Telltale Heart

“The beating of this hideous heart will bring a ghost back to life!”

The Telltale Heart is a craftable Survival item available only in Don't Starve Together. It can be used to revive dead players by left-clicking on the ghost of the dead player.

It can be crafted without a Science Machine using 3 Cut Grass and 1 Spider Gland. Upon crafting the Telltale Heart, the player who crafted it will lose 40 Health. If a player does not have enough health, they will not be able to craft it. If they lose the health while crafting, crafting will reduce them to 1 health, making it very easy to die.

After a living player gives the heart to a ghost, the living player receives 80 Sanity, and the ghost is revived with an additional 25% (1/4) of their maximum health removed along with normal resurrection penalties. The health penalty received by a Ghost using this item can be removed through the use of a Booster Shot. Ghost Players cannot haunt the heart to revive, they must have it given to them by a living character.

Players who have recently revived someone will be identified by a different examination quote.

Usage[]

Tips[]

It is advised to stockpile a few Telltale Hearts when the character has full or nearly full health.
- This can be especially efficient to do before the character consumes food that restores health that otherwise would go to waste.
- WX-78 can create multiple Telltale Hearts while being given "SYSTEM OVERLOAD" by Wickerbottom and her book The End is Nigh.
If a player died and no Spider Gland is currently available, the recently deceased are able to haunt a Spider and let the alive players kill it to get a guaranteed Spider Gland.

Trivia[]

The name of this item is a reference to Edgar Allan Poe's short story, The Tell-Tale Heart.
- This is supported by Walter's examination quote of the Telltale heart.
- Telltale Hearts stored in a Chest will produce an audible heartbeat, and multiple ones will sound like rain striking a tent. This enhances the reference to Poe's story, in which the main character has auditory hallucinations that leads him to believe that the heart of the victim he murdered still beats under the floor where he hid the corpse.
Armor used to reduce the health cost of this item, but this was patched out.
It used to cost 5 Cut Grass to make a Telltale Heart.
Abigail cannot be revived and attempting to generates a unique character response. According to Wickerbottom's, this is because her soul is already bound to her flower.^[1]
- Telltale Hearts can also be "given" to the angry Ghosts that emerge from desecrated Graves, but aside from a comment from the current character, this also won't accomplish anything.
The name of the Telltale Heart is a portmonteau of the famous line to live to tell the tale, as stated by Wortox.

Abigail revive quotes[]

Attempting to use a Telltale Heart on Abigail will fail and cause the current character to comment about it.

“It was worth a shot.”

–Wilson

Gallery[]

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 • Garden Hoe (Splendid Garden Hoe) • Watering Can • Waterfowl Can • Beefalo Bell )
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 ) (Silly Monkey Ball • Tropical Parasol • Anti Venom • Thatch Pack • Palm Leaf Hut • Tropical Fan • Sea Sack • Doydoy Nest ) (Chef Pouch ) (Bug B'Gone • Bird Whistle ) (Telltale Heart • Booster Shot • Sea Fishing Rod • Flare • Water Balloon • Whirly Fan • Bernie • Pile o' Balloons • Tent Roll • 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 • Cookbook • Salt Box • Garden Digamajig • Composting Bin • Growth Formula Starter • Gardeneer Hat • 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 • Terra Firma Tamper • 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 • Trusty Slingshot )
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 • Moon Rock Wall • Scaled Flooring • Wardrobe • End Table • Scaled Furnace • Friendly Scarecrow • Tackle Receptacle • Fish Scale-O-Matic • Potted Succulent • Replica Relics • Astral Detector • Beefalo Grooming Station • Sisturn • Craftsmerm House • DIY Royalty Kit • Merm Flort-ifications • Marsh Turf • Festive Tree Planter • Gobbler Shrine • Varg Shrine • Pig Shrine • Carrat Shrine • Beefalo 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 • Thick Fur • Marble Bean • 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 • Clean Sweeper • 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 ) (Seawreath • Blue Funcap • Green Funcap • Red Funcap • Fashion Goggles • Desert Goggles • Clever Disguise • Pinetree Pioneer Hat )
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 (Premier Gardeneer Hat )
Books	Birds of the World • Applied Horticulture • Sleepytime Stories • The End is Nigh! • On Tentacles (Joy of Volcanology ) (Horticulture, Abridged • Applied Silviculture )
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 • Boat Patch • Oar • Driftwood Oar • Anchor Kit • Mast • Winged Sail • Steering Wheel Kit • Tin Fishin' Bin • Pinchin' Winch • Deck Illuminator • Lightning Conductor • Fire Pump • Anchor Figure Sketch
Cartography	Map Scroll
Celestial	Moon Rock Idol • Portal Paraphernalia • Moon Glass Axe • Glass Cutter • Moon Crater Turf • Mutated Fungal Turf • Bath Bomb • "Moon" Figure Sketch • Moon Moth Figure Sketch
Ectoherbology	Revenant Restorative • Spectral Cure-All • Unyielding Draught • Distilled Vengeance • Nightshade Nostrum • Vigor Mortis
Engineering	Trusty Tape • Winona's Catapult • Winona's Spotlight • Winona's Generator • Winona's G.E.M.erator
Seasonings	Garlic Powder • Honey Crystals • Chili Flakes • Seasoning Salt
Stagecraft	Weaponized Warble • Heartrending Ballad • Clear Minded Cadenza • Bel Canto of Courage • Fireproof Falsetto • Rude Interlude • Startling Soliloquy
Shadow	Codex Umbra • Shadow Logger • Shadow Miner • Shadow Digger • Shadow Duelist
Slingshot Ammo	Pebbles • Gold Rounds • Marbles • Poop Pellets • Freeze Rounds • Slow-Down Rounds • Cursed Rounds
Balloonomancy	Pile o' Balloons • Balloon • Speedy Balloon • Party Balloon • Inflatable Vest • Balloon Hat

References[]

↑ "Her spirit is already bound to something in this world." - Wickerbottom attempting to revive Abigail.