Once Human: How to Increase Pollution Resistance

In Once Human, Stardust has taken over the world and polluted nearly every corner of the planet. From water to soil, the world has become a hazardous wasteland, filled with toxic fumes and deadly radiation. Despite being a Meta-Human, you are not immune to the ravages of Stardust.

Exposure to pollution not only threatens your physical well-being but also takes a toll on your mental state. As such, pollution continues to be a constant threat, draining your Health and Sanity. While in polluted areas, you cannot even restore health using any means. Since you cannot always avoid these areas, it’s important to build up your pollution resistance.

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How To Increase Pollution Resistance

An ongoing Cargo Scramble event in Once Human

Pollution resistance is an interesting mechanic in Once Human that determines how well you can withstand the harmful effects of the polluted environment. It’s a measure of your character’s ability to resist the health drain caused by exposure to Stardust and its toxic byproducts.

Higher pollution resistance means you can venture into more polluted areas without your health depleting rapidly. You can increase your pollution resistance by equipping gear (helmets, chest armor, and masks) that have the Pollution Resist buff.

Since gear items in Once Human are categorized into tiers, higher-tier items offer better protection. Early-game gear (Tier 1) provides a base pollution resistance of nine points, which can be increased to 12 by upgrading them to Tier 2. Chest armor and masks offer the most protection, with a base pollution resistance of 12 that can be upgraded to 16.

The best gear to boost Pollution Resistance in the early game is the Test Subject Outfit. It provides increased pollution resistance per piece, making it highly effective in heavily polluted areas like Dayton Wetlands. You can craft or upgrade this set anytime by using a Gear Workbench.

Besides gear, certain foods and consumable items can temporarily boost your pollution resistance as well as help you recover your Health and Sanity. As such, you should always have consumables like Sanity Gummies, Ice Cubes, and Fruit Teas on hand to cure the pollution damage and reduce Sanity loss. Another great way you can heal any pollution damage is by sleeping in your bed.

While gear and consumables can significantly increase your resistance to pollution, it’s worth noting that there is no complete immunity. This means that you will still lose some Health and Sanity when in heavily polluted areas.