Pearl

This page only covers some of the uses of Pearls. For contents, visit the Pearl/Dialogue page.

"Pearl"
Information
Code name	DataPearl or UniqueDataPearl
Category	Swallowable
Locations (amount)	Industrial Complex (10 + 1 colored Pearl) Shoreline (9 + 3 colored Pearls) Garbage Wastes (9 + 1 colored Pearl) Farm Arrays (7 + 2 colored Pearls) Sky Islands (7 + 2 colored Pearls (+3 more colored Pearls in Downpour)) Subterranean (3 (+1 as Monk) + 2 colored Pearls) Shaded Citadel (3 + 1 colored Pearl) Chimney Canopy (2 + 1 colored Pearl) Drainage System (2 + 1 colored Pearl) Outskirts (1 colored Pearl (+1 more colored Pearl in Downpour)) The Exterior (1 colored Pearl) Pipeyard (1 colored Pearl) Outer Expanse (1 colored Pearl) Metropolis (2 colored Pearls) Submerged Superstructure\Looks to the Moon (region) (1 colored Pearl)
Respawn time	None (Pearls do not respawn, unless in Scavengers' treasuries)
Trading value	10

Pearls, referred to in-code as Data Pearls, are small, shiny spheres found throughout the game. Their primary use early-game is for trading with Scavengers. Most Pearls are white in color and only respawn in Scavenger Treasuries.

Colored Pearls, referred to in-code as Unique Data Pearls, are special non-white Pearls that can only be found at their specific locations. These Colored Pearls have a special use later in the game related to the history and lore of the world, but they are not required to complete the game and do not give any sort of mechanical advantage to the player.

Function

Trading

Scavengers value Pearls highly, allowing the player to trade for objects and increase their reputation by giving Pearls as gifts. Scavenger Merchants typically carry many valuable weapons and items, which makes trading with them more worthwhile. A Pearl can also be used as payment for passing through a Scavenger Toll. Colored Pearls are worth the same amount as white Pearls.

Giving Pearls to Scavengers is the most effective strategy for getting The Chieftain.

The Yellow Overseer teaching Slugcat to trade.

Colored Pearls

Without Key Item Tracking enabled, Colored Pearls that have been either moved from their original location and left in the rain or taken by Scavengers are lost and never reappear. Because of this, it is recommended that new players interested in uncovering lore either leave Colored Pearls where they are or store them in a secure Shelter until their use is found. Items stored in Shelters persist even if the player sleeps in a different Shelter or closes the game.

Colored Pearls are replaced by 'blank' Pearls in Monk or Saint's campaign. Monk's Pearls all appear gray or white, but for Saint, the Pearls are only faded in color and can still be uniquely identified.

Touching Colored Pearls grants one pip each towards The Scholar .

Trivia

• The Pearls specifically owned by Five Pebbles are referred to as "marbles" in the game's code, possibly hinting at an earlier name.
• In Subterranean and Rivulet's Sky Islands, there is a uniquely-colored Bonus Pearl that is nonetheless treated identically to a generic Pearl.

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