Moon Shark

The Moon Shark is a type of Typhon encountered on Pytheas during the events of Prey (2017)'s DLC, Mooncrash.

Overview
Moon Sharks are introduced to the simulation after successfully escaping once with Andrius Alekna. They spawn in the Crater first, but can later spawn in the Moonworks as well at a higher Corruption Level. They are drawn to objects and characters touching the moon's surface and will immediately burrow to the part of the surface last touched and emerge to attack the person responsible. They can either cause a fissure to attack the player (often inducing Haemorrhage trauma), or use rocks on their person and launch them at the player (often inducing Concussion trauma). They have a large supply of health, and are resistant to damage from the Silenced Pistol or Shotgun, which makes one even tougher to take down.

Just like all Typhon in the simulation, their toughness increases with each Corruption Level increase. They also respawn with each Corruption Level increase. Upon death, they drop thirty Typhon Organs, as well as a Delay_Loop.Time module, and a few extra typhon parts that only Riley Yu can retrieve, through the use of Necropsy.

Moon Sharks in the Crater can be very hazardous if the player has problems crossing the Crater without stepping on the surface, since they can cause Typhon Gates to activate, blocking off the player's escape as a result. Therefore, it's a good idea to keep a Disruptor Stun Gun or at least an EMP Charge when possible when crossing the Crater with a Moon Shark active. This can be used to forcefully deactivate the Typhon Gate for a few seconds, to allow the player to pass.

Description
 ERROR: UNKNOWN TYPHON ORGANISM  

ERROR: UNABLE TO CONNECT TO PSYCHOTRONICS DATABASE

No entries found. Pleas contact Dr. Hans Kelstrup of Psychotronics aboard Talos 1.

PETER'S NOTES:

You know that old movie from the '90s with the giant worms? It's like that except I don't think even an elephant gun could bring this monster down.

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES:

It's got a short attention span, which I might be able to use to my advantage as long as I stay off the lunar surface and throw some junk every now and then to keep it entertained. It might also be vulnerable while it's tunneling, but I'd have to find a way to hit it underground...

Design
The Moon Shark is a towering mass of black tendrils consistent with other typhon biology, even baring a vague resemblance to Nightmare, in terms of size and stance. However, they also seem to possess numerous rocks stuck to their body that serve as makeshift armour against conventional attacks. They make low, monsterous growls while surfaced and idle, which become loud screeches once detecting the player. Moon Sharks move from place to place by burrowing through the moon's surface, which makes them impossible to hit until they emerge from underground.

Strategy
The most prominent fact about Moon Sharks is that they appear to be partially blind - they can only detect the player if they touch the moon's surface, or move while in their line of sight. Because of this, if a player remains crouched and still near to one investigating their location, it is possible for the player to avoid a fight with them, even if it's facing their general direction. The player should not be on the moon's surface during this time, to avoid it burrowing into them.

GLOO turrets, charges, and cannons can also be used against the Moon Shark to freeze it. However, this can require a lot of GLOO to keep it held in place. Given that GLOO munitions are not guaranteed to be in the same place every run, it can be considered too costly to use solely for a Moon Shark if it cannot be fabricated.

Laser weapons are most effective at killing a Moon Shark, since it can drain its health very quickly. Laser Turrets are ideal for this. However, a Q-Beam trained on a Moon Shark does not go amiss, either. Although an un-upgraded Q-Beam will require two full cell packs to kill a Moon Shark at Corruption Level I.

Using a Recycler Charge can quickly strip down the Moon Shark's health if landed directly, but remember that doing this will also recycle the Delay_Loop.Time that it carries, which can be a problem in later runs, if you lack the fabrication plan to buy or fabricate your own.

If you have an imminent encounter with a Moon Shark and you lack the firepower to take it down, you can use a Typhon Lure to distract it, while you make a hasty escape. Some can be found on Michael Cheung's body in early runs, but they may not be there in other runs, due to the random generation of items in the simulation.

Alternatively, one can use a Typhon Spore to quickly erode a Moon Shark's health. Though be careful about dropping it near to you since it responds to movement, as some of the tentacles could turn on you. If planning to use a Typhon Spore, do not use a Typhon Lure alongside it, as this will distract the tentacles as well as the Moon Shark, preventing them from draining its health.

The Crater in particular has a few Laser Turrets, Ballistic Turrets, and a GLOO Turret lying around in parts of it that can all be stacked up in one spot and then used together against the Moon Shark that patrols that area. These are one of the safer ways to handle the Moon Shark that starts in the Crater area, and you can spawn in an extra one to help out if necessary, when playing as Joan Winslow.

One can also activate the Typhon Towers from the Command Center of the Crater to slay a Moon Shark in one hit. However, this requires to have found two working Control Modules for the towers to be activated. The modules will be damaged once the tower unleashed its power, forcing one to repair them (if the skill is available) or to replace them with new ones should the Moon Shark escape the blast. In order to make sure that the Moon Shark remains near the selected tower, one can use a Typhon Lure.

Trivia

 * Killing the Moon Shark grants the "Apex Predator" achievement. This achievement will be gained if Riley completes her Story Objective unless it has already been obtained.
 * Moon Shark has some similarities to a Graboid from 1990 movie, Tremors. This is also remarked in Peter's notes about the Typhon.