Re-Logic's occult 2D pixel-art adventure game Terraria remains a classic, heralded as one of the best sandbox games of all time even years after its release. Players can take control of their journeys, from building a fortress as a basecamp to tacking one of the 17 bosses in the game to reap the rewards.
Golem is a Hardmode, post-Plantera boss that must be defeated to progress into the end game. Beating him causes the Lunatic Cultist to spawn by the Dungeon entrance, which triggers the precursor Lunar Events before the Moon Lord boss. Golem must be defeated if players want to beat Terraria; luckily, this handy guide makes defeating Golem a breeze.
How To Summon
Golem is a demanding boss located in the heart of the Jungle Temple, which can be unlocked using the Temple Key, a guaranteed drop from Plantera. Golem can only be summoned by using the Lihzahrd Power Cell at the Lihzahrd Altar, which looks like a floating star, located in the final chamber of the Jungle Temple.
These Power Cells are commonly found in each of the Jungle Temples Lihzahrd Chests and are dropped rarely by the Lihzahrds or Flying Snakes with a 2% drop rate. Once this item has been used, the message "Golem has awoken!" will appear, and he will spawn on top of the player.
Gearing Up: Best Combat Builds
When preparing for the Golem boss fight, the optimal equipment and builds will entirely depend on which class the player has decided to delve into. These are some brief suggestions on the best post-Plantera weapons, and armor players should consider equipping and are by no means definitive or exhaustive.
Luckily, all classes in Terraria should have an easy time going up against Golem with little difficulty.
Combat Gear
- Melee - At a minimum, players should use the Chlorophyte armor with the helmet to befit their class. Death Sickle can easily defeat Golem, especially if hiding behind cover. Starlight is excellent for embolizing Golem's fists while dealing high DPS. Eye of Cthulhu can easily defeat Golem within a minute when paired with the Yoyo Bag accessory.
- Ranged - Ranged characters should use the Shroomite Armor. The Megashark, coupled with Crystal Bullets, is recommended. The Tactical Shotgun is another powerful ranged-weapon that can deal a combined base damage of 174 damage per bullet.
- Magic - The Spectre Armor is great for magic users to maximize their damage output. Nimbus Rod can provide consistent damage if the clouds are summoned above Golem's head to rain projectiles down. It deals 30 damage, and these clouds can last for five minutes. Inferno Fork can prevent Golem's fists from attacking the player, firing a fireball that explodes upon impact, and dealing 70 damage.
- Summoner - Summoners should equip the Tiki Armor for this fight, purchased from the Witch Doctor. Spooky Armor is also a good choice if players have attempted the Pumpkin Moon. The Staff of the Frost Hydra can attack Golem's sides, dealing 100 damage. The Dark Harvest Whip, paired with the Blade Staff, can also decimate Golem quite quickly.
Terrain Preparation
Players should build platforms near the top of the chamber the Lihzahrd Altar is located in, as Golen will not be able to jump up and reach the player during his first phase. The Teleporter method is a cheesy method for the Golem fight, provided there is enough room by the Lihzahrd Altar to hook up two Teleporters and wire them together. A Pressure Plate or Level will be needed to activate the Teleporters. Golem will not be able to fit the player if they can teleport fast enough.
Campfires, Heart Lanterns, and Honey Pools for extra health regeneration. Wings or a mobility accessory are necessary for this fight to dodge Golem's fists and fireball attacks. Grapple Hooks are also great, as players can dodge Golem's projectiles and can be paired with a ranged weapon to deal damage from a safe distance.
The Actual Fight
Golem has two phases that players need to know about. Coupled with the insane dangers from within the Jungle Temple, this ancient stone-age boss is not to be taken lightly. Players should proceed with caution and ensure they are adequately prepared.
First Phase
Once summoned, Golem will move around while attacking slowly with his fists. His head will spit fireballs at the player that will ricochet around the area. If hit, these will inflict the On-Fire debuff and prevent health regeneration, so these must be avoided.
When Golem's head reaches half its maximum health, he will use the Eye Lazers attack, which can pass through blocks. The frequency of these attacks increases as Golem's health becomes lower. Hence, players must launch a full-scale attack to bring Golem's head down as quickly as possible.
Second Phase
Golem will begin his second phase as soon as his head's health has been depleted. His body will jump around the arena and should be the players' primary target. If his arms are still intact, they punch devastatingly quickly, dealing massive damage if the player is within range. Golem's head will have detached from his body and fly around the Jungle Temple chamber, passing through blocks.
Rewards
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Defeating Golem has several perks and is necessary for progression to the end game. He has many possible and guaranteed drops, detailed in the table below, including their drop chances and a brief item description.
Only one weapon can be dropped by Golem at a time, with a 14.29% drop chance. If players wish to obtain all of these accessories and weapons, they will need to defeat Golem several times.
Item Name | Item Description | Drop Chance |
|---|---|---|
Greater Healing Potion | Restores 150 health. Dropped in stacks of 5-15. | 100% |
Beetle Husk | Post-Golem crafting material, used to craft Beetle Armor. Dropped in stacks of 4-8. | 100% |
Picksaw | Hardmode pickaxe and axe that can mine all the blocks in Terraria. | 25% |
Sun Stone | Accessory - Grants stat bonuses during the day like 10% melee speed, 10% damage, 2% critical strike chance 1HP health regen, +4 defense, 15% mining speed and 0.5 minion knockback. Can be used to craft the Celestial Stone accessory. | 14.29%* |
Eye of Golem | Accessory - Grants 10% critical strike chance. Can be used to craft the Destroyer Emblem. | 14.29%* |
Heat Ray | Magic weapon - Autofires a bean that provides light while striking targets. Deals 90 damage. | 14.29%* |
Staff of Earth | Magic weapon - Launches a boulder that can bounce off tiles and pierce enemies five times before breaking upon the sixth hit. Deals 125 damage. | 14.29% |
Stynger Stynger Bