination=Unnatural darkness|reason=Partial split/merge. Strip noctolith of details about UD amd have that be primary page with this page being about mechanics specific to the structures themselves. Link to UD for other mechanics}}
 
{{Infobox main|building
 
{{Infobox main|building
 
| name = Noctolith
 
| name = Noctolith
 
| image = Noctolith.png
 
| image = Noctolith.png
| description = A twisted pillar of jagged blade-like structures made of dark, oily metal. It pulses with energy, powered by dark archotechnology at its core..<br/><br/>If you destroy the pillar, you can recover a shard of dark archotech.
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| description = A twisted pillar of jagged blade-like structures made of dark, oily metal. It pulses with energy, powered by dark archotechnology at its core..<br/>If you destroy the pillar, you can recover a shard of dark archotech.
| type = Building
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| type = Entity
| type2 = Entity
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| type2 = Advanced
 
| placeable = false
 
| placeable = false
 
| passability = impassable
 
| passability = impassable
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}}
 
}}
  
The Noctolith is a structure Entity added by the [[Anomaly DLC]] that is the center point of the Unnatural Darkness event.
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The Noctolith is a structure Entity added by the [[Anomaly DLC]]. Three will spawn as the focal point of the Unnatural Darkness major threat.
  
 
== Summary ==
 
== Summary ==
Noctoliths will only spawn as part of the Unnatural Darkness anomaly event.
+
Noctoliths will only spawn as part of the Unnatural Darkness anomaly major threat, which requires a level 2 Monolith.
  
During the event, the entire map will be covered in darkness, making everything in dark area invisible, effectively working as a type of fog of war.
+
When the event begins, the map will gradually grow dark no matter the time of day, and all colonists will receive a -5 Unnatural Darkness mood debuff. However, this is only the first phase. Several hours after it reaches the equivalent of nightfall, several Noctoliths will appear at random locations and the map will be rapidly covered in darkness, rendering objects which are not within range of a light source difficult to see. Any colonist or colony ghoul that spends time within these dark areas risks being randomly injured by an unspecified claw attack, inflicting sharp damage and bleeding. To be clear, this is not an attack caused by any particular enemy; the pawns are apparently damaged by the darkness itself.  
Furthermore, colonists in darkness will be constantly damaged by a claw attack, inflicting sharp damage and bleeding. To note, there is no actual enemy associated with the attack, as the pawns are apparently being damaged by darkness itself.
 
  
Note: unlike fog of war, your pawns does not expel darkness, only light sources can, so it's important to light every corner of your base. Being caught off guard with no lighted area can quickly end your colony.
+
Neutral and Enemy humans will not be affected by Unnatural Darkness. Animals, tamed animals, farm animals, player controlled mechs and dryads all will not be affected by Unnatural Darkness.
  
In the meantime, multiple Noctoliths will spawn in the map, all of which must be destroyed to end the Unnatural Darkness event. You can use flares or torches to light your way to each one and simple destroy them. However, one must keep in mind that during the duration of the event, raids of [[Noctol]]s will spawn periodically spawn in the darkness to protect the Noctoliths. They are very difficult to fight in darkness and can only be feasibly damaged in the light, so have your pawns armed and ready for battle.
+
Multiple [[Noctol]] raids trigger throughout the event. These entities are significantly stronger if fought in darkness, giving you even more reason to illuminate any area you intend to keep your pawns in.
  
