Guide:Eye of Cthulhu strategies

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This is a Guide page.
This means the page will walk you through a specific task, strategy, or enemy/boss fight.
Status: Revised (This Guide got revised and is up to date!)
Eye of Cthulhu Trophy.png “An ocular menace who only appears at night.” Eye of Cthulhu Trophy.png

The Eye of Cthulhu is one of the first bosses a player will encounter. The following are some hints, tips, and strategies to help defeat it.

Eye of CthulhuFirst Form
Eye of Cthulhu (Phase 1).gifOld-gen console version and Nintendo 3DS version
Map Icon Eye of Cthulhu (first form).png
Map Icon
Classic Mode.png Classic
Expert Mode.png Expert
Master Mode.png Master
Statistics
Type
Boss
Environment
Surface + Night Space + Night
AI TypeEye of Cthulhu AI
Damage15/30/45
Max Life2800/3640/4641
Defense12
KB Resist100%
Immune toConfused
Drops
Coins3 GC7 GC50 SC
Sounds
Hurt
Killed
Summon
Servant of Cthulhu
Entering second phase
Eye of CthulhuSecond Form
Eye of Cthulhu (Phase 2).gif
Map Icon Eye of Cthulhu (second form).png
Map Icon
Classic Mode.png Classic
Expert Mode.png Expert
Master Mode.png Master
Statistics
Type
Boss
Environment
Surface + Night Space + Night
AI TypeEye of Cthulhu AI
Damage2336
40 (when below 145 health)54
60 (when below 185 health)[1]
Max Life1400/28002366/36403016/4641
Defense00
−15 (when below 436 health)
−30 (when below 145 health)0
−15 (when below 556 health)
−30 (when below 185 health)[1]
KB Resist100%
Immune toConfused
Drops
Coins3 GC7 GC50 SC
Sounds
Hurt
Killed
Charge
Chain charge

Spawn Conditions

This content is transcluded from Eye of Cthulhu § Summoning.

The Fight

First Phase

During this phase the Eye will spend most of its time floating above you. It will summon Servant of CthulhuServants of Cthulhu which fly towards you to attack, much like Demon EyeDemon Eyes, but can also fly through walls and the ground.

After spawning 3 or 4 Servants, the Eye will charge at you, attempting to ram you 3 times before hovering once more, so be prepared to evade. It turns rather slowly as it charges, giving you time to prepare your next dodge. It can be helpful to begin to evade after the 3rd servant is spawned, as this will often allow you to dodge its first charge.

The Eye has 12 defense during this form, which negates 6 damage from every attack. So a Sharktooth Necklace is needed to effectively use faster-firing weapons, such as the MinisharkMinishark. Slower firing but higher damage weapons such as the MusketMusket are recommended for this phase if you don't have one.

The Servants can be killed for Hearts, or, if there is enough room, the player can simply keep moving in one direction to avoid them. If the player gets swarmed by Servants, temporarily switching to a fast swinging weapon such as a sword will help get rid of them quickly. The Eye does contact damage, so be careful to watch it it while you kill the Servants.

Another strategy in this phase is to aim weapons at the pupil of the Eye, since that is where it spawns the Servants. That way, you can kill the servants and damage the Eye. Some piercing weapons can damage the eye multiple times, such as when firing straight into the air or when using a Spear at close range.

If not fighting on platforms, the Eye can go underground momentarily after a charge. Weapons like Whips and Spears can hit it through the ground; alternatively, debuffs such as On Fire!On Fire! from Fire Arrows apply damage even when the boss is out of reach. Keep in mind that in Desktop version Desktop, Console version Console, and Mobile version Mobile versions, bosses have minimap icons to increase their visibility.

The second phase is triggered when the Eye reaches half health.

Second Phase

For the last half of the fight, the boss sheds its iris to reveal a fanged mouth. It moves slightly faster and deals more damage when it hits you, but it also has no defense. It no longer summons servants in this phase. Instead, it charges 3 times, and then pauses for a few seconds during which you can attack freely.

