InTerraria, the Moon Lord is the final boss, and it typically takes players many hours to defeat, butspeedrunnershave conquered him in only a little over an hour.This is done throughgame knowledge, execution, and skill in niche things like inventory management and the will to reset repeatedly.
Related:Terraria: Most Expensive Items
Unfortunately, this run will inevitably be very luck-based, as the main category forTerrariais random seed, classic mode. While other categories, such as Journey mode,All Bosses, or Night’s Edge exist, this guide will primarily cover the main leaderboard category. This means going through a randomly generated world in Classic mode until the Moon Lord is defeated.
This guide is based on the one writtenbyImmortalZypther, (which is a general guide that can apply to most categories) with assistance fromDacktem,Max Overpower,CrabBar, andtheTerrariaSpeedrunning Discord. It is also based onthe world record run by afroman in 1:04:42.Both of these have been interpreted in a more beginner-friendly way for this guide.
Before Starting The Run
Reading up on the Category and Game rulesbefore starting any speedrun is never a bad idea, as well as looking throughthe Speedrun.com page forTerrariafor resources and runs in general. To submit a run, video proof is needed, and free software such as OBS is easily recommended.
The category rules make the recommended world and character a Softcore character on aClassic mode, small, Crimson world. World generation must be shown on video for the submission, and the seed cannot be changed. After the world is made, the run can begin, but keep in mind: No glitches, major exploits, or anything of the sort for NMA (No Major Abuses).
The Beginning
The first thing buddingTerrariaspeedrunnersshould do when spawning inis trying to find a tunnel leading to a cave on the surface. While walking, hit trees with an axe to get fruit. If a desert is found first, heading back to spawn and searching the other way is advisable. However, despite being somewhat dangerous, a Snow or Jungle biome could also work. Looting chests and breaking pots should be done when a cave is found.
Players should go for bombs, a Loom, preferably movement accessories such as Hermes Boots or an Aglet, and some potions. At this stage, Life Crystals and Gems are invaluable; while obtaining these, generally try to avoid enemies and use explosives instead of the pickaxe. Recall to the surface when a satisfactory amount of materials has been obtained. As a rule of thumb,players should make crafting stationsand always keep them in the inventory until needed.
Now it’s time to build NPC housing, like the image above, for maximum efficiency. First, blow up trees with bombs, then construct a wooden block platform in the air. Next, go nine blocks up with platforms and 21 blocks across, with four blocks of space between lines of platforms.
Place tables and chairs next to each other between these lines, with wooden walls behind and a torch in the middle. Checking with the NPC housing menu to see if it is valid housing is never a bad idea.
Buying & Burrowing
Terrariaspeedrunnersshould now wait for NPCs to spawn, namely the demolitionist, then sell off any unnecessary items. For example, blowing up sand and smelting it into glass, then turning the glass into walls and the walls into stained-glass using Gems is an easy and quick way to get tons of money.
Related:Best Pixel Art Games
In addition, players should buy an Anvil, Bug Net, Torches, Grenades, Bombs, and Dynamite, which can all be expensive. Throughout the run, Dynamite and Grenades will be the maindamage dealer until a normal weapon is obtained.
Now players should use the Dynamite to make a hellavator, a large tunnel going into the Underworld. Assure all chests, ores, and other valuable things are looted along the way. Farming herbs using Clay Pots for potions is also good to set up at this stage.
Head to the Crimson, hopefully after obtaining a Water Candle from the Dungeon, and make a platform above the surface. Use this platform and Water Candle to farm Vertebra until 18 have been obtained. Now players should head into the Crimson underground and break a Crimson Heart, keeping the Musket balls in their inventory to spawn the Arms Dealer.
It’s time to head into theUnderworld and make the classic Hellbridge—bridge across the Underworld with solid blocks, preferably grabbing a bed and clock. Players should build a small house above the lava and force the Guide to move in. Players should also consider setting up a small house with a bed in it for a quick respawn in case of emergency.
Ensure the bridge is long enough to last, then break the floorbeneath the Guide to spawn the Wall of Flesh, killing it using Dynamite and good timing. (This will take a ton of practice. The timing is around one dynamite per second, but it also requires great spacing, so watching a run that does it before attempting is recommended for any player.)
Hardmode
After the Wall has fallen, the items it gives willdecide the class thatTerrariaplayers usefor a while in the run. If the Firecracker is obtained, then Obsidian Armor and Feral Claws should be used. If a Laser Rifle is dropped, then a Gem Robe and Mana Regeneration Potion are enough.The Breaker Blade is a sign to grab a Hel-fireor Gradient.
