📖 Sky's Falling? Dodge, Duck, and Survive in DST Meteors
The Survivor's Guide to Meteor Showers
Table of Contents
Picture this: You're tending your base when the sky starts falling, meteors crash around you, and your precious Crock Pot gets obliterated. Sound familiar? Whether you're a seasoned survivor or fresh meat in the Constant, understanding meteor showers is crucial to your survival in Don't Starve Together. This guide will take you from fearful newbie to meteor-savvy veteran, teaching you to dodge disaster and turn cosmic catastrophe into valuable resources.
1 Meteor Mechanics 101
🌍 Spawn Locations & Biomes
Meteor showers occur in specific areas - primarily the Mosaic biome (characterized by mixed rocky turf with various resources) and sometimes a second "mixed" biome (rocky/grassland). You can identify these zones by:
- Scorched craters on the ground
- Moon rock pieces lying about
- Mixed turf types (rocky, grass, etc.)
- Random boulder placement
Pro Tip: If your world has that second meteor biome (tallbirds + berry bushes mix), you'll have two meteor zones to mark on your map.
⏱️ Frequency & Timing
Meteors strike periodically, roughly every 10-20 days in meteor biomes on default settings. Important points to know:
- Player presence not required - showers happen off-screen too
- No seasonal pattern - can occur any season, any time of day
- World settings can alter frequency (or disable meteors entirely)
⚠️ Warning Signs
Your life depends on recognizing these cues before impact:
Visual Signs
Shadow on ground: Dark circular shadow that grows rapidly
Size matters: Larger shadows = bigger meteors
Multiple shadows: Several at once = meteor shower in progress
Audio Signs
Whooshing sound: Distinct rumble/whizzing sound before impact
Crash: Loud impact when meteor lands
Multiple crashes: Series of impacts during a shower
DANGER: You have only about 1-2 seconds between seeing a shadow and meteor impact. React immediately!
📏 Meteor Sizes & Impact Pattern
Meteors vary in size, with different destructive capabilities:
Meteors tend to fall in showers of several at once, often in a cluster pattern within the biome, but outliers can strike the periphery. The pattern is random - sometimes a light sprinkle, other times a barrage.
2 Loot and Rewards from Meteors
💎 Common Drops
Meteor strikes aren't just disasters but also opportunities. Common resources from meteor impacts include:
Rocks
Basic resource, scattered on the ground after impact
Flint
Tool crafting resource, found among meteor debris
Moon Rocks
Valuable resource for late-game crafting, from Moonrock Boulders
🌟 Rare Drop - Suspicious Boulder & Celestial Orb
Spawn Conditions (Updated 2024)
The chance of a Suspicious Boulder spawning increases with:
- Number of days passed (guaranteed by day 60 if none has spawned)
- Clearing other meteor boulders in the field
- Pearl's friendship level (Crabby Hermit)
- Number of Celestial Altars you've built
As of March 2024, each meteor shower does an additional roll for the Orb based purely on Pearl friendship and Celestial Altar count, ensuring it appears once conditions are met.
🎁 Other Possible Items
Meteors can also break things in the world which yield items. For example:
- Petrified Trees: Might shatter into Rocks, Flint, and occasionally Gems
- Hound Mounds: Could be destroyed, potentially yielding their loot
- Various structures: Might drop some of their crafting materials
Double-Edged Sword: While a meteor might "mine" something for you, it's just as likely to destroy valuable structures or fling gems into the ocean. It's random destruction, not careful harvesting.
3 Dangers of Meteors: Damage and Base-Building Considerations
💥 Damage to Players
Direct meteor hit = 50 HP damage
(Over 1/3 of most characters' default health)
Important damage notes:
- Armor reduces damage (Football Helmet cuts it to 25 HP)
- Splash damage exists - being near impact can still hurt
- Multiple meteors can combo a player (very dangerous)
- Unlike lightning, meteors don't ignite players or cause burn damage
Damage Reduction Table
| Protection | Damage Taken |
|---|---|
| No Armor | 50 HP (full damage) |
| Football Helmet | 25 HP (50% reduction) |
| Log Suit | 20 HP (60% reduction) |
| Full Armor Set | ~12.5 HP (75% reduction) |
🏚️ Destruction of Structures
Meteors are base killers. Any structure in the impact zone will likely be damaged or destroyed:
Structures
Science Machine, Crock Pot, Alchemy Engine, etc. will be destroyed outright in most cases. Some crafting materials might be dropped.
