In DREADMOOR the harpoon is not a sidearm — it is the heavy tackle for dangerous prey and the same weapon you throw at mutated creatures. Reach for the harpoon when the rod starts to lose the long runs.

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When to switch

  1. High-energy fish on the rod

    When a high-energy fish is running the rod near its snap threshold, the harpoon keeps the line against prey that would snap a rod.

  2. Tentacles or mutated fish near the trawler

    When a tentacle or mutated fish surfaces near the trawler mid-fight, switch to the harpoon to clear the threat and recover the catch.

Stance and range

  1. Face the prey and hold the trawler steady

    Do not run the engine while a heavy fish is on the line.

  2. Aim along the run direction

    Aim the harpoon along the fish's run direction, not at its head — head-on casts break early and waste the line.

  3. Thrust close, throw at distance

    Thrust for close prey, throw for a fish or creature breaking the surface a few metres out.

  4. Hold line tension and finish by hand

    Hold the line tension until the energy bar empties; finish the catch by hand once the prey stops.

Harpoon variants

Every harpoon variant is built by combining a base Harpoon with a single alchemical component at the workbench. Five variants are confirmed:

VariantRecipeEffect on hit
Healing HarpoonHarpoon + Healing PoulticeRestores health on hit
Toxic HarpoonHarpoon + Toxic VialsAdds poison damage
Fire HarpoonHarpoon + Fire SaltsIgnites targets
Frost HarpoonHarpoon + Frost SaltsAdds cold damage
Plague HarpoonHarpoon + Plague ExtractsSpreads disease

All variants are usable against both prey and mutated creatures, so the same weapon loadout can land a tough catch and fight off the next threat. Build at least one elemental harpoon before a dangerous run — reinforced tackle cuts the snap risk during long runs and unlocks elemental status for combat crossovers.

For the crafting order and the components to keep stocked, see the DREADMOOR harpoon crafting guide.

DREADMOOR Harpoon CraftingFive elemental harpoons combine a base Harpoon with a single alchemical consumable at the workbench, and each works as both a fishing tool and a weapon.DREADMOOR Combat GuideReal-time combat crosses both sea and land; the harpoon is the primary weapon and doubles as fishing tackle.DREADMOOR Mutated CreaturesCounter list per creature family across sea and land, with night-time variants explicitly more dangerous.DREADMOOR Fishing GuideSkill-based first-person fishing from the trawler with three encounter types, surface marks, and three ways to spend every catch.