Active Matter: Isolated vs Open Raids - What You Lose on Death
Dying in Isolated and dying in Open use the same loot-loss rules. Isolated does not protect your kit - the mode only changes who can kill you and which rewards are available.
The answer up front: on death you lose everything you brought and everything you looted except what is inside the safe container - in both modes. Collected Active Matter also drops in the world where others can absorb it. Investigation and contract progress is kept. Isolated lowers variance (AI only); Open pays the locked objectives and better loot.
What You Lose vs Keep on Death
| Status | Items |
|---|---|
| Gone | Weapons, armor, ammo, meds, and loot in pockets and backpack - plus collected Active Matter, which drops as globules others can absorb |
| Kept | Everything inside the safe container (teleported to Shelter). One oversized item can overflow the container volume. Investigation and contract progress |
| If you can get back up | First revive costs Active Matter, later revives cost more. A placed respawn beacon brings you back on the map; enhanced beacons can return you in kit to fight for your bag |
Isolated vs Open: The Decision That Actually Matters
| Isolated | Open | |
|---|---|---|
| Other players | None - AI operatives and monsters only | Yes - queue Any / Solo only / Squad only |
| Death penalty | Same gear + AM loss | Same |
| Loot / tokens | Weaker loot, fewer tokens | Better loot, player kits, higher-paying dailies |
| Objectives | Baseline - many investigations work | Expert / High-Value / Qualified Field Work often Open-only (padlocked in Isolated) |
| Maps | Most maps - some Unstable / Gigastructure content is Open-only | Full contested set |
| Access | Unlimited - the old pass / 24h limit info is outdated | Unlimited |
1Before You Ready Up
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1
Buy a safe container first (Shop, Special, Crystallised Active Matter)
Small 75 / Medium 150 / Large 250 volume. Players treat this as the first CAM purchase, ahead of any fancy gun.
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2
Load the container: dog tags, rare mods, CAM extras, or one fat loot piece
Optionally stash a heavy weapon there so it does not eat backpack volume.
-
3
Bring a beacon and place it in a quiet corner after clearing a nest
Pick it back up when you leave the area - forgotten beacons respawn you far from your bag.
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4
Isolated first if the kit is paid-for
Use provided or rental sets until you extract several Isolated runs in a row.
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5
Check extract on landing and plan the route before looting
Time-outs and forced late extracts kill more Isolated runs than hard AI.
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6
Keep three investigations active
Death does not wipe them.
2In-Raid Death Management
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1
Hear shots in Open: decide extract, third-party, or hide
Noise pulls AI and players.
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2
Downed teammate: revive with Active Matter if you have it
Do not stand over the body hacking a Mindvault in a firefight - it is loud and pings radar. Hacking does not block revive; that rumor is wrong.
-
3
Drop an enemy in Open and expect a squad revive: strip the primary into brush
They come back unarmed.
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4
On your own downed screen: leave container auto-send on
Unless a teammate is clearly winning the fight.
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5
After a wipe, rebuild in Isolated with a cheap kit
Do not immediately throw a good kit back into Open.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Thinking Isolated means you keep gear on death. It does not - same tax.
- Queueing Open + Solo and expecting no players. Other solos still load in.
- Putting valuables in the backpack because the container looks small. One oversized item can overflow it.
- Taking a purchased rifle into day-one Open. Rental sets exist for a reason.
- Looting first, finding extract last. Plan the route on landing.
- Leaving the beacon on the ground after moving on. You respawn far from your bag.
- Grinding Isolated only, then wondering why Expert token dailies never complete. Those objectives are Open-only.
- Following old guides about Isolated tickets or daily caps. Removed for most of 2026 - both modes are unlimited.