Volcano General Discussion [Spoilers Guaranteed]

[SirBuizelton]

Just thought it'd be nice to make a general thread for the flood of talk I'm sure things related to the volcano changes are going to bring, and I wanted to share some opinions of my own!

First off, I think the new content added with the most recent update was really great.

There's a lot of exciting tension that comes with climbing it for the first time and having no idea what terrors await, and tons of stuff to see already, with more to come I'm sure. 

Coffee finally sees the light of day and I think it was added in a really cool way! You have to climb a freaking volcano to get this exotic new food and if you play your cards right (come in the summer and dig up the bushes or fertilize them with ashes during any other season and THEN dig them up). It's also cool that you can only plant them on certain kinds of turf and they require a unique kind of fertilizer (which I greatly prefer using above rot/manure)

We see a little bit of ruins flavor with the obsidian workbench, and plenty of new, more convenient ways to GET obsidian compared to before when it was just trawl net grinding and hoping you find the volcano staff set piece. I still dont know how to harvest obsidian from the boulders, but I have a hunch that you might have to blow them up because of what Warly says.

And then there's the Volcanic Altar of Snackrifice which I have yet to find a proper way to use, but looks cool and sounds like an answer to the many questions about sacrificing something to the volcano to appease it during the dry season.

We also have Elephant Cacti, which, from what I've gathered, are a really interesting new plant that is essentially a living, AoE tooth trap of some sort? I have yet to do more testing with it, the first time I got close to a living one to figure out what it does, it almost killed me. So uh. Yeah. Be careful where you plant them, especially if you do so in clusters like I did 

And lastly, there's the dragoons, which you can kill for obsidian and monster meat, and even a dragoon heart on rarer occasions, which can be eaten (I have no idea what effects it has if you eat it, I was a little afraid of trying it so I took it home to see if I could craft it instead, which I could.) or used to make a new dragoon den anywhere you want, so you can bring their fiery tempers home with you to an island of your choice to have your own source of obsidian that isn't in the volcano!

Feel free to share your own discoveries and opinions! I'm having fun with the new update and I hope other people are too! 

 

[AlexGLeon]

The cactus is interesting sure. You must grow it on magma turf and fertilize with ash.

It attacks anything near it with a somewhat aoe attack. 

When I kill a living cactus, it drops a cactus spike with 5-attack durability. The attack damage is weaker than a spear though. I am not sure what to do with it.

[AnonymousKoala]

Im intrigued by why you can build a dragoon den.

Since all the dens you build are either for befriendable creatures, or creatures that produce something without you needing to kill them.

[SirBuizelton]

50 minutes ago, AnonymousKoala said:

Im intrigued by why you can build a dragoon den.

Since all the dens you build are either for befriendable creatures, or creatures that produce something without you needing to kill them.

Oh, that reminds me. When I went into the volcano during summer, during an eruption, I noticed there were large boulder-liked structures called Dragoon Eggs or something like that. I couldn't check and see what I could do with it because I kind of had to book it out of there the moment I saw it because, well, there was an eruption, and eruptions are WAY more dangerous when you're on the volcano than when you're not, let me just leave it at that, I still have a bit of PTSD.

2 hours ago, AlexGLeon said:

The cactus is interesting sure. You must grow it on magma turf and fertilize with ash.

It attacks anything near it with a somewhat aoe attack. 

When I kill a living cactus, it drops a cactus spike with 5-attack durability. The attack damage is weaker than a spear though. I am not sure what to do with it.

Huh.. Interesting. I can't wait to check it out for myself.

[AnonymousKoala]

Just now, SirBuizelton said:

Oh, that reminds me. When I went into the volcano during summer, during an eruption, I noticed there were large boulder-liked structures called Dragoon Eggs or something like that. I couldn't check and see what I could do with it because I kind of had to book it out of there the moment I saw it because, well, there was an eruption, and eruptions are WAY more dangerous when you're on the volcano than when you're not, let me just leave it at that, I still have a bit of PTSD.

So now we know what the volcano rocks are. Dragoon Eggs. Since when they hit the ground and not the sea, they create lava pools, burn stuff, and become dragoon eggs. 

[SirBuizelton]

Just now, AnonymousKoala said:

So now we know what the volcano rocks are. Dragoon Eggs. Since when they hit the ground and not the sea, they create lava pools, burn stuff, and become dragoon eggs. 

Oh my god, now that you mention that, that is EXACTLY what they looked like. The magma rocks that fall during eruptions are dragoon eggs o.O

Now to figure out what to do with this information.

[AnonymousKoala]

1 minute ago, SirBuizelton said:

Oh my god, now that you mention that, that is EXACTLY what they looked like. The magma rocks that fall during eruptions are dragoon eggs o.O

Now to figure out what to do with this information.

What happens during eruptions in the volcano? Earthquakes? 

[SirBuizelton]

1 minute ago, AnonymousKoala said:

What happens during eruptions in the volcano? Earthquakes? 

