Codex Umbra

• Don't Starve
• Don't Starve Together

Codex Umbra
Effects
	-15 Health
	-55 Max sanity
Properties
Durability	Infinite
Stacks up to	Does not stack
Perk
Summons Shadow Puppets
Code
"waxwelljournal"

Codex Umbra
"It'll blow your mind."
Crafting
Recipe	×2 ×2 ×-50
Tab
Tier	Always available
Properties
Stacks up to	Does not stack
Perk
Unlocks shadow crafting recipes Can Only be used by Maxwell
Code
"waxwelljournal"

“Spooky.”

–Wilson

“Would make a great bedtime story... for nightmares!”

–Willow

“Wolfgang is glad he cannot read!”

–Wolfgang

“Do you want me to read you a story, Abigail?”

–Wendy

“GOOSEBUMPS ACTIVATED”

–WX-78

“I'm not letting THAT in MY library!”

–Wickerbottom

“Trees made into... paper? How unholy!”

–Woodie

“I'm so sorry Charlie.”

–Maxwell

“A tragic tale öf wöe and misery!”

–Wigfrid

“I don't think we should play with that...”

–Webber

“Maman used to keep a journal, before her memory went.”

–Warly

“Nope”

–Wormwood

“I don't trust that thing one bit.”

–Winona

“I don't think he knows how to use it.”

–Wortox

“...Don't like stories in that book.”

–Wurt

The Codex Umbra is a character-exclusive item that Maxwell starts the game with. When used, it sacrifices 15 health and 55 of maximum sanity to spawn a Shadow Puppet clone of Maxwell. It has infinite durability and requires 2 Nightmare Fuel to be used. For each puppet active, Maxwell's maximum sanity is reduced, similar to how Meat Effigies reduce maximum health. A maximum of 3 puppets can be active at one time and each one will disappear 2.5 days after it was summoned. If a Shadow Puppet is killed or despawns, Maxwell will get the used max sanity back.

Origin

“I have discovered something, a book of sorts. I have yet to decode it fully, but what little I have deciphered has opened my mind to terrifying new possibilities.”

–William Carter

The Codex Umbra was discovered by William Carter in August of 1904. At the time, William was boarded on a train headed to San Francisco, California from New York City. The train crashed into a broke down circus wagon, and a man of William's description was reported missing and assumed dead. However, William had survived the crash, and while he was missing he somehow found the Codex and was quickly intrigued by the "terrifying" possibilities it offered.

Months later, William established himself in San Francisco and began going by the name Maxwell. Maxwell updated his act to incorporate dark manifestations that he taught himself to summon from the Codex Umbra. He found great success in this new act and eventually hired an assistant, Charlie. During their last performance, Maxwell's act went normally until he attempted to pull "shadows incarnate" from the Codex and was instead pulled into the book with giant shadow hands in a disaster that ensnared both Maxwell and Charlie into The Constant.

The Codex Umbra reappeared, still in Maxwell's possession, after he was dethroned and became a survivor. After reuniting with Wilson, Maxwell found the scientist's blueprints for an invention and offered to help construct it with assistance from the Codex Umbra. This made it possible for Maxwell and Wilson to build a portal that allowed other survivors to join forces with them.

Shadow Puppets

Shadow Puppet
Stats
	75
Combat
Damage	40 (30 )
Attack Period	2
Movement
Running Speed	6
Traits
Special Ability	Helps with chores and fights
Loot	( only)
Code
"shadowwaxwell" "shadowlumber_builder" "shadowminer_builder" "shadowdigger_builder" "shadowduelist_builder"

Shadow Puppets are Shadow Creature versions of Maxwell that do his bidding. While puppets are active, they will aid Maxwell in combat as well as also aiding him in cutting trees and mining rocks. However, they have low health and will die quickly in combat against more able foes. Shadow Puppets will automatically die 2.5 days after their creation. Upon its death, the player gains back the 55 max sanity from the puppet.

Downloadable Content

A shadow puppet sailing.

In the Shipwrecked DLC, Shadow Puppets summon shadow Row Boats to follow Maxwell into the Ocean. The Shadow Puppets act as though they are sailing, yet the boats do not have Sails and have the same speed as a normal Row Boat. Shadow boats can only be driven by shadow puppets, and disappear when the puppet exits the boat. It is possible to enter a shadow Row Boat when not being used by a Shadow Puppet, by quickly entering it before it disappears. However, doing so results in a crash.

