Species Unknown — Casualties: Unknown Wiki

In the brutal subterranean world of Casualties: Unknown (developed by Orsoniks), player characters are not standard human scavengers. Instead, you control a synthetic biological organism designated under classified laboratory archives as Species Unknown (commonly referred to in lore documents as Expies or Sawians).

Understanding your species’ genetic makeup, organ resilience, metabolic decay rates, and psychological tolerance is the foundation of surviving the deep layers of the Gray Planet.

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Species Taxonomy & Lore Origins

The Species Unknown genome was engineered during the Precursor era to create adaptable subterranean work-creatures capable of surviving extreme atmospheric pressure, toxic gas, and prolonged starvation. Three distinct sub-lineages exist in current versions of the game:

1. SAW-01 “Experiment” (The Base Expie): A composite genetic hybrid blending human cognitive capacity with the agility and low-light vision of foxes and rats. This is the standard protagonist organism.
2. SAW-02 “Dune”: An insectoid-chitin reinforced variant adapted to the extreme heat and barren stone of the Dried Desert (Layer 3).
3. SAW-03 “Milky”: A specialized aquatic-cetacean hybrid engineered with expanded pulmonary capacity and heightened cognitive resilience against psychological trauma.

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Comparative Species Stat Matrix

Each species possesses hard-coded biological modifiers affecting physical durability, environmental resistance, and metabolism:

Attribute / Metric	SAW-01 Experiment (Base)	SAW-02 Dune (Insectoid)	SAW-03 Milky (Cetacean)
Base Health Pool	100 HP	125 HP (+25%)	90 HP (-10%)
Base Stamina	100 SP	85 SP (-15%)	115 SP (+15%)
Natural Armor (DR)	0% (Standard)	20% (Chitin Carapace)	0% (Standard)
Bleed Rate Multiplier	1.0x (Standard)	0.65x (Slow Bleed)	1.15x (Thin Blood)
Caloric Consumption	1.0x (Normal)	0.8x (Efficient)	1.35x (High Metabolism)
Submerged Breath Duration	25 Seconds	15 Seconds	75 Seconds
Brain Integrity Decay	1.0x (Normal)	1.25x (Vulnerable to Panic)	0.5x (High Mental Stability)
Cold Tolerance Threshold	-5°C	+5°C (Extreme Cold Vulnerability)	-20°C (Thick Blubber)

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In-Depth Analysis of Species Lineages

1. SAW-01 Experiment (Expie)

The Experiment is the most versatile organism in Casualties: Unknown, with balanced stats that adapt to any playstyle.

• Key Advantages: High baseline dexterity allows quick weapon swapping and rapid tool use. Can digest virtually all biological foodstuffs, including roasted cave ticks and raw fungal caps without immediate toxicity penalties.
• Biological Vulnerability: Susceptible to compound limb fractures from short falls and moderate psychological decay when exploring solitary, unlit tunnels.
• Recommended Role: Exploration, resource gathering, and general progression. Learn early-game medical fixes in our Medical Trauma & Triage Guide.

2. SAW-02 Dune

The Dune is a heavily armored brute built for close-quarters combat against cave predators.

• Key Advantages: Natural chitinous shell absorbs 20% of all incoming physical and projectile damage. Puncture wounds bleed significantly slower, granting extra time to apply tourniquets.
• Biological Vulnerability: High body mass makes swimming nearly impossible. Arid physiology suffers 2.0x frost damage in the Frozen Sinks (Layer 6), requiring heavy thermal padding.
• Recommended Role: Heavy frontline defense, mining through hard rock with a Gunsaw, and fighting apex bosses like the Elder Thornback.

3. SAW-03 Milky

The Milky is an advanced synthetic subspecies possessing hyper-developed neural networks.

• Key Advantages: Unmatched lung capacity enables prolonged exploration of flooded chambers and underground aquifers. Brain integrity decays 50% slower, drastically reducing the onset of severe depression and delirium moodles.
• Biological Vulnerability: Lower base HP pool means sudden enemy crits can inflict immediate mortal wounds. High caloric burn rate requires frequent meals to prevent the Hollow moodle (see our Moodles Guide).
• Recommended Role: Scouting deep hazardous layers, tech salvaging, and stealth navigation.

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Organ Harvesting & Genetic Surgery

In Casualties: Unknown, surviving lethal organ trauma often requires performing field transplants. Organ compatibility follows strict biological rules:

• Incompatible Blood Types: Transplanting an organ from an incompatible species causes violent rejection and rapid Sepsis within 3 minutes of gameplay.
• Synthetic Organ Implants: Advanced cybernetic hearts and reinforced lungs scavenged from Layer 9 can be grafted onto any Species Unknown variant using sterile surgical tools.
• Genetic Perks & Mutations: Consuming mutagenic fluids can trigger permanent passive traits such as Night Vision, Dense Bone Matrix, or Acid Resistance.

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Best Survival Tips for Species Unknown Characters

1. Know Your Cold Limit: Dunes must never venture into Layer 6 without insulated coats, while Milkys can dive into icy waters without shivering penalties.
2. Monitor Morale Constantly: Solitude, darkness, and gruesome injuries cause severe cognitive decline in Experiments. Light regular campfires and carry morale rations like dried meat.
3. Carry Species-Specific Countermeasures: Dunes should stock extra water due to dry metabolism, while Experiments must prioritize bone splints.
4. Sandbox Verification: You can test different species stats and spawn mutagens using the developer terminal detailed in our Casualties Unknown Console Commands Guide.