How does one Cave?

[Lilith Perez]

I've gotten to the iron tool age once or twice in this game, sheerly through prospecting and peaceful surface-dwelling and farming and all that. I get the feeling though, that the underground is a frontier I am supposed to be conquering at the same time, sort of like the ruins in DST. throughout all my gameplay, I have really only ever went into proper caves once or twice, but quickly became extremely unnerved  and anxious, and got out of them before I forgot the way out. I can only assume, based on video game rules, that if caves exist, then there is likely things in them to find and loot.

But... I am scared. I have a very faulty internal hard drive. It is very, very, easy, almost a reliable occurrence, for me to instantly lose my way in similar (at least in vague shape) caves in 3D games like Minecraft or Astroneer. This would be not-that-big of a problem, if the enemies in this game did not seem so imposing. In my experience, even the  surface ones seem to do damage enough to 3-4 shot me and they attack pretty relentlessly.

Is there any way to deal with them effectively, or to make them less damaging? Is it just a matter of being super quick with an iron falx?

[Brandybuck]

Well, you need to mine stuff to progress much in this game. BUT you can bring along a stack of dirt or fencing, plus torches, and block of areas while you mine. Makes it nice to get to deep mines without many worries.

[Zippy Wonderdust]

Hey there @Lilith Perez! I also get super-anxious when caving, both in Vintage Story and in That Other Block Game, and I actually have a really *good* sense of direction.  I'm really claustrophobic in real life too, so I guess it carries over to my game life!

I second @Brandybuck's advice, and would also add the following:

1) Don't forget that, as long as you have a pickaxe, if you get lost you can always simply tunnel up to the surface from wherever you are.  Just always remember to bring a full 64-stack of ladders with you. Also, you can still climb up or down just fine if you only place a ladder on every *second* block; it'll make your supply go twice as far.

2) You can drop/throw torches down deep shafts and they'll stay lit, so you can see what is at the bottom well in advance.

3) Bring ranged weapons and plenty of ammo so you can snipe monsters from above/far away.

4) Always leave yourself a line of retreat marked with ladders for easy climbing and torches to prevent any nasty boys from spawning in behind you.

5) Torches and ladders are cheap. Make lots of them and bring at least a couple of 64-stacks of each.

I hope this helps!

[Thorfinn]

You can also place dry grass on the ground to mark your path. You can quickly pick it up on your way out if you like.

A single stack of bales is, what 512 bread crumbs?

Edited January 27, 2025 by Thorfinn

[7embre]

4 hours ago, Lilith Perez said:

Is there any way to deal with them effectively, or to make them less damaging? Is it just a matter of being super quick with an iron falx?

I'm just having a good shield, helps a lot. You could also consider me a masochist, as I play with cave ins enabled — so it cuts off the possibility for me to dig up. World hight of 320 makes caves deeper, too. With 1.20 it become kind of scary to explore caves, as shivers make me do exactly what their name tells. Still, I pretty much enjoy it. Just trying to avoid super deep caves as shivers would rip me apart — saying from the experience, even in steel chain.

Edit: I also tend to get lost in super giant cave systems, but more often than not I somehow find my way out.

Edited January 27, 2025 by 7embre

[LadyWYT]

Charcoal/chalk/limestone can be used to doodle on the walls; I usually forget to bring some with me, so I don't use this strategy as often as I'd like. And like @Zippy Wonderdust noted, leaving ladders behind is a good way to mark where you've been, so you can leave the same way more easily.

For the most part, I stay out of caves unless I'm looking for ruins, translocators, or high-tier monsters. Ores are better found simply by prospecting and digging a ladder-filled tunnel straight down until reaching whatever you're after. As for dealing with the enemies, I play Blackguard generally, so fighting in the tunnels comes a bit more naturally for them than it does for other classes. That being said, I'm also not keen on venturing underground until I have at least tier 2 weapons/armor. Iron is preferable though, as it's tough enough to withstand most of the nasties underground. Some bandages are a must as well; it's easy for a fight to go the wrong way, and not so easy to simply run away due to the tight spaces.

One other thing worth noting is that it's better to wait for lower rift activity before venturing underground, as there will generally be fewer enemies to deal with. While you're underground, keep an eye on the rift activity levels, and if it switches to higher activity you may consider leaving and coming back later when it's more calm.

[Lilith Perez]

All very useful tips. Ladders, shields, and breadcrumb trail of grass/chalk all sound gamechanging. Thanks everyone

[Lanceleoghauni]

If you're playing with cave ins enabled, and sideways instability like I am because I hate myself and love getting crushed by tons of rock, it's also important to keep blocks on hand to prop up areas  of unstable rock.

you won't need to do it all the time but it's very possible for a drifter to step on a piece of unstable rock, push it over the edge, and trigger a cave in. Do not mess around. The Rocks Will Win™

you can use supports, like I do a lot of the time. But to save durability on your precious metal tools if you're low on metal, a simple pillar connecting the floor and roof is enough to restore stability too.

