The Queen Bee is a pre-hardmode boss in Terraria, and defeating her will spawn the Witch Doctor NPC in the world. 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 Queen Bee.
The Queen Bee can be summoned in Terraria either by destroying the Larvas found in Underground Jungle or by using the Abeemination item. The boss is best fought within its biome as she becomes insanely more aggressive if fought anywhere else. Her summoned bee minions really shake up this entire fight.
This detailed guide will teach you the best strategies and character builds to use when you fight the Queen Bee boss in Terraria.
How to Spawn Queen Bee?
You’ll fight Queen Bee in the pre-Hardmode stage of Terraria. You can initiate the battle by either shattering the Larva found within the Bee Hives located in the Underground Jungle or by utilizing an Abeemination item within the boundaries of the Jungle.
It’s crucial to note that the Queen Bee must be summoned within the Jungle, as she becomes agitated and more powerful if taken away from her natural habitat.
Moreover, the Abeemination item exclusively functions within the Jungle or Underground Jungle. Trying to activate it outside of these biomes will prove futile, as it won’t trigger the boss fight, and the item will not be consumed.
The crafting of this item is different on the 3DS version of the game and every other version:
- 3DS Version:
- 5 Honey Block
- 1 Stinger
- 5 Hive
- 1 Bottled Honey
- 3 Crispy Honey Block
- 2 Obsidian
- Crafting Station: Demon or Crimson Altar
- Other Versions:
- 5 Honey Block
- 1 Stinger
- 5 Hive
- 1 Bottled Honey
- Crafted by Hand only. No Crafting Station is required.
How to Defeat Queen Bee?
Defeating the Queen Bee 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
Swords can wield surprising effectiveness, particularly when facing the Queen Bee during her bee release or charging attacks. Among the commendable choices is the Blade of Grass or Light’s Bane.
Should Skeletron or Deerclops have been conquered, the Muramasa and Lucy the Axe demonstrate substantial damage potential. The Volcano and Night’s Edge are even more formidable options, albeit more challenging to acquire.
For those fortunate enough to obtain it, the Terragrim/Arkhalis excel in combat. The Starfury, while requiring additional block clearance for the falling stars, can also prove to be a competent weapon.
Long-range options like the Thorn Chakram, Trimarang, or Flamarang fare well against the Queen Bee. Their extended reach aids in dispatching her from a safer distance.
Flails are particularly useful when the Queen Bee launches bees at you, as they can pierce through the swarm and strike the Queen as well. Consider employing the Blue Moon, The Meatball, or the formidable Sunfury. However, aiming these flails accurately during other stages of the battle might pose a challenge.
If you prefer Yoyos, Amazon and Code 1 offer reliable choices. The Valor surpasses them slightly in performance but necessitates defeating Skeletron and locating one in the dungeon. The Cascade, superior to the Valor, can be acquired prior to the Queen Bee encounter, albeit with increased difficulty.
For melee classes, acquiring the Molten Armor proves indispensable. It stands as the finest pre-hardmode armor set, though obtaining it entails venturing into the Underworld and utilizing a Hellstone-mining pickaxe.
Ranged Class Strategy
If you’re using a bow, try using a Demon Bow, Tendon Bow, or Molten Fury if you have them. Make sure to bring arrows that can pierce through enemies, like Jester’s Arrows or Unholy Arrows.
The Blood Rain Bow is a good choice, but you’ll need a large area to use it properly. It works best with Unholy Arrows or Hellfire Arrows if you can find them. Keep another weapon handy to deal with the bees.
Decent options for ranged attacks are the Musket or The Undertaker. You can also use the Minishark or the powerful Boomstick. If you’ve defeated Skeletron then use the Quad-Barrel Shotgun.
Just remember that it’s not very accurate, so you need to stay close to the boss when using it. Keep in mind that the Minishark is not as effective in Expert mode, especially later in the battle, unless you have the Shark Tooth Necklace.
Using Meteor Shots can be helpful as they can pierce through the bees or bounce off walls in enclosed spaces, which is perfect for this fight. Use Silver Bullets or Tungsten Bullets with the guns mentioned earlier.
However, avoid using Meteor Shots with multi-bullet guns like the Boomstick as they can cause invincibility frames and make them less effective.
If you’ve defeated Deerclops, the Pew-matic Horn is one of the strongest guns you can use before Hardmode.
The Star Cannon is the most powerful ranged weapon. It has infinite piercing and high DPS, but you need to be careful with its ammo and conserve it. Similarly, the Sandgun deals high damage but creates a mess when used.
Interestingly, Heart Arrows have a special effect where they slow down the Queen Bee initially and continue to slow her permanently, making them a great way to defeat her.
For armor options, the Fossil Armor or Necro Armor are the only sets available for rangers. You can find the Necro Armor in the Dungeon.
Mage Class Strategy
The Space Gun is a great weapon, especially when paired with Meteor armor. Its piercing ability helps take down the bees.
