Welcome to Terraria, where digging holes and building homes is only half the story. The other half is fending off a parade of increasingly absurd, terrifying, and sometimes outright beautiful bosses, not to mention reaping the rewards of defeating them. From bouncing blue blobs to cosmic eldritch horrors, this guide covers every major boss fight in the sidescroller, whether you’re playing on PC, console, or mobile.

Breaking down all Terraria bosses in order, you’ll spot summoning tips, combat strategies, and info on the drops you’ll receive. You’ll encounter some beasts naturally as you go about your peaceful mining expedition, while others require a bit of know-how with summon items.

Be warned, this guide contains spoilers, just in case you’d prefer to go into these battles blind. And, for the love of Torch God, make sure you’re decked out in the right weapons and accessories before you go picking a fight with the hardest Terraria bosses at the end of the list.

Pre-Hardmode Bosses

King Slime (Optional)

A giant, jiggly blob with a crown and a penchant for teleportation. King Slime is often your first real test of boss combat and crowd control. Despite its size, it is one of the most mobile bosses at this stage, frequently teleporting to close the gap when players run too far away. The more you damage it, the smaller King Slime gets, until it resembles the ordinary slimes that bother you in your day-to-day adventures.

Summoning

Item: Use a Slime Crown or

World: Wait for a Slime Rain event or take your chances on the grassy areas on the outer rim of the map.

Health: 2,000 on Classic / 2,800 on Expert / 3,570 on Master.

Damage: 40 on Classic / 64 on Expert / 96 on Master.

Strategy: Keep your distance and stay mobile. Ranged and magic weapons work best early on. You can even abuse King Slime’s teleportation mechanic by running off-screen and trapping it in nooks. Later on in the game, when you have access to more equipment, you can craft traps such as lava pits using a lava bucket, or take a page out of Obi-Wan’s book and use Rocket Boots or Wings to gain the high ground over your opponent. If you’re going after King Slime with a group, make sure you spread out to avoid him teleporting directly on top of your group.

Rewards: Slime Gun, Slime Hook, Ninja armour pieces, Solidifier, Slimy Saddle mount, Mask, Trophy

Aftermath: Nothing special happens after defeating King Slime, as it’s an optional boss.

Eye of Cthulhu

The gateway horror of Terraria. If you hear roaring at night, you’re about to get your eyeballs handed to you. This flying monstrosity starts off with lazy circular attack patterns that ignore blocks as if they’re nothing, and summons Servants of Cthulhu for a helping hand. Once you whittle it down to below half health (or under 65% health in Expert+), Eye of Cthulhu transforms into a toothy nightmare with ramped-up aggression, switching to wild charges. At this point, it’s defenseless but deals higher damage, ditching numbers in favour of a one-on-one fight.

Summoning

Item: Use a Suspicious Looking Eye at night.

World: One in three chance of spawning at night once you have three NPCs in housing.

Health: 2,800 on Classic / 3,640 on Expert / 4,641 on Master

Damage: 15 on Classic / 30 on Expert / 45 on Master

Strategy: Prepare ahead of time by creating an arena and setting up plenty of light sources. As with any nighttime boss, the sooner you start the fight after sunset, the more time you have to get the job done before Eye of Cthulhu disappears. Dodge its charge attacks and whittle it down with bows or wands. The second phase is faster, so be ready to dash or grapple away. Any accessories that boost movement speed (like the Hermes Boots) are a game-changer here.

Rewards: Demonite/Crimtane Ore, Unholy Arrows, Mask, Trophy, Binoculars.

Aftermath: Defeating Eye of Cthulhu allows Dryad to move in and gives the Traveling Merchant a chance to sell a yoyo called Code 1 for five gold.

Eater of Worlds (Corruption only)

A segmented worm that tunnels through your nightmares and your base. The Eater of Worlds battle is a fight of endurance and control, where the wrong move can split the boss into a mess of deadly, individual threats if you aren’t careful. It will only spawn in worlds with Corruption, which is one of two evil biomes, alongside Crimson. Both cannot co-exist, leaving you with a 50/50 chance of fighting this burrowing beast.

