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If you’ve played other games likeAtomfall, then you’re probably going to be wary of a status effect like Infected. All it takes is one look at the rampaging, growling Ferals to know that you probably don’t want to end up like them.
However, if you do happen to become Infected in Atomfall, you may find yourself discovering some intriguing plot elements that you never would have seen otherwise. Is it worth the risk to let yourself dabble in whatever strange power has contaminated the Quarantine Zone? This spoiler-free guide will tell you everything you need to know.
How To Get Infected In Atomfall
There are two main ways to develop the Infected status effect in Atomfall:
Each of these willcause the Infected status to build up on the lower right corner of the screen.If the triangle fills all the way, you’ll become Infected.
If you start to become Infected but it doesn’t fully take hold, the effect willslowly fade as long as you don’t suffer any more Infection damage.
How To Prevent Infection
The main way to stave off Infection is todrink a Strange Tonic. Doing so removes any Infection that you’ve built up, andgreatly increases your resistance to further Infectionas long as the effects of the potion remain active. You’ll also take much less damage from spore clouds, letting you pass through them at much lower risk.
How To Get Strange Tonics
Strange Tonics arevery rare, so the best way to get them is to craft them yourself. The recipe can be found in the druids' castle in Casterfell Woods, in the apothecary workshop at the rear right. It’s the same room whereMother Jago’s Bookcan be found.
Be sure to learn theBlue FingersSkill as well, so that you can harvest the necessary Spores for the recipe.
Experimental Inoculation
You can also get apermanent buff to your Infection Resistanceby speaking to Doctor Holder in thecellar of St. Katharine’s Church. Once you establish that you’re a potential ally, he’ll let you use the syringe on the workbench next to him.
Both the Strange Tonic and the Experimental Inoculationonly slow the rate at which you take Infection damage, rather than preventing it altogether. That means that even if you have both buffs active at the same time, you can still become infected or die from the damage!
What Happens If You Become Infected?
Unlike most status effects like Burn or Bleed,Infection doesn’t deal damage over timewhen it takes hold. Instead, while Infected, youcannot recover naturally from low HP, and your base Heart Rate doubles to 120. Additionally, your character willstart to hear voices calling them to join the Soil, the entity that the druids worship.
The Infection will wear off with time, but hearing the voices canopen up new dialogue options, especially with characters like Mother Jago.
The real danger of Infection is theHP damage that you suffer while getting it.Without the protection of a Strange Tonic or Inoculation, spores drop your Health Bar very quickly, and Infected foes like Ferals and Thralls hit hard. Becoming Infected on purpose is a gamble, as you might not live long enough to actually pull it off.