Storage
Chests will be smashed, ejecting their contents (often destroying some items in the process).
Plants
Saplings, Berry Bushes, etc. will be uprooted and turned back into their item form.
BASE KILLER: Structures don't have "HP" like walls do - most are either intact or broken - so even one medium meteor can wreck your Science Machine, Crock Pot, etc.
🔥 Fire and Secondary Effects
In DST, meteors have some interesting secondary effects:
- Meteors leave scorch marks (craters) but typically do not spawn lasting fires
- If a meteor hits something flammable (tree, grass), that object could ignite
- This is especially dangerous in Summer when everything is dry
- Meteors hitting Gunpowder or other explosives will trigger them
Note: Unlike in base Don't Starve, DST meteors are less likely to start widespread wildfires. The bigger threat is direct destruction rather than burning.
⭕ Blast Radius and "Splash" Damage
Each meteor has a limited radius of effect, but larger meteors have a bigger one:
- Can destroy multiple structures if those are clustered
- One large meteor can obliterate 3-4 adjacent structures
- Walls are not reliable protection - meteors fall from above
- Building walls in a meteor zone often results in just a lot of rubble
A meteor field with Moonrock Boulders (blue) and regular boulders (gray) extending beyond the rocky biome into grassland
📍 Safe Zone Planning
RULE #1: DO NOT BASE IN A METEOR-PRONE BIOME
Identify danger zones early:
- Mosaic biome - mixed turf with random boulders and craters
- Secondary meteor biome - rocky patch often with berry bushes and tallbirds
- Mark these on your map as "no-build zones"
Buffer Zone Guidelines
Stay at least 1-2 screens away from the edge of meteor biomes when building your main base. Meteors can hit up to two screens beyond their biome boundaries in rare cases.
🛡️ Hardening Your Base
If you absolutely must build in a high-risk area, try these strategies:
Space Out Structures
Don't cluster important buildings together. This prevents one meteor from causing a domino effect of destruction.
Sacrificial "Decoys"
Use cheap, replaceable blocks like dropped Logs or Pitchforked turf to potentially absorb impacts.
Flammable Management
Keep flammables in chests and set up Flingomatics to prevent secondary fires after meteor strikes.
The "Sacrificial Base" Approach
Consider building a small, expendable "science base" in the Mosaic just for farming meteors:
- A chest or two to collect moon rocks
- Maybe an alchemy engine for basic crafting
- Accept it will be temporary
- Keep your real base and main storage elsewhere
4 Surviving Meteor Showers: Strategies and Tactics
🏃 Dodging Meteors
Immediate Actions When You See Shadows
- RUN! The moment you hear rumbling or see shadows
- Meteors target ground, not players specifically
- Zigzag if multiple shadows appear
- Leave the area if possible - meteors usually fall within specific regions
Protection Myth: There's no true cover from meteors in DST - hiding under a tree won't protect you. The meteor will hit the tree first (destroying it) but likely still hurt you.
🛡️ Protecting Yourself
Always be prepared when traveling through meteor-prone areas:
Armor
Football Helmet + Log Suit greatly reduces damage
Magiluminescence
Speed to outrun shadows quickly
Healing Items
Honey poultices for when you do take a hit
Emergency Cave Retreat
If a meteor shower starts and there's a Sinkhole (cave entrance) nearby, hop down into the caves:
- Meteor impacts don't occur underground
- Wait it out safely, then return when the shower is over
- Give it a moment before popping back up immediately
⛏️ Harvesting Meteor Loot Safely
One strategy seasoned players use is waiting for daytime to collect:
- Meteor showers can happen at night or dusk, but you might not see shadows well
- Wait until daylight after a meteor incident to scour the area
- Use a Miner Hat or Lantern if you must gather at night
DANGER: Don't rush in while rocks are still falling! Listen for the end of a shower - give it a pause, keep an ear out for any last whistles from the sky, then proceed.
⏰ Timing Your Visits
Moon Rock Farming Schedule
For efficient moon rock collection:
- Check the Mosaic biome every 10 days or so
- Bring a Pickaxe with high durability (or multiple pickaxes)
- Grab all debris - rocks, flint, and boulders
- Watch out for local mobs like Tallbirds
Suspicious Boulder Hunting Tip
After mining everything, consider clearing out (hammer or pick up) any remaining rocks or junk if you're hoping for a Suspicious Boulder spawn.