Don't Starve Together

In Don't Starve Together, the Codex Umbra can be crafted from the Shadow Tab, using two Papyrus, two Nightmare Fuel and costing 50 Health. It is also no longer an item that can be used directly, instead it acts as a crafting station when placed on the ground, which unlocks Shadow Puppet recipes for Maxwell under the Shadow Tab. To create the puppets, Maxwell has to stand near the Codex Umbra. Creating puppets does not cost health.

Unlike in single player, Shadow Puppets are not universal, instead they have to be chosen upon creation of which task they will be specialized in. As such, they do not mimic the actions that the player is performing, but instead spawn with a specific task which they perform. They also do not disappear after 2.5 days nor have a durability limit and stay active until they are killed. To dispel them, Maxwell or any other character can simply force attack (Ctrl/Cmnd) click them. Shadow Puppets will drop 1 Nightmare Fuel when killed or dispelled by players.

Shadow Helper	Description	Prerequisites	Max Sanity Loss
Shadow Logger	"Holds a grudge against trees." Chops trees closest to the player	2 Nightmare Fuel 1 Axe	-20%
Shadow Miner	"Mine that rock!" Mines rocks closest to the player	2 Nightmare Fuel 1 Pickaxe	-20%
Shadow Digger	"Diggy diggy hole." Digs up stumps/graves closest to the player	2 Nightmare Fuel 1 Shovel	-20%
Shadow Duelist	"Ethereal bodyguard." Defends the player from attackers as well as attack player's target. Naturally regenerates health.	2 Nightmare Fuel 1 Spear	-35%

Summon Limitations

Given the loss in sanity, the player can summon a maximum of:

- 4 Harvesters - Residual Sanity: 40 (20%)

- 1 Duelist and 2 Harvesters - Residual Sanity: 50 (25%)

- 2 Duelist and 1 Harvester - Residual Sanity: 21 (10%)

Trivia

• Codex Umbra is Latin for "ancient shadow manuscript".
• The footsteps of the puppets make a faint warping sound.
• It's possible for the Codex Umbra to be set alight and burn into ashes. The book will re-appear in Maxwell's inventory upon re-loading the world.
• Despite being Shadow Creatures, passive animals will avoid puppets and neutral mobs will fight back against them. Puppets are also unable to help the player against Shadow Creatures.
• If using the Codex Umbra reduces Maxwell's health to zero, the Morgue will show the cause of death as "Shenanigans".
• Like Abigail's Flower, the Codex Umbra floats when placed on the ground, but only if the corresponding Maxwell is nearby. If he moves out of range, the book will close and fall to the ground.
• In Don't Starve Together, if Maxwell executes an emote, his puppets will stop whatever they are doing and will run over to Maxwell before proceeding to do the same emote.
  • They will do the dance emote with both /dance and /step emote.
• In Don't Starve Together, the player is able to become constantly insane if they summon 1 Harvester and 2 Duelists.
• The description "Diggy diggy hole" may be a reference to the song of the same name by the Youtube channel Yogscast.

Bugs

• Despite being a starting character specific item, the Codex Umbra can be stolen by mobs like Krampus or Eyeplants.
• Using a Sinkhole to enter the Caves or Ruins without the Codex Umbra can sometimes cause it to duplicate in the player's inventory.
• In the Shipwrecked DLC, using a Volcano to climb onto it without the Codex Umbra can sometimes cause it to duplicate in the player's inventory.

Gallery

Maxwell reading the Codex Umbra.

A puppet spawning (Look closer and you'll find Mr. Skits).

Maxwell's maximum Sanity after summoning a Puppet.

Puppets cutting a tree.

Mining a rock with the help of the puppets.

Maxwell and the Codex Umbra on the All's Well That Maxwell poster.

Maxwell with a Shadow Puppet, as seen in the All's Well That Maxwell trailer.

Maxwell and a Shadow Duelist dancing together (DST).

Maxwell beside the Codex Umbra (DST).

Codex Umbra as seen on the 2017 Valentine Cards.

References

• DS
• RoG
• SW
• Ham
• DST