Starfield Mantis puzzle solution: Mantis quest walkthrough
Learn how to solve the Mantis puzzle in Starfield
Looking for a Starfield Mantis puzzle solution? The legendary Mantis is a superhero figure recognised across the Settled Systems, and you can find their lair in Starfield. As you might expect from a superhero's lair, though, there are traps scattered throughout that will seek to stop you from entering the innermost chamber. If you want to get through alive, then you'll need to know the Starfield Mantis puzzle solution.
In this guide, we'll break down the Starfield Mantis puzzle solution, so that you can get through their lair unharmed. We'll also cover how to get the Mantis quest for those who've yet to find it, and also provide details on the Mantis ship and Mantis armor that you'll get as a reward for reaching the end of the lair.
Starfield Mantis puzzle solution
To solve the Mantis floor puzzle in Starfield, you must spell the word "TYRANNIS" while crossing the grid of letters on the floor.
If you're wondering how we got this solution, it comes from an audio log titled "Leon Voclain - Sic Semper Tyrannis" that you can find on an enemy earlier in the lair.
If you fail to step on the correct tiles, the doors on either side of the chamber will seal shut as automatic turrets start shredding your character to pieces.
After solving the Mantis puzzle in Starfield and crossing the grid of letters, make sure to hit the button by the gate on the other side to permanently disable the trap. If you accidentally set off the turrets, you can also simply hit the button to deactivate them so that you can continue to explore freely.
How to start the Mantis quest in Starfield
To start the Mantis quest in Starfield, you must find and collect the "Secret Outpost!" Datapad. This is a random piece of loot that can be dropped upon killing any Spacer while roaming around among the stars, so you'll need to get rather lucky to find it.
Many seem to be finding it early on (we found it while clearing the raider base on Kreet, very early on in the main story), but don't feel left out if you've yet to find it. The Mantis quest is rather tough, and best saved until you're around level 20 anyway, so don't fret if you haven't found this Datapad right at the start of your adventure.
Starfield Mantis quest walkthrough
Once you have the Mantis quest, you must start by heading to Denebola I-b. This is a planet found in the Denebola system, a few jumps away from New Atlantis in Alpha Centauri.
Select Denebola I-b and land at the Secret Outpost point of interest. Upon landing, make your way towards the lair of the Mantis objective marker, killing any Spacers that you find along the way.
Once inside, the layout is rather linear, so you can continue to push through and fight any Spacers along the path. However, make sure to loot their corpses, as some will carry Datapads that shed more light on the mysterious Mantis figure.
Eventually, you'll come to a large chamber in which you fight many tough Spacers, ranging from levels 15-35. In this room, you'll also find a cowering Spacer named Livvey, who immediately surrenders once the fight is over.
Chat with Livvey and decide whether to invite them along, kill them, or let them run away with their life. Whatever you choose, Livvey will first explain the puzzle in the next room, where you'll find a grid of letters separating you and a metal gate on the other side.
Complete the puzzle, which you can do using the solution above, and then fight your way past the robots ahead to eventually come to the inner lair of the Mantis.
How to get the Mantis ship and Mantis armor in Starfield
After completing the puzzle, you can continue into the lair of the Mantis itself - a massive chamber, kind of like the Bat Cave, with plenty of rewards for the taking.
Within this chamber, you can get your hands on the Mantis ship, known as the Razorleaf, which is one of the best ships in Starfield, and completely free. You will also get the Mantis armor set.
To get the Mantis ship, follow the walkways on the left side of the Mantis' lair to find a computer panel that you can interact with to unlock the Razorleaf. This will elevate it to the surface of the planet, on a landing pad located above the Mantis' lair.
The Razorleaf is a brilliant ship, and a noticeable upgrade over the Frontier thanks to its better stats and the included Shielded Cargo mod, which lets you smuggle Contraband without being detected.
Before leaving, though, you can also get the Mantis armor by following your objective marker to the nearby bedroom. There, you'll find the Legendary spacesuit on a mannequin, inside a glass display case. Open the container to loot the Mantis armor, which includes a Helmet, Suit, and Boost Pack as a set.
Once ready, head up to the surface using the nearby elevator and make your way to the large landing pad above the Mantis' lair. There, you'll now find the Razorleaf sitting, waiting for you to take up the mantle and jet off into the stars as the new Mantis.
That wraps up our guide on the Starfield Mantis quest. If you're planning a full Mantis run and would like to create a character that best aligns with that playthrough, check out our list of Starfield traits, all Starfield backgrounds, and the best Starfield builds.