The Unnatural Darkness will end in a few days, even if no action is taken.
+
The Noctoliths that spawn do not take any direct action against you, but the only way to end the darkness early is to destroy them all. Alternatively, if you can endure several days of unnatural darkness, the Noctoliths will disappear and the unnatural darkness event will end.
 +
 
 +
The Unnatural Darkness Major threat is separate from the Unnatural Darkness of the final Monolith End game quest. The final monolith end game quest does not contain Noctoliths but instead Void Structures.
 +
 
 +
The storyteller will not fire Major Threats during any Unnatural Darkness. Quest Major threats and quest raids can still occur during Unnatural Darkness. Game ending quests, like the Ship Startup or Royal Ascent, do not send raids during Unnatural Darkness.
 +
 
 +
The Unnatural Darkness event initial warning time lasts 0.5 to 0.75 days. Once the Noctolith stones land, the event will last a maximum of 6 to 8 days. The event can end earlier if all 3 stones are destroyed.
 +
 
 +
Triggered Noctols waves will spawn once per Noctolith stone. The amount of damage needed to trigger the wave is anywhere from 0 to 99% HP of the Noctolith Stone. The first two triggered Noctol Waves spawn at 35% raid points and the final Noctol wave spawns at 50% Raid Points.
 +
 
 +
Randomly Noctol Waves occur with a MTB time of 36 hours. The minimum time between randomly fired Noctol Waves is also 36 hours. The max time between randomly fired Noctol waves is 72 hours.
 +
 
 +
The Raid Point value of Noctol Waves in the Unnatural Darkness event is snapshotted at the moment the Unnatural Darkness event is triggered.
  
 
== Analysis ==
 
== Analysis ==
The Unnatural Darkness event can be an enormous pain if encountered in early game. Pawns will be rapidly damaged if they step outside a lit area, and Noctols will periodically raid the players. It is important to note that other events may still occur during that time, for example, there is nothing stopping a Pit Gate from spawning during a Noctol raid. However, given Noctols become slower and less accurate when exposed to light, the event can be eventually waited out, if the player has a large amount of stockpiled food, and ways to generate electricity without the use of [[solar generator]]s - as the Darkness prevents the players from growing any food without the use of [[sun lamp]]s and [[hydroponics basin]]s. It is heavily recommended to restrict everyone to an area that only covers fully lit parts of the map.
+
The Unnatural Darkness event can be an enormous pain if encountered in early game. The random damage dealt to pawns that wander outside lit areas can be significant, and Noctols will periodically raid the players. It is important to note that other events may still occur during this time: for example, there is nothing stopping a Pit Gate from spawning during a Noctol raid, however, the Unnatural Darkness event does protect the colony from the effects of Solar Flares, so although illuminating with fire is advised, it is not mandatory. While it is entirely possible to wait out the event, relying on your food stocks and well-lit fortifications to fend off the Noctols, you increase the chance of disaster if you allow the event to last longer than it needs to. Unnatural darkness can be especially dangerous if you rely on outdoor farming or [[solar generator]]s, neither of which will function without light. [[Sun lamp]]s and [[hydroponics basin]]s can overcome this limitation to farming, but ideally you should have several days' worth of food stocked regardless.
 +
 
 +
Keeping pawns from wandering is crucial if you want to avoid needless deaths. Consider adjusting work priorities to keep your pawns inside, researching and cleaning rather than going outdoors. They might not enjoy these tasks, but it's far safer. Another option is to assign areas and restrict your pawns to these safe zones. Alternatively, you can attempt to destroy the Noctoliths. This is risky, but can significantly hasten the end of the event and rewards you with [[shard]]s.
 +
 
 +
Sending out teams of builders to create a path of torches is sufficient to reach a Noctolith safely. Managing haulers to bring wood to the front line as it creeps forward can speed up the process significantly. Even faster is to use [[disruptor flare]]s or the [[solar pinhole]]{{RoyaltyIcon}} power to quickly create a path. A riskier but admittedly quick option is to command a pawn armed with [[molotov cocktail]]s or other incendiary weapons to start fires by targeting the Noctolith from a distance. Noctol raids will almost certainly occur while you travel, but a crew of well-armed pawns can easily shoot down single Noctols before they can enter melee range, even in darkness. Noctol raids announce the direction they will come from as soon as they spawn, allowing you to retreat to a well-lit part of the map and give yourself even more of an advantage.
  
