Part of the series:

Quick Answer

  • The Atlantid is a two-handed rifle with a high mining bonus, obtained exclusively from a Discordant Interface on a Korvax-system monolith, not from space stations.
  • The Voltaic Staff is a craftable multi-tool built from three parts (Head, Core, Pole) at Autophage Synthesis Terminals or Harmonic Interfaces using Void Motes.
  • Both require making meaningful progress in the Autophage story quest "They Who Returned" first.
  • Atlantid class is random; you can reload or search multiple systems to fish for S-class.
  • Voltaic Staff class is influenced by which parts you combine. You can preview results before committing.
  • Upgrading either tool's class (C → S) is done at a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station inside a regulated space station for nanites.
  • Neither type is available for purchase from regular merchants or space station terminals.

Overview

The Echoes update introduced two of the most exotic multi-tool types in No Man's Sky: the Atlantid and the Voltaic Staff. Both are faction-gated rewards tied to the Autophage race, the ancient robot beings that haunt dissonant systems. Getting either requires meaningful story progress, making them genuinely mid-to-late-game acquisitions rather than lucky finds at a space station.

If you're still in the early hours, check the No Man's Sky Beginner's Guide first and work through the main storyline before tackling this content. Once you're ready, here's everything you need to know.

The Autophage Prerequisite: "They Who Returned"

Before either tool is accessible, you must unlock the Autophage questline.

Prerequisites to trigger the quest:

  1. Complete the main story through The Purge (the Artemis Path conclusion). Note that completing "A Trace of Metal" is not required. That prerequisite was removed in a post-launch patch.
  2. Travel to a Dissonant star system (marked with a resonance icon on the galaxy map) and land on a dissonant planet.
  3. Fight Corrupted Sentinels until one drops an Echo Locator.
  4. Use the Echo Locator to find a Harmonic Camp. At the camp, interact with the Harmonic Interface and solve its puzzle (a series of simple arithmetic equations entered as glyphs) to unlock the Harmonic Seal.
  5. Return to your ship, warp to any system, and you'll receive a radio signal from a damaged Autophage, starting "They Who Returned."

This questline walks you through your first Voltaic Staff. The Atlantid also unlocks alongside it. Neither gated tool will respond to you until this mission is at least underway.

Part 1: Getting the Atlantid Multi-Tool

What Is the Atlantid?

The Atlantid is a large, two-handed rifle built from monolith-like metal. Its standout stat is a high mining bonus, with medium damage and medium scanner bonuses. It supports up to 30 inventory slots at its maximum and comes with a unique Runic Lens weapon mode, a mining beam variant that also grants active camouflage. Think of it as the mining specialist of the rare multi-tool tier.

Step-by-Step: Finding the Discordant Interface

  1. Locate a Korvax star system on the galaxy map. Korvax systems are identified by the Korvax glyph, a diamond shape. Check the system info before warping.
  2. Find an Ancient Monolith within that system. Buy Alien Artifact Site maps from the cartographer aboard any space station, then use them to ping a monolith's location on a planet surface.
  3. At the monolith site, look for the Discordant Interface: a glowing obelisk-style object near the main monolith, marked with a purple-outlined monolith icon on your HUD.
  4. Gather Atlantideum. This resource drops from defeating Corrupted Sentinels on dissonant planets and can also be harvested from dissonant planet geology. You'll need enough to fully charge the interface runes.
  5. Charge the runes on the Discordant Interface with your Atlantideum, then interact with it and answer the dialogue prompt correctly.
  6. A multi-tool reward is offered. Accept it to claim your Atlantid.

Getting an S-Class Atlantid

The class of the offered Atlantid is largely random. Community strategies include:

  • Reload from a manual save placed just before interacting with the Discordant Interface to reroll the class.
  • Search multiple Korvax systems: different monolith sites can yield different classes.
  • If you receive a lower-class Atlantid, upgrade it at a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station inside a regulated (non-outlaw) space station using nanites. Upgrade costs are approximately 10,000 nanites (C→B), 25,000 nanites (B→A), and 50,000 nanites (A→S). If you need nanites fast, see our No Man's Sky: How to Get Nanites Fast guide.

Part 2: Building a Voltaic Staff

What Is the Voltaic Staff?

The Voltaic Staff is a craftable staff-style multi-tool with high damage and scanner bonuses but a relatively low mining multiplier. It's the combat and exploration complement to the mining-focused Atlantid. Three craftable blueprint parts are gifted through the Autophage questline (specifically the "Audience with the Autophage" sub-quest); additional parts and cosmetic variants are acquired with Void Motes.

Staff Parts: Head, Core, and Pole

A Voltaic Staff requires three components assembled at an Autophage Synthesis Terminal or Harmonic Interface:

Part Role How to Get
Head Top segment; influences class and appearance Awarded via questline blueprints, or buy with Void Motes
Core Middle segment Awarded via questline blueprints, or buy with Void Motes
Pole Handle Awarded via questline blueprints, or buy with Void Motes

The three questline blueprint parts: Concentric Transducer (Head), Atlantideum Chamber (Core), and Fibreglass Grip (Pole). Are awarded during the Autophage questline and do not require Void Motes to craft. Every additional or cosmetic part variant must be purchased at a terminal.

Multiple sets of named parts exist (including Voltaic, Radiant, Runic, Havoc, Salvaged, and Reclaimed sets), and different Autophage Synthesis Terminals at different camps stock different parts, so you'll likely need to visit several camps to collect your preferred loadout.