Yes, but you also start overheating, like, a LOT. Pretty much as if you were standing at the rim of the volcano normally. And not just that. A much more brutal version of normal eruption meteor strikes happens. They're very accurate, do way higher damage than normal ones, fall more frequently and faster, so you have way less time to react to the shadows. Just don't be in a volcano during an eruption. It's a bad time. The only reason I survived was because I had my chilled amulet and some coffee and I just made a break for it.

[AnonymousKoala]

Just now, SirBuizelton said:

Yes, but you also start overheating, like, a LOT. Pretty much as if you were standing at the rim of the volcano normally. And not just that. A much more brutal version of normal eruption meteor strikes happens. They're very accurate, do way higher damage than normal ones, fall more frequently and faster, so you have way less time to react to the shadows. Just don't be in a volcano during an eruption. It's a bad time. The only reason I survived was because I had my chilled amulet and some coffee and I just made a break for it.

The issue is you can only sacrifice during dry season.

If you get the chance can you sacrifice a doydoy there? 

[SirBuizelton]

Just now, AnonymousKoala said:

The issue is you can only sacrifice during dry season.

If you get the chance can you sacrifice a doydoy there? 

I know, that's what makes it tough. You kind of have to just do your best to dash to the altar during the time when the volcano isn't in rage mode and finish your business before the rage starts again. I'll update you on any info I find as I find it but I've gotta be off to bed soon, can't play anymore tonight. Hopefully I don't die so I can keep experimenting.

[AnonymousKoala]

2 minutes ago, SirBuizelton said:

I know, that's what makes it tough. You kind of have to just do your best to dash to the altar during the time when the volcano isn't in rage mode and finish your business before the rage starts again. I'll update you on any info I find as I find it but I've gotta be off to bed soon, can't play anymore tonight. Hopefully I don't die so I can keep experimenting.

Good night.

When you do wake up, also try and see if Dragoons can be befriended by any way. Maybe try even emptying your inventory to see if it's a bunnymen like thing, where if you hold something they will be hostile but if you don't they can be befriended.

I still find it weird that their dens are buildable. I get that its for farming obsidian probably, like building Spider Dens, but spider eggs aren't crafted, they're dropped. Crafting dens so far has been reserved for something you can harvest without killing, something very beneficial(doydoys), and befriendable mobs.

[SirBuizelton]

2 minutes ago, AnonymousKoala said:

Good night.

When you do wake up, also try and see if Dragoons can be befriended by any way. Maybe try even emptying your inventory to see if it's a bunnymen like thing, where if you hold something they will be hostile but if you don't they can be befriended.

I still find it weird that their dens are buildable. I get that its for farming obsidian probably, like building Spider Dens, but spider eggs aren't crafted, they're dropped. Crafting dens so far has been reserved for something you can harvest without killing, something very beneficial(doydoys), and befriendable mobs.

I imagine the reason why you'd build their dens is for whatever those Dragoon Eggs are. Over time, during the summer, the dragoons will create them, if I'm interpreting this properly. Maybe the eggs help you befriend them or serve some purpose of their own? Maybe it can function as a fire pit or something? I have no idea, I've just gotta look into it tomorrow.

[AnonymousKoala]

6 minutes ago, SirBuizelton said:

I imagine the reason why you'd build their dens is for whatever those Dragoon Eggs are. Over time, during the summer, the dragoons will create them, if I'm interpreting this properly. Maybe the eggs help you befriend them or serve some purpose of their own? Maybe it can function as a fire pit or something? I have no idea, I've just gotta look into it tomorrow.

I started mining a dragoon egg but the dragoon came out too early from it. I wonder if there's somethign special from fully mining it

[rezecib]

Dragoons: There's nothing interesting about the dragoons themselves, at least not yet. They're a decent source of obsidian, though. Dragoon hearts are basically identical to glowberries. Not sure why you'd want to craft a dragoon den, but it's nice that you can, for megabases and stuff. Dragoon eggs should just drop some flint and rocks if you mine them, destroying the egg. It takes them 4 segments to hatch (2 minutes). If you let it hatch, it should also drop the loot, so if you're up for fighting the dragoon, letting it hatch is the way to go.

Cacti: Needle spear should have identical damage to the spear half of the spear's damage, so 17. It seems pretty useless at the moment, especially considering that it seems like you have to kill the cactus to get it. I see references in the code to letting you "pick" it, but I don't think that's reachable anymore. The cactus itself seems like it has some interesting potential for autofarms, though. They seemed to do a decent job of killing butterflies and birds, at least. The problem is that anything that can fight back, will, and then you'll lose your cacti.

Snackrifice: Appeasing the altar delays the next eruption, and inducing its wrath reduces the delay. Doydoy feathers, shark gills, and trinkets are the most cost-effective things to snackrifice for appeasement (followed by birds, crabs, wobsters, and tallbird eggs). The One True Earring is the best (twice as good as those), but considering you only have a chance of getting just one, I'd say that's more of an interesting tidbit than actionable information. Also, if you get burned, you're not appeasing it, you're increasing its wrath. I'm thinking there might be reasons to incur wrath; the fastest way to do so is with explosives or obsidian, although cut grass and twigs are cost-efficient ways to do it. I'm still a bit hazy on the exact mechanics for appeasement/wrath, as it all goes through the VolcanoManager, which is a pretty complicated system.

