Taking on the mechanical bosses in Terraria’s Calamity mod can be a daunting task, but with the right strategy and gear, especially as a summoner, victory is well within your grasp. This guide focuses on leveraging a powerful summoner setup to conquer Skeletron Prime, The Destroyer, and The Twins, transforming you into a force to be reckoned with in your Calamity playthrough.
Unleashing the Mounted Scanner Against Skeletron Prime
For summoners venturing into mechanical boss territory, prioritizing Skeletron Prime first is highly recommended. Defeating Prime unlocks the crafting of the “Mounted Scanner,” a game-changing summon weapon. This weapon delivers rapid, high damage with minor piercing capabilities, making it exceptionally effective against the mechanical menaces.
While any class can tackle Skeletron Prime, a pure summoner build might struggle at this stage due to minion accuracy and speed limitations. For your initial Prime takedown, utilize your strongest available class setup. Don’t worry about specialized summoner gear just yet. Focus on dodging Prime’s attacks effectively – its patterns are relatively predictable, negating the need for defensive accessories like the Oathsword for now. Applying Ichor debuff will significantly boost your damage output against this boss.
Once Skeletron Prime falls, immediately craft the “Mounted Scanner.” This weapon is the cornerstone of your mid-hardmode summoner dominance.
Gearing Up for Mechanical Mayhem
With the Mounted Scanner in your arsenal, it’s time to assemble a powerful summoner loadout. Your essential gear includes:
- Spider Armor: Provides a solid early hardmode summoner armor set.
- Summoner Emblem: A crucial accessory to boost your minion damage.
- The First Shadowflame: Offers additional offensive capabilities for your summons.
- Jelly-Charged Battery: Enhances minion damage and provides extra utility.
- Nuclear Rod: Acquiring this accessory requires defeating Aquatic Scourge. While optional, the Nuclear Rod significantly boosts your summoner power. Aquatic Scourge can be fought similarly to Prime – prioritize dodging its projectiles and gas clouds while monitoring the minimap for charging attacks.
For accessory slots, consider Terraspark Boots for mobility, Cryogen Wings for flight, and the Amalgamated Brain for defensive and offensive bonuses.
Crushing the Destroyer with Strategic Positioning
With your enhanced summoner setup, the Destroyer becomes significantly more manageable. Remember that the minimap’s representation of the Destroyer’s head is inaccurate due to its elongated body. Zoom out extensively to accurately track its head movements. Anticipate the head’s screen entry when its icon approaches you on the minimap and utilize the Oathsword’s dash for crucial dodges.
Between dodges, maximize your damage by wielding the Mounted Scanner. Position yourself strategically to pierce through multiple Destroyer segments, amplifying its effectiveness. For bursts of extreme damage, especially after clearing most probes or during opportune moments, activate Adrenaline to reach damage numbers nearing 15,000 per second, rapidly shredding the boss. Deploy Adrenaline after dodging a major attack to capitalize on the damage window.
Taming The Twins: Patience and Precise Dodging
The Twins fight demands more patience due to the increased emphasis on dodging Spazmatism’s attacks. The Oathsword will be essential for survival, but its use will temporarily reduce your damage output. Initiate this fight at the beginning of the night to allow ample time.
Spazmatism poses the greater threat, increasing its speed as its health dwindles. In the later stages, prioritize patient and precise Oathsword dashes, dashing directly through Spazmatism’s charges. Utilizing the Queen Slime Mount significantly enhances vertical dash height from the ground, allowing for more controlled movement and faster descents. Queen Slime itself remains a relatively straightforward fight, similar to its base game Master Mode encounter. Maintain consistent dodging, activate Rage when available, and manage Adrenaline according to your playstyle to secure victory after a few attempts.
If obtaining the Queen Slime Mount proves inconvenient, the standard Slime Mount remains a viable alternative. While offering less airtime and requiring dismounting for controlled descents, it still aids in dodging.
For players struggling with survivability, increasing your maximum health to 500 HP by consuming Life Fruits in the jungle is a valuable option, unlocked in Calamity Hardmode.
The Mounted Scanner truly shines in these mechanical boss encounters, significantly easing these fights. With this mage guide focused on summoner tactics, you’re now well-equipped to conquer these challenges and progress further. Your next steps include acquiring Angle Treads and Hallowed summoner armor to further enhance your build and prepare for the challenges ahead!
