Flying Crab Hatcher

Flying Crab Hatchers are plant-like objects with six glowing, hanging bulbs. They are often found near rivers, cliff edges, Power Slugs and Crash Sites. Approaching or attacking (via Rebar Gun, for example) these objects will cause the bulbs to burst, spawning 3 Flying Crabs. A destroyed Flying Crab Hatcher.

Like all other enemies, a Flying Crab Hatcher respawns after some time if the player does not build and power buildings in the surrounding area. When a Nobelisk touches it directly, or it is blown up by it, the Flying Crabs will spawn anyway. Landing a Nobelisk directly on the plant will cause the Nobelisk to disappear.

Tips

 * Build an Equipment Workshop nearby the Flying Crab Hatcher before approaching it.
 * It has a window and roof with some wall which provides a good cover.
 * It's easier to snipe the plant with a Rebar Gun or Rifle first, then approach the Flying Crabs one by one (rather than having them come at the pioneer all at once)
 * While not aggroed, the Flying Crabs flit about with a second or two's pause in between, making them also fairly easy to snipe.
 * If the hatcher is shot from a distance and the Flying Crabs are not aggroed, moving away from the hatcher may cause it and the Flying Crabs to temporarily despawn.
 * Try to avoid triggering more than one hatcher plant at a time.
 * Another way of attacking is to get close quickly and destroy some bulbs with the Xeno-Basher before they explode, killing multiple flying crabs at once.
 * It is possible to stay much closer to the hatcher by hiding behind foliage (Trees, Shrubs, etc.)

Trivia

 * If the pioneer quickly hides behind a cover while the Hatcher is halfway bursting, the hatcher will go back to its dormant state and will not burst.
 * Such as behind a wall, a Crashed FICSIT Freighter or a building.
 * It is likely that the Flying Crab Hatcher itself or the bulbs it sports, could be the eggs of the Crab Boss, which would mean that the flying crabs are only the younglings of the species.
 * Some Flying Crab Hatcher spawn points are set to be only active at night, one of them can be found on the Limestone node near the Rocky Desert starting location.

History

 * Patch 0.6.0.0: The Creature AI system, navigation, and spawning have been overhauled
 * Creatures now have separate visual and audio perception (and they won’t hear you crouch)
 * Creatures can now panic and run when certain conditions are met
 * Added unique loot for all aggressive wildlife (see Alien Remains - Hatcher Remains)
 * Added optional HUD indicators for aggressive wildlife (can be turned on in the options menu)
 * Full visual overhaul
 * Now persists and spawns new Flying Crabs until destroyed
 * Flying Crabs have more predictable behavior
 * Patch Closed Alpha 2: Introduced