Doloc Town Caves Guide — Exploration, Resources & Dangers (2026)

The cave system of Doloc Town is the game's first true underground layer — a network beneath the Wetlands that connects to nearly every other region, packed with mineral veins, hidden rooms, cave fishing pools, and some of the hardest enemies in the game. It's also where several rare resources live, including the mother plant for the best early crop and the lore tablets that finish the vanished-leader storyline. This guide covers where the caves are, what's inside, what to bring, and how to farm them safely.

Here's what you'll learn:

• Where the cave entrances are and how the network connects regions
• What resources the caves hold (and the 3-day mineral respawn)
• Lichen Cave and the Lichen Guardian boss
• Moss Light Cave and the Shiitake mother plant
• Cave enemies, hazards and the double-jump requirement
• Cave fishing pools and hidden rooms
• A complete loadout checklist for cave runs

Official resources: Steam store page · 1.0 launch announcement (Gamespress) · Doloc Town on Wikipedia · CGMagazine review

Where the Caves Are

The main cave network sits beneath the Wetlands and threads out to connect the Outskirts, River Valley and Old City areas — it's the underground highway of the map. The practical entrances:

• Lichen Cave — on the western edge of the Wetlands marsh; the most accessible entrance and the one players hit first (full Wetlands context in the regions guide).
• Moss Light Cave — a second Wetlands cave, and the home of the hidden chest holding the Shiitake mother plant — the unlock for the best early-game crop in the game (numbers in the best crops guide).
• Deep chambers beyond the entrances — vertical tunnels that demand the double jump and cave-tier gear; the deepest rooms also hold the conclusion of the vanished town leader's storyline, so clear every lore tablet you find.

What the Caves Give You

• Mineral veins respawn every ~3 in-game days — the most reliable source of crafting materials in the game, and the community's default farming loop when you need ore fast.
• Copper, iron and deeper-tier ores scale with cave depth; shallow caves hold early-game ore, deep tunnels hold the rare stuff used for late crafting and the Old City (see the 1.0 features guide for titanium and the ruins).
• Cave fishing pools have species that appear nowhere else — bring the rod on every run (full list in the fishing guide).
• Hidden rooms with relic shards and pre-apocalypse lore — the "Eden technology" artifacts the story keeps referencing.

Lichen Cave and the Lichen Guardian

Lichen Cave's deepest chamber holds the region's mini-boss: the Lichen Guardian, a stationary turret rooted in the back wall.

• Attack pattern: fires slow poison bolts.
• Weakness: immune to melee until its outer fungal shell is broken with fire salve — so bring fire salves; once the shell drops, the Guardian dies in roughly 6 heavy hits.
• Reward: drops the Eden Core Fragment on the first clear — a story item tied to the environmental restoration arc.
• Community prep: three fire salves and one Mistshade Tonic are the standard loadout for the fight.

Cave Enemies and Hazards

• Cave drones patrol the entrances; deeper rooms add fungal and mineral-based enemies that resist standard damage types — the community recommends swapping weapon modules to pierce or melee variants before going deep.
• Darkness is a real hazard: without a lighting module on the drone, you're fighting blind. It's the single most-recommended support item for cave runs.
• Poison — from Lichen Guardian bolts and swamp-adjacent tunnels; carry the tonic or salve counter.
• Traversal — most elevated rooms and hidden chests need the double jump; the deep chambers need the full movement kit (dash included). Stack movement upgrades before completion runs.

Per the official Steam store description, exploring the ruins reveals "hidden resources, uncover secret passages and concealed areas, piece together scattered clues, and reveal the untold stories buried across this land" — the caves are the densest concentration of that content.

The Cave Run Checklist

Before you descend:

1. Lighting module on the drone (mandatory).
2. Weapon swap — pierce or melee module for the resistant deep enemies.
3. Food + healing — at least one healing item and backup food; deep tunnels hit hard.
4. Fishing rod — the cave pools are unique; one cast per pool on the way out.
5. Empty inventory space — mineral veins and relic shards fill bags fast.
6. Know your exit — caves connect regions, so mark which entrance you came in through or your return trip turns into an expedition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the caves in Doloc Town?

The main cave network sits beneath the Wetlands and connects to nearly every other region. Practical entrances: Lichen Cave (western edge of the marsh) and Moss Light Cave (home of the Shiitake mother plant); deep chambers demand the double jump.

How do I survive the caves in Doloc Town?

Bring a lighting module for the drone, a pierce or melee weapon module for resistant enemies, food and healing items (deep tunnels can one-shot), and the fishing rod for cave pools. Don't push depth before upgrading the drone — see the combat drone and drone chips guides.

What is in Lichen Cave in Doloc Town?

The Lichen Guardian mini-boss (stationary poison turret; break its fungal shell with fire salve, then ~6 heavy hits; drops the Eden Core Fragment), mineral veins, hidden rooms, relic shards and cave fishing pools.

How often do cave minerals respawn in Doloc Town?

Mineral veins respawn roughly every 3 in-game days — the most reliable crafting-material farming spot in the game. Shallow caves hold early ore; deep tunnels hold the rare ores for late-game and Old City crafting.

Do I need the double jump for caves in Doloc Town?

For most of the cave network, no — Lichen Cave is accessible without it. But elevated rooms, hidden chests and the deepest chambers require the double jump (and dash for the full movement kit), so it's a completion requirement.

Related Guides

• Doloc Town All Regions Guide — Maps, Unlocks & Resources
• Doloc Town Combat Drone Guide — Unlock, Upgrades & Loadouts
• Doloc Town Drone Chips — Every Chip Type & Best Builds
• Doloc Town Best Fishing Spots — Rare Fish Locations
• Doloc Town 1.0 New Features — Full Release Breakdown

Last updated: August 14, 2026.