Dredge: How to reduce the Panic level? Dredge guide, tips

Traveling at night in Dredge will increase your Panic level, which can lead to serious damage to your ship and loss of cargo. From this guide page you will learn what panic is, what effects it has and how to reduce its level.

Last update: 06 April 2023

Sometimes you will find yourself in situations where panic will make you hallucinate. On the following page you will learn what to do to avoid the unpleasant consequences associated with the Panic level being too high.

• What is Panic?
• How to check your Panic level?
• How to lower the Panic level?

What is Panic?

Panic is a game mechanic that determines your sanity. The higher your panic level, the worse your hallucinations will be, which can cause real damage - from loss of cargo, through ship damage, to its total destruction. In addition, the loss of visibility becomes a nuisance, as it causes disorientation.

The Panic indicator is always triggered after dusk, and the longer you travel at night in the dark, the more powerful it will become. Using the Haste skill that you get after delivering the first Relic to the Collector in Blackstone Isle also increases the Panic level, during the day too.

Effects caused by Panic:

1. Distortions and visual effects that reduce vision appear on the screen.
2. There are birds that can steal your fish. You can chase them away using a horn. Select an item from the circular menu and press the right mouse button.
3. Monsters appear that can attack you and severely damage your ship.
4. There are new terrain obstacles that you can crash your ship against. Some of them, such as vines, can also attack you.
5. You might also encounter large waterspouts, capable of severely damaging your ship when you sail into them.
6. Obelisks become active. These are rock formations that you can touch, but it will have no effect on you unless you have a high Panic level.

How to check your Panic level?

Panic is indicated by the eye symbol at the top of the screen, below the time and date panel, next to the compass. If it's not there, it means you're sane. Colored rays indicate that the level is increasing.

The eye color and its activity indicate the level of Panic:

1. Blue - acceptable level of Panic. It always activates at 8 PM.
2. Green - be on the lookout, turn on the lights on the ship and head towards any dock. The first hallucinations appear.
3. Brown - hallucinations become more frequent and more realistic. The eye animation is "nervous" and moves faster and faster. Head to the dock immediately and don't turn off the ship's lights under any circumstances.
4. Red - the last degree of danger. At this point there is a very good chance that the hallucination will take the form of sea monsters attacking your ship. You have to reckon with the fact that you will end up with serious damage to the cutter. Try to return to the nearest dock.

How to lower the Panic level?

You can lower the panic level in the following ways:

1. Resting - you can use the Rest option in any dock to wait until the next dawn (6:00 AM). This will reset your Panic level.
2. Turning on the lights on the ship - lighting the road ahead helps a little to reduce Panic. It's a good idea to invest in upgrades in Shipwright in Greater Marrows or Shipyard in any Pontoon and install as many lights as you have free slots for them.
3. Staying near light sources - the more strongly illuminated places, the faster you will reduce Panic and hallucinations. You can also swim towards the lighthouse - the closer you are to the lighthouse, the more panic you will lower.