Pearl

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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, who value them highly. 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.

Trading

Scavengers value Pearls higher than any other object^{[v1.9 only]}, allowing the player to increase their reputation by giving Pearls as gifts. Scavengers drop items for the player when given Pearls or other objects according to their value. Scavenger Merchants typically carry many valuable weapons and items, which makes trading with them more worthwhile. Pearls can also be used as payment for passing through a Scavenger Toll.

Giving Pearls to Scavengers is the most effective strategy for getting The Chieftain, and touching Colored Pearls grants one pip each towards The Scholar .

Colored Pearls are worth the same amount to Scavengers as white Pearls, and any Colored Pearl given to Scavengers are lost forever, unless Key Item Tracking is toggled in the Remix menu, in which case the Pearl spawns close to where it was lost.

An image of an Overseer projecting a scene of a Slugcat handing a pearl to a Scavenger. — The yellow overseer teaching Slugcat to trade.

Colored Pearls

Without Key Item Tracking, 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.