Dome Keeper: How to Find and Hatch the Dragon Pet

To hatch the secret dragon pet in Dome Keeper, uncover the hidden subterranean egg relic, transport it up to the surface dome, and survive two to three combat waves while it incubates on the dome floor. Because the egg imposes heavy weight penalties when hauled, wait to retrieve it until your mining upgrades or transport gadgets can move it without delaying your return for wave defense.

How to Find and Excavate the Egg

The dragon egg spawns as a rare relic tile encased in deep rock layers. Unlike standard iron, cobalt, or water nodes that generate in clusters, the egg rests inside a dedicated chamber bordered by reinforced rock.

Scouting: Use standard vertical mining shafts spaced two tiles apart. The egg chamber does not emit bright gadget pings, so look for abnormal tile density and distinct silhouettes beneath the fog of war.
Excavation: Fully mine out the tiles surrounding the egg before attempting to pull it free.
Path clearing: Carve a smooth, two-tile-wide exit shaft. The egg has a larger collision box than loose ore, and tight corners or single-tile choke points will catch its frame while you fly upward.

Postpone retrieving the egg if your drill requires multiple hits to break surrounding rock or if your dome is actively losing health to early waves. Prioritize weapon damage and baseline drill upgrades before investing mining cycles into pet recovery.

How to Transport the Egg Safely

The egg exerts severe downward drag on your keeper, substantially cutting your upward flight speed. Before lifting the egg, check the wave meter. Only begin the haul immediately after clearing an attack wave, and ensure you have a 45-to-60-second window before the next swarm arrives.

To move the egg without stranding your keeper underground:

Clear the main shaft: Remove single-block protrusions along the vertical route to the dome cellar.
Drop loose resources: Deliver or drop all carried cobalt, iron, and water before lifting the egg.
Lift from the center: Position your keeper directly beneath the egg's center of mass and hold vertical thrust to prevent it from swinging into side pockets.
Utilize transport gadgets: Route the egg into an automated gadget path if available to remove manual carry drag.

Hauling Setup	Minimum Suit Requirements	Gadget Support	Transit Risk Level
Manual Basic	Base Engine / Base Carry	None	Very High (wave overrun likely)
Upgraded Thrusters	Engine II / Carry Capacity II	None	Moderate (requires clean timing)
Automated Lift	Base Suit	Speed Orb or Lift Wire	Low (hands-free ascent)
Teleporter Beacon	Base Suit	Instant Recall	Minimal (instant transport)

Incubating the Egg in the Dome

Once you drag the egg through the cellar and into the main dome floor, park it near the primary weapon console.

Resource cost: The egg requires no iron, water, or cobalt to activate or maintain.
Incubation time: The embryo requires you to survive two to three full combat waves with the dome intact.
Visual feedback: Standing near or bumping into the egg between waves causes it to wobble, signaling that incubation progress is active.
Failure conditions: If the dome structure fails during an attack wave, the run ends and the egg is lost. When health drops low, leave the egg alone and prioritize weapon targeting and cobalt repairs.

Dragon Companion Behaviors

Once the incubation cycles complete, the egg cracks open into a miniature dragon companion.

The dragon perches on weapon mountings and consoles, hopping and gliding around the upper dome between waves. Interacting with the dragon triggers playful idle animations during defensive downtime.

The dragon does not attack enemies or fire projectiles, but it serves as an early visual alert system. When an alien wave spawns, the dragon vocalizes and flutters urgently toward the side of the dome facing the assault. This directional reaction tells you which quadrant to target before your weapon reticle reaches the outer edge of the screen.