In addition or in place of flares, [[solar pinhole]]{{RoyaltyIcon}} is a useful tool for approaching the noctoliths safely.
+
Also remember that you don't need to travel all the way to a Noctolith to destroy it. Pawns with long range guns like the [[bolt-action rifle]] or [[sniper rifle]] can pick away at them from a distance in relative safety. Alternatively, [[mortar]]s can very effectively destroy a Noctolith without leaving a base with about 5 hits from [[high-explosive shell]]s, though the cost of doing so should be evaluated: the ammunition cost and mortar deterioration will likely be much higher than 5 shots per Noctolith due to missed shots. Even so, the relative safety of this option makes it worth considering for late-game colonies which can afford to spend the resources. In addition, as the Noctoliths themselves generate several tiles of light, a [[ghoul]] can be sent through moderate stretches of darkness to deal with it in melee. It can regenerate the damage from any hits the darkness delivers, and once it arrives at the Noctolith, it can gradually punch the structure to rubble in relative safety. Alternately, a melee pawn with fast movement speed, the skip psycast, or a jetpack can sprint through the darkness and rapidly tear down a noctolith, especially if they're wielding a breach axe for the extra building damage.  Consider sending them immediately after finishing a wave of enemies to reduce the chances of them getting isolated and surrounded by a fresh wave of Noctols.
  
 
== Trivia ==
 
== Trivia ==
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== Version history ==  
 
== Version history ==  
 
* [[Anomaly DLC]] Release - Added.
 
* [[Anomaly DLC]] Release - Added.
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{{Nav|entity|wide}}
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[[Category: Entities]]

Latest revision as of 09:44, 18 November 2024

Noctolith

Noctolith

A twisted pillar of jagged blade-like structures made of dark, oily metal. It pulses with energy, powered by dark archotechnology at its core..
If you destroy the pillar, you can recover a shard of dark archotech.

Base Stats

Type
EntityAdvanced
HP
1000
Flammability
0%

Building

Size
2 × 2
Placeable
False
Passability
impassable
Cover Effectiveness
75%
Blocks Wind
True
Destroy yield
Shard 1 + Bioferrite 32

The Noctolith is a structure Entity added by the Anomaly DLC. Three will spawn as the focal point of the Unnatural Darkness major threat.

Summary[edit]

Noctoliths will only spawn as part of the Unnatural Darkness anomaly major threat, which requires a level 2 Monolith.

When the event begins, the map will gradually grow dark no matter the time of day, and all colonists will receive a -5 Unnatural Darkness mood debuff. However, this is only the first phase. Several hours after it reaches the equivalent of nightfall, several Noctoliths will appear at random locations and the map will be rapidly covered in darkness, rendering objects which are not within range of a light source difficult to see. Any colonist or colony ghoul that spends time within these dark areas risks being randomly injured by an unspecified claw attack, inflicting sharp damage and bleeding. To be clear, this is not an attack caused by any particular enemy; the pawns are apparently damaged by the darkness itself.

Neutral and Enemy humans will not be affected by Unnatural Darkness. Animals, tamed animals, farm animals, player controlled mechs and dryads all will not be affected by Unnatural Darkness.

Multiple Noctol raids trigger throughout the event. These entities are significantly stronger if fought in darkness, giving you even more reason to illuminate any area you intend to keep your pawns in.

The Noctoliths that spawn do not take any direct action against you, but the only way to end the darkness early is to destroy them all. Alternatively, if you can endure several days of unnatural darkness, the Noctoliths will disappear and the unnatural darkness event will end.

The Unnatural Darkness Major threat is separate from the Unnatural Darkness of the final Monolith End game quest. The final monolith end game quest does not contain Noctoliths but instead Void Structures.

The storyteller will not fire Major Threats during any Unnatural Darkness. Quest Major threats and quest raids can still occur during Unnatural Darkness. Game ending quests, like the Ship Startup or Royal Ascent, do not send raids during Unnatural Darkness.

