Panic
Panic is a core mechanic in DREDGE.
It is represented by an eye icon at the top of the screen. It begins closed and as panic increases, it becomes more erratic and flashes an increasingly more intense red.
Causes
Panic goes up when the player is enveloped in darkness at night. It will decrease when the player's Boat is in good lighting. It skyrockets when the boat is attacked by enemies such as the Night Anglers, Miasma, or Jelly Bombs.
Panic will go down during the day or when a player rests at any town. The Mayor and other characters will frequently attempt to dissuade the player from going outside at night and encourage them to get plenty of rest, especially if the player enters Greater Marrow at high panic.
Effects
- Chromatic aberration and distortion effects on the screen.
- Obelisks become active.
- Various hostile events will happen.
- Various hostile hazards activate.
- You might see some mirages of islands, houses, shipwrecks, boats, or pirate ships.
A common misconception is that panic increases your chance to catch aberrated fish. This is not true. For details on aberration chance, see Aberrations.