The Gray Zapinator is also an excellent weapon because it deals high damage, especially when used with Meteor Armor. Make sure there are no larvae nearby the arena to avoid accidentally summoning another Queen Bee.
Both the Ruby Staff and Diamond Staff are good choices as they have low mana costs and decent piercing damage.
In Crimson worlds, the Crimson Rod is beneficial because you can fire it once and then switch to another weapon, increasing your damage output. The Weather Pain works similarly and can home in on the boss.
If you’re fighting inside the Hive, the Water Bolt is fantastic due to its ability to bounce off walls multiple times. It can also help with taking out bees because of its piercing effect.
The Vilethorn is perfect for dealing with the bees the Queen Bee shoots at you. However, it shouldn’t be used in Expert and Master mode as the boss’s high defense reduces the damage taken.
Magic Missile and its upgrade, Flamelash, can be used to quickly and accurately hit the Queen Bee multiple times. The Book of Skulls is a decent choice because of its homing and piercing capabilities.
The Demon Scythe is a very strong option but harder to obtain. It can deal multiple hits to the Queen Bee with a single projectile, especially when she uses her charge attack. It also helps with killing the summoned bees. However, you need to visit the Underworld to obtain it.
For magic users, the Wizard set, paired with leg armor that boosts magic or defense, provides the most damage. If defense is preferred, Jungle Armor or Meteor Armor can be used.
Summoner Class Strategy
In the Old-gen and Nintendo 3DS versions of the game, summoners have limited options when it comes to fighting Queen Bee in Terraria. Most summoning gear drops from her, so it can be challenging. The earliest minion-summoning weapon available is the Slime Staff.
However, this weapon is very weak and extremely rare. If you want a better option in Expert mode, you can try farming the Underworld for Hellstone to obtain the Imp Staff, which has higher base damage compared to the Slime Staff.
In the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions, summoners have more choices. They can use the Flinx Fur Coat, whips, and various summon weapons. There are even stronger equipment options like Obsidian Armor.
Summoners should consider using the Flinx Staff or Slime Staff, and preferably the Vampire Frog Staff, along with one of the early Whips. If you’ve defeated the Brain of Cthulhu or the Eater of Worlds, the Imp Staff becomes available as well. The Snapthorn combined with the Spinal Tap can deal significant damage, or you can use the Snapthorn alone.
For additional help, the Houndius Shootius is the strongest pre-Hardmode sentry. Alternatively, if you have beaten the Old One’s Army event at least once, you can purchase sentries from the Tavernkeep. These sentries can be useful for taking out the bees that the Queen Bee releases.
When it comes to armor, the best choice for summoners at this stage of the game is the Obsidian Armor. It provides the most benefits for summoning. The Flinx Fur Coat is a weaker alternative if you don’t have access to Obsidian Armor.
Other Strategies
Attack-Specific Strategy:
When Queen Bee charges at you, use platforms or a double jump (or better) to dodge upwards. After landing, you can stand still momentarily to regenerate health faster.
If you have the ability to Dash, you can stand in its path and attack just before it reaches you. Slow or lingering weapons like the Diamond Staff or a Boomerang can be fired directly into its path.
When the Queen Bee summons bees, use a weapon that can pierce through targets and aim for its backside to stop the bees as soon as they spawn. If any bees manage to escape, use a sword with a wide swing to clear them out. This is the best time to deal significant damage to the Queen Bee, so use powerful weapons.
During the stinger-shooting phase, keep moving back and forth to avoid getting hit. If you do get hit by a stinger, the Poisoned debuff will last longer than if you touch the Queen Bee directly, so be sure to dodge it. Use a melee weapon and try to predict the Queen Bee’s movements by aiming where it’s going to be.
If your health is low and you’re still in the Hive, remember to take advantage of the honey below you. It increases health regeneration and stacks with other regeneration buffs like Regeneration potions.
Magic Mirror Strategy:
The Queen Bee is a unique boss in Terraria that doesn’t disappear when you teleport away. You can use this to your advantage by setting up a Bed near your fighting area to create a spawn point. Keep an Ocean Conch or Teleporter handy to teleport away when you’re injured.
Then, when you’ve healed up, use a Magic Mirror to return quickly to the arena and continue the battle. This strategy allows you to retreat and recover without losing progress against the Queen Bee.
Expert Mode Strategy:
Avoiding the Queen Bee’s charges becomes more challenging when she is at low health in Expert Mode, as she moves too quickly to dodge easily. However, using the Shield of Cthulhu can greatly simplify this phase of the battle.
When you successfully dash into an enemy, you gain a short period of invincibility. By timing your dashes correctly, you can completely neutralize the Queen Bee’s charge attacks and avoid taking any damage. The Shield of Cthulhu provides a valuable defensive advantage during this part of the fight.
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 Queen Bee has the following stats:
- Damage: 22-30
- HP: 3400
- Defense: 8
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to Poisoned and Confused
- 33% chance of inflicting Poisoned Debuff (Stinger attack only) for 10 seconds.
