Farming Deuterium in No Man’s Sky: Easy and Efficient Ways

Secure Deuterium for your No Man's Sky journey and explore, craft, and protect your Exocraft with this essential resource

Embarking on the cosmic journey of No Man's Sky can be an overwhelming experience for beginners. Among the vast array of resources needed to survive and thrive in this vast universe, Deuterium holds a special place. In this extensive guide, we'll take a deep dive into the best methods for obtaining Deuterium in NMS, while also explaining its significance and applications, especially catering to novice players.

What Is Deuterium?

Before we venture into the means of acquiring Deuterium, let's get an understanding of this valuable resource. This resource is a stable form of hydrogen, crucial for small-scale fusion reactors and neutron scattering technology. In the early days of NMS, it presented itself as the ‘Deuterium Rich Plant'—a brilliant blue flora that granted a substantial boost to your jetpack's power when interacted with. However, times have changed, and Deuterium no longer grows freely on planetary surfaces. Instead, we must now navigate alternative routes to harness its power.

The Necessity of Deuterium and Its Uses

Deuterium isn't just any resource; it plays a pivotal role in crafting essential items in No Man's Sky. Understanding its significance and versatility is crucial for beginners:

Neutron Shielding

Deuterium is the raw ingredient for crafting Neutron Shielding, a vital hazard protection upgrade for your Exocraft. This upgrade safeguards both your vehicle and yourself from the hazards of radioactive damage on irradiated planets. In simpler terms, Neutron Shielding keeps you safe when exploring dangerous, radiation-filled worlds and areas.

• The importance of Neutron Shielding

When you're exploring irradiated planets, the environment can be deadly due to high levels of radiation. Without Neutron Shielding, your Exocraft and you would be vulnerable to this radiation, leading to damage and potential deaths. By crafting and equipping Neutron Shielding, you ensure a safer journey through these perilous landscapes.

• How to craft Neutron Shielding?

To craft Neutron Shielding, you'll need 95 units of Deuterium, 50 Ionized Cobalt, and one Wiring Loom. These components come together to create a protective barrier that keeps you and your Exocraft safe from radiation. Both Cobalt and Wiring Loom can be found in Space Station Trade Terminals, with the first also being plentifully available in plant caves. 

• What Happens When You Dismantle It?

Should you ever need to dismantle your Neutron Shielding, it will yield 47 units of Deuterium, which is not really a smart choice as you will be losing out on the Cobalt and Wiring Loom.

Pulse Spitter

The Pulse Spitter is a remarkable addition to any interstellar explorer's arsenal in NMS. This multi-tool weapon is tailor-made for unleashing a relentless barrage of rapid projectiles, making it the ideal choice for tackling airborne threats, especially those sentinel drones.

• Proper use of a Pulse Spitter

When you find yourself facing hostile forces in alien worlds, the Pulse Spitter becomes a powerful companion to have added to your multi-tool. The Pulse Spitter has three-burst firing patterns that ensures that your foes are constantly bombarded with high-damaging projectiles, giving you an advantage in battles where precision and speed are important. It gets a bit of getting used to, as its not a constant beam of damage and needs you to follow the enemy throughout their movement.

• Crafting the Pulse Spitter

To add the Pulse Spitter to your multi-tool, you'll need to invest a substantial amount of Deuterium—200 units, to be precise. This price of this is worth the amount, as the weapon is superbly powerful and versatile.

Getting Deuterium in No Man's Sky:

For beginners, it's essential to understand how to obtain Deuterium and its crafting raw materials.

Refining 

The resource can be synthesized through a refining process that combines Tritium and Di-Hydrogen. To begin this process, you'll need to collect Di-Hydrogen and Tritium.

• How to Get Di-Hydrogen

Di-Hydrogen is commonly found on planetary surfaces, often appearing as vibrant blue crystal minerals. To collect Di-Hydrogen efficiently, you can use an advanced laser to mine large crystal deposits. Smaller clusters can be gathered with basic equipment. Di-Hydrogen plays a crucial role in various crafting recipes, such as Starship Launch Fuel and Hydraulic Wiring.

• How to Get Tritium

Tritium, an exotic element, is often found in the form of large chunks on asteroids floating in space. Occasionally, it appears in dense crystal form, referred to as a Tritium Hypercluster. Alternatively, if luck is on your side, you might find Tritium available for purchase from trading terminals. Tritium is an essential component in numerous base-building and ship fuel crafting blueprints. It is also used to power your Pulse Engine. 

• How to Refine Deuterium

Once you have Di-Hydrogen and Tritium in your inventory, it's time to refine them into Deuterium. Place one unit of Di-Hydrogen and one unit of Tritium into a Medium or Large Refiner. Initiate the refining process, and the resource will be produced as the final output. Quick hack – to save time, you can also consider refining five units of Tritium which also directly gives this resource.

Purchasing from the Galactic Terminal 

Deuterium occasionally appears for sale at specific Space Stations, making it accessible for beginners. Keep an eye out for traders and NPCs who may offer it for purchase. While acquiring the resource from terminals or NPCs is possible, it may not always provide substantial quantities, and the availability can be sporadic. This is why refining them by acquiring its easily accessible raw materials is a more efficient process. 

Dismantling Deuterium-enriched equipment 

Certain equipment, such as the Neutron Shielding module and the Pulse Spitter, contains Deuterium. For those who are in desperate need for it, dismantling these items can be an additional source of Deuterium. Although this method is useful, it may not always be the most reliable, especially for those who are just starting their journey and do not have a spare Pulse Spitter or Neutron Shielding module to use.

Harvesting from Space Station potted plants 

In select Space Stations, the resource can be harvested from potted plants. However, beginners should be aware that this method is less common than the others mentioned above. The amount is nearly negligible, and should not be considered a reliable source of harvesting this material. 

Conclusion 

While Deuterium may not be as readily available as it once was, these methods should help beginners keep this resource's reserves stocked as they continue their adventures in No Man's Sky. Whether you refine it, purchase it, or dismantle equipment, this element remains a valuable resource in their journey through the cosmos.