Summoning:

Item: Use Worm Food in a Corruption biome.

World: Destroy 3 Shadow Orbs in a Corruption biome.

Health: 7,500 on Legacy builds / 10,050 on Classic / 15,120 on Expert / 19,224 on Master

Strategy: Equip yourself with piercing or area-of-effect (AoE) weapons like Vilethorn or grenades for large amounts of damage to the entire worm. Lure Eater of Worlds to a surface-built arena designed to give you more manoeuvrability. Aim for body segments, preferably the head or tail, to avoid splitting it early. If you destroy the middle section, it will split into two monsters that’ll attack you separately. Multiple players can take out separate segments faster–just don’t let your allies get overwhelmed.

Rewards: Shadow Scales, Demonite Ore, Eater’s Bone, Mask, Trophy

Aftermath: Eater of Worlds is a primary source of materials you need to progress, but there is a possibility you can accrue enough Demonite naturally throughout the world to move onto the next stages without fighting it.

Brain of Cthulhu (Crimson only)

The squishier, trickier cousin to the Eater of Worlds, Brain of Cthulhu leans heavily on illusion and misdirection. The fight opens with a swarm of Creepers that must be cleared before the real battle begins, and the brain’s teleporting, duplicating phase two can catch unprepared players off guard. Just as with its counterpart, this critical thinker will only appear in the Crimson biome, which won’t spawn if Corruption is present.

Summoning:

Item: Use a Bloody Spine in the Crimson.

World: Break 3 Crimson Hearts in the Crimson.

Health: 1,250 on Classic / 2,125 on Expert / 2,709 on Master – x2.6 with Creepers

Damage: 14 on Classic / 54 on Expert / 81 on Master

Strategy: The first phase of this battle floods you with Creepers that you must destroy before you can fight the Brain itself. AoE helps here, clearing waves quickly, and they’ll drop hearts fast to help keep your health high. In phase two, rapid dashing and illusions make this a dodge-heavy fight. You’ll need to keep the battle within the Crimson biome so as not to risk the demon despawning, so ensure all pre-built arenas stay within the red boundary (you can use the background as a good indicator).

Rewards: Brain of Cthulhu Relic, Brain in a Jar, Treasure bag with either Tissue Samples, Brain of Confusion, Mask, Trophy, Crimtane Ore, or Bone Rattle pet

Aftermath: Brain of Cthulhu offers materials you need to progress in bulk, although you can still mine Crimtane Ore throughout the world without ever taking the fight.

Queen Bee

Often summoned by accident when exploring the Jungle, Queen Bee is both graceful and aggressive. She darts across the screen, spewing stingers and summoning swarms of bees to overwhelm the player. Despite her elegance, she’s a deadly gatekeeper to Jungle loot and late Pre-Hardmode gear. This one stings in several ways. Not only can it be a tough brawl, but you can’t help but feel like the villain when she’s only trying to avenge her larva and defend her home. Oops.

Summoning:

Item: Use Abeemination in the Jungle.

World: Destroy a Larva in a Hive, found in the Jungle.

Health: 3,400 on Classic / 4,760 on Expert / 6,069 on Master

Damage: 30 on Classic / 54 on Expert / 81 on Master

Strategy: Queen Bee will chase you to the ends of the earth to take you down, which means you can lure it away from the confines of the hive. Build a long platform so you can jump over her sweeping charges and use ranged weapons so you too can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. It doesn’t hurt to carry a health potion or 10, too, as both her stingers and contact will poison you, doing two health per second in damage for between two and 20 seconds.

Rewards: Bee Keeper sword, Bee Gun, Bee’s Knees bow, Hive Wand, Bee outfit parts, Bee Wax (for armour), Honey Comb, Bottled Honey, Honeyed Goggles (mount), Trophy, Mask

Aftermath: Allows Witch Doctor to move into a vacant room.