Make sure to take advantage of its transformation sequence as much as possible, since it just spins in place for a few moments and you can still damage it.

Dodging is important during this phase, and should be given priority over doing damage. Hermes BootsHermes Boots or a variant of them are extremely useful. With a wide enough arena, running in a straight line while the Eye of Cthulhu does his quick charge is fast enough to avoid any damage, and allows the player to attack continuously.

Expert and Master Mode

In the first phase of the fight it spawns more servants and enters the second phase at 65% health instead of 50%, spawning 4-5 more Servants in that process. A piercing weapon is recommended for eliminating the Servants.

In this part of the fight, after the 3 normal lunges it will perform a brief series of extremely quick dashes at a steeper angle. As its health goes down, the Eye will use this ability more frequently, until its only action is to dart haphazardly back and forth, making it rather hard to hit. To avoid the lunges, Hermes Boots are practically required.

General Strategies

General Tips

This content is transcluded from Guide:Practical tips § Combat.Guide:Practical tips

Terrain preparation

A basic arena made for the Eye of Cthulhu.

An arena for the Eye of Cthulhu should be large enough to dodge and maneuver around in. The recommended size is just about the size of the screen, as the boss does not require a lot of mobility.

The simplest arena design consists of multiple rows of wooden platforms to have more room to jump and dodge. As the fight will be at night, add torches to improve visibility. Remember to adjust the distance between platforms depending on your jump height (this is 6 tiles at minimum, depending on which accessories you have, but it can be considerably further if you have a grappling hook), and consider placing some ladders (with platforms or rope) to aid your vertical movement.

Another design is a long, completely flat surface. This allows you to dodge the Eye by running to the left or the right with Swiftness Potions or Hermes Boots.

One of the easiest ways to defeat the Eye is a long, stretch of sand paired with Dunerider BootsDunerider Boots(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions). Due to the speed boost gained on sand, it can be used as a surefire way to make dodging the Eye incredibly easy, making the fight trivial itself.

Gearing up

Armor

Weapons

In general, long-range piercing weapons are recommended, as they are able to take out Servants and hit the boss.

For Melee Users

Melee users options are fairly limited at this point, and melee weapons mostly serve as a way to take out the low-hp Servants of Cthulhu. Certain melee weapons are able to launch projectiles, but these may be difficult to come across.