Edited January 28, 2025 by Lanceleoghauni

[Zippy Wonderdust]

1 hour ago, Lanceleoghauni said:

If you're playing with cave ins enabled, and sideways instability like I am because I hate myself and love getting crushed by tons of rock, it's also important to keep blocks on hand to prop up areas  of unstable rock.

you won't need to do it all the time but it's very possible for a drifter to step on a piece of unstable rock, push it over the edge, and trigger a cave in. Do not mess around. The Rocks Will Win™

you can use supports, like I do a lot of the time. But to save durability on your precious metal tools if you're low on metal, a simple pillar connecting the floor and roof is enough to restore stability too.

Will a pillar of packed earth work, or does it have to be some kind of rock?

[Maelstrom]

How does one cave?  
Well usually, one just gives into the other party's demands/requests without negotiation. 

Snark aside, what everyone else said.  I would add that if laddering up, place the first ladder at least one block above the ground, two is preferable.  That way drifters don't climb up behind you.

[wolfprinxe]

My technique, at least early game, is to watch the current temporal level and go caving on a day when it says calm- it feels like a huge jump in how many drifters you encounter underground even just between low and calm. I don't know how much this holds true once you start going super deep- I'm still too scared for that lmao. But it works great for clearing out near-surface caves when drifters are still two-shotting you.

[Hells Razer]

Also, if you want to go during non calm times, wearing good quality -material wise- armor is very important.

Not necessarily plate (though it is the most protective armor type of the game) but the armor tier matters a lot.

[Vratislav]

10 hours ago, Zippy Wonderdust said:

Will a pillar of packed earth work, or does it have to be some kind of rock?

Even drystone fences work nicely, they can be made on-site if the vein is one block high. Usually, I put them in 3x3 grid, it prevents most of cave-ins. The only disadvantage is, there is almost no stone to be obtained from mining this way. 

[Alcomancer]

I usually don't bother caving in this game unless I'm looking for translocators because its otherwise typically very unrewarding. Anything I need from underground typically come from prospecting.

[Zippy Wonderdust]

1 hour ago, Alcomancer said:

I usually don't bother caving in this game unless I'm looking for translocators because its otherwise typically very unrewarding. Anything I need from underground typically come from prospecting.

Saltpeter. 
You pretty much have to go caving to find saltpeter for making mining bombs. Other than that I completely agree with you. 

[Thorfinn]

On Wilderness, caving is still the fastest way to find ore, because you don't have radius search. Just go to where your prospecting says the chances are good, and go spelunking. I like to go into it with a stack of wood fences, a stack of logs, a stack of sticks and a stack of flint. That way I can make axes or whatever other tools I might happen to need, and make another two stacks of fences

[Lanceleoghauni]

On 1/28/2025 at 1:54 PM, Zippy Wonderdust said:

Will a pillar of packed earth work, or does it have to be some kind of rock?

Vratislav is correct here. You have a wiiiiide range of options for possible pillar blocks. Use what you find most convenient/Immersive/personally fulfilling.

[Michael Gates]

8 hours ago, Zippy Wonderdust said:

Saltpeter. 
You pretty much have to go caving to find saltpeter for making mining bombs. Other than that I completely agree with you. 

The fancy new leather also needs saltpeter, and it seems like wherever it is, there are bells

[tonechild]

I play with cave-ins and sideways as well, and I've spent a ton of my time with farming, gathering, prospecting and mining!  In fact just digging my own things and got my self to the steel age.  However I now am starting to get restless and I want to experience more, and today just started caving, and that is intense!  Most caves I have ran into are duds, meaning they're just one room with nothing in there but maybe a couple of mobs.  I usually bring a full stack of bandages, rope ladders, food, and packed dirt with me.  Just encountered a pretty big ruin underground with books, chandeliers, chests, scrolls, and lots of interesting decorations.  There were locusts with lightbulbs that went down easily, with one meaner locust that almost killed me but bandages saved the day.  I ended up getting a little lost but I used packed dirt to seal up areas I already been in. Locust nests drop lots of stuff too.  So I definitely marked the ruins underground and will be back later when I have pitching glue (because I play with that mechanic too)

When caving another thing I like to do in a pinch if I need to (which I do with mining too) is use the stones gathered from mining and turn them into stone fences. stone fences are very cheap and only cost 6 stones, and can be used to seal off areas that are already explored.  I tend to do this as torches only last 48 hours but a sealed off area means guarantee of no baddies coming that way, plus it prevents me from getting lost as I eventually only have one way in and out.  I do wonder if I miss something however, but this world is so giant it doesn't matter much.  I mostly do the fencing thing with mining though, as I've mined out vast quantities of hematite, magnetite, and oliviline that end up creating a labyrinth if I'm not too careful.

It is pretty intense, especially with low stability - thankfully killing mobs (except locusts) brings stability back.  

 

Edited February 1, 2025 by tonechild