The Unnatural Darkness event initial warning time lasts 0.5 to 0.75 days. Once the Noctolith stones land, the event will last a maximum of 6 to 8 days. The event can end earlier if all 3 stones are destroyed.

Triggered Noctols waves will spawn once per Noctolith stone. The amount of damage needed to trigger the wave is anywhere from 0 to 99% HP of the Noctolith Stone. The first two triggered Noctol Waves spawn at 35% raid points and the final Noctol wave spawns at 50% Raid Points.

Randomly Noctol Waves occur with a MTB time of 36 hours. The minimum time between randomly fired Noctol Waves is also 36 hours. The max time between randomly fired Noctol waves is 72 hours.

The Raid Point value of Noctol Waves in the Unnatural Darkness event is snapshotted at the moment the Unnatural Darkness event is triggered.

Analysis[edit]

The Unnatural Darkness event can be an enormous pain if encountered in early game. The random damage dealt to pawns that wander outside lit areas can be significant, and Noctols will periodically raid the players. It is important to note that other events may still occur during this time: for example, there is nothing stopping a Pit Gate from spawning during a Noctol raid, however, the Unnatural Darkness event does protect the colony from the effects of Solar Flares, so although illuminating with fire is advised, it is not mandatory. While it is entirely possible to wait out the event, relying on your food stocks and well-lit fortifications to fend off the Noctols, you increase the chance of disaster if you allow the event to last longer than it needs to. Unnatural darkness can be especially dangerous if you rely on outdoor farming or solar generators, neither of which will function without light. Sun lamps and hydroponics basins can overcome this limitation to farming, but ideally you should have several days' worth of food stocked regardless.

Keeping pawns from wandering is crucial if you want to avoid needless deaths. Consider adjusting work priorities to keep your pawns inside, researching and cleaning rather than going outdoors. They might not enjoy these tasks, but it's far safer. Another option is to assign areas and restrict your pawns to these safe zones. Alternatively, you can attempt to destroy the Noctoliths. This is risky, but can significantly hasten the end of the event and rewards you with shards.

Sending out teams of builders to create a path of torches is sufficient to reach a Noctolith safely. Managing haulers to bring wood to the front line as it creeps forward can speed up the process significantly. Even faster is to use disruptor flares or the solar pinholeContent added by the Royalty DLC power to quickly create a path. A riskier but admittedly quick option is to command a pawn armed with molotov cocktails or other incendiary weapons to start fires by targeting the Noctolith from a distance. Noctol raids will almost certainly occur while you travel, but a crew of well-armed pawns can easily shoot down single Noctols before they can enter melee range, even in darkness. Noctol raids announce the direction they will come from as soon as they spawn, allowing you to retreat to a well-lit part of the map and give yourself even more of an advantage.

Also remember that you don't need to travel all the way to a Noctolith to destroy it. Pawns with long range guns like the bolt-action rifle or sniper rifle can pick away at them from a distance in relative safety. Alternatively, mortars can very effectively destroy a Noctolith without leaving a base with about 5 hits from high-explosive shells, though the cost of doing so should be evaluated: the ammunition cost and mortar deterioration will likely be much higher than 5 shots per Noctolith due to missed shots. Even so, the relative safety of this option makes it worth considering for late-game colonies which can afford to spend the resources. In addition, as the Noctoliths themselves generate several tiles of light, a ghoul can be sent through moderate stretches of darkness to deal with it in melee. It can regenerate the damage from any hits the darkness delivers, and once it arrives at the Noctolith, it can gradually punch the structure to rubble in relative safety. Alternately, a melee pawn with fast movement speed, the skip psycast, or a jetpack can sprint through the darkness and rapidly tear down a noctolith, especially if they're wielding a breach axe for the extra building damage. Consider sending them immediately after finishing a wave of enemies to reduce the chances of them getting isolated and surrounded by a fresh wave of Noctols.

Trivia[edit]

  • The Noctolith name is likely a combination of the Latin word "noctis", meaning night, and the word monolith.

Version history[edit]