The Lunatic Cultist is a post-Golem Hardmode boss in Terraria. Killing him is necessary to trigger the Lunar Event. In this article, we will cover in much detail what facing this boss is like and what you should do to prepare for the fight. So get ready for the ultimate guide to beating Lunatic Cultist in Terraria.
The Lunatic Cultist is an annoying boss to fight in Terraria with the ability to clone himself. Identifying the real Cultist is of utmost importance as the clones will make your life a living hell. The boss will be spawned as soon as you are done killing Cultist outside of the Dungeon’s entrance.
We found these builds and strategies to be the most effective when fighting the Lunatic Cultist boss in Terraria. Follow along, and it should turn out to be an easy fight for you as well.
How to Spawn Lunatic Cultist?
After defeating Golem, killing the Cultists that appear at the Dungeon’s entrance summons the Lunatic Cultist.
Once the 4 other Cultists are defeated, the Lunatic Cultist spawns, and while spawning it is invincible. However, as he moves away from his spawn point, you can commence dealing damage to him.
How to Defeat Lunatic Cultist?
Defeating Lunatic Cultist in Terraria boils down to the class you are using. Some classes will find it harder to beat this boss while for others it will be a breeze. We will go over which weapons best suit the class when fighting the boss.
Melee Class Strategy
The Flairon stands out as a formidable choice, thanks to its homing projectiles that deal high damage. Moving on to projectile swords, the Terra Blade, Flying Dragon, and Influx Waver take the lead as the most powerful options. Among them, the Influx Waver proves particularly effective against single targets.
If you seek high DPS, the Starlight surpasses them all. Its attack patterns allow for easier dodging when you are in close proximity, making it an excellent choice for face-tanking.
For taking on the Lunatic Cultist and the Phantasm Dragon he summons, the Eye of Cthulhu proves invaluable with its high damage output. It also comes in handy during the ritual, as it accurately follows the cursor, allowing you to target only the real cultist.
When it comes to healing, the Vampire Knives should be wielded, though their damage output is comparatively low. It is advisable to switch to a different weapon when not at low health to maximize damage potential.
The Paladin’s Hammer boasts both high damage and quick attacks, while the Possessed Hatchet sacrifices some power in exchange for a homing effect.
For Melee characters, the Beetle armor reigns as the best choice available. Offensive bonuses are amplified by the Beetle Scale Mail, while the Beetle Shell proves advantageous for those who frequently find themselves unable to avoid taking hits.
Ranged Class Strategy
The Xenopopper stands out as the most potent gun, especially when paired with Crystal Bullets. Following closely is the Chain Gun, which, while slightly weaker, remains a solid choice. However, when coupled with Chlorophyte Bullets, their usefulness significantly increases.
The Snowman Cannon proves highly advantageous with its homing projectiles that deal substantial damage. It shines particularly when swiftly eliminating the Phantasm Dragon, as its explosive shots strike multiple segments simultaneously.
As for bows, the Tsunami reigns as the strongest option when utilized with Holy Arrows.
Employing the Piranha Gun yields great assistance, as it continuously inflicts damage on the Cultist while preventing him from summoning minions.
Taking advantage of the Cultist’s movement pattern, which involves staying in one place for a duration, the Electrosphere Launcher proves incredibly effective, landing numerous hits on the target.
For Ranged characters, the Shroomite armor stands as the most powerful option available, providing unparalleled benefits.
Mage Class Strategy
The Razorblade Typhoon and Nightglow wield impressive power as weapons, thanks to their reliable homing effect. On the other hand, the Razorpine, Blizzard Staff, and Laser Machinegun excel in dealing stronger damage to single targets.
The Magnet Sphere unleashes substantial damage and can be effectively combined with other weapons for maximum impact.
When utilizing the Nimbus Rod and Rainbow Gun, caution is advised. Their stationary attacks have the potential to inadvertently harm a duplicate of the Cultist, resulting in the spawning of the Phantasm Dragon and/or an Ancient Vision.
For Mages, the Spectre armor reigns as the strongest choice. The Spectre Hood, however, should only be employed when health is low to optimize damage output.
