Traversing the perilous terrain of Arrakis in Dune: Awakening presents constant challenges from surviving brutal sandstorms to managing hydration. But among these is a less obvious hazard: fall damage. Whether you’re scaling steep cliffs or descending from rocky outposts, a misstep can cost you valuable health, consumables, or even your life if it leaves you vulnerable near hostile territory.
Fall Damage in Dune: Awakening
Fall damage exists in Dune: Awakening, but it’s not always fatal. While falling from moderate heights results in partial health loss, plunging from extreme elevations can drop you to 0 HP. Although self-revival is possible, being downed especially in enemy territory can lead to death or interruption in progression. Managing this risk becomes essential as you explore higher cliffs, buildings, and ridge lines across the desert.
Early Game Tricks to Avoid Fall Damage
In the early hours of the game, players won’t yet have access to specialized traversal gear like Suspensor Belts. However, there is a manual technique that, while slightly clunky, can save you from injury.
To descend safely without gear:
- Approach a cliff or ledge and jump while close to the wall.
- While falling, hold the Spacebar (or equivalent button on controller). This prompts your character to automatically grab the ledge or wall.
- Once latched, press the backward movement key (typically S) to initiate a controlled climb down.
- You can speed up your descent by jumping and re-latching onto lower ledges.
Though awkward to perform in tight environments, this technique is your only reliable tool before acquiring better gear. Many early-game players find it unintuitive, but it’s a necessary step in surviving vertical drops during the game’s initial hours.
How Suspensor Belts Eliminate Fall Damage
As you progress and unlock research nodes within the exploration tree, you gain access to one of the game’s most valuable tools—Suspensor Belts.
Suspensor Belts are wearable equipment that automatically prevent fall damage. When active, they engage as soon as you reach a critical falling speed, cushioning your descent. Unlike the manual wall-grab technique, Suspensor Belts allow you to freely leap off cliffs without risk of injury, making vertical navigation smooth and efficient.
To use a Suspensor Belt effectively:
- Craft or loot one through scavenger camps or by researching schematics at your base.
- Ensure it is equipped alongside a Power Pack, as the belt requires stored energy to function.
- Monitor your power usage—if depleted mid-fall, the belt won’t activate.
- Advanced Suspensor Belts may include extra features such as enhanced jumps, limited aerial mobility, or reduced Sandworm detection, depending on tier.
Power regeneration on most belts is reasonably fast, but it’s still wise to avoid excessive energy usage before long drops.
Class-Based Skills That Prevent Fall Damage
Beyond physical gear, some class abilities can also help prevent or mitigate fall damage—especially those associated with the Trooper specialization.
Key abilities include:
- Shigawire Claw – A grappling hook ability that can be used mid-air. If triggered just before hitting the ground, it lifts the character slightly, effectively canceling fall damage.
- Anti-Gravity Field – Creates a zone that slows falling speed, allowing for a safe landing.
- Suspensor Training – Found in the Trooper skill tree, this passively enhances the effectiveness and energy efficiency of Suspensor Belts.
These abilities are particularly useful in combat zones, cliffside battles, or PvP engagements where mobility is key.
How to Use the Environment to Break Your Fall
If you find yourself without gear, out of power, or mid-fall with no options, there’s still a last-minute method worth attempting, grabbing environmental surfaces.
Even without planning, try to angle your fall toward rock faces, cliff edges, or building walls. By pressing the jump or climb button while near the surface, your character may automatically grip the ledge. This won’t always succeed, especially on sheer or smooth surfaces, but it’s a lifesaver in desperate moments.
This method requires stamina, so be sure to manage your energy bar carefully during long climbs or emergency descents.
Which Fall Damage Method Works Best?
| Method | When Available | Requires Power? | Reliability | Ideal Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wall Grab + Climb Down | Early Game | No | Moderate | Manual descents in starting areas |
| Suspensor Belt | Mid to Late Game | Yes | High | Free movement across vertical landscapes |
| Shigawire Claw (Trooper) | Mid Game (Trooper only) | No | High | Emergency use or tactical engagements |
| Anti-Gravity Field (Trooper) | Mid to Late Game | Yes | High | Group falls or large base descents |
| Environmental Grabbing | Anytime | No | Low | Last-resort situations |
Final Thoughts
Fall damage may seem like a minor nuisance in the vast scope of Dune: Awakening, but as the game’s environments grow more vertical and its challenges more unforgiving, mitigating this hazard becomes a serious quality-of-life upgrade. While manual climbing methods offer short-term solutions, the long-term investment in Suspensor Belts or class abilities like the Shigawire Claw provide true freedom to explore Arrakis’s cliffs, ruins, and plateaus without fear of punishment.
Mastering not to fall not only protects your health, but it also lets you move confidently across the map, pursue objectives quickly, and escape danger with fluidity. Equip wisely, prepare your Power Pack, and never let gravity slow your journey through the sands.
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