  • Long-range projectile swords can safely attack at a distance. These include the Enchanted SwordEnchanted Sword found rarely throughout the world, in Enchanted Sword Shrines, or in Golden Crates (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), the Ice BladeIce Blade found in Frozen Chests in the Ice biome, the StarfuryStarfury found on Floating Islands, and the Blade of GrassBlade of Grass (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
  • Enchanted Boomerang.png Boomerangs can be of great use due to their long range, but missing with a boomerang can leave the player open to attack while it returns. A TrimarangTrimarang(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Enchanted BoomerangEnchanted, Ice BoomerangIce Boomerang or Thorn ChakramThorn Chakram would be preferred.
  • Yoyos(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) are another type of melee weapon, and excel against the boss. The strongest available is the AmazonAmazon, although it requires venturing into the Underground Jungle early on. If a large amount of Demonite OreDemonite or Crimtane OreCrimtane Ore has been obtained, a MalaiseMalaise or ArteryArtery can be crafted. A RallyRally is readily available, but requires some luck and is weaker.
  • A flail weapon such as the Flaming MaceFlaming Mace(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or Ball O' HurtBall O' Hurt can be useful due to their high speed and the ability to use the throw attack to deal high damage.
  • If Demonite OreDemonite or Crimtane OreCrimtane Ore has been found, the Light's BaneLight's Bane or Blood ButchererBlood Butcherer are riskier but powerful options, and (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) both have special abilities that aid in the fight (the Light's Bane spawning additional slashes and the Blood Butcherer adding a bleeding Debuff). Other non-projectile swords tend to do poorly against this boss besides clearing out the Servants.
  • Spears can pierce through the Servants and do high damage to this boss, but can be risky due to short range. The safest spears include the Storm SpearStorm Spear(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), found in the dangerous Underground Desert, and the The Rotted ForkThe Rotted Fork, a powerful spear found in Crimson Hearts that (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) emits a short shockwave. Other acceptable, but weaker, spears include the TridentTrident found in Water Chests and the SwordfishSwordfish, found by fishing in the Ocean.
For Ranged users
  • Guns such as the MinisharkMinishark and BoomstickBoomstick are very effective against this boss, but they can be difficult to find, as the first requires the Arms Dealer to have arrived and the second is only found in the dangerous Underground Jungle. The MusketMusket or The UndertakerThe Undertaker are easier to find at this stage of the game, by breaking Shadow Orbs or Crimson Hearts. All guns besides the Musket benefit significantly from the Shark Tooth Necklace or Silver or Tungsten Bullets during the first portion of the fight, when the boss's defense is higher.
  • Bows are easy to craft and do good damage. Among craftable bows, the Gold BowGold Bow or Platinum BowPlatinum Bow are the best bows available, unless the player happened to find a large quantity of Demonite OreDemonite or Crimtane OreCrimtane Ore, in which case they can craft a Demon BowDemon or Tendon BowTendon Bow. The Blood Rain BowBlood Rain Bow(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is great in this fight, but can only be fished up during a Blood Moon and requires defeating a difficult mini-boss.
  • (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Bone JavelinBone Javelins are cheap and powerful against the Eye of Cthulhu. They do heavy damage on-hit and add a damaging debuff that stacks. The Bone Throwing KnifeBone Throwing Knife(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is slightly weaker against the boss itself but pierces through the Servants.
  • The Snowball CannonSnowball Cannon is another fast firing weapon to use, doing decently against both phases.
  • The Paintball GunPaintball Gun(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), with its fast fire rate and high critical strike chance works well if you can manage to kill the PainterPainter enough times.
  • GrenadeGrenades cause high damage and do damage in an area, but can damage the player. Since the Eye will be spawning Servants or charging at the player most of the time, it's difficult to keep a safe distance from the explosion. They can be purchased from the Demolitionist. A good strategy is to throw grenades behind you as you run away.
  • Molotov CocktailMolotov Cocktails avoid the danger of self-injury and work very well, especially in the second stage when Eye of Cthulhu will charge at you through the flaming puddles the Molotov Cocktails leave behind.
  • Spiky BallSpiky Balls are very helpful in its second phase if you scatter them all over the floor of your arena.
  • ShurikenShurikens are an effective weapon which can be bought from the MerchantMerchant. They will hit up to 4 times, allowing a well aimed shot to kill a Servant and hit the Eye twice - even three times, if it falls back through the boss. 500 or so are more than enough to defeat this boss with relative ease.
  • Throwing KnifeThrowing Knives or Poisoned KnifePoisoned Knives perform similarly to Shurikens but do a lot more damage.
For Magic users

Magic weapons are mainly good for beating on the boss itself, but can also be used to attack servants in a pinch. All magic weapons at this point are able to pierce through multiple enemies. More adventurous players can get their hands on much better weapons, and these should certainly be used for later "repeat engagements":

