Lightning Rod

“Now I can harness the heavens!”

–Wilson

“All the lightning can come here!”

–Willow

“Is wire in sky!”

–Wolfgang

“Focuses the destruction.”

–Wendy

“SURGE PROTECTION”

–WX-78

“Highly conductive!”

–Wickerbottom

“Weather's not going to get the drop on me now.”

–Woodie

“A little bit of protection.”

–Maxwell

“Attracts the electrostatic discharge of a lightning strike.”

–Wagstaff

“Bring with yöu lightning Dönner!”

–Wigfrid

“This might keep us safe.”

–Webber

“It's powered by electricity.”

–Walani

“I do feel a bit safer now.”

–Warly

“Protectin' me from th' 'eavens.”

–Woodlegs

“'TIS BIG METAL STICK”

–Wilba

“Zzzzt Stick”

–Wormwood

“Does disguising itself like lightning help it do its job?”

–Wheeler

“That's one way to get electricity.”

–Winona

“It's brimming with elemental energy.”

–Wortox

“Scale-less can call down lightning?”

–Wurt

The Lightning Rod is a Science Structure that attracts Lightning strikes. It requires 3 Gold Nuggets and 1 Cut Stone to craft and a Science Machine to prototype.

When placed, the Lightning Rod diverts Lightning to the rod, thus preventing ignition from nearby flammable objects such as Berry Bushes, Saplings, Grass Tufts, and Trees.

It will provide protection from Lightning strikes that originate 40 units from placement spot. That's a 40 unit radius and 80 unit diameter horizontally/vertically, and a 28.28 unit radius and 56.56 unit diameter diagonally. Lightning may originate outside the lightning rod protection radius, and strike target inside the protection zone.

To connect protection areas with multiple Rods using simple math, players should leave 14 Pitchfork tiles between each Rod horizontally/vertically. Imagine each zone as a square of 56 units in length by width instead of a circle for easier comprehension. If each Rod is placed 14 Pitchfork tiles between one another horizontally/vertically, it will create a protection grid with minimum excess overlaps.

(See the Console/Commands page for instructions on measuring distance; distance can be measured with a Pitchfork's 4x4 dig area).

The Lightning Rod also provides a small radius of light (but not heat) after absorbing a Lightning bolt, which is just bright enough to prevent Charlie from attacking. The light lasts for a few Days and will go dark as soon as morning comes. You may see some benefit to placing your lightning rod close to your fire pit so that even in otherwise total darkness and without another light source you can still add fuel for a fire.

Downloadable ContentEdit

In all DLCs, the cost to craft a Lightning Rod is increased to 4 Gold Nuggets.

If a Lightning Rod and a Volt Goat are in close vicinity in the Reign of Giants DLC, they both have an equal chance of being struck by Lightning.

Trivia Edit

• The Lightning Rod was added in the Doorway To Adventure update.

GalleryEdit

A charged Lightning Rod.

A Lighting Rod can be used as a light source.

Charged Lightning Rod radiating light and buzzing with electricity.

Lightning Rod as seen in the poster for the Doorway to Adventure update.

