Actual Guide On The Maneater (Finished)

How to efficiently deal with the hell spawn, aptly named the Maneater. This guide will detail what I've learned from no-lifing Lethal this version w/ the maneater.

Preface/Disclaimer

Some of the observations made in this guide were found through using the Imperium debugger. Imperium is buggy sometimes but trust me I have heavily tested with and without it, and my results are pretty darn reliable.

I will try to keep the well known information short and the more extensive info more prominent.

This guide is based on the most recent patch- (v64) -so it is subject to change when future updates release. Thanks for reading and I hope this guide can provide you some new and or helpful information!

To actually "find" the Maneater

The Maneater has a somewhat unique spawning spread than other creatures. The Maneater is most commonly found on Artifice and Offense, because those moons have a generally larger chance of being a Mineshaft interior than other moons (66.1% on Offense and 49.77% on Artifice). When the interior has loaded as a Mineshaft, the Maneater has a massive x1.7 spawn increase chance.

Spawn chances of the creature with and without the mineshaft interior. (Credits to Lethal Company Fandom page)

Although it may seem like the aforementioned moons are low on this list, as I mentioned, if we take into account that Offense and Art have a much higher Mineshaft spawning chance than other moons plus much more enemy spawning space, so they shoot up greatly on the list.

The Maneater has a power level of 2; Meaning that say, Assurance, with a indoor power level of 6, can theoretically spawn a Maneater (Power level 2), a Bracken (Power level 3), and a Slime (Power level 1) at the same time.

Stage 1: Baby form

The Maneater will spawn in as a baby. The baby will quickly patrol the indoors until it finds a suitable player. The baby will form a attachment to that specific player until that player dies or leaves the facility.

Image of a passive Maneater sitting with the attached crewmate. ->

The Maneater will follow the player around while maintaining a small distance between them (approx 1 old phone long). Players can pick up the baby and rock it, rocking it becomes important in the next stage. Other Crewmates can pick up the baby than the player it is attatched to, the only drawback being that the baby will pathfind back to the player it was bonded with when it is released again. The baby may even begin shaking violently without any input.

Baby Maneaters possess the ability to eat scrap. There is no way to retrieve the scrap once it has been eaten. The baby will inspect a scrap item if it is nearby and there will be a 20% chance that it will eat said scrap. It can only eat scrap every 35 seconds. Dead players also count as scrap, meaning that the body would become irretrievable if the baby chose to consume it.

Stage 2: Crying Form

The baby will go from Stage 1 to Stage 2 and begin crying from the following list of events:

• Being brought outside.
  
• Seeing a player die/ their dead body.
  
• Loud noises. (Dropping scrap near it, triggering a turret near it, triggering a landmine near it, thumpers, airhorns, pulling cash registers, clown horns, various usable equipment, other misc loud noises.)
  
• Falling over during its sitting idle.
  
• Being rocked too much
  
• Taking damage (Shovel, Shotgun, spike trap, landmine, turret, etc.)
  
• Falling too far. (Note: If you begin falling a considerable height, the baby will fall out of your hands.)
  
• Being zapped.
  
• Being flashbanged
  
• Being left alone in the interior after bonding to a Crewmate.
  
• Seeing someone or something getting hit by a shovel.
  
• Being ignored for too long.

Baby Maneater sobbing after falling over in its idle. ->

The Maneater will begin to cry for a huge variety of reasons. Crying may last anywhere from 9-18 seconds. If the baby isn't picked up and rocked within this time frame, it will transform into stage 3. Rocking it will return it back to Stage 1 if the baby isn't on the brink of turning yet.

From testing, the Maneater can be rocked and stopped from transforming max about 4 or so times before barfing. The barfing isn't just a funny little idle animation, it is a indicator that there is a high likelihood, if not, guaranteed that the next time it cries it will transform.

Maneater transforming right after barfing.

Our beloved Sigurd also detailed this in his log on the Maneater:

Different reasons for crying can cause variations in how the Maneater reacts. For example, over rocking and taking damage results in it running away while crying, making it harder to catch to rock it again. Another example is if it falls during the sitting idle, it will continue crying while jolting around on the floor.

Strategies for stages 1 and 2

There is no feasible way to get rid of the Maneater in baby form/crying form, from the interior. In previous patches, you could kill the baby by placing it under a spiketrap (you evil bastards) or getting rid of it by dropping it in various glitch spots. Pretty much all of this has been patched. The Maneater as a baby has infinite health and can nav out of glitch spots and pits.

If your team is very coordinated (and you're very lucky) then you can actually trap the Maneater within a secure door. I had a gif demonstrating this but it became corrupted so I made a visual representation of what would happen. The general idea is one person on the terminal closes a secure door and the other uses the Maneater's "social distancing" to place it just inside of the secure door while it's happening. This effectively neutralizes the Maneater for the rest of the day.

Due to a recent update, the baby Maneater can now escape the back of the company cruiser. Although, If you were to stand on top of the cruiser while the Adult Maneater is outside, it has a high possibility of un-targeting you and scurrying away.

The baby Maneater can trigger mines and be hit by spike traps. Both of these will immediately make it go into stage 2(or even stage 3), crying. Maneaters can also be stolen by hoarding bugs as many people know, making it cry. The reason baby Maneaters are able trigger mines and be picked up is because they are considered items in the code.