Finding Autophage Camps

Autophage Camps are found in Dissonant systems on dissonant planets. To locate one after completing the questline:

  1. Warp into a system with the Dissonant tag.
  2. Use your Echo Locator to reveal the camp's location on a planet surface.
  3. Alternatively, equip the Polyphonic Core scanner upgrade in your multi-tool to perform a long-range scan that pinpoints nearby Autophage signal sources (the Polyphonic Core must be charged with Atlantideum to activate the scan).
  4. Each camp has an Autophage Synthesis Terminal you can access for parts and assembly.

Assembling the Staff

At the Synthesis Terminal or Harmonic Interface, select Staff Assembly, pick your Head, Core, and Pole, then choose Assemble to preview the result. Parts are not consumed until you confirm, so you can freely test combinations. The combination of parts chosen influences the staff's class and color scheme.

Tips for getting an S-class Staff:

  • Test different part combinations at multiple terminals before confirming. The preview shows you the resulting class.
  • Terminal inventory varies by location. If a given terminal yields no S-class results after thorough testing, move to a different Autophage Camp or Harmonic Interface.
  • Community-shared coordinates for S-class staff combinations are galaxy-specific: they only replicate results within the same galaxy.

Earning Void Motes

Void Motes are the Autophage currency needed for most staff parts and cosmetics. The best sources:

  • Autophage missions (the most consistent): Complete tasks for Autophage NPCs at camps: resource runs, sentinel hunts, rescuing lost Autophage. Each mission pays roughly 200–600 Void Motes.
  • Outlaw station missions: Outlaw mission boards sometimes pay around 200–285 Void Motes per job, but availability is unreliable.
  • Harmonic Camp salvage: Wheelbarrows around camps can hold 60–90 Void Motes each, but the chance of finding any is inconsistent.
  • Scrapping multi-tools: Decommissioning a multi-tool at the Multi-Tool Decommissioning Terminal on the Space Anomaly can return a meaningful amount of Void Motes.

Atlantid vs. Voltaic Staff: Which Should You Get First?

Feature Atlantid Voltaic Staff
Primary strength Mining Combat & scanning
Acquisition Random drop from monolith Crafted from parts
Class control Requires rerolling or upgrading Preview before committing
Max slots Up to 30 Variable
Best for Resource farming, planet survey Combat, sentinel fights, exploration

If you're building toward a passive mining income base, the Atlantid's mining bonus pairs naturally with extractor builds. If you're deep in combat content or exploration, the Voltaic Staff's damage and scanner bonuses give you more return per upgrade slot.

For a broader look at how these fit the full multi-tool landscape, see the No Man's Sky Multi-Tool Types & Classes Explained guide.

FAQ

Can I get the Atlantid or Voltaic Staff before completing the main story?

No. Both require meaningful progress in "They Who Returned," which itself requires finishing the main Artemis story (The Purge) and unlocking a Harmonic Camp first. Treat this as a mid-to-late-game goal.

Do I have to complete the full Autophage questline for the Voltaic Staff?

You need to progress far enough in the questline to receive the three craftable blueprint parts (Concentric Transducer, Atlantideum Chamber, Fibreglass Grip). Completing the full questline isn't strictly required to assemble a staff using Void Mote-purchased parts, but the questline teaches you the systems and rewards you generously along the way.

What's the easiest way to get an S-class Atlantid?

Place a manual save beacon just before you interact with the Discordant Interface, then reload if the offered class isn't S-class. If your game doesn't allow that save timing, accept whatever class you get and upgrade it at a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station. The A→S nanite cost is steep but achievable.

Can I have both an Atlantid and a Voltaic Staff?

Yes. No Man's Sky allows you to carry multiple multi-tools and switch between them freely. Many players keep an Atlantid loaded for mining sessions and swap to a Voltaic Staff for combat. See our guide on getting more inventory slots if you need help managing the extra equipment.

Are Void Motes shared across saves or characters?

Void Motes are tied to your save file. They don't transfer between characters, but they don't expire and persist indefinitely.

Can I buy staff parts from regular merchants or space stations?

No. Staff parts are exclusively sold at Autophage Synthesis Terminals inside Autophage Camps and at Harmonic Interfaces. Regular NPC merchants and space station multi-tool terminals don't stock them.

Key Takeaways

  • Complete "They Who Returned" first. It gates both the Atlantid and the Voltaic Staff. "A Trace of Metal" is not required to trigger the questline.
  • The Atlantid comes from Korvax monolith Discordant Interfaces charged with Atlantideum; class is random but can be upgraded with nanites at a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station.
  • The Voltaic Staff is assembled from three parts (Head, Core, Pole) at Autophage Synthesis Terminals or Harmonic Interfaces. Preview the class before confirming to avoid wasting materials.
  • Earn Void Motes primarily through Autophage camp missions, which reward approximately 200–600 Void Motes each.
  • Part combinations influence a staff's class and color; test multiple terminals and camps if you're chasing S-class.
  • Class upgrades for any multi-tool (including the Atlantid) cost nanites at a Multi-Tool Upgrade Station in a regulated space station: approximately 10,000 (C→B), 25,000 (B→A), and 50,000 (A→S) nanites.
  • Atlantid excels at mining; Voltaic Staff excels at combat and scanning. They're complementary, not competing.