Summoner Class Strategy
The Terraprisma stands unrivaled as the most powerful minion obtainable, albeit requiring the daunting challenge of defeating the Empress of Light during daylight hours.
Alternatively, if you prefer to avoid the formidable task, the Xeno Staff serves as the strongest minion available. Though slightly weaker, the Deadly Sphere Staff and Tempest Staff still offer decent effectiveness.
When it comes to sentries, the Ballista Staff takes the crown as the most potent option, while the Staff of the Frost Hydra serves as a slightly weaker alternative.
For Summoners, it is advisable to summon minions while wearing Spooky armor and subsequently switch to Tiki armor. This not only grants an additional albeit weaker minion but also provides a modest boost in defense.
Other Strategies
Here are some strategies for fighting Lunatic Cultist in Terraria:
Easily Identifying the Real Cultist:
To distinguish the real Lunatic Cultist from its decoys, several indicators can be observed:
- The real Cultist is the sole entity displaying a health bar.
- The real Cultist possesses eyes, whereas the decoys have hollow eye sockets.
- A distinctive line adorns the hood of the real Cultist, distinguishing it from the decoys.
- Unlike the decoys, the real Cultist does not emit light, although this disparity may only be noticeable during nighttime encounters.
- Utilizing a Hunter Potion exclusively illuminates the real Cultist, effectively discerning it from the decoys.
- Enabling Autopause provides ample time to carefully identify the real Cultist without the pressure of real-time gameplay.
Arena Preparation
You can simply create a basic arena with multiple rows of platforms to effectively combat the Lunatic Cultist. If you already have an arena set up for Skeletron, it can be repurposed for this battle, saving you the effort of building a new one.
The existing structure and layout of the arena can provide a solid foundation for maneuverability and strategic positioning during the fight against the Lunatic Cultist. This allows you to focus on refining your combat tactics rather than constructing a brand-new arena.
What are the Difficulty Differences?
The boss has different stats depending on the difficulty and the phase it is in. These differences are as follows:
Classic Mode
In Classic Mode the Lunatic Cultist in Terraria has the following stats:
- Damage: 30 -120
- HP: 32000
- Defense: 27-42
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to All debuffs except Whip debuffs
- Has a 100% chance of inflicting On Fire! debuff for 0.5-2.5 seconds.
After the demise of all four Cultists, the Lunatic Cultist briefly emerges at the Mysterious Tablet, making its first appearance. During the summoning animation, the Cultist becomes impervious to damage. Following this, the Mysterious Tablet shatters into fragments, while the Lunatic Cultist ascends into the air.
Once summoned, the Lunatic Cultist teleports to a position directly above the player’s initial location and proceeds to cycle between various projectile attacks. After each projectile assault, the Cultist swiftly teleports to a new position above the player’s current whereabouts.
The first attack involves a burst of three or four homing fireballs, possessing high velocity and exploding upon contact with the player. These fireballs inflict the “On Fire!” debuff for a duration of 0.5 to 2.5 seconds.
Next, a crystallized ball of ice mist is launched toward the player, gracefully passing through blocks as it spins forward. Over the course of four half-second intervals, this mist releases six ice shards before eventually dissipating.
Furthermore, a lightning orb materializes above the Lunatic Cultist, discharging five bolts of lightning aimed at the player’s precise location.
When the Lunatic Cultist’s health drops below 50% of its maximum, its defense decreases to 27. At this point, it occasionally substitutes one of its attacks with two volleys of five Ancient Light projectiles. These ancient projectiles possess destructible properties and can penetrate through blocks.
With 400 health, they hover in midair, capable of exploding upon contact with the player or after an extended period. Homing projectiles and minions can effectively target these Ancient Light missiles, increasing the opportunity for counterattacks.
Ritual Phase
The Lunatic Cultist exhibits a cyclical pattern of five to six attacks before initiating a ritual. During this phase, homing projectiles and minions lose their ability to target the Lunatic Cultist. Initially, two phantom decoys referred to as Ancient Cultists materialize.
The positions of the Lunatic Cultist and its decoys undergo randomization with each iteration of the ritual.
Completing the ritual involves either attacking a decoy or refraining from harming the Lunatic Cultist and its decoys for a continuous duration of five seconds.