If a Clockwork Assault Rifle is dropped, the player should get Hellfire arrows, explosive bullets, and optionally a Shotgun from the Arms Dealer. Of course, players could also just default to going for the Shotgun instead of bothering with the Wall of Flesh loot. The emblem obtained may also matter, but playerscould find an Aether biome with Shimmerto convert it to their class if they find it necessary.
While in Hell, blow up Hellstone and Obsidian, as well as a hellforge, 240 ore for a set of Armor, a Pickaxe, and a Bow if playing Ranger. Players should head to the surface and build around five more houses, mainly for the Steampunker, but the Dryad could grant the ability to make Pumpkin Pie.
Now Players should grab a Spelunker potion and go hunting for Hardmode ores for a Cobalt Drill. Then, it’s the time of the run to farm for Souls of Night by carving out a large area in a Spider’s Den in a Crimson Biome (or just a Crimson if there is no easily accessible Spider’s den) and killing off enemies until 21 Souls of Night and around seven ichor are obtained.
Farming for nine Souls of Light can be done in much the same way, and for both of these farms, staying close to Hell can increase spawn rates, so doing it in either biome as low as possible is advisable. Now it’s time to head back to the above ground Crimson and break at least 7 altars, then go mining for 45 Cobalt/Palladium Ore to get a Drill, then Mythril/Orichalcum to get an anvil.
The Mechanical Bosses
Craft 3 Mechanical Worms with Souls, Iron/Lead, and Vertebrae. Place a few chests above the ground, use a rope to go far above it, and build a box with a hole in the bottom. Next, summon the Destroyer and throw Dynamite onto the chests, which should kill the Destroyer quickly. Players should repeat this boss three times to get enough Hallowed Bars for a complete Armor, Drax, and repeater set.
Related:Best Farming Games
If a set of Developer Wings haven’t been obtained, players should buy the Jetpack from the Steampunker. Next, craft a ton of Ichor arrows if playing Ranger. They should also have a large health pool and nine souls of light.Next, players should head to the Dungeon, steamroll Skeletron, then farm for 30 bones.
If the player doesn’t have enough lenses, then they should wait for night, go high up, and kill eyes using a Water Candle. Optionally,a Suspicious Looking Eye could be droppedinto Shimmer for lenses.
Speedrunners should nowsummon Skeletron Prime and fight him by dodgingand hitting him with whatever damage type they have chosen. The samecan mostly be said for the Twins, but walls and housing can be used to block Retinazer’s lasers. After both bosses have been killed, a complete set of Hallowed Armor and a Drax and Hallowed Repeater can be crafted.
Plantera
Players should take their Hallowed Repeater and Drax to the Jungle, mining 250 Chlorophyte Ore for a stockpile of bullets later in the run. First, players must locate a random Plantera Bulb and create a long vertical shaft around it. Sleeping in a bed is an excellent way to make more bulbs spawn. Then, break the Plantera Bulb and get ready to fight.
Using the Hallowed Repeater, players should shoot Plantera (preferably with Holy Arrows or Ichor arrows) while flying up the tunnel, using it to run circles around the plant. Hopefully, Plantera will not get in the way while players fly around it and avoid the large hitboxes of its tentacles and body.
Golem
It is time for players to locate the Jungle Temple, which can take some time. Checking around dark spots on the map and using explosives and Dangersense potions liberally will be a great asset during this part of the run. Once the temple is found, Golem is as easy as ever, especially if Plantera drops a Grenade Launcher, which does excessive damage.
Lunar Event
Players can now head back to the Dungeon, using the itemGolem dropped against the Lunatic Cultist, just being sure not to hit the fake clones and dodging all the excessive projectiles. Once the Cultist has been downed, the pillars will spawn. The Moon Lord will spawn after the pillars have been destroyed, and it would be wise to do all preparations now.
The Vortex pillar is easy enough to down by just avoiding projectiles and hitting enemies. Once Vortex fragments have been obtained,Terrariaspeedrunners can craft the Vortex Beater with Chlorophyte bullets and the Phantasm with Ichor Arrows. The other three pillars should be decently simple, so after the final one is downed, players should use the remaining fragments to make Super Healing potions.
The Moon Lord will soon spawn in and can be quickly downed in Classic mode by shooting the eyes with the Vortex Beater and using the Phantasm with Ichor Arrows as well as using Wings to dodge the laser. If the player is ever at low health, they can run to the Nurse if she has spawned in and purchase a heal for a price. After many heals, bullets, and dodging, the Moon Lord will go down, and the run will end.
Terrariais available on Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, macOS, PC, and more.
