Anomaly capture: Test Tubes, nocturnal spawns, and the IS-0059 Reaper

Prerequisites and Preparation

Before you can capture Nocturnal Anomalies, you need three things ready:

• Test Tubes – Craft these at a Crafting Bench using 1 Glass Scrap and 1 Wood Plank per tube. Carry 3–5 tubes when heading out at night.
• Night cycle – Nocturnal Anomalies only appear during night. Daytime hunting yields nothing.
• Empty inventory space – Each anomaly occupies one slot. Anomalies stack up to 32 per slot, but you need room to collect them.

Why 3–5 tubes? More tubes let you capture more anomalies per night, but carrying too many leaves less room for other loot. Start with 3 tubes until you learn spawn locations, then increase to 5 once you're confident.

Capture Process

Nocturnal Anomalies spawn at fixed locations similar to other creatures. They respond to glass and have an attraction to plant life. To capture one:

1. Locate a spawn point – Scout areas during daylight to memorize where anomalies appear at night. They spawn at static points, so knowing these locations saves time.
2. Equip a Test Tube – Have a tube in your hand or inventory when interacting with the anomaly.
3. Interact with the anomaly – Right-click on it. Having a Test Tube in your inventory increases capture likelihood. Attempting capture without a tube has an extremely small chance of success.
4. Collect the Anomaly item – The captured entity appears in your inventory as an Anomaly item (weight: 0.2). Note: The in-game message says it gives 2 anomalies, but it only provides one.

Critical behavior notes:

• Nocturnal Anomalies disappear when exposed to a light source, but they only become transparent. Right-clicking on their previous location still provides an Anomaly.
• Anomalies decay over time from "warm loss" similarly to items like Mug of Coffee, leaving an empty Test Tube as a result. Store them in a container to prevent decay.

Night Route Planning

Plan your route before sundown to maximize captures. Here's a practical workflow:

Numbered Workflow: Night Hunting

1. Scout during day – Mark 3–5 spawn points on your map. Focus on areas you can navigate without bright lights.
2. Craft Test Tubes – Make 3–5 tubes at your Crafting Bench.
3. Wait for night – Use a bed or wait command to skip to nightfall.
4. Navigate without bright lights – Use ambient light or dim sources. Bright lights make anomalies transparent but still capturable if you right-click their location.
5. Visit spawn points in order – Start with the closest point and move outward. Spawns are static and repeat nightly.
6. Collect anomalies – Equip a Test Tube and interact with each anomaly.
7. Return to base before dawn – Store anomalies in a container immediately to prevent decay.

Route Selection Guide

Route selection advice:

• Start with compact loops when learning. Missing a spawn wastes a full day cycle.
• Use extended loops when you have at least 5 Test Tubes and know the spawn points.
• Sector sweeps are for experienced players who can navigate without light sources.

Recovery advice:

• If you miss a spawn point, note its location and return the next night. Spawns are static and repeat.
• If you run out of Test Tubes mid-route, return to base. Do not attempt to capture without tubes.
• If an anomaly decays before you reach storage, you lose the item but retain the empty Test Tube.

Anomaly Uses and Crafting

Captured Anomalies are used in three main crafting chains for farming. Here's how they compare:

Anomalous Compost (T1)

• Unlock: Agriculture Skill Level 4
• Recipe: 1 Anomaly + 3 Bio Scrap at a Crafting Bench
• Effect: Increases growth rate by approximately 20–25% and reduces water required by 15–20% compared to no compost or fertilizer.

Anomalous Fertilizer (T2)

• Unlock: Agriculture Skill Level 8
• Recipe: 3 Anomalies + 1 Powdered Crystal + 1 Anteverse Gel at a Crafting Bench
• Effect: Increases growth rate by approximately 30–35% and reduces water required by approximately 30% compared to no compost or fertilizer. Compared to T1, it provides minimal additional benefit (5–10% growth rate, 10% water reduction).

Anomalous Plant Food (T3)

• Unlock: Recipe unlocked after reaching higher Agriculture levels (exact level not specified in sources)
• Recipe: Uses Anomalies as an ingredient (exact recipe not detailed in sources)
• Effect: Increases growth rate by approximately 45–50% and reduces water required by approximately 55% compared to no compost or fertilizer. Compared to T2, it provides 20–25% additional growth rate and 35–40% water reduction.

Crafting Priority Table

Important note: The most significant benefit comes from using T1 compared to no fertilizer. T2 and T3 provide diminishing returns. Prioritize T1 if anomalies are scarce.

Trading Options

Anomalies can be traded with NPCs, but these trades are generally less efficient than using anomalies for crafting:

• The Blacksmith: 1 Anomaly for 1 Rebar
• Marion: 3 Anomalies for 1 Partial Organ
• Jimmy Sanders: 10 Anomalies for 1 Taco

Use trading only if you need specific resources urgently and have excess anomalies.

Common Failure Points and Recovery

Failure: No Test Tubes at night

• Cause: Forgetting to craft or carry Test Tubes before nightfall.
• Recovery: Skip the night cycle. Craft tubes during the day and prepare for the next night.

Failure: Anomaly disappears in light

• Cause: Shining a bright light directly on the anomaly.
• Recovery: Navigate using ambient light. If the anomaly becomes transparent, right-click its previous location to attempt capture.

Failure: Anomaly decays before use

• Cause: Storing anomalies outside containers or leaving them in inventory for extended periods.
• Recovery: Transfer anomalies to a container immediately after capture. Check stored anomalies periodically and use them before they decay.

Failure: Missing spawn points

• Cause: Poor route planning or unfamiliarity with spawn locations.
• Recovery: Scout spawn points during daylight. Mark locations on your map. Plan a compact loop for the next night.

Storage and Inventory Management

Anomalies stack up to 32 per slot. Store them in a dedicated container near your Crafting Bench to:

• Prevent decay from warm loss
• Keep them accessible for crafting
• Avoid accidental consumption or discard

Label the container clearly to distinguish anomalies from other resources. Check the container before each night hunt to ensure you have enough Test Tubes and that stored anomalies are not decaying.