The Isle

The Isle Deinosuchus Guide: Controls, Diet, Combat, Tips, & More

Posted on Mar 3, 2025 by justin

The Deinosuchus was a colossal crocodile that lived during the Late Cretaceous period. Its immense jaws and bone-crushing teeth earned it various titles, including “terror of the deep” and “terrible crocodile.” These features are also apparent in The Isle, as other dinosaurs who mistakenly steer too close to the water will be met with a swift end. So, if you’re considering choosing the Deinosuchus in The Isle, keep reading to learn how to survive this ferocious land and sit at the top of the food chain.

How to Play as the Deinosuchus in The Isle

Master controlling the Deinosuchus in The Isle in this guide. Below, you’ll learn various strategies and techniques focused on stealth, survival, efficient hunting, and more.

Basics & Controls

Like its extinct real-world counterpart, the Deinosuchus in The Isle can hide beneath the waters and become completely unseen. However, selecting non-conspicuous colors at the dino select screen is ideal. Otherwise, players can't take advantage of the Deino’s mastery of stealth. Next, avoid high-traffic spawn zones like the Northwest of the map. Remember, the Deino has unparalleled speeds underwater but is also one of the slowest-moving dinosaurs on land. So, prevent an early death by spawning into low-traffic areas. With that, remember that the Deinosuchus prides itself in excellent underwater movement (reduced maximum swimming speed as of Patch 0.18.11). Stay under or near water as much as possible. Only surface and travel on land if it’s completely necessary, particularly when eating food, as the Deino can’t consume prey while underwater. Also, this massive reptile promotes a specific playstyle. So, remember the following particulars while navigating the map while controlling this dinosaur:

Must be at least twice the weight of the creature it’s grabbing.
Cannot sprint or lunge on land while grabbing a dinosaur.
Cannot use calls underwater.
Reduced turning speed while on land.

Note that efficient movement is vital in ensuring you survive as the Deinosuchus in The Isle. Below are the default controls for this dino:

Swim upward (while underwater): Spacebar
Swim downward (while underwater): Ctrl
Enhanced water sense (while underwater): Hold Q
Water walk: Hold right mouse button
Water boost (while in water): Tap right mouse button
Lunge (while on land): Right mouse button

Diet & Survival

Arguably, the goal of any dinosaur in The Isle is to survive, and that notion is particularly true for the Deino in all of its growth stages. First, learning the Deino’s preferred diet for optimal growth is essential. Think about the following food choices when playing as the Deinosuchus in The Isle:

Protein: Ceratosaurus, Pachycephalosaurus, or Tenontosaurus
Carbohydrates: Bullfrog, Carnotaurus, Omniraptor, Deinosuchus, Diabloceratops, or Troodon
Lipids: Beipiaosaurus, Gallimimus, Stegosaurus, or Elite Fish

Note that it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes for the Deino’s hunger levels to reach 0% from 100%. However, it only takes 10 minutes for this dino’s thirst levels to reach 0% from being full. The dehydration rate is also faster when the Deino stays on land for extended periods. As for surviving as a Deinosuchus, know that it will be a long and hard life, as it has one of the longest growth times in The Isle. It takes about 5 hours and 50 minutes on a perfect diet for a Deino to grow to a full adult. However, this creature can take as long as 11 hours to complete its growth when not following the recommended nutrition plan. Starting as a hatchling, a baby Deino is extremely weak, making a diet filled with Elite Fish a must until the next growth cycle. Eventually, you'll grow into a juvie. At this point, you can take on larger prey, but remember that the Deinosuchus can only grab food with half its weight at most. Stay in and near the water as much as possible to catch and consume prey until you reach full adult. Additionally, consuming other Deinosuchus is an excellent choice to boost carbohydrates. However, it also means that you’ll be part of the food list of other Deinos.

Hunting & Combat

As mentioned earlier, avoid high-traffic areas as a Deinosuchus, especially during the early growth stages. Instead, travel to ambush spots like the south, center, and northeast rivers. In particular, the northeast river tends to be a popular drinking spot for various creatures, making it a great location for hunting prey. However, playing as a Deino in The Isle generally requires patience. Since you're vulnerable when out of the water, playing the "waiting game" is usually the habit of players controlling this dinosaur. If lucky, you'll only wait about 10 minutes for prey to spawn nearby. Sometimes, this "game" can last about 45 minutes. Once you find your prey, aim for the head as your first bite. Doing so should deal significant damage to your target’s health. If your prey isn’t dead from the first bite, target the body and attack as swiftly as possible. Remember, avoid getting flanked, especially since the Deino has one of the slowest turning speeds in the game.