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The Moon Cycle is a gameplay mechanic which affects the appearance of Werepigs and Woodie's transformation. Werepigs are normal Pigs who are caught outdoors during a full moon, and Woodie turns into a Werebeaver whenever there's a full moon.

During a full moon, Chester will transform into either a Shadow Chester if he has at least one Nightmare Fuel in every inventory slot or a Snow Chester if he has at least one Blue Gem in every slot.

The complete Moon Cycle lasts for 16 Days and then repeats (20 days in DST). Each phase of the Moon lasts for two Nights.

Day(s) Moon Phase Image
 1 - 2 New Moon Moon New
 3 - 4 Quarter (Waxing Crescent) Moon Moon Quarter
 5 - 6 Half Moon Moon Half
 7 - 8 3/4 (Waxing Gibbous) Moon Moon Three Quarters
 9 - 10 Full Moon Moon Full
11 - 12 3/4 (Waning Gibbous) Moon Moon Three Quarters
13 - 14 Half Moon Moon Half
15 - 16 Quarter (Waning Crescent) Moon Moon Quarter
17 - 18 New Moon (Next cycle) Moon New

The Lunar Calendar Generator can be used to see past Day 18.

Gift Icon Downloadable Content[]

In all DLCs, several additional changes can be observed on a full moon. The moon casts down a dim, blue-tinted light over the world, so the player can safely explore without a light source and fear of Charlie. Mushrooms will turn into Mushtrees. Flowers will turn into Evil Flowers (But will revert back from the 3/4 Gibbous days onwards). The eyes on Pig, Wildbore and Merm Heads glow white, generate an insanity aura, and drop Nightmare Fuel when hammered. Ghosts will emerge from any type of Grave, including Watery Graves.

Full moons can also affect the Cave worlds. Unlike in the surface, the full moon does not provide light visibility to this world since caves are underground. Therefore, characters are required to have a sufficient light source while spelunking. Just like on the surface, the screen tone will change into a bluish color much like in Winter. Mushrooms also have a chance of turning into Mushtrees, Pigs will turn into Werepigs, and Flowers will change into Evil Flowers when in a cave.

In RoG, Glommer's Statue grows Glommer's Flower, which causes a Glommer to spawn nearby.

In SW, Tides in Beach biomes are much stronger during a full moon and absent during a new moon. During a full moon, Wildbores turn into Werepigs, and Big Waves become much more common.

In HAM, during a full moon, Pikos and Orange Pikos will become hostile to the Player, as well as give off a small amount of light if kept in the Player's Inventory. Similar to Woodie, the full moon forces Wilba to transform into her Werepig form. During the Aporkalypse, the moon icon that shows the player the phase of the moon will be constant, showing a reddish moon, and the changes of a full moon will also be present.

Don't Starve Together icon Don't Starve Together[]

In Don't Starve Together, a full moon only lasts one day. The first full moon occurs on day 11, and then it occurs every 20 days - on days 31, 51, 71, etc. Likewise, the first new moon occurs on day 1, and then it occurs every 20 days - on days 21, 41, 61, etc.

If players assemble all three Lunar Altars and the Mysterious Energy spawned successfully, the moon phase will be set to full moon, and the current day will turn into a full moon night until next day. The moon phase will remain as full moon until the Celestial Champion is defeated. Once the Celestial Champion is dead, the moon phase will become new moon, and current day will turn into a new moon night until next day. This will reset the moon cycle, although the period still being 20 days, but new moon and full moon may occur on a different day than previous. Wickerbottom's Lunar Grimoire will also change the moon phase to full moon, altering the moon cycle.

Day(s) Moon Phase Image
1 New Moon Moon New
2 - 4 Quarter (Waxing Crescent) Moon Moon QuarterMoon Glassed Quarter
5 - 7 Half Moon Moon Half DSTMoon Glassed Half
8 - 10 3/4 (Waxing Gibbous) Moon Moon Three Quarters DSTMoon Glassed Three Quarters
11 Full Moon Moon Full DSTMoon Glassed Full
12 - 14 3/4 (Waning Gibbous) Moon Moon Three Quarters DSTMoon Glassed Three Quarters
15 - 17 Half Moon Moon Half DSTMoon Glassed Half
18 - 20 Quarter (Waning Crescent) Moon Moon QuarterMoon Glassed Quarter
21 New Moon (Next cycle) Moon New

Mushrooms and flowers do not transform in the full moon.

Woodie has two additional possible transformations during the full moon: Weregoose and Weremoose. Unlike the full moon of the DLCs, Mushrooms and Flowers will not change.

The new moon phase has new effects. Hammering down Chess Pieces or mining repaired Marble Sculptures during new moon will summon Shadow Pieces.

The moon cycle does not affect the caves and is not present in the caves in most cases, the Vitreoasis in the Lunar Grotto is one exception though, as mined Vitreoasis have chance to regrow at each full moon.

Placeholder Trivia[]

  • By default, it takes 560 days for the beginning of the Moon Cycle to re-align with the first day of the starting season.
  • When both seasons are set to "Long", 12 complete moon cycles will occur in 4 seasons' time (similar to a standard calendar year).
  • With RoG, if a full moon occurs in the fifth Adventure Mode chapter "Darkness", everything happens as per normal (blue tint, Evil Flowers, etc.). However, it remains completely dark and a light source is still required.
  • Since the Return of Them update in Don't Starve Together, the moon has a crack in it.
  • Since any light is always on the left side of the moon (instead of switching sides as it does for the actual moon), it isn't possible to tell if it's waxing or waning from the icon alone
  • The moon seems to be turning, as the crack on the moon moves every moon phase.

Blueprint Gallery[]

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