Craftable Items and Structures view
Tools	Axe (Luxury Axe) • Pickaxe (Opulent Pickaxe) • Shovel (Regal Shovel) • Pitchfork • Hammer • Razor • Feather Pencil • Saddlehorn • Saddle • War Saddle • Glossamer Saddle • Brush • Salt Lick (Machete (Luxury Machete) ) (Shears ) (Pocket Scale )
Light	Campfire • Fire Pit • Torch • Miner Hat • Pumpkin Lantern • Lantern (Endothermic Fire • Endothermic Fire Pit • Moggles ) (Chiminea • Buoyant Chiminea • Bottle Lantern • Obsidian Fire Pit • Boat Torch • Boat Lantern • Tar Lamp ) (Cork Candle Hat • Cowl ) (Glowcap • Mushlight • Willow's Lighter )
Survival	Trap • Bird Trap • Compass • Backpack • Piggyback • Thermal Stone • Healing Salve • Honey Poultice • Straw Roll • Fur Roll • Tent • Umbrella • Bug Net • Fishing Rod • Bundling Wrap (Pretty Parasol • Luxury Fan • Insulated Pack • Siesta Lean-to ) (Chef Pouch • Silly Monkey Ball • Tropical Parasol • Anti Venom • Thatch Pack • Palm Leaf Hut • Tropical Fan • Sea Sack • Doydoy Nest ) (Bug B'Gone • Bird Whistle ) (Telltale Heart • Booster Shot • Sea Fishing Rod • Flare • Water Balloon • Whirly Fan • Bernie • Pile o' Balloons • Candy Bag • Gift Wrap )
Food	Basic Farm • Improved Farm • Bee Box • Drying Rack • Crock Pot • Ice Box (Bucket-o-poop ) (Mussel Stick • Fish Farm • Mussel Bed ) (Sprinkler ) (Mushroom Planter • Salt Box • Portable Crock Pot • Portable Grinding Mill • Portable Seasoning Station )
Science	Science Machine • Alchemy Engine • Divining Rod • Thermal Measurer • Rainometer • Gunpowder • Lightning Rod (Ice Flingomatic • Electrical Doodad ) (Sea Lab • Ice Maker 3000 • Quacken Drill ) (Smelter • Oscillating Fan ) (Think Tank • Cartographer's Desk • Potter's Wheel • Mad Scientist Lab )
Fight	Spear • Ham Bat • Grass Suit • Log Suit • Marble Suit • Football Helmet • Sleep Dart • Fire Dart • Blow Dart • Boomerang • Bee Mine • Tooth Trap (Battle Helm • Battle Spear • Morning Star • Weather Pain • Scalemail ) (Poison Spear • Seashell Suit • Limestone Suit • Cactus Armor • Horned Helmet • Poison Dart • Coconade • Spear Gun • Cutlass Supreme ) (Halberd • Cork Bat • Weevole Mantle • Mant Mask • Mant Suit • Fancy Helmet • Tin Suit • Blunderbuss ) (Cookie Cutter Cap • Electric Dart • Napsack • Tail o' Three Cats )
Structures	Chest • Sign • Mini Sign • Wood Gate • Wood Fence • Hay Wall • Wood Wall • Stone Wall • Pig House • Rabbit Hutch • Birdcage • Flooring (Cobblestones • Wooden Flooring • Checkerboard Flooring • Carpeted Flooring) • Potted Fern (Scaled Chest • Spider Eggs ) (Sea Chest • Limestone Wall • Sea Wall • Wildbore House • Prime Ape Hut • Sand Bag • Sand Castle • Dragoon Den • Ballphin Palace • Snakeskin Rug ) (Cork Barrel • Beard Hair Rug • Lawn Turf • Cultivated Turf • Dense Turf ) (Directional Sign • End Table • Friendly Scarecrow • Tackle Receptacle • Fish Scale-O-Matic • Moon Rock Wall • Scaled Flooring • Scaled Furnace • Wardrobe • Potted Succulent • Replica Relics • Sisturn • Craftsmerm House • DIY Royalty Kit • Merm Flort-ifications • Marsh Turf • Festive Tree Planter • Gobbler Shrine • Varg Shrine )
Refine	Rope • Boards • Cut Stone • Papyrus • Nightmare Fuel • Purple Gem • Beeswax • Wax Paper (Cloth • Limestone • Gold Nugget • Ice • Empty Bottle • Coral Nubbin ) (Claw Palm Sapling • Venom Gland ) (Cratered Moonrock • Marble Bean • Thick Fur • Feathery Canvas )
Magic	Meat Effigy • Prestihatitator • Shadow Manipulator • Pan Flute • One-man Band • Night Light • Night Armor • Dark Sword • Bat Bat • Life Giving Amulet • Chilled Amulet • Nightmare Amulet • Fire Staff • Ice Staff • Telelocator Staff • Telelocator Focus • Belt of Hunger (Old Bell ) (Piratihatitator • Dripple Pipes • Seaworthy ) (Hogus Porkusator • Living Artifact • Pugalisk Wand • Root Trunk • Skyworthy • Vortex Cloak ) (Ocuvigil • Moon Dial • The Lazy Deserter • Abigail's Flower • Kitschy Idols )
Dress	Sewing Kit • Garland • Rabbit Earmuffs • Straw Hat • Beefalo Hat • Beekeeper Hat • Feather Hat • Bush Hat • Winter Hat • Top Hat • Walking Cane • Dapper Vest • Breezy Vest • Puffy Vest (Fashion Melon • Ice Cube • Summer Frest • Floral Shirt • Cat Cap • Rain Coat • Hibearnation Vest • Rain Hat • Eyebrella ) (Brain of Thought • Shark Tooth Crown • Dumbrella • Blubber Suit • Tar Suit • Windbreaker • Particulate Purifier • Sleek Hat ) (Snakeskin Hat • Snakeskin Jacket ) (Gas Mask • Pith Hat • Thunderhat • Shamlet Mask ) (Fashion Goggles • Desert Goggles • Seawreath • Blue Funcap • Green Funcap • Red Funcap • Clever Disguise )
Ancient	Thulecite • Thulecite Wall • Thulecite Medallion • The Lazy Forager • Magiluminescence • Construction Amulet • The Lazy Explorer • Star Caller's Staff • Deconstruction Staff • Pick/Axe • Thulecite Crown • Thulecite Suit • Thulecite Club • Houndius Shootius
Books	Birds of the World • Applied Horticulture • Sleepytime Stories • The End is Nigh! • On Tentacles (Joy of Volcanology )
Tinkering	Spectoggles • Infroggles • Visor • Fryfocals • Telebrella • Telipad • Thumper
Nautical	Log Raft • Row Boat • Cargo Boat • Snakeskin Sail (Lucky Hat • The 'Sea Legs' • Surfboard • Raft • Armored Boat • Encrusted Boat • Boat Repair Kit • Thatch Sail • Cloth Sail • Feather Lite Sail • Iron Wind • Boat Cannon • Sea Trap • Trawl Net • Spyglass • Super Spyglass • Captain Hat • Pirate Hat • Life Jacket • Buoy • Quackering Ram • Tar Extractor • Sea Yard ) (Cork Bowl Canoe )
Volcanic	Obsidian Machete • Obsidian Axe • Obsidian Spear • Volcano Staff • Obsidian Armor • Obsidian Coconade • Howling Conch • Sail Stick
Treasure Hunting	Disarming Tools • Ball Pein Hammer • Gold Pan • Magnifying Glass
Seafaring	Boat Kit • Oar • Driftwood Oar • Boat Patch • Anchor Kit • Mast • Steering Wheel Kit • Tin Fishin' Bin • Anchor Figure Sketch • Winged Sail
Cartography	Map Scroll
Celestial	Moon Rock Idol • Portal Paraphernalia • Moon Glass Axe • Glass Cutter • Moon Crater Turf • Bath Bomb • Moon Moth Figure Sketch • "Moon" Figure Sketch
Engineering	Trusty Tape • Winona's Catapult • Winona's Spotlight • Winona's Generator • Winona's G.E.M.erator