Skeletron

Old man by day, deadly floating skull and limbs by night. Skeletron is a classic boss with a two-part hitbox: You’ll need to deal with flailing arms before the real damage begins on the head. His spinning attack can rip through unprepared players, so practice your dodging beforehand. Worse yet, you’re on a time limit in this battle, as you’ll need to get the job done before sunrise, lest you meet the swift hand of the undead that’ll kill you with one fell swoop.

Summoning:

Item: Defeat the Clothier with the Clothier Voodoo Doll equipped at night.

World: Talk to the Old Man at the Dungeon entrance at night.

Health: 4,400 (600 per hand) on Classic / 8,800 (1,560 per hand) on Expert / 11,220 (1,989 per hand) on Master

Damage: 32 (20 per hand) on Classic / 70 (44 per hand) on Expert / 105 (66 per hand) on Master

Strategy: As with most bosses in the game, it pays to lay down some floating platforms to give you room to dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge. It’s easy enough to see Skeletron’s attacks coming with predictable lunges, but timing can be tough due to both arms flailing at once. Get hit and you’ll start bleeding, which leaves you unable to heal from your wounds. Your job is to focus on the hands first, then the head. Ranged weapons keep you safe from the spinning skull.

Rewards: Skeletron Hand hook, Book of Skulls, Chippy’s Couch, Mask, Trophy, Bone Glove (Expert+)

Aftermath: Beating Skeletron frees the Old Man to join your ranks, where he’ll become The Clothier, who sells different vanity items. It also unlocks the Dungeon, which is vital preparation for Hardmode.

Deerclops

A unique crossover boss from Don’t Starve Together, Deerclops fits Terraria like a glove with its macabre design, but it still stands out from the crowd. The anthropomorphic horror combines frost-based attacks with screen-obscuring effects that give it a very different feel from other bosses in the game. It’s optional but offers great rewards for players who want an unusual challenge before Hardmode.

Summoning:

Item: Use a Deer Thing in a Snow biome.

World: Can appear randomly at midnight during a blizzard if the player has nine defense or 200 health (chances decrease once defeated).

Health: 7,000 on Classic / 11,900 on Expert / 15,172 on Master

Damage: Up to 36 on Classic / Up to 72 on Expert / Up to 108 on Master

Strategy: Stay mobile and avoid its freezing attacks, but don’t venture too far, as Deerclops becomes immune to damage at over 30 tiles away. It’s also best to avoid air battles, as Deerclops summons Shadow Hands to return you back to earth. Instead, prepare with good armour and health by your side, with enough potions to keep the close-quarters fight going.

Rewards: Lucy the Axe, Houndius Shootius, Weather Pain, Pew-matic Horn, Deerclops Eyeball (pet), a wide selection of Don’t Starve-themed vanity gear from Bone Helm to Eye Bone, Radio Thing, Eyebrella, Eye Bone, Deerclops Mask

Wall of Flesh

The literal gatekeeper to Hardmode. Defeat it and unleash hell to progress. This boss scrolls across the entire Underworld, locking you into a horizontal gauntlet where you must balance movement, damage, and survival. It’s a test of how well you’ve prepared, as it’s the strongest boss Terraria has to offer before hitting the second stage of the game.

Summoning: Throw a Guide Voodoo Doll into lava in The Underworld while The Guide is still alive.

Health: 8,000 on Classic / 11,200 on Expert / 14,280 on Master

Damage: 50 on Classic / 150 on Expert / 225 on Master

Strategy: Build a long platform across the Underworld using solid blocks. This can be particularly time-consuming as you syphon lava out of the way, but you’ll need as long of a bridge as you can build because this Cronenberg colossus will chase you from one side of the screen to the other, starting from the direction you threw the Voodoo Doll into the lava. When the fight starts, focus on eyes using your best ranged or magic weapon, and avoid getting caught behind.

Rewards: Pwnhammer, Breaker Blade, Clockwork Assault Rifle, Laser Rifle, Firecracker, Class Emblem, Wall of Flesh Mask, Relic, Trophy, Demon Heart (Expert+)

Aftermath: Defeating the Wall of Flesh for the first time unlocks Hardmode, spreading Hallow and either Corruption or Crimson throughout the world. You’ll always be rewarded with the Pwnhammer, which is required to break altars to access Hardmode ores.

