The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
69 Achievements
51-63h
PS5
Elemental Maelstrom
Killed an enemy that was hit with all 5 damage types.
5.5%
How to unlock the Elemental Maelstrom achievement in The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition - Definitive Guide
Allgorhythm
TrueAchievements
TrueAchievements
The achievement is unlocked when you and/or your companion(s) kill an enemy after subjecting it to all 5 damage types. The enemy need not be afflicted with the status effects associated with the damage types when it succumbs. It is only necessary that it be hit with the following 5 damage type attacks.
Plasma weapons are not uncommon early in the game at Emerald Vale. The Bolter plasma pistol can be dropped by enemies. Additionally, the Halcyon Board Approved vending machine at the Edgewater landing pad sells plasma weapons—the higher your level, the greater the variety.
Corrosive weapons can be obtained as early as Emerald Vale but are uncommon. If your base, unadjusted hack skill is at least 40, you can buy the Mr. Acid and Mag-2-Melt mods from vending machines’ restricted stock. They can be used to convert melee and ranged weapons respectively to deliver corrosive damage. Once you recruit SAM as a companion, he only delivers corrosive damage with his built-in acid-spray gun. Thus, the easiest way to inflict this damage type is to have him in the party and use him to attack the enemy.
N-ray weapons are the most difficult to find. The unique, named heavy N-ray weapon Purpleberry Launch can be found in Cascadia behind a locked door. The Mr. N and Mag-2 Ray mods can be purchased from vending machines’ restricted stock once one’s base, unadjusted hacking skill is at least 40. They can be used to convert melee and ranged weapons respectively to deliver N-ray damage. For more detailed information on how to come by N-ray weapons, refer to Solution for Patient N In The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
Having obtained weapons that inflict the 5 types of damage, target a large enemy. The enemy must be robust enough to absorb the 5 types of attacks before succumbing. A good location is Fallbrook on the Planet Monarch. Recommended companions are SAM for corrosive damage and Nyoka for plasma damage with her default plasma light machine gun or equip her with a more powerful plasma ranged weapon.
Set both companions to defensive so they will only attack on command. Set them both to ranged and medium distance. Ensure you are equipped with ranged physical, shock, & N-ray weapons. Although melee weapons will work for the achievement, it is best to initiate the attack against your target at distance so that you can deliberately cycle through the 5 damage types.
A good loadout might be an ordinary unmodified Hunting rifle in the first slot—physical damage. An ordinary Hunting rifle modified with the Mag-2-Zap in the second slot—shock damage. The Purpleberry Launch in the 3rd slot. Finally, equip a very powerful high damage-per-second (DPS) weapon in the fourth and final slot. The Light Assault Rifle Mk 3 would be my recommendation— I like to modify it with the Mag-2-Zap for shock damage with its paralyzing taser-like effect.
Head out the main Fallbrook gate. If you’re playing on supernova, this will create an auto-save. If you are playing on a different mode, create a manual save closer to the action. Take a left into the river as soon as you cross the bridge. A little ways in front of you is a mega-Mantiqueen accompanied by several Mantisaurs and/or Mantipillars. Ideally, kill the lesser enemies at a distance from stealth using a Deadeye II/III or a Hunting Rifle Hyper. If you are not playing on supernova, make a manual save at this point.
Wait until the mega-Mantiqueen is not alert. Go into TTD. Attack it with your weakest ranged weapon. In the suggested loadout above, the ordinary hunting rifle would deliver inconsequential physical damage. After the first shot, get out of TTD, switch to slot 2, go into TTD again, and attack the mega-Mantiqueen with the second damage type. In our proposed loadout, this would be shock. Get out of TTD. The first two attacks are designed, intentionally, to result in minimal damage to allow you plenty of time for the 3 remaining damage types.
Switch to the third weapon. In our example, this is the Purpleberry Launch. Wait for the enemy to get within range. Go into TTD (assuming you have some charge in the gauge) and inflict the 3rd damage type. At this point, direct your companions to attack by pressing up on the d-pad
. Once they have each attacked with their respective damage types, switch to your best weapon and deliver the coup de gras. The achievement will pop as soon as you do so. If something goes awry, load your save and try again.
An alternative to using 5 weapons, each with a different damage type, is to use the Prismatic Hammer either by itself or in conjunction with other weapons. The following guide shows, in detail, how this weapon can be acquired: Solution for Jack of All Trades In The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
The Prismatic Hammer is a unique science weapon that cycles through the 5 damage types. However, to unlock all 5 damage types, you must have an adjusted science skill of at least 80. Note that if you have Vicar Max and/or SAM in your party, either by himself or both together can substantially boost your science skill. Wearing of armor and/or helmet that confers a tech skill bonus or a science bonus will also boost your science rating.
The Fallbrook mega-Mantiqueen is still a good target. The Prismatic Hammer is a two-handed melee weapon so it must be used at closer range. Its charge attack provides a moderate stand-off distance but takes longer to deliver the attack. With adjusted science of at least 80. as before, dispatch the lesser enemies from a distance. When the mega-Mantiqueen is unalert, sneak up on it. Go into TTD and attack with the Prismatic Hammer. Don’t change weapons. Instead, the Prismatic Hammer will cycle through all damage types. The mega-Mantiqueen is robust enough that it will not die until the Prismatic Hammer has gone through at least one complete cycle. When it dies, the achievement will pop.
One can mix and match. For example, if your adjusted science skill is below 60, you will not be able to use the Prismatic Hammer’s corrosive attack that activates at [science 60] and its N-ray attack that activates at [science 80]. Equip a companion with a ranged or melee N-ray weapon and, also, take SAM along for his corrosive weapon. Use the same prismatic hammer tactics outlined above but, this time, give your companions the order to attack () with their N-ray and corrosive weapons. The prismatic hammer will cycle through physical, plasma, and shock while the companions provide the N-ray and corrosive damage. When the mega-Mantiqueen is killed, the achievement will pop.
