Husk Infection

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Data is potentially outdated
Last updated for version 0.14.9.0
Last mentioned in changelog 1.4.4.1
The current game version is 1.4.5.0
See also: Afflictions
Something dark and unpleasant moves in the mouth. They are rendered completely mute, save for occasional clicking sounds apparently emanating from deep within the throat.


The Husk Infection can be caused by being bitten by a husked creature (most commonly, the Husk) or injected with Velonaceps Calyx Eggs.

It can be inflicted upon humans and crawlers, turning them into Husked Humans and Husked Crawlers respectively if not cured.

A single bite/injection is enough to permanently infect a character, and the affliction progressively gets worse. As the infection progresses, the player will be prompted with messages about their state.


The infection can be divided in three relevant stages: dormant, active and final.

The dormant stage of the infection (up to 74 strength) has close to no adverse side effects. An infected character will not be able to see if they're infected until the infection reaches 40 strength, and when it reaches 50 strength they will become unable to speak. A player using a health scanner can however detect the infection at any stage.

The active stage of the infection (from 75 strength onwards) has both negative and positive effects: A stinger-like appendage will grow out of the character's throat which can be used to attack (Middle Mousemiddle mouse button or R) and spread the infection to other characters or creatures, slightly healing the host for every successful attack. In this stage, the character will also develop an immunity to pressure along with the ability to breathe underwater, allowing the character to freely swim in the Europan Ocean without a Diving Suit.

The final stage (at 100 strength) will make the afflicted character have seizures while slowly dying of internal damage, and after dying they will rise back from the dead as an NPC Husk. Husks don't revive after being killed.

In the absence of a treatment, the dormant stage will last 240 seconds (up to 74 infection strength) and the active stage will last another 80 seconds (reaching 100 infection strength), turning the target into a Husk 5 minutes and 33 seconds after the bite/injection.

The best known treatment for a husk infection is Calyxanide. It will heal 40 infection strength in 10 seconds (or 20 in 20 seconds in case of failure), therefore several uses may be required to completely remove the infection. (doing so grants the player the "I am the cure" Achievement). If the infection strength wasn't brought down to 0, it will resume its progression once the treatment wears off. Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics are slightly less effective, healing 30 infection strength (or 15 in case of failure) in 60 seconds. However, they have the benefit of granting the patient temporary immunity to the Husk parasite and may therefore be injected pre-emptively.

Neither treatment will be effective during or after the final stage, and Calyxanide will actually damage husks.

Affliction Limb Specific? Scaled to Vitality? If left alone Strength Range Effects TreatmentsSkill CausesSkill

Husk Infection
No No Grows (+0.3/s) 0 - 74

Dormant stage

Hidden Affliction icon until 40 strength
Unable to chat/radio at 50 strength
Calyxanide (-100 | -60)* Desirable Medical Skill38
Broad-spectrum Antibiotics (-30 | -15)* Desirable Medical Skill25
Velonaceps Calyx Eggs (+0.3/s)* Desirable Medical Skill -
75 - 100

Active stage


Waterbreathing
Pressure immunity
Special infectious attack
Unable to chat/radio
Death at 100 strength

Trivia

  • The name of the achievement for curing another player is most likely a reference to SCP-049, from SCP: Containment Breach, who also says "I am the cure". This is also enforced by the fact that the achievement's image is a medieval plague doctor, like how SCP-049 looks.


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