Hardmode Bosses

Queen Slime (Optional)

Meet the oil slick slime that’s designed to roll out the red carpet for Hardmode. Appearances aside, she’s not just King Slime in a wig. Queen Slime is faster, flies, and spawns crystal assassins that turn a basic jump-and-dodge affair into a full-blown aerial assault. She’s often overlooked as an optional boss but serves as a solid stepping stone toward what’s to come.

Summoning

Item: Use a Gelatin Crystal in the Hallow.

Health: 18,000 on Classic / 28,800 on Expert / 14,280 on Master

Damage: Up to 80 on Classic / Up to 160 on Expert / Up to 240 on Master

Strategy: Prioritize minions first as they can quickly clutter the screen, and be aware that Royal Gel does not make you immune to their damage. In brief moments of reprieve when Queen Slime slows down, focus your fire on the boss. Stay off the ground during phase two, as she’ll grow wings the moment she hits below 50%.

Rewards: Crystal Assassin armour pieces, Gelatinous Pillion (winged mount), Queen Slime Hook, Blade Staff (summoner), Slime-themed vanity items

Aftermath: Nothing of note happens after defeating Queen Slim aside from receiving some well-earned drops.

The Twins

Heterochromic horrors Spazmatism and Retinazer form a dual menace that’s far more than double the challenge of Eye of Cthulhu, despite their similar appearance. This fight is a high-speed duel against twin threats that demand movement mastery and focus-fire discipline. Their synced phases create pressure unlike any other early Hardmode boss, and you must defeat both before dawn.

Summoning:

Item: Use a Mechanical Eye at night.

World: 10% chance to spawn naturally at dusk once you’ve smashed a Demon or Crimson Altar.

Health: 43,000 on Classic / 64,500 on Expert / 82,237 on Master

Strategy: Try your best to concentrate your attacks on one eye in particular, with the aim of eliminating them one by one. We recommend taking out Spazmatism first (identifiable by its green iris) as the cursed flames do the most damage. When each eye reaches 40% of its health, it transforms into a more aggressive version that fires faster, and you ideally don’t want both on their second stage simultaneously. Designing a minecart track or getting hold of some wings for mobility helps in this fight tremendously.

Rewards: Souls of Sight, Hallowed Bars, Twin Mask, mechanical-themed trophies and gear

Aftermath: Defeating any mechanical boss for the first time will prompt the Steampunker NPC to move in. Defeating all three (The Twins, The Destroyer, and Skeleton Prime) paves the way for Plantera.

The Destroyer

A souped-up Eater of Worlds with lasers. And probes. So many probes. It tunnels beneath your arena, lighting up the night with deadly red beams. AoE and piercing weapons shred it, but the probe spam can quickly snowball if you’re not careful.

Summoning:

Item: Use a Mechanical Worm at night.

World: 10% chance to spawn naturally at dusk once you’ve smashed a Demon or Crimson Altar.

Health: 80,000 on Classic / 120,000 on Expert / 153,000 on Master

Strategy: Much like Eater of Worlds, luring The Destroyer to the surface is a must. With carefully prepared platforms, you can dodge the head, which deals the most damage, and better avoid its lasers firing from virtually every direction. Weapons with piercing work best. Daedalus Stormbow plus Holy Arrows? Devastating.

Rewards: Souls of Might, Hallowed Bars, Destroyer Mask, Mechanical Wagon Piece, Deactivated Probe (Master+)

Aftermath: Yet another mechanical boss; defeating it can welcome the Steampunker to your town and contribute to spawning Plantera.

Skeletron Prime

Armed to the teeth (literally). Prime is a multitasker’s nightmare, mixing missiles, sawblades, and lasers while you try not to get boxed in. It’s often the last mechanical boss players tackle because of its unpredictability.

Summoning

Item: Use a Mechanical Skull at night.

World: 10% chance to spawn naturally at dusk once you’ve smashed a Demon or Crimson Altar.