Upon successful completion, the Lunatic Cultist emits a sinister laugh and proceeds to summon a Phantasm Dragon. However, if a Phantasm Dragon is already present, an Ancient Vision is summoned instead.
Decoys that survive the ritual, fly alongside the Lunatic Cultist. They diligently cast homing shadow fireballs while the Lunatic Cultist maintains its regular pattern of projectile attacks. The Lunatic Cultist can summon a maximum of six decoys simultaneously.
Notably, striking the real Lunatic Cultist during the ritual causes all summoned decoys, including those that have managed to endure until that point, to instantly vanish.
Expert Mode
In Expert Mode the Lunatic Cultist in Terraria has the following stats:
- Damage: 45 -180
- HP: 48000
- Defense: 27-42
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to All debuffs except Whip debuffs
- Has a 100% chance of inflicting On Fire! debuff for 1-5 seconds.
During Expert Mode encounters, when the Lunatic Cultist’s health falls below 50% of its maximum, it has the ability to replace one of its attacks. In this instance, it summons two sets of three Ancient Dooms, which possess a destructible nature.
If the player fails to directly destroy these Ancient Dooms, they disperse into four powerful Prophecy’s End projectiles in the cardinal directions. These projectiles inflict substantial damage.
It may also teleport once between summoning each set of Ancient Dooms. Notably, the Ancient Light Missiles summoned during this phase exhibit increased resilience, boasting a health pool of 800.
Master Mode
In Master Mode the Lunatic Cultist in Terraria has the following stats:
- Damage: 67-402
- HP: 61000
- Defense: 27-42
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to All debuffs except Whip debuffs
- Has a 100% chance of inflicting On Fire! debuff for 1-5 seconds.
The behavior of Lunatic Cultist stays the same as Expert Mode but with a significant bump in damage and HP. The Ancient Light Missile has even higher health at 1200 HP.
Is Lunatic Cultist Harder Solo or With Friends?
The difficulty of facing the Lunatic Cultist can vary depending on whether you choose to face it solo or with friends. In general, the Lunatic Cultist tends to pose a greater challenge when faced solo.
When battling the Lunatic Cultist alone, you must contend with its full attention and face its relentless attacks without any additional assistance. This can require precise timing, strategic positioning, and efficient evasion to overcome its formidable assault.
On the other hand, facing the Lunatic Cultist with friends can provide certain advantages. Collaborating with others allows for shared responsibilities, including dividing the Cultist’s attention and coordinating attacks.
With multiple players, you can strategize and synergize your abilities, creating opportunities for more effective damage output and coordinated defensive maneuvers.
However, it’s important to note that the Lunatic Cultist’s difficulty is scaled based on the number of players present. In multiplayer settings, its health and damage output may increase to compensate for the additional firepower and coordination available to the group.
This ensures that the challenge remains significant even when facing the Lunatic Cultist with friends.
What are the Rewards for Defeating Lunatic Cultist?
The rewards for defeating Lunatic Cultist in Terraria differ according to the difficulty. The majority of rewards are the same for all difficulties except a few and sometimes the drop rates increase at higher difficulties. We will highlight all these rewards and changes below:
Classic Mode Rewards
| Reward | Quantity | Drop Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Coins | 10 | 100% |
| Ancient Manipulator | 1 | 100% |
| Lunatic Cultist Mask | 1 | 14.29% |
| Greater Healing Potion | 5-15 | 100% |
| Lunatic Cultist Trophy | 1 | 10% |
Expert Mode Rewards
All the rewards for Lunatic Cultist in Expert Mode remain the same as in Classic Mode. It is the only non-event boss with no Expert Mode exclusive rewards. However, you’ll receive 25 Gold Coins in Expert Mode instead of 10 in Classic Mode.
Master Mode Rewards
| Reward | Quantity | Drop Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| Tablet Fragment | 1 | 25% |
| Lunatic Cultist Relic | 1 | 100% |
The Lunatic Cultist is quite different from every other boss you have faced thus far. Be extra careful when attempting to fight him since beating him will trigger the Lunar Event. You need to be prepared for the consequences of this fight. Get your gear ready for the impending doom about to ensue.