I've recently gotten back into the game after probably over a year since it has recently updated to the 1.0 release version, and I'm enjoying all of the new content and changes. I've already gotten up to tier 5-6 planets and love mining, but its a bit annoying having to place torches everywhere. I wish I could be using the upgraded light producing backpacks since they provide an amazing amount of light so I don't have to keep placing torches, however you need the EPP backpack to survive in most of the high tier worlds. There is also the mining helmet, but I never tried it out since doing so would sacrifice a lot of my survivability and damage capabilities. So my question is how do all of you light your way underground? Do you spam torches like me or have you found a good way to produce light and keep your EPP/damage/armor in check?
Hello ! The Light III EPP augment really lightens the undergrounds caves decently. I still like placing torches here and there to know where I've already been though, and to make some ores more visible.
As Mjollna said you want to try and find a Light augment. Sadly, augments can currently only be found randomly in chests or purchased from Lana after you complete the Apex mission, but her inventory is also randomized.
I am one to use both torches, and the helm. It is not much defense loss since I found an upgrade to the craftable one. 15 defence. I am personally not really concerned with the damage output, and do survive the highest tier planets when I decide to go to them. The only thing I need from them anyhow is an upgraded spear of a titanium/durasteel one that I use. I don't even touch the light backpack since using the helm from the beginning. I just have to practice evasion a bit more though...
If I remember correctly, you get a Light II augment as a reward from Koichi's first quest. Of course, there's still the problem of knowing to hang onto it for your final EPP so you don't lose it during an EPP upgrade. As for light sources, another popular choice is a Lumoth pet with a Oblivious collar. The pet is pretty much a giant flying light bulb that can pass through walls, and the Oblivious collar turns it into a non-combat pet, allowing it to stay alive and continue to serve its purpose. A brilliant combination, but I think Oblivious collars are extremely rare. At least, I haven't found one yet... So, until I find that collar, I stick to torches and my Novakid crewmember, since Novakid's have a slightly larger innate light radius. I also keep a Fire Orb staff on hand to act as a scouting drone and destroy traps like thorn vines and rock spikes.
Oh nice idea for the lumoth, I wouldn't have thought of this one ! As for the EPP, when reaching endgame, the required elements to craft a new one are not very rare anyway, so it's quick to craft another one and improve it to test new augments. I have 3 oblivion collars out of... *tries a /played for her main chars*... huh well ok, they might be rare
I was more referring to something like using the Light II augment on your radiation EPP, then crafting a heating EPP later and finding out the hard way that augments don't carry over when upgrading an EPP to the next tier version. I seem to be a magnet for Healing III collars myself. I've had about 4-5 so far. Great for trying to make combat pets, but not so much for a support pet like Lumoth. I suppose I could try a Healing collar on one and hope for the best, but the Lumoth's naturally low HP probably means it would just die a quick, suicidal death before the regen could do anything. So, that's probably not the brightest idea...
I would use a Lumoth, but they have weird collision issues with the terrain and just clip through everything. Unless for some reason they're one of the monsters that's supposed to do that, but that wouldn't make any sense.
I think their ability to pass through terrain is intentional (they drop phase matter like all the other ghost NPCs), and it's one of the reasons people suggest Lumoth for this purpose. Since it can pass through terrain, you don't have to worry about it getting separated from you all the time by getting stuck on the slightest ledge or outcropping. This is a pretty useful bonus since pets don't seem as eager to teleport to your location as humanoid NPCs, and it saves you the trouble of having to constantly resummon the pet. I think there are other illuminated pets, like Prism Elementals, but they are impaired by the terrain and/or move slowly.
They drop phase matter? That's so weird, I always thought they were more like a robot since they show up in the Steamsprings biome.
If I remember correctly, Lumoths have a 10% chance to drop phase matter (the "ghost" drop), and a 10% chance to drop static cells (a robot/electric themed drop). So, I guess they're like some sort of ghostly robot...