Health: 28,000 on Classic / 42,000 on Expert / 53,550 on Master.

Damage: Up to 94 on Classic / Up to 158 on Expert / Up to 238 on Master

Strategy: Keep your movement unhindered with several places to dodge Skeletron Prime’s various attacks. Knock out its limbs first, especially the laser and cannon arms, before going all-guns-blazing against the skull.

Rewards: Souls of Fright, Hallowed Bars, Skeletron Prime Mask, Trophy, Relic (Expert+), Mechanical Battery Piece (Expert+), Horned God Mask (console-only)

Aftermath: The last in a trio of mechanical bosses you can defeat in any order. Beating it welcomes the Steampunker if it’s your first mech, and thwarting all three helps spawn Plantera.

Plantera

A jungle nightmare that emerges once the Mech bosses are down. Fight it too early and it’ll mulch you. Plantera signals a major power spike, unlocking new progression pathways, including the Dungeon’s hardmode section. Just be careful not to get tangled in its vines or the chompers will unhinge their jaws.

Summoning

World: Break a Plantera Bulb in the Underground Jungle, which spawns after all mechanical bosses are defeated.

Health: 30,000 on Classic / 42,000 on Expert / 53,550 on Master

Damage: Up to 70 on Classic / Up to 140 on Expert / Up to 210 on Master

Strategy: Dig out a large arena before engaging Plantera and remove all the background walls with a hammer. You’ll need plenty of room to dodge poison seeds and thorn balls, all while minimising her movement. Use ranged or magic attacks with mobility boosts, and be careful of her aggressive second form.

Rewards: Temple Key, Seedler, Venus Magnum, Leaf Blower, Nettle Burst, Flower Pow, Wasp Gun, Pygmy Staff, Thorn Hook, The Axe, Seedling, Mask, Trophy, Spore Sac (Expert+)

Aftermath: Plantera drops the Temple Key, which unlocks the Jungle Temple and provides access to the Golem. Defeating the plant queen also halves the spread of evil biomes and welcomes the Cyborg NPC.

Golem

Stone-faced and slow, but surprisingly tough. Golem is fought inside the Jungle Temple, with limited mobility options and spiked traps littering the area. He’s slow, but his punches and laser beam hit hard if left unchecked, particularly as his parts detach and move independently.

Summoning

Item: Use a Lihzahrd Power Cell at the Jungle Temple Altar.

Health: 39,000 on Classic / 90,000 on Expert / 114,749 on Master

Strategy: Stay above Golem’s line of fire where possible and remember that this is a battle of stamina. Strong armour is a must, as are high health and weapons that deal good damage and don’t rely on finite ammo that you’ll run out of midway through the fight. Break the head/arms methodically and don’t get your hopes too high when the head reaches 0 HP, as that’s when the real fight begins.

Rewards: Picksaw, Beetle Husk, Stynger, Eye of the Golem, Heat Ray, Golem Fist, Possessed Hatchet, Staff of Earth, Sun Stone, Mask, Trophy, Shiny Stone (Expert+)

Aftermath: Defeating Golem spawns Cultists at the Dungeon’s entrance. Once you’ve defeated them, it triggers Lunatic Cultist and contributes to overarching Lunar Events.

Empress of Light (Optional)

Beautiful, deadly, and capable of one-shotting you in the daytime. Empress of Light is a bullet-hell boss with graceful but unforgiving patterns. She’s one of Terraria’s most visually impressive encounters, but you might not get long to appreciate the spectacle if you’re not prepared for a full head-to-head.

Summoning:

World: Kill a Prismatic Lacewing in the Hallow at night once Plantera is defeated.

Health: 70,000 on Classic / 98,000 on Expert / 124,950 on Master

Damage: Up to 120 on Classic / Up to 165 on Expert / Up to 248 on Master

Strategy: First, catch the Prismatic Lacewing with a bug net before releasing and destroying it in your domain, which is tailor-made for a tough fight. Be warned that it may despawn quickly if released outside of the Hallow. Catching and releasing is also the only way to fight the Empress of Light during the daytime to unlock the Terraprisma sword, although it will be the hardest fight of your life. As for the fight itself, make use of the widest arena possible, spanning the whole Hallow, to dodge attacks. Lastly, spend some time learning the patterns. This battle is a bit Dark Souls, in that you’ll likely die a lot.