The Queen Bee boss in Terraria has three main attack patterns:
- Ramming Attack: The Queen Bee aligns herself horizontally with the player and flies back and forth three times, attempting to ram into the player. This is her initial attack after being summoned.
- Bee Summons: While hovering, the Queen Bee spawns bees that actively seek out and attack the player. The number of bees summoned can vary, with possible quantities being 6, 12, or 18.
- Stinger Barrage: Similar to Hornets, the Queen Bee rapidly shoots poisonous yellow stingers at the player. The stingers pulsate to indicate their location. There is a 33.33% chance that these stingers will inflict the Poisoned debuff for a certain duration. During this attack, the Queen Bee alternates between hovering above the player and swooping in from above.
When fought outside of the Underground Jungle, the Queen Bee becomes enraged. This results in more aggressive movements and a faster rate of firing stingers.
When fought on the Surface Jungle, Queen Bee still enters an enraged state, but her attacks are slightly less aggressive compared to fighting her in other surface biomes such as the Forest or Ocean.
Expert Mode
In Expert Mode Queen Bee has the following stats:
- Damage: 44-54
- HP: 4760
- Defense: 8-28 depending on the health
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to Poisoned and Confused
- 100% chance of inflicting Poisoned Debuff (Stinger and Melee attack both) for 2-20 seconds.
In Expert Mode, Queen Bee’s attacks become faster and more intense as her health decreases. Her charges increase in both speed and quantity, reaching a point where she can perform up to six charges consecutively before switching to a different attack. In this difficulty, she also spawns larger bees to pose a greater threat.
Furthermore, Queen Bee’s defense increases progressively, reaching a maximum value of 28 based on the amount of health she has lost. Additionally, she inflicts the Poisoned debuff upon direct contact with the player. In Expert Mode, the debuff becomes more potent, with a 100% chance of applying it and a longer duration of affliction.
Master Mode
In Master Mode Queen Bee has the following stats:
- Damage: 66-81
- HP: 6069
- Defense: 8-28 depending on the health
- Knockback Resistance: 100%
- Immune to Poisoned and Confused
- 100% chance of inflicting Poisoned Debuff (Stinger and Melee attack both) for 2.5-25 seconds.
The boss’s behavior stays relatively similar to Expert Mode however her damage and HP numbers are significantly boosted. She also inflicts the Poisoned Debuff for a longer time.
Is Queen Bee Harder Solo or With Friends?
With friends fighting alongside you, you can coordinate and develop more sophisticated strategies. Each player can take on different roles, such as tanking, healing, or dealing damage, which can enhance your overall effectiveness.
Having multiple players can also distribute the damage taken, making it easier to survive Queen Bee’s attacks. You can take turns drawing aggro, giving each other time to heal and recover.
You can also benefit from the diverse abilities and equipment of each player. This can include specialized weapons, supportive spells, or crowd control skills that make the fight more manageable.
Ultimately, whether Queen Bee is harder solo or with friends depends on your personal skill level, coordination with your team, and the strategies you employ. Some players may find it easier to tackle the boss with friends, while others may prefer the challenge and control of facing her alone.
What are the Rewards for Defeating Queen Bee?
The rewards for defeating Queen Bee 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 | 5 | 100% |
| Honey Comb | 1 | 33% |
| Nectar | 1 | 6.7% |
| Honeyed Goggles | 1 | 5% |
| Beenade | 10-30 | 75% |
| Bee Wax | 16-26 | 100% |
| Bottled Honey | 5-15 | 100% |
| Queen Bee Mask | 1 | 14.29% |
| Queen Bee Trophy | 1 | 10% |
| Only one of the following 3 items is a guaranteed drop | ||
| Bee Gun | 1 | 33% |
| Bee Keeper | 1 | 33% |
| The Bee’s Knees | 1 | 33% |
| Only one of the following 4 items is a guaranteed drop | ||
| Hive Wand | 1 | 33% |
| Bee Hat | 1 | 11% |
| Bee Shirt | 1 | 11% |
| Bee Pants | 1 | 11% |
Expert Mode Rewards
| Reward | Quantity | Drop Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Coins | 12 | 100% |
| Silver Coins | 50 | 100% |
| Treasure Bag | 1 | 100% |
| Hive Pack | 1 | 100% |
| Hive Wand | 1 | 100% |
| Nectar | 1 | 11% |
| Honeyed Goggles | 1 | 11% |
| Beenade | 10-29 | 100% |
| Bee Wax | 17-29 | 100% |
| Extra Gold Coin | 10 | 100% |
| Only one of the following 3 items is a guaranteed drop | ||
| Bee Hat | 1 | 33% |
| Bee Shirt | 1 | 33% |
| Bee Pants | 1 | 33% |
Master Mode Rewards
| Reward | Quantity | Drop Rate % |
|---|---|---|
| Sparkling Honey | 1 | 25% |
| Queen Bee Relic | 1 | 100% |
There you go; this was the ultimate guide to beating Queen Bee in Terraria. The difficulty you chose and the class you play will greatly impact your experience, and hopefully, our guide will have pointed you in the right direction.