  • Diamond StaffGem Staves simple to craft, and their long ranged piercing shots are a perfect fit for the boss battle. The strongest staves are the Diamond StaffDiamond, Ruby StaffRuby staves, and Amber StaffAmber Staff(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), while the worst are the Amethyst StaffAmethyst and Topaz StaffTopaz staves, which have significantly less damage and piercing.
  • The Thunder ZapperThunder Zapper(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) does great damage, but doesn't pierce and requires exploring the dangerous Underground Desert.
  • The Crimson RodCrimson Rod is an excellent side-weapon, as its clouds can be set up to clear out the servants while also dealing steady damage to the boss. Its Corruption counterpart, theVilethornVilethorn, is not as helpful; it lacks some range, and does low damage. However, the lingering thorn can hit the boss and servants many times, and can even pass through walls to hit it. Both require exploring dangerous biomes and smashing either Crimson Hearts or Shadow Orbs.
  • (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) The Space GunSpace Gun, with its fast velocity and piercing propertie, is an excellent weapon, but requires a Meteorite to spawn after breaking a Shadow Orb or Crimson Heart. It works best with the set bonus of the Meteor HelmetMeteor Armor, which makes it not cost mana.
  • (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) versions, a Water BoltWater Bolt can be found on shelves in the Dungeon. If you get one, it can replace the Gem staves entirely. It will help to put solid-block walls around your arena, so you can make use of the Water Bolt's ricocheting projectiles.
For Summoners

There are very few summons available at this point, but the options available plus a good whip will be entirely sufficient enough to kill this boss without running out of time, especially in classic mode.

  • The Flinx StaffFlinx Staff(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) will likely be the best summon weapon available at this point in the game. Alternatives include the Finch StaffFinch Staff(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and the Slime StaffSlime Staff. The Vampire Frog StaffVampire Frog Staff(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is even stronger, though it may be difficult to obtain at this point as it requires defeating strong Blood Moon enemies.
  • The Leather WhipLeather Whip(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is the most practical whip option at this point in the game, as it can be bought from the ZoologistZoologist(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) NPC. The SnapthornSnapthorn(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) is much stronger, but requires exploring the dangerous Underground Jungle.

Accessories

  • A Cloud in a BottleCloud in a Bottle or equivalents can aid in avoiding the rams, although this is less necessary with a good arena.
  • The Fledgling WingsFledgling Wings(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) can be used to give the player short flight time and immunity to fall damage. However, they are very rare.
  • A Grappling HookGrappling Hook is also very useful if you can grapple onto platforms above you quickly.
  • Hermes BootsHermes Boots or equivalents help by making it easier to dodge the second phase's rams. In Expert Mode, these are almost required, as the Eye of Cthulhu will perform rapid dashing attacks.
    • Most movement modifiers do not increase the Boots' maximum speed. However, MagiluminescenceMagiluminescence(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) has a +20% that stacks with the boots, making it much easier to outrun the dashes.
  • The Shark Tooth NecklaceShark Tooth Necklace(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) will give a significant damage boost to most weapons available at the moment.
  • If you find one, a Band of RegenerationBand of Regeneration can help speed up life regeneration, making lasting a longer fight easier. A Mana Regeneration BandMana Regeneration Band should also be used for Magic players, as it regenerates Mana faster.

Any accessory with the Warding modifier will be useful if you come across one, and the extra four defense can be used to make up for lower-tier armor, like Iron HelmetIron Armor or Lead HelmetLead Armor.

Potions

Other Tips

This content is transcluded from Eye of Cthulhu § Tips.

  • The Eye of Cthulhu drops either Demonite or Crimtane Ore. While the corresponding set of armor and a number of tools additionally require Shadow Scales or Tissue Samples respectively—which the Eye does not drop—the sword, bow, axe, yoyo, and fishing pole can be crafted with only the bars.
  • Due to the ease of crafting its summoning item and relatively low difficulty, farming the Eye of Cthulhu is one of the more effective ways of making money prior to Hardmode. It drops 3 GC / 7 GC50 SC up front, plus ores which can be sold as bars for twice (Demonite) or triple (Crimtane) that amount.
  • The Eye of Cthulhu will only spawn randomly if a player has more than 10 defense. Taking defense-boosting equipment off before dusk can prevent it from spawning randomly.
  • The boss looks at the player it will follow, which can be helpful information in multiplayer.
  • It is most vulnerable during its transformation, because it neither moves nor attacks. However, there is only a brief window of opportunity for this.
  • Because there are no location-based requirements for summoning, defeating multiple Eyes of Cthulhu in an area can be an effective setup for harder boss fights as the dropped Hearts can be picked up mid-fight as needed, though killing an Eye of Cthulhu for that purpose must be balanced with the time it takes away from killing a night-only boss.
  • While it may seem that killing it on a Corruption-generated world would yield more money than doing so in a Crimson-generated world, as it will drop additional Unholy Arrows, Crimtane Ore and Bars sell for a 30% higher price than their Demonite counterparts, making them much more profitable.
  • In singleplayer, the player can repeatedly pause the game using Autopause in order to properly aim at the Eye of Cthulhu during its dash attacks.