The game increases the spawn odds if the meteor field is "empty" of other boulders. Essentially, clean slate = higher chance the next shower drops the special one.
☂️ During a Shower - Fight or Flight
While fleeing is normally the best option, advanced players might use meteors offensively:
🚨 Emergency Measures
If you realize belatedly your base is in a meteor zone and a shower is happening:
- Grab what you can carry (important items, resources)
- Run to safety - evacuate the area immediately
- You might lose buildings, but you can save your inventory items
- Return when the shower is over to salvage what remains
Think of it like a fire drill: Know which chest has the really good stuff and grab it if the sky starts falling. Priority items are usually rare resources, special items, and character-specific gear.
5 Meteor Showers in Multiplayer (Co-op & PvP)
👥 Cooperative Gameplay
In co-op DST, meteor mechanics remain the same, but there are a few nuances:
- More players mean more map explored - someone is more likely to discover meteor zones early
- Communication is key - mark meteor zones on the map and alert teammates
- Multiple players can help gather resources quickly after a shower
- Having teammates means potential revival if you get knocked out by a meteor
Team Resource Gathering
Efficient post-shower harvesting strategy:
- One person can focus on mining boulders
- Another picks up loose flint/rocks
- Spread out while harvesting to avoid both being hit by a late meteor
- Converge to share loot afterward
🌐 Split-Screen Knowledge
On dedicated servers or when players are in different areas, meteor showers will occur whether witnessed or not:
Communication Examples
⚔️ PvP Considerations
In PvP servers, meteors add chaos that can be exploited or endured:
- Meteors don't distinguish friend or foe - everyone is at equal risk
- A clever player might try to bait an opponent into a meteor field during a shower
- If an enemy's base is located in a meteor zone, nature might destroy it for you
- Most PvP servers might turn off meteors for less randomness
Meteor Zone Combat
Should you fight in meteor zones during showers?
Pro: Dramatic setting for showdowns, and lucky meteors might hit your opponent
Con: You're just as likely to get hit - high risk for both sides
🤝 Shared Resources
One nice thing in co-op – meteor showers provide renewable resources that benefit everyone:
- Designate one player as the "moon rock miner" who routinely checks the fields
- Set up a community chest near mosaic with moon rocks to share
- Consider trading systems if playing on public servers where resources are contested
COOPERATION TIP: Since meteors don't drop character-specific items, it's a communal benefit. Fair splitting of moon rocks promotes team harmony and ensures everyone has materials for end-game crafting.
6 Mods and Customization: Taming or Amping the Meteors
⚙️ World Settings
DST now allows tuning meteor showers in the world creation options:
Meteor Shower Frequency Settings
| Setting | Effect | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Never | No meteors at all | For players who absolutely hate random destruction |
| Rare | Infrequent meteor showers | Good for casual gameplay, still provides some moon rocks |
| Default | Standard frequency (every ~15-30 days) | Balanced experience as intended by developers |
| Often | More frequent showers | For players who want abundant moon rocks |
| Lots | Very frequent, almost constant | For chaos lovers and challenging gameplay |
IMPORTANT: Turning off meteors removes the only renewable source of Moon Rocks. Consider leaving them on and just avoiding the zones, rather than disabling them completely - or else plan to visit the Lunar Island for Moon Rock supply instead.
🧩 Popular Meteor Mods
The DST modding scene has a few notable entries for meteor customization:
🛡️ Invincible Structures
Makes your structures immune to destruction from meteors and other sources.
Pro: Build in meteor fields without fear
Con: A bit cheaty for some purists
❌ No Meteors
Completely removes meteor showers from the game.
Pro: No random destruction
Con: Lose renewable moon rocks
☄️ Meteor Hell
Drastically increases the frequency and size of meteor showers.
Pro: Challenging, fun chaos with friends
Con: Not for serious survival worlds
🪄 Meteor Staff Mods
Introduces items allowing players to summon meteors at target locations.
Pro: Control when/where meteors fall
Con: Can be overpowered if not balanced well
💻 Using Console/Commands
If you're an admin or playing solo with console enabled, you can actually spawn meteors manually:
c_spawn("shadowmeteor", 1)
-- This will drop one meteor at your cursor position
WARNING: Using this command will literally summon a meteor at your position - be careful! It will cause damage and destruction just like a natural meteor.