- Physical
- Shock
- Plasma
- Corrosive
- N-ray
Plasma weapons are not uncommon early in the game at Emerald Vale. The Bolter plasma pistol can be dropped by enemies. Additionally, the Halcyon Board Approved vending machine at the Edgewater landing pad sells plasma weapons—the higher your level, the greater the variety.
Corrosive weapons can be obtained as early as Emerald Vale but are uncommon. If your base, unadjusted hack skill is at least 40, you can buy the Mr. Acid and Mag-2-Melt mods from vending machines’ restricted stock. They can be used to convert melee and ranged weapons respectively to deliver corrosive damage. Once you recruit SAM as a companion, he only delivers corrosive damage with his built-in acid-spray gun. Thus, the easiest way to inflict this damage type is to have him in the party and use him to attack the enemy.
N-ray weapons are the most difficult to find. The unique, named heavy N-ray weapon Purpleberry Launch can be found in Cascadia behind a locked door. The Mr. N and Mag-2 Ray mods can be purchased from vending machines’ restricted stock once one’s base, unadjusted hacking skill is at least 40. They can be used to convert melee and ranged weapons respectively to deliver N-ray damage. For more detailed information on how to come by N-ray weapons, refer to Solution for Patient N In The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
Having obtained weapons that inflict the 5 types of damage, target a large enemy. The enemy must be robust enough to absorb the 5 types of attacks before succumbing. A good location is Fallbrook on the Planet Monarch. Recommended companions are SAM for corrosive damage and Nyoka for plasma damage with her default plasma light machine gun or equip her with a more powerful plasma ranged weapon.
Set both companions to defensive so they will only attack on command. Set them both to ranged and medium distance. Ensure you are equipped with ranged physical, shock, & N-ray weapons. Although melee weapons will work for the achievement, it is best to initiate the attack against your target at distance so that you can deliberately cycle through the 5 damage types.
A good loadout might be an ordinary unmodified Hunting rifle in the first slot—physical damage. An ordinary Hunting rifle modified with the Mag-2-Zap in the second slot—shock damage. The Purpleberry Launch in the 3rd slot. Finally, equip a very powerful high damage-per-second (DPS) weapon in the fourth and final slot. The Light Assault Rifle Mk 3 would be my recommendation— I like to modify it with the Mag-2-Zap for shock damage with its paralyzing taser-like effect.
Head out the main Fallbrook gate. If you’re playing on supernova, this will create an auto-save. If you are playing on a different mode, create a manual save closer to the action. Take a left into the river as soon as you cross the bridge. A little ways in front of you is a mega-Mantiqueen accompanied by several Mantisaurs and/or Mantipillars. Ideally, kill the lesser enemies at a distance from stealth using a Deadeye II/III or a Hunting Rifle Hyper. If you are not playing on supernova, make a manual save at this point.
Wait until the mega-Mantiqueen is not alert. Go into TTD. Attack it with your weakest ranged weapon. In the suggested loadout above, the ordinary hunting rifle would deliver inconsequential physical damage. After the first shot, get out of TTD, switch to slot 2, go into TTD again, and attack the mega-Mantiqueen with the second damage type. In our proposed loadout, this would be shock. Get out of TTD. The first two attacks are designed, intentionally, to result in minimal damage to allow you plenty of time for the 3 remaining damage types.
Switch to the third weapon. In our example, this is the Purpleberry Launch. Wait for the enemy to get within range. Go into TTD (assuming you have some charge in the gauge) and inflict the 3rd damage type. At this point, direct your companions to attack by pressing up on the d-pad
. Once they have each attacked with their respective damage types, switch to your best weapon and deliver the coup de gras. The achievement will pop as soon as you do so. If something goes awry, load your save and try again.An alternative to using 5 weapons, each with a different damage type, is to use the Prismatic Hammer either by itself or in conjunction with other weapons. The following guide shows, in detail, how this weapon can be acquired: Solution for Jack of All Trades In The Outer Worlds: Spacer's Choice Edition
The Prismatic Hammer is a unique science weapon that cycles through the 5 damage types. However, to unlock all 5 damage types, you must have an adjusted science skill of at least 80. Note that if you have Vicar Max and/or SAM in your party, either by himself or both together can substantially boost your science skill. Wearing of armor and/or helmet that confers a tech skill bonus or a science bonus will also boost your science rating.
The Fallbrook mega-Mantiqueen is still a good target. The Prismatic Hammer is a two-handed melee weapon so it must be used at closer range. Its charge attack provides a moderate stand-off distance but takes longer to deliver the attack. With adjusted science of at least 80. as before, dispatch the lesser enemies from a distance. When the mega-Mantiqueen is unalert, sneak up on it. Go into TTD and attack with the Prismatic Hammer. Don’t change weapons. Instead, the Prismatic Hammer will cycle through all damage types. The mega-Mantiqueen is robust enough that it will not die until the Prismatic Hammer has gone through at least one complete cycle. When it dies, the achievement will pop.
One can mix and match. For example, if your adjusted science skill is below 60, you will not be able to use the Prismatic Hammer’s corrosive attack that activates at [science 60] and its N-ray attack that activates at [science 80]. Equip a companion with a ranged or melee N-ray weapon and, also, take SAM along for his corrosive weapon. Use the same prismatic hammer tactics outlined above but, this time, give your companions the order to attack (
) with their N-ray and corrosive weapons. The prismatic hammer will cycle through physical, plasma, and shock while the companions provide the N-ray and corrosive damage. When the mega-Mantiqueen is killed, the achievement will pop.