(PS4) Ruins and Cave Survival.

[SallyMcT]

Okay. Can i get tips and all that nice stuff to survive down here? I kind of want to make like a mini base camp down here but I do know how hard it is to survive down here. The real reason is because of all the stuff you can get down like thulecite and that machine is just sitting there but i don't know any real safe ways to actually get it and not die. I want to get prepared beforehand. I also have no winter on this world so any winter exclusive items i cannot get. 

[purple_goldfish]

"Okay. Can i get tips and all that nice stuff to get rich? I kind of want to have a palace and some nice cars but I do know how hard it is to earn money. The real reason is because of all the stuff you can get here like fame and fortune is just sitting there but i don't know any real safe ways to actually rob a bank and not get arrested. I want to get prepared beforehand. I also have no friends on this world so any relationship exclusive items i cannot get."

I'm sorry ok? I can't resist after coming back to the forum and seeing posts that say "I can't be bothered to use the search function. I'll just open up a new topic and get spoon-fed all the info I need"

Time for me to say some useful stuff:
- If you're a noob, get established above ground first. You need a steady supply of food (honey ham/jerky/dragon pies/whatever), healing items (jerky/honey/healing salve/poultice/dragon pies/whatever) and sanity boosting stuff (jerky/tam/pumpkin cookie/taffy/whatever). When I said steady supply, I meant abundance. Like at least 10 of each (or a stack, depend on your play style).
- notice the common item? Yeah, jerky. That's what I used. Others used taffy+dragon pies, eggs, whatever. Get creative, it's your own game. We're not playing here to win.

- 'don't the bunnies murder you???' you protested. "Nope" I said. Hide it in chester.

- go get a light source. Either have tons of twigs+straw (not recommended), or get a lantern (so you can still wear the tam and stay sane) or a mining hat (so you can still hold a walking stick, faster exploration, and can run away from everything)

-yep. walking stick. optional, but very ulseful.

- sustain that light source. Make a fridge to store lightbulbs, or put a chest/backpack in font of a slurtle mound and fill it with rocks/flint/gold to get slurtle sludge thing. Or... you can make a million lanterns and it'll still work out cheaper than a dozen million torches

Aaaand play the game. Practice. Die and cry. Get up again.

That's it. Loads of others tips if you actually looked

[Deacon_Blue]

Okay. Can i get tips and all that nice stuff to survive down here? I kind of want to make like a mini base camp down here but I do know how hard it is to survive down here. The real reason is because of all the stuff you can get down like thulecite and that machine is just sitting there but i don't know any real safe ways to actually get it and not die. I want to get prepared beforehand. I also have no winter on this world so any winter exclusive items i cannot get. 

 

It's a bit unfortunate that you can't get the Tam O' Shanter and walking cane.

 

If you really want to set up a permanent base down there you need to remember the three things you need to keep high.

 

1) Health.

-- Bee Boxes don't work down there, so you'll need to find a different source for health. Be that crock pot recipes or something else of your choosing. 

 

2) Sanity

-- Without the Tam, you're limited on things you can do to raise your sanity. One option is pig houses, so you can get all up in their personal space while they chop down trees for you. Again, crock pot recipes and jerky are a good way to supplement whatever you do.

 

3) Food

-- Monster meat is plentiful. A birdhouse is a great way to turn your extra monster meat into a good food source. Aside from that, there are ponds in the ruins that have fish in them. Experiment and see what you like.

[oCrapaCreeper]

Sanity is probably the most annoying thing to deal with in the caves if you're intending to stay down there for extended periods of time and you're not playing as Maxwell or don't have a Tam. A lot of times you won't find many ways and end up going back on the surface before you go completetly insane.

[23rd]

I don't think there's any reason to mention that this is a PS4. Not knockin' you, just sayin'.

 

Someday I need to get around to making myself a comfy base in the caves, but when I do get around to that I have to imagine I'll be settling near a pond. The prospect of making this is just too good to pass up. The hunger it restores is pitiful, but at 20 health a pop it makes harvesting lichen on my way out of the Ruins a great way to get back on my feet after some spelunking without needing to go up to the surface, I'd imagine.

[Rosten]

Caves actually aren't that different from surface survival, you got your tentacles, spiders, and if you have a miner helmet and a lantern lighting's no problem, i suggest bringing along a Tam and Dragon pies, since those bunnies are a force to be reckoned with (I accidentally typed force of nature the first time. to much TF2 xD) you don't want them attacking you when you can't wear a helmet, although you may want to get yourself a walking stick for running away from worms.

seriously

don't try and fight them, its not worth the mining hat durability, its not worth the health, and it's certainly not worth your effigies for that glow fruit. (actually, fighting them with rock lobsters or another creature is fine, but don't try and solo anymore then 1 worm. just. dont.)

Can't give you any tips about the ruins though, since i've spent about 15 seconds down there before i got murdered by a worm.

 

edit - bring some healing salves as well, you can never be to careful

[SallyMcT]

I don't think there's any reason to mention that this is a PS4. Not knockin' you, just sayin'.

