The “Courage in Desperation” achievement in Pragmata tasks you with repelling the LunaDigger that chases you throughout the fourth sector, the Lunum Mines. Though the Bot must be defeated to progress the story, you can still return to the sector afterwards to obtain the achievement. Be sure to bring your strongest weapons and special (yellow) nodes, as they can make this encounter much easier.
The LunaDigger is best fought in wide spaces
There are three areas where you can get the achievement: the Mine Entrance, Block Information, and the Main Excavation Site. I recommend fighting the LunaDigger in either Block Information or the Main Excavation Site, as these areas are wider, spawn more weapons and gadgets, and have the added bonus of including hackable mines that can be used against the Bot.
The LunaDigger will only emerge from underground and attack you in wide areas with solid ground (which the game explicitly warns you to avoid the first time you explore the sector). To lure it out of hiding, you’ll need to either use yourself as bait by stepping on the ground or shooting out a Decoy Generator. Be on the lookout for rumbling patches of earth, as this signals the LunaDigger is getting ready to jump at its target.
The LunaDigger’s fast movements make it hard to hack, so make use of your special hacking nodes and Diana’s protocol ability
The LunaDigger’s weak point is its mouth, which can be quite difficult to hit, given how fast it moves. To get it to stop and open wide, you’ll need to be quick with your hacking and make sure to bring along useful special nodes, such as Decode (which increases the damage you deal to hacked targets), Expose (which ensures that your next hack deals critical damage and makes it easier to stagger your opponent), and the invaluable Freeze (which temporarily stops enemies).
Passing through nodes of the same type increases their effects, so be sure to hit as many Open (blue) and special (yellow) nodes when you’re hacking. Likewise, successful hacks will build up Diana’s hacking gauge and protocol ability. Should you ever find yourself in a bind, remember that protocol can be used as a “Get Out of Jail Free” card that can open, immobilize, and damage the LunaDigger simultaneously.
When the LunaDigger is stunned, unleash your strongest weapons in its mouth
Whether it’s been stunned for a few seconds or an entire half minute, take advantage of any opportunity to unload your ammunition into the LunaDigger’s weak point. Attack Units like the Homing Missiles, Charge Piercer, and Photon Laser can deal a lot of burst damage, but don’t forget to use your trusty primary weapon between the long reloads of your bigger weapons.
Getting the LunaDigger to back off is a test of patience. Since its health bar isn’t visible, it may seem that you are doing no damage. Stick to hit-and-run tactics, taking advantageous opportunities to either hack or damage the Bot and running to the safety of manmade platforms when things get too hectic. Provided you did enough damage, the LunaDigger will eventually let out a deafening screech and dig downwards, leaving you free to explore the area you cleared without fear of being grabbed by a giant robotic sandworm.
Pragmata is available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam), with a Nintendo Switch 2 version launching on April 24.
Related:
