Echo

This page concerns the uses of Echoes. For their monologues, see the Echo/Dialogue page.

SPOILER WARNING: Downpour
This section contains details concerning the Downpour DLC. If you have not yet completed the DLC, then read no further!

SPOILER WARNING
This section contains major plot details. If you have not made significant progress in the game, then it is recommended that you read no further!

Gameplay

The Echoes that each Slugcat meets are the spiritual remnants of Rain World's previous civilized race, the Ancients. They present as large, black beings with golden scales and long snouts, and they appear to be sitting in a fetal position. They are forever stuck between this world and transcendence.

Echoes are non-hostile and attempt to speak with Slugcat if they have the mark of communication, teleporting them back to their previous shelter once they are finished. Upon awakening, the Slugcat's karma is at their current max level. Echoes are always found in a specific location but are not there every time. The player must go to the room the Echo appears at to trigger a flash of dark blue light, and then return at least a cycle later with either their maximum karma (or for some Echoes one below the maximum) to get the Echo to appear. The presence of an Echo is very obvious, as even at a distance the area grows darker and unique music plays. As Slugcat gets close, flecks of gold start raining down and blue light is seen slowly moving across the screen. Enemies are typically not found during this time, and most creatures other than Slugcat that get too close are pacified, falling limp to the ground. If already given the gift of communication by Five Pebbles, the player receives a brief monologue from the Echo. If not, the player is teleported back to the shelter almost immediately upon finding them.

Function

An Echo attempts to raise Slugcat's maximum karma tier up to a maximum of 10. If the player meets an Echo before meeting Five Pebbles, their karma increases by 2 on the first Echo encounter and then by 1 on every subsequent encounter until they achieve level 10. This can allow players to raise their karma and successfully beat the game without needing to interact with Five Pebbles.

Encountering an Echo

Required karma for meeting an Echo

In order for Monk, Survivor, Gourmand, Rivulet, and Spearmaster to encounter most of the Echoes, the player must visit the area where they reside twice. The first time, when the player gets near, only a flash of blue light is seen, and gameplay continues as normal. If they visit the area on a following cycle with a high enough karma level (a requirement which changes depending on your current maximum karma), the conditions described above take effect and the player eventually meets the Echo. This is not the case for Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound; Two Sprouts, Twelve Brackets; or Twelve Beads among Burning Skies, who are all found on their first visit regardless of karma level.

As Hunter

As Hunter, it is not necessary to visit the location of an Echo to make it active, as it is present as long as the player has the required karma. Visiting an Echo location with insufficient karma as Hunter for the first time instead triggers the same blue flash of light as seen in the other difficulties.

As Artificer

As Artificer, in addition to needing to both trigger and then meet the Echo on two separate cycles as normal, you must also have a Karma Flower protecting you when below 5 karma in order to meet them.

As Saint

Saint can uniquely meet Echoes at any time, including having any karma level. As such it is not possible to see the trigger effect as Saint, since Echoes are always there upon entering the room - the only exception to this is on Cycle 0, where Echoes do not spawn.

Locations

Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound

• Nineteen Spades, Endless Reflections, found at the highest point in Chimney Canopy, near the gate to Sky Islands. (CC_C12)
• Four Needles under Plentiful Leaves, found in a grotto underneath the eastern entrance to Shaded Citadel. (SH_A08)
• Droplets upon Five Large Droplets, found high up in Sky Islands, above the yellow lizard infested tunnel near the gate to Farm Arrays. (SI_B11)
• A Bell, Eighteen Amber Beads, found in Farm Arrays high above a patch of Worm Grass, near the entrance from Outskirts. (LF_B01)
• Six Grains of Gravel, Mountains Abound, found atop The Wall in The Exterior, close to Five Pebbles' access shaft. (UW_A14)
• Two Sprouts, Twelve Brackets, found in Subterranean from the Farm Arrays entrance, in a cave to the right. (SB_A10)

Downpour-Exclusive Content
This section contains content exclusive to the Downpour DLC. This content is not available in the base game.

The names of these Echoes are not listed anywhere within the game. This is because Echo names have previously only been revealed through achievements, and the console version has a limited amount of achievements. However, they do have names that were originally intended to be used by the More Slugcats team.

• Twelve Beads among Burning Skies, found in Atop the Tallest Tower, high up near the center of Metropolis. This Echo has dialogue exclusive to Artificer. (LC_highestpoint)
• Distant Towers upon Cracked Earth, found at the top of Looks to the Moon's Wall in Shoreline. This Echo is exclusive to Saint. (SL_WALL06)
• Rhinestones beneath Shattered Glass, found in the far left of Undergrowth, near the entrance to Outskirts. This Echo is exclusive to Saint. (UG_C02)
• Eight Spots on a Blind Eye, found in the Auxiliary Transmission Array subregion in Submerged Superstructure. This Echo is exclusive to Saint and does not contribute to The Pilgrim. (MS_COMMS)

Downpour-exclusive content ends here.

Trivia

• It is possible to complete the game without going to Five Pebbles by talking to four of the Echoes. The first raises your maximum karma by 2, and all subsequent echoes raise it by 1. Reaching the maximum karma level this way earns the Pilgrimage achievement.
• An Echo is the result of a being with many vices attempting to transcend the cycle of reincarnation using Void Fluid and becoming stuck between this world and the next. Looks to the Moon notes that this is especially the case for those who are too arrogant or egotistical.
• Some sentient beings (possibly Scavengers) seem to have been aware of the Echoes at some point, as a 'ghost' symbol appears near many of the Echo locations.
• The Pilgrim is a Passage achievement which requires Slugcat to visit all Echoes in their campaign. Artificer and Saint each have an additional Echo in their Passage.

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