 

Someday I need to get around to making myself a comfy base in the caves, but when I do get around to that I have to imagine I'll be settling near a pond. The prospect of making this is just too good to pass up. The hunger it restores is pitiful, but at 20 health a pop it makes harvesting lichen on my way out of the Ruins a great way to get back on my feet after some spelunking without needing to go up to the surface, I'd imagine.

I mentioned it was PS4 because some people might say something about debug spawns and whatnot. 

[Rosten]

I mentioned it was PS4 because some people might say something about debug spawns and whatnot. 

Why would we do that? any self-respecting don't starve player, or any game player for that matter isn't going to encourage someone new at the game to cheat their way through things.

[SallyMcT]

Why would we do that? any self-respecting don't starve player, or any game player for that matter isn't going to encourage someone new at the game to cheat their way through things.

I guess you're right. 

[QuickThinking]

I prefer the PS4 mention, because the forums are full of outdated information that don't apply to the PS4 console edition.  I've found quite a few posts about just resetting the caves, or dying not counting in the caves, which don't apply to us n00bs playing on the PS4.

[23rd]

I prefer the PS4 mention, because the forums are full of outdated information that don't apply to the PS4 console edition.  I've found quite a few posts about just resetting the caves, or dying not counting in the caves, which don't apply to us n00bs playing on the PS4.

Those posts are insanely old and were from before the caves were complete. They don't apply to PC players either, we're all playing the same game.

[the truthseeker]

Well, still mastering caves so i'll br brief on the ruins details which I know little about in practical experience. Caves on the other hand I can help with. 

 

Unfortunately while several posters gave fantastic suggestions, they missed one key seriously bad problem (especially when you finally get to Level two of the Caves AKA the Ruins, but more on that later,) I will bold in your quote below:

 

Okay. Can i get tips and all that nice stuff to survive down here? I kind of want to make like a mini base camp down here but I do know how hard it is to survive down here. The real reason is because of all the stuff you can get down like thulecite and that machine is just sitting there but i don't know any real safe ways to actually get it and not die. I want to get prepared beforehand. I also have no winter on this world so any winter exclusive items i cannot get. 

Tips to get Winter items

 

I'm going to say something you may not like. I realize you (likely) made a world without winter to survive better (and confirmed: the settings do reset when going to a new world, but let us know if this is not true for the PS4 for some reason,)  but there is no winter in caves. 

 

 

While you may not have to do so immediately, consider finding the Four Things, the Wooden Thing, make the Teleportato, and leave for a new world.

 

Before going, gather and craft whatever you would like to take with you "if you could only start with these items," (including pre-build but canceled and not placed structures like an Alchemy engine, Ice Box, Bee Box, Shadow Manipulator, etc.) 

 

Yes, this is because you really really REALLY have a SERIOUS disadvantage if you have no access to winter-based items which means no MacTusk. So other posters (besides Deacon_Blue and oCrapaCreeper explicitly) :

 

 

- go get a light source. Either have tons of twigs+straw (not recommended), or get a lantern (so you can still wear the tam and stay sane) or a mining hat (so you can still hold a walking stick, faster exploration, and can run away from everything)

-yep. walking stick. optional, but very ulseful.

That's it. Loads of others tips if you actually looked

 

 

 

 i suggest bringing along a Tam and Dragon pies, since those bunnies are a force to be reckoned with (I accidentally typed force of nature the first time. to much TF2 xD) you don't want them attacking you when you can't wear a helmet, although you may want to get yourself a walking stick for running away from worms.

 

you missed this vital point! 

 

 

 

 

The Walrus Tusks making the Walking Cane (which has an exceptionally small chance as being found as a Set-Piece/Boon; good luck on that rarity,) and the Tam O' Shanter hat  (which absolutely only is available on his death) are winter only and literlly tip the scales for new caving.

While maybe you could get by without the Walking Cane, a new Player without the Tam O' Shanter and spending extended time in the caves is Sanity Management Hell (and if you were a vet Cave/Ruins player you wouldn't need permanent base advice there with these conditions. But I digress....) 

 

 

 

 

 

Without this, caving is exceptionally difficult to navigate in both sanity and escape (done typically as per Purple Goldfish's details in her full reply.) 

 

The ONLY other way you can get these items without leaving Worlds is to find Maxwell's Doorway to Adventure, and kill MacTusk in one of four worlds which either immediately has Winter (and that's all I will say without Spoilers) or (and yes even if you set it up in settings, it will eventually switch to in "Adventure Mode") an eventual winter after day 21.  However this is a hard and challenging thing, and unless you "beat" Adventure Mode, you won't keep what you have learned on that journey there (no matter how your...umm...character returns.) 

 

Also--and this is Ruins crafting key--once you get past the caves and enter the Second level or Ruins, one of the (altar) Recipes requires a Walking Cane as a component!  Making Walking Canes now becomes a viable option, which you have hosed yourself out of if you try going down to the Ruins. And considering the Ruins are the caves' "Hard Mode," it really is vital you can mitigate Sanity and movement easily. Even if you're playing WX-78 and have eaten the maximum upgrade of 15 gears, that Health, Hunger, and Sanity WILL get low sooner than you think! The Tam O Shanter is the ONLY (non-multiple-clothing-wearing) option where you keep your Sanity positive while under permanent Sanity Caves/Ruins drain unless you complete Adventure Mode and play another dapper character who has highly regenerating sanity (but VERY low health...and that's as much spoilerage as I'm giving here.) 

