The Aether

  

Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

The Aether is a mini-biome that can be found in the outer fifth of the world in the Underground or Cavern layers. It is generated once upon world creation and is always located on the same side as the Jungle. The biome features a large pool of Shimmer in its center that is surrounded by several Gem Trees. Occasionally, Faelings can be found flying above the pool.

An area is considered Aether if there are 300 or more tiles of Shimmer in the Underground or Cavern layers.

While in the Aether, a unique background effect that resembles the star-filled sky of Space will be applied. This effect will also display over tiles that are in complete darkness.

Contents

Characters

Enemies:

• Shimmer Slime
  (from most slimes entering Shimmer)

Critters:

• Faeling

Music

• Aether
• Snow (Otherworldly)

Generation

Small world areas where the Aether can generate. The green area will try to generate it first, then the yellow area if that fails.
This world has a seed of "1.1.2.436095035".

Medium world areas where the Aether can generate. The green area will try to generate it first, then the yellow area if that fails.
This world has a seed of "2.1.1.748851262".

Large world areas where the Aether can generate. The green area will try to generate it first, then the yellow area if that fails.
This world has a seed of "3.1.1.870771933".

The Aether always generates on the same side of the world as the Jungle.

The game will generate the Aether by randomly selecting a tile in a zone (see below for technical info about this zone's size); then check a 211×211 to 249×249 (size is determined randomly) rectangular area centered on the chosen tile for the following:

• The borders of the area must be at least 50 tiles away from the world's borders.
• There must be no Ebonstone or Crimstone Blocks in the area (unless in a Don't dig up world).

If the area passes the check, then the tile is considered valid, and the Aether biome will be generated centered on the tile. Internally, the Aether biome will be considered a 200×200 rectangular area centered on the valid tile (the bottom-right tile of the four center tiles is the center), and no other structures will overlap with it.

Zones

To better describe the size of the zone, we first set a coordinate system to describe tile location in a world: (all values below are calculated in tiles)

• The coordinates of the top-left tile in the world is (0,0), while the coordinates of the bottom-right tile is (mX,mY), where mX is the world width and mY is the world height (i.e. the positive direction of X and Y axis is "left to right" and "top to bottom", respectively).
• The height of the border between Surface and Underground layers is S (Y = S).
• Similarly, the height of the border between Underground and Cavern layers is C (Y = C).
• When selecting a random tile (X,Y), the respective coordinate will be a random number between these values: X = [X1, X2); Y = [Y1, Y2)

The size of the first zone is determined as following:

Zone A

• Y axis:
  • Minimum depth is Y1 = (S + C) ÷ 2 + 50, and the maximum depth is Y2 = [(mY - 250) × 2 + C] ÷ 3.
  • If Y2 is more than mY - 460, then Y2 is set to mY - 460.
  • If Y2 ≤ Y1, then Y2 is set to Y1 + 50.
• X axis:
  • The range is X1 = 200, X2 = mX × 0.11; or X1 = mX × 0.89, X2 = mX - 200, depending on the side of the world.
    • This effectively makes the selected tile in the outer 11% of the world, and at least 200 tiles away from the world's borders.

Then, randomly selects a tile inside Zone A. If it failed to pass the check mentioned above, then the game will make 20000 attempts to find a valid tile inside another zone (Zone B):

Zone B

• Y axis:
  • Y1 is set to (S + C) ÷ 2 + 20. Y2 is unchanged.
• X axis:
  • X1 and X2 are unchanged.

If those attempts all failed, then the game will continue to select random tiles in another zone (Zone C), until a valid tile is found:

Zone C

• Y axis:
  • Y1 is set to S + 120. Y2 is unchanged.
• X axis:
  • Range is set to X1 = 200, X2 = mX × 0.2; or X1 = mX × 0.8, X2 = mX - 200, depending on the side of the world.

Celebrationmk10 Zones

In Celebrationmk10 worlds, the first scanning zone is different from other worlds. Also, in addition to the Aether biome, most water pools in this zone are replaced with Shimmer pools.

The size of the first zone in a Celebrationmk10 world is determined as following:

• Y axis:
  • Minimum depth is Y1 = S + 150, and the maximum depth is Y2 = (C + S + 200) ÷ 2.
  • If Y2 ≤ Y1, then Y2 is set to Y1 + 50.
• X axis:
  • Same as the range of Zone A in other worlds.

Then, make 10000 attempts in this zone.

If no valid tile is found, then make another 10000 attempts inside Zone B.

If still no valid tile found, then continue to select random tiles inside Zone C.

Notes

• Since Terraria's world is not dynamically updated, worlds generated pre-1.4.4 will always lack an Aether biome.
• Before defeating the Moon Lord, the Aether is the only source of Shimmer. This means it is finite and cannot be replenished.
  • However once defeated, the Bottomless Shimmer Bucket becomes available and can be used to create unlimited Shimmer.

Trivia

• In Greek mythology, Aether is the personification of the bright upper sky.
• The Aether's name uses the archaic spelling of the word æther, with the Latin letter æ separated. In modern English, aether is normally spelled ether.

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.4.4.4: Fixed it being possible for the Aether to spawn too high up in worldgen to properly form its visual effects.

• Desktop 1.4.4: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.4.4: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.4.4: Introduced.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.4.4: Introduced.