Power Nodes are special items obtainable in all games except for Dead Space 3.

Overview

Power Nodes are uncommon items that can be found scattered around the environment, usually in their special solid blue wall lockers. They can also be purchased at the Store for 10,000 credits, but cannot be sold back. They can be used to upgrade player equipment, or to unlock "emergency supply rooms" which contain random items.

Power Nodes, unlike most other items bought/collected in-game, do not take up any space in the player's inventory no matter how many nodes they have, and are instead tracked by their respective counter.

In Dead Space 2, Power Nodes can be found in various places in the world, sometimes outside of their signature wall boxes. Scouring large environments, such as Zero-G sectors, often pays off with Nodes whose locations are otherwise easily missed.

Power Nodes are not featured in Dead Space 3, and are instead replaced by Upgrade Circuits (found in the same wall lockers as Nodes before) and torque bars (used for opening supply rooms).

Uses

• Power Nodes can be used to upgrade equipment by finding a Bench. Using the Bench activates an Upgrade Interface, which has an entry for each weapon contained in the user's inventory, as well as the RIG and Stasis Module. Each entry contains a "tree," a specific arrangement of slots unique to each entry. Each slot requires a Power Node to be "welded" into place. This fills that slot. Once a slot is filled with a Power Node, it unlocks all adjacent branches and slots. Some slots increase the performance of the item, while others are simply required to progress further along the tree.
• Power Nodes can also be used to unlock emergency supply rooms. Supplies inside can include Medical Packs, ammunition, schematics, logs, credits, valuable semiconductors, etc., and even up to two Power Nodes in some cases.
• All committed Nodes can be respecced off of unnecessary weapons for 5000 Credits for later use.

Tips

• The value of the contents of the supply rooms is normally far greater than the cost (10,000 credits) of a Power Node, though there may be rooms where the value is less. If possible, save before entering a supply room so that you can reload if the contents were not worth the Power Node used.
• In Dead Space 2, spending a Power Node to unlock supply rooms may even reward the player with additional Nodes, with certain rooms containing up to 2 Nodes.
  • Note that these Nodes, as well as those dropped by powerful Necromorphs like Brutes or the Hunter, may not spawn if Isaac is already carrying a sizeable amount of Nodes with him. The exact number is unclear but may start as early as having eight to ten surplus Nodes in Isaac's inventory. This is true for both the original Dead Space and Dead Space 2.
• Always carry at least one or two power Nodes with you, as advised by Dead Space 2's loading screens.

Trivia

• Power Nodes are found much more frequently in Dead Space 2, with some chapters yielding up to 4, and Chapter 1 yielding 5. As a counter to this, upgrading weapons and armor requires a lot more Nodes than in the first game, with total Nodes ranging between 20-25 quite commonly.
• Upon completing the original Dead Space, one is rewarded with 10 Power Nodes when starting a New Game+, although this feature is not present in Dead Space 2.
• In the original Dead Space, whenever a Brute is killed, it drops a Node for you to collect. The regenerative Hunter also rewards you with one upon its defeat; remember to look carefully where these special enemies die to find yourself a free Node.
• Although Power Nodes cannot be sold, upgrading a Plasma Cutter will increase its price for selling by 5000 for each Node. Another Cutter can by then be bought for 0 credits.
• The roles of the Power Nodes - unlocking doors and upgrading weapons - are respectively taken by Tungsten Torque Bars and Upgrade Circuits in Dead Space 3.
  • Upgrade Circuits can also be found in boxes similar to the ones Power Nodes are found in.