Rewards: Kaleidoscope, Starlight, Prismatic Dye, Empress Wings, Nightglow, Eventide, Stellar Tune, Rainbow Cursor, Mask, Trophy, Terraprisma (100% daytime damage-only)

Duke Fishron (Optional)

Summoned from the sea, this pig-fish-dragon hybrid is one of Terraria’s best boss designs and has us thinking of South Park’s Man-Bear-Pig. With erratic charges, summoning sharks, and water-powered attacks, he’s a challenge best left for later in Hardmode.

Summoning

Item: Fish in the Ocean using a Truffle Worm.

Health: 50,000 on Classic / 78,000 on Expert / 99,000 on Master

Damage: Up to 200 on Classic / Up to 280 on Expert / Up to 420 on Master

Strategy: Best fought during the day to maintain vision on the annoying Cthulunadoes, you’ll either want wings or a flying mount to battle Duke Fishron in the air, or to build a long platform over the ocean to give you footing. Pack some dash boots to help with those quick reflexes, and you’ll take him down in no time. Generally, you’ll want to save him for late Hardmode.

Rewards: Tsunami bow, Flairon, Razorblade Typhoon, Bubble Gun, Fishron Wings, Mask, Trophy, Shrimp truffle mount (Expert+)

Lunatic Cultist

A prelude to the apocalypse, the plague doctor costume gives the game away before the battle begins. Defeating him kicks off the endgame. This fight tests pattern recognition, with clone rituals and elemental attacks. The Lunatic Cultist is actually the smallest boss in the entire game, but don’t let the tiny stature fool you; it’s the calm before the storm and one to avoid if you’re not ready for cataclysmic, world-changing lunar events to follow.

Summoning

World: Kill the four cultists at the Dungeon entrance post-Golem.

Health: 32,000 on Classic / 48,000 on Expert / 61,000 on Master

Damage: Up to 120 on Classic / Up to 180 on Expert / Up to 402 on Master

Strategy: You can identify the real Lunatic Cultist among the illusions by spotting the differently shaped eyes, the health bar, or the extra golden line across its hood. It’s easy enough to block a lot of attacks by putting up solid blocks you can peek out from behind to deal magic or ranged damage.

Rewards: Ancient Manipulator, Lunatic Cultist Mask, Lunatic Cultist Trophy

Aftermath: With the Ancient Manipulator, you can start crafting endgame items.

Moon Lord (Final Boss)

To no one’s surprise, given the wealth of bosses who share his namesake, Cthulhu himself is Terraria’s true final challenge, with a tentacle beard in tow. Moon Lord, as he’s officially called, is a triple-eyed nightmare, complete with laser beams, leeching tongues, and a heart-core that must be exposed and destroyed. There’s a reason the Dryads banished him to the moon, leaving only his organs behind.

Summoning

World: Automatically appears after all Celestial Pillars are destroyed.

Health: 145,000 on Classic / 217,500 on Expert / 277,311 on Master

Damage: Varies per attack on all modes.

Strategy: Moon Lord’s vulnerability to debuffs plays a large role in speeding up the fight, but you’ll need to keep re-applying them every time he closes his eyes to revitalize himself. Target the eyes, especially the forehead laser. Avoid standing still and dodge everything you can, as tanking isn’t much of an option here. And finally, lifesteal goes a long way to keeping you pumped for the long fight ahead.

Rewards: Meowmere, Star Wrath, Rainbow Crystal Staff, Terrarian, Last Prism, Lunar Flare, Celebration Mk2, S.D.M.G., Lunar Portal Staff, Portal Gun, Mask, Trophy, Meowmere Minecart. Expert+ = Suspicious Tentacle, Gravity Globe, Suspicious Looking Tentacle, Celestial Starboard. Master = Piece of Moon Squid, Moon Lord Relic

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