[SirBuizelton]

10 hours ago, rezecib said:

Not sure why you'd want to craft a dragoon den, but it's nice that you can, for megabases and stuff. 

The cactus itself seems like it has some interesting potential for autofarms, though. They seemed to do a decent job of killing butterflies and birds, at least. The problem is that anything that can fight back, will, and then you'll lose your cacti.

I'd craft a den on a nearby, deserted island for easy obsidian farming.

Yeah, I thought the same. I think I'm going to try just placing a ton of them close together so that they can defend each other and absolutely annihilate anything that comes close due to the seemingly AoE nature of their attacks. Wish me luck and not getting brutally destroyed in the process!

[rezecib]

Just now, SirBuizelton said:

Wish me luck and not getting brutally destroyed in the process!

It's very easy to dart in and trigger the attack, and then step out, once you learn the timing.

[SirBuizelton]

Just now, rezecib said:

It's very easy to dart in and trigger the attack, and then step out, once you learn the timing.

I know, but knowing me, I always find a way to make things way more difficult and dangerous than they have to be 

[ImDaMisterL]

2 minutes ago, SirBuizelton said:

I know, but knowing me, I always find a way to make things way more difficult and dangerous than they have to be 

Same here, hahah xD

[TwitcheryGamer]

I haven't tried it yet, but... could Dragoons be able to be befriended by feeding them obsidian? I also think they should buff Dragoons probably. You can stunlock them with some weapons and they go down without a fight. They don't really hurt that much. I think the most any creature could do damage to a player is 100? That's quite a bit, and damage like that is reserved for Rock Lobsters and bosses. Maybe Dragoons could do 40 damage? Less than a tallbird, and it makes them much more dangerous. Getting obsidian shouldn't be that easy, and right now, I think Dragoons should be likely to drop Monster Meat than obsidian. Volcano isn't super safe, but it's not as dangeorus as it should be as of now. (Yes, Klei will fix it of course)

[PanAzej]

I thought "oh a Dragoon the dragon, probably a new boss! Is he a special boss from a volcano?". Then I climbed inside the volcano, and well... They are like small, weak lizards. They are pretty scary at first, with their rapid charging and leaving a path of fire behind them.

And then you learn they are nothing to be scared about. I'm way more afraid going through a swamp or near a Tallbird nest than walking through a volcano. This should be changed.

[WillPwn4Food]

19 hours ago, TwitcheryGamer said:

I haven't tried it yet, but... could Dragoons be able to be befriended by feeding them obsidian? I also think they should buff Dragoons probably. You can stunlock them with some weapons and they go down without a fight. They don't really hurt that much. I think the most any creature could do damage to a player is 100? That's quite a bit, and damage like that is reserved for Rock Lobsters and bosses. Maybe Dragoons could do 40 damage? Less than a tallbird, and it makes them much more dangerous. Getting obsidian shouldn't be that easy, and right now, I think Dragoons should be likely to drop Monster Meat than obsidian. Volcano isn't super safe, but it's not as dangeorus as it should be as of now. (Yes, Klei will fix it of course)

Let's make fighting a dragoon more interesting than just making their attack stronger. How about after three rapid hits, fire bursts from their bodies (like red hounds), forcing you to be more tactical about movement and number of hits?

It seems no matter how strong an enemy is, if they're kiteable, they're ultimately uninteresting

[AnonymousKoala]

1 hour ago, WillPwn4Food said:

Let's make fighting a dragoon more interesting than just making their attack stronger. How about after three rapid hits, fire bursts from their bodies (like red hounds), forcing you to be more tactical about movement and number of hits?

It seems no matter how strong an enemy is, if they're kiteable, they're ultimately uninteresting

The line I put in boldness is so true. 

I really like your idea actually. also better than making an easily kiteable enemy tankier and do more damage. 

[Arcita]

Anybody figure out the dragoon name? Most enemy names are portmanteaus. So it'd be dragon + ??

[Gotheran]

3 hours ago, Arcita said:

Anybody figure out the dragoon name? Most enemy names are portmanteaus. So it'd be dragon + ??

Presumably Goon slang for a henchman or minion of someone or something much more intimidating, seeing as wilson describes their dens "Even goons need to sleep I guess" or something to that effect, which makes me think there's a much, much bigger one living IN the volcano, and thats what the snackrifice alter is "appeasing"

 

Perhaps the Goon-Father

[SirBuizelton]

12 hours ago, Gotheran said:

Presumably Goon slang for a henchman or minion of someone or something much more intimidating, seeing as wilson describes their dens "Even goons need to sleep I guess" or something to that effect, which makes me think there's a much, much bigger one living IN the volcano, and thats what the snackrifice alter is "appeasing"

 

Perhaps the Goon-Father

It would certainly explain the fact that the "meteors" that crash down on our faces are actually dragoon eggs. Oh god. I can see it now. An enormous dragoon mother in the center of the volcano where all the magma is. That would actually explain one reason why you'd want to enrage the volcano on purpose like someone said was possible. I assume if you enrage it enough... Boss fight.