The best way (in my opinion) to manage the Baby Maneater in normal games is to have one person corner themselves while holding the baby, staying away from the other Crewmates to avoid loud noise. Others can swap being on baby duty as the day goes on, possibly in between scrap runs. Making sure to quickly swap hands so that the baby doesn't eat any scrap.

When playing solo, my usual plan is to either trap the baby on the first floor of the Mineshaft using the elevator then only using the fire exit myself or (if it's not Mineshaft) simply leaving.

Note: The Maneater does NOT begin to eat items until it interacts with a player for the first time.

Stage 3: Adult form- Interior

When the Maneater transforms into the adult version of itself, it's best to first simply run if you're close to it while it's transforming. Aim to hide behind corners so it doesn't instantly lock on to you. If it begins attacking one of your fellow crew members, It's best to leave them behind.

Adult Maneater lunging

The Maneater attacks in a similar but more dangerous way as the Eyeless Dog. The adult Maneater possesses forward lunge that can slightly curve around corners. The attack is an instant kill but, If you are at full sprint you should be able to outrun it. The Maneater enters a short resting phase after lunging. Touching the adult Maneater in any way while it's not lunging will not kill you. As soon as it lunges again though, you'll probably die.

If in a Mineshaft, the Adult will usually head for the caves where it will endlessly prowl them for players. This doesn't mean that they won't venture out of the caves, but will usually stick to them. On other maps, the Maneater will seemingly set up camp somewhere random.

The adults produce sounds mimicking that of a crying baby Maneater. These sounds can be used to tell what direction the creature is coming from. Try not to be tricked by them.

What most people don't know is that you can actually navigate in the area the Maneater is prowling without getting killed.


In this Gif, the Maneater has seen me but is keeping a distance (Approx 2 large axles long). This is because I've noticed that if you keep a clear line of sight on the Adult while maintaining distance, the Maneater will not advance towards you. The Maneater will just attempt to avoid line of sight. You can use this to pretty much contain the Maneater to one part of the cave.
A big drawback of this is that since you'll constantly be getting the fear effect from seeing the Maneater, your insanity levels will skyrocket, making you a prime target for the ghost girl. Yet if the ghost girl doesn't spawn, this method is extremely useful.
Theoretically, you could have someone stay behind to keep watch on the Maneater during this phase- using this method, while others quickly search the caves without worry of it sneaking up on them.

As I mentioned, the adult Maneater will attempt to sneak up on you. Make sure to either check your back or stare at it (e.g. Bracken) until it goes away to increase your chances of survival.

Although the Maneater is able to be killed (Having 5 HP) while in its adult phase, it's not very viable. There are techniques to do so but most of them require a lot of RNG and practice. I'd say stick to either avoiding it or watching it, unless there is a spike trap. Spike traps make killing the adult easy, just lure it into a lunge and time the slam right.

Eggs and possibly even shotguns seemingly do no more damage than a shovel to Adults, This makes it pretty much the most powerful indoor entity. (Other than popped Jester)


Stun grenades and flashbangs have pretty much no effect on adult Maneaters. From what I've heard, zapping the adult is extremely difficult as well.

Stage 3: Adult form- Exterior (Abandon all hope)

If some goober from your squad decides to let the baby out, there is little chance you will make it off the moon if you decide to stay a second longer. The Adult Maneater will indiscriminately look around the surface of the moon for players. It patrols like a eyeless dog but with well... eyes.

Your best chance of escaping is full sprinting to the ship then instantly taking off. Maneaters can follow you onto the ship and even have been known to intentionally wait right outside of the ship. Even if you try going up the ship ladder, it will teleport straight up it and lunge at you.

Borderline, never let it outside.

Trivia / bonus

Here's some bonus points:

• Baby Maneaters become more chubby the more items they eat. It's strange but really funny.
  
• Technically if you REALLY needed to, you could lure the Maneater on top of a landmine to clear the way. This is far from general practicality though.
  
• Although adults cannot be stunned, the babies can be for some reason.
  
• Baby Maneaters are considered large axles in the code. Probably Zeekerss just reusing a asset.
  
• Adults have a short idle animation of cleaning their middle claws. Sort of bizarre.
  
• Baby Maneaters can eat items hoarded by hoarding bugs, which will make the hoarding bugs indefinitely angry.

Conclusion

Overall I think the Maneater is a okay enemy. Not very fair to play against in solo though.

Feel free to send me feedback in the comments. I will periodically review this guide for outdated info or typos.




Currently ripping my hair out because some popular Lethal company youtuber JUST made a video covering half the stuff I said here, ahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Vincent]

i love the little maneater so cute

[Shakercity]

fuck you zars. im 42th

[Zars]

Im the 41th comment yey

[Yoikted]

I was wondering why he ate my phone, this helps

[ddklizard]

maneater my beloved

[Mission Control]

maneater hate squad

[bill]

thanks

[Hazey]

No, only one Maneater can spawn on a moon at once, unless, the game is modded. Same goes for creatures like the Bracken and Jester

[bill]

is it possible for more than one maneater to spawn at one time

[Zars]

we need a maneater suit