In Dune: Awakening, desert exploration shifts from a dangerous requirement to a rewarding escapade once players obtain the right tools for treasure hunting. The sands of Arrakis hide treasure, but only the brave dare attempt to unearth it – especially when they have to cope with worm.
As soon as the Second Trial of Aql is completed, players gain access to Fremen equipment, which is essential for treasure hunting. The lost treasure quest in the Vermillius Gap region has really introduced these mechanics, but it’s not clear from the game how they will work.
Essential Equipment for Desert Prospecting
Two important tools will make treasure hunting possible on Arrakis. With a handheld resource scanner you’ll be able to scan for buried anomalies under the sand. Then with the static compactor you’ll dig out things that you found.
By this point, players should have received both items by means of the main questline. If you need replacements, try searching any moisture-sealed caves for Fremen items. Both the devices use EMF Generators usually found in Fremen loot collections.
Scanning Techniques and Treasure Detection
Scanning methodology is essential for successful treasure hunting. To dig for valuables, Players have to go on open sand in areas where the sandworm meter appears at the bottom of the screen.
Using the Handheld resource scanner requires some patience, as treasure detection may require multiple scans. The device, when burying objects, will mark them on the ground with a diamond. Players shouldn’t expect results right away, as treasure distribution varies a lot from desert to desert.
The excavation process begins with the appearance of a diamond maker on-site and dropping a Static Compactor. The device takes several seconds to eliminate the sand and expose the buried box underneath.
Treasure Contents and Expectations
The discovered caches have rewards that are various Solaris currency and improved equipment parts. However, the quality of treasure may vary quite significantly in these chests. For instance, some may give you only ore chunks or a handful of resources. The unpredictability of treasure contents heightens discovery excitement while tempering player expectations.
Sandworm Avoidance Strategies
Desert prospecting catches the eyes of apex predators on Arrakis. The sounds created by common movement and scanning events are already sufficient to attract nearby sandworms. The thumping noise created by a Static Compactor, however, comes with a far greater risk.
When sandworms approach players must be ready to run constantly to the rock outcrop. If you place your backpack wrong, you can lose contents to these creatures. Timing is everything.
Optimal Hunting Locations
You’ll find treasure hunting in the open sand areas between major locations. Narrow sand channels that run between rocky areas hide some objects below the layer of sand but have little surface area in comparison to the large area of hidden dunes.
Treasure hunting becomes less effective in regions with quicksand and drumsand that pose additional challenges. Places where nature has not been corrupted by human become productive.
Flour Sand spawning sites suggest a good hunting place. In these areas there are wisps of white sand that rise from the sand dunes and usually offers calm conditions and open spaces readily available for extensive exploration.
Sandbike Scanner Advantages
Vehicle-mounted scanning equipment brings safety and efficiency to treasure hunting process. The Sandbike Scanner eliminates the need to dismount from the Sandbike. This means you will not be exposed, making you less vulnerable to sandworm attacks.
Crafting Sandbike Scanner Equipment
The research that one needs to be able to construct a Sandbike Scanner becomes available quite early in the tech tree. You can find the items required for the crafting recipe, both Iron Ingots and Advanced Servok, in starting region locations.
You can find Iron Ore deposits quite often in Vermillius Gap. You can also find Advanced Servoks at Imperial Testing Stations all across the map. Even new players’ professionals can access it, focused on item upgrading.
Scanner Performance Comparisons
Vehicle scanners have many advantages over handheld scanners besides safety. The scanner of the sandbike does not use any power pack but just has a fixed cool down, so you can do treasure hunting with it for a long time without worrying about power packs.
The new advanced scanner versions have longer detection ranges and faster recharge times, which enables large prospecting operations. Based on your gaming activity of treasure hunting in the deserts of Arrakis, the upgrades are worth it.
To hunt treasures successfully, one must weigh assessment of risk against the potential reward: be properly equipped with escape routes. By scanning the area as well as positioning yourself strategically, you can get resources from the desert without being killed by a sandworm.
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