Specific Strategies

Slimy Saddle Strategy

An excellent strategy to beat the Eye in classic mode is to use the Slimy SaddleSlimy Saddle(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions) and bounce on the eye while at the same time attacking it with a ranged weapon. The eye will move toward you and you will bounce on top of it continuously dealing damage. If you want to try this strategy, make sure you have some forms of preventing fall damage (i.e,) the Lucky Horseshoe, Grappling Hook, an Umbrella, or Cloud in a Bottle or Fledgling Wings

Magic Mirror Strategy

During the Second Phase, if you have your spawn point nearby, you can run one way and attack, and just when you think that the Eye is going to charge, use a Magic Mirror, Ice Mirror or Recall PotionRecall Potion to teleport to spawn, now running the other way, evading the attack and being left to open fire.

Railway Strategy

Another great strategy is to build a long railway at least 400 blocks long, with each end hammered into a bumper. When the Eye spawns, start moving and continue to move whilst shooting at it. It may take longer than other methods, but it requires little mobility and you take minimal damage. Also, this strategy works better if in single player or all players in a multiplayer world are together in the same area.

Rail Loop Strategy

Building a rhombus with around 200 rails and going on a minecart will make it difficult for the boss to hit you, but it will also be hard to deal damage. A fast firing weapon with easily obtainable ammo (like Snowball Cannon or Minishark) will do best with this strategy. The fight will take longer than usual, but you will evade most of hits from the boss, and with a fast minecart, you might not even take damage.

Pathway strategy

(For this strategy to work you need at least some form of fast running (e.g. Hermes BootsHermes Boots or its mount equivalent, the Fuzzy CarrotFuzzy Carrot(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions) ) )

This strategy requires 2 long pathways made out of Platforms in the sky, one on top of the other. Make sure that the platforms are parallel to each other and at least 4 blocks apart. Make sure the length of the 2 platforms are around 200 to 500 blocks. Place CampfireCampfires every 20 to 40 blocks, if you can afford it, place a Heart LanternHeart Lantern and/or a Star in a BottleStar in a Bottle near the campfires.

Around the middle of the pathway, build a valid NPC house, then move the Nurse into it. If you are playing Multiplayer put a Bed in the house and set your spawn, so you can continue the fight even if you die.

When the fight begins, run along the 2 platforms attacking the Eye. Switch between the platforms to dodge attacks and avoid the Servants of Cthulhu. If you reach the end of a platform jump or fall to the other platform and switch directions. It is recommended that you use projectile-firing weapons such as bows, staves or magic books.

This strategy is slightly harder to execute the first time but if done effectively it will be easier in the future.

Facetank strategy

This strategy is very powerful and needs minimal skill to pull off, but requires a considerable amount of preparation. Acquire a full set of Platinum armor, an Ironskin Potion, a Bast Statue, a Food, and a full set of accessories reforged to Warding. This amount of defense will reduce all of the boss's attacks to one damage, even in Master Mode, making it nearly impossible to die. You can then attack the boss with any weapon of your choice while ignoring its attacks.

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, AI() in Terraria.NPC.cs. The relevant part is the aiStyle == 4 block.
  2. ↑ Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, DoDeathEvents_DropBossPotionsAndHearts() in Terraria.NPC.cs.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Information taken from the Desktop version Desktop 1.4.4.9 source code, RegisterBoss_EOC() in Terraria.GameContent.ItemDropRules.ItemDropDatabase.cs.
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