 

 

Tips for playing without winter items (not recommended) 

 

But assuming you really want to play badly crippled compared to all others establishing caves, the trick is understanding you can't live permanently in the caves and will have to make "topside" expeditions if not regularly, then intermittently to collect things like stored honey from beehives or wear multiple clothing items (meaning body slot so no packs and only Chester is your extra inventory space.)

Yes, bedrolls (or fur rolls if you really want to spend more for multiple uses since Winter is not an option in caves,) are an option (or running back to your cave base all the time to handle sanity) but that is a costly way that food/clothing/sewing kits easily, quickly and cheaply handle(s).  

 

 

While the jerky suggestion is a good one (storing it in Chester while in caves to stop Bunny hate,) your ONLY cave "Meat" source are Rock Lobsters and Bunnymen which you'd not want to kill to start using them as protection as well as them taking a LONG time to die then trying to personally kill them (armored rock state and running away respectively.) If using monsters, it's likely they will eat the meat first (*cough cough cough* spiders, *cough cough cough*) so again, you'd have to go Topside to kill creatures easier for Meat. 

 

But  you can set up (as alluded to surface runs by oCrapaCreeper) an "Outside Cave Entrance Forward Operating Base" with things like Beehives, spider nests and/or a small number Pig/Bunny Houses (which you can lure them with their friend food to safely murder them.) This can't be done reliably INSIDE the cave because:

 

 

It's a bit unfortunate that you can't get the Tam O' Shanter and walking cane.

 

If you really want to set up a permanent base down there you need to remember the three things you need to keep high.

 

1) Health.

-- Bee Boxes don't work down there, so you'll need to find a different source for health. Be that crock pot recipes or something else of your choosing. 

 

2) Sanity

-- Without the Tam, you're limited on things you can do to raise your sanity. One option is pig houses, so you can get all up in their personal space while they chop down trees for you. Again, crock pot recipes and jerky are a good way to supplement whatever you do.

 

3) Food

-- Monster meat is plentiful. A birdhouse is a great way to turn your extra monster meat into a good food source. Aside from that, there are ponds in the ruins that have fish in them. Experiment and see what you like.

 

Pigs and Bees do NOT exit the houses at dusk, let alone the Caves. we're done with discussing Bees so let's go over to Pigs.

 

This means you'd have to make the Pig House, then destroy it to reliably have the pigs out. Even if they were to come out during the "day" down there, you have no day/dusk/night clock to monitor when this was so, and do you really want to have to manually count days to try and figure out when a Full Moon will happen underground? Short of you playing Woodie, you have no easy way knowing when that time happens underground. However, having them planted just outside the caves solves this problem. Of course this is what Rabbit Hutches are for should you use this tactic for the Meat, but you're SOL for Sanity of course unless you want wandering Pigs with no house/moon cycle monitoring. (and if you're doing it that way, you're already a vet and don't need tips.)

 

 

 

 

All other tips for Caves and Ruins though are fine. 

 

 

 

 

So, to summarize:

 

You really should consider leaving to another world later with winter since caves don't have it. Learn to survive a Winter so you can hunt MacTusk for that Tam O' Shanter (you can use Sewing Kits to repair it and keep it indefinitely) and Tusks to craft the Walking Cane. These items while optional, are all but not in easy cave survival. 

 

If doing it the hard way, make an outside the Caves "Forward Operating Base" with Bee Boxes and Pig/Rabbit houses/hutches to take care of your meat/sanity needs in one place. This will prevent you from having to "run back to your original base" every time you have to take care of Sanity whether you do it with food or your cave base to sleep in a tent. of course bed/fur rolls can be used, but it's a costly way as a "permanent" method to handle sanity down there when food and clothing and sewing kits are better. 

 

 

 

 

Those posts are insanely old and were from before the caves were complete. They don't apply to PC players either, we're all playing the same game.

*Looks at his Architectural Geometry and Always On Mods and thinks slightly otherwise*

 

 

[23rd]

*Looks at his Architectural Geometry and Always On Mods and thinks slightly otherwise*

Yeah, okay, that's fair. My point about resetting caves no longer being relevant is still relevant though! As opposed to not being relevant about their irrelevance.

[the truthseeker]

Yeah, okay, that's fair. My point about resetting caves no longer being relevant is still relevant though! As opposed to not being relevant about their irrelevance.

But this relevance is relevantly irrelevant....

 

oh wait, this isn't our personal joke site?

 

 

I'll be more serious and respect the solemnity of the users here like SallyMcSaggyTits. 

 

 

Again, my apologies. 

[SmileForever]

Hey guys, I had a question about the ancient guardian. Does he respawn?

[23rd]

Hey guys, I had a question about the ancient guardian. Does he respawn?