⚖️ Comparison to Vanilla
In summary, vanilla DST meteor showers provide a mix of risk and reward that is generally well-balanced:
- Vanilla: Occasional threat, some free loot, adds environmental challenge
- Modded (safer): Less destruction, potentially easier moon rock farming
- Modded (harder): More chaos, higher risk, abundant resources
Recommendation: Consider experiencing the base game's meteor system first; it adds some dynamic environmental feeling to the world. Once you understand the mechanics, you can decide whether to modify them based on your playstyle preferences.
7 Notable Changes & Patch Highlights
🔄 Recent Changes (2024)
The most significant recent change to meteor mechanics was in March 2024:
Celestial Orb Spawn Improvement
The update improved how the Suspicious Boulder (which contains the Celestial Orb) spawns:
- Each meteor shower now does an additional check for spawning the Suspicious Boulder
- This check is based purely on Pearl friendship level and the number of Celestial Altars you've built
- Once you have maximum friendship and all altars, the next shower will practically guarantee the Orb if it hasn't already appeared
This eliminated some RNG frustration for late-game players hunting the Orb.
📈 Meteor Role in Game Evolution
Over time, meteors have evolved from a simple environmental hazard to a key component of DST's endgame content:
- Initial Release: Simple environmental hazard and resource source
- A New Reign: Added as official content with moonrock resources
- Return of Them: Connected to the lunar storyline via Suspicious Boulder
- Current: Essential part of end-game progression through the Celestial Orb
Meteor mechanics are now stable and haven't been heavily reworked. Any future character reworks or content could interact with meteors, but as of mid-2025, meteors in DST operate as described in this guide.
8 Community Tips and Tricks
🧠 Community Wisdom
Common Community Saying
"Don't build on rocky turf unless you like rebuilding."
This mantra echoes throughout forum threads. If you see your friend setting up a base campfire in Mosaic, do them a favor and gently suggest relocating.
Safe Quarry Outpost
Set up a minimal "outpost" on the edge of Mosaic with a chest or two, a fire pit, and maybe a cheap science machine. Use it as a staging area to periodically gather meteor loot.
Summer Strategy
If you really want to base near Pig King but meteors keep hitting, treat that area as a "summer base" only. Use it during summer when you're often near oasis anyway, then leave for other seasons.
Cave Living
A tongue-in-cheek community "tip" is that meteors don't fall in caves - so one way to completely avoid meteor issues is to base underground. This introduces other challenges (depth worms, sanity, etc.) but guarantees no meteor strikes on your base.
😄 Humor and Anecdotes
The DST community has plenty of meteor-related humor and stories:
One streamer recounted how he finally convinced his group to move their base after the third time meteors destroyed their crock pots – sometimes experience is the best teacher.
Players quipping that "the sky is falling!" like Chicken Little, to comic strips of WX-78 happily calling the meteors "smallfoot eradication tools."
The takeaway: meteors are unpredictable and will at some point ruin something you care about – but if you prepare and have a sense of humor, it doesn't have to ruin your whole run. Learn from mistakes and share a laugh (or a cry) with fellow players.
Conclusion: Trials by Fire (and Brimstone)
In the end, meteor showers in Don't Starve Together are one of those environmental hurdles that distinguish the savvy survivor from the unlucky noob. Picture this: you're on day 57, proudly tending a sprawling base, when midday comes and a strange hush falls… Suddenly, a dark shadow races across the ground. WHAM! A meteor smashes your beautiful Crock Pot to bits, flinging your freshly cooked Meat Stew into the air.
You dive for cover as another two meteors crash down, one obliterating your Ice Box, the other leaving a smoking crater where your science area was. It's pandemonium – Pigmen are running, trees are toppling. Your heart sinks as you realize you built right in the meteor zone Wickerbottom's journal had warned about. But fear not – this isn't the end of your story.
Picking yourself up (and putting on your trusty helmet), you dodge the last smoldering rock and set about salvaging what you can. Lesson learned: next base, check the map twice, build once. As dusk settles, you notice glints amid the rubble – Moon Rocks, scattered like jewels after the chaos. You gather them, because every setback in DST can be turned into an opportunity.
In true gamer-to-gamer spirit, remember this: the Constant (the world of DST) always finds ways to keep us on our toes – it's how we respond that defines our survival. So the next time the sky starts falling, you won't panic. You'll smirk and say, "Bring it on, Charlie. Is that all you've got?" – just before casually sidestepping a meteor and carrying on with your day.
Now that you're armed with meteor mastery, go forth and conquer the Constant… just maybe bring an umbrella. (It's not for rain; it's for the meteorites!)