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Mandrake Active

Based on game build 714014 | Last updated: 2026-03-05

Overview​

mandrake_active is the active, mobile form of the mandrake entity in DST. It spawns when a planted mandrake is picked and navigates toward the nearest player. It is designed to be fragile and perishable during daylight hours, automatically triggering death if not replanted. The component orchestrates transitions to other mandrake forms (mandrake_planted, mandrake_inactive) and supports cooking mechanics. It integrates closely with the follower, health, locomotor, freezable, and burnable components to manage behavior and interactions during gameplay.

Usage example​

This component is not added directly via inst:AddComponent("mandrake_active"). Instead, it is instantiated as part of the mandrake_active prefab definition, typically triggered when a mandrake_planted is picked by a player.

-- Internally, when a planted mandrake is picked:
inst.onpicked(inst)  -- Triggers picking logic (e.g., set state, start leader search, schedule daylight death)

-- The active instance remains in play until:
-- - Daytime arrives → health:Kill()
-- - Killed →ondeath → becomes "mandrake_inactive"
-- - Cooked →oncooked → spawns "cookedmandrake" with sleep effect

Dependencies & tags​

Components used:

  • inspectable, combat, health, locomotor, follower, burnable, freezable
  • Also uses rider, sleeper, grogginess, pinnable, fossilizable via external component checks during area effect.

Tags:

  • Adds: character, small, smallcreature
  • Checks: player, playerghost, FX, DECOR, INLIMBO, sleeper, ridden (via rider)

Properties​

No public properties are defined directly in the mandrake_active constructor or logic. All state is managed internally or via attached components (e.g., health.currenthealth, locomotor.walkspeed).

Main functions​

CheckDay(inst)​

  • Description: Checks if it is currently daytime. If true, unfreezes the entity (if frozen) and kills it.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity) — the mandrake active instance.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: No error handling; always performs the check and kill if day.

doareasleep(inst, range, time)​

  • Description: Causes sleep or grogginess in nearby entities within the specified range. Applies varying effects depending on entity type (sleeper, player, grogginess-capable, or generic knock-out).
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity) — the source of the effect.
    • range (number) — radius in world units.
    • time (number) — duration for sleep/grogginess (modified by math.random()).
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Skips entities that are frozen, stuck, fossilized, ghosts, FX, decorators, or in limbo. PvP rules are respected for player targeting.

canplant(inst)​

  • Description: Determines whether the mandrake can be replanted. Returns false if frozen or burning.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: true if not frozen and not burning; otherwise false.

replant(inst, retries)​

  • Description: Attempts to transform the active instance back into mandrake_planted. Retries for up to DEATH_TIMER (5) seconds if conditions (canplant) are not met; otherwise calls CheckDay.
  • Parameters:
    • inst (Entity).
    • retries (number, optional, default 1) — current attempt count.
  • Returns: Nothing.
  • Error states: Fails and triggers death after 5 retries.

ondeath(inst)​

  • Description: Transforms the instance into mandrake_inactive on death, playing the death animation.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

oncooked(inst)​

  • Description: Transforms into cookedmandrake and triggers a delayed area-sleep effect after 0.5 seconds.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

FindNewLeader(inst)​

  • Description: Locates the nearest player within 5 units and sets it as the follower’s leader.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

StartFindLeaderTask(inst) / StopFindLeaderTask(inst)​

  • Description: Starts or cancels a periodic task (1 second interval) that calls FindNewLeader.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

onpicked(inst)​

  • Description: Entry point when the entity is picked up (e.g., from planting). Switches state graph to "picked", starts seeking a leader, and schedules daylight death in 26 * FRAMES.
  • Parameters: inst (Entity).
  • Returns: Nothing.

Events & listeners​

  • Listens to:
    • "startday" (world state) → calls replant
    • "startfollowing" → stops leader search task
    • "stopfollowing" → starts leader search task
  • Pushes:
    • "yawn" (for players, triggers grogginess)
    • "ridersleep" (for mounted riders)
    • "knockedout" (for entities without sleeper/grogginess)
    • "leaderchanged" (via follower component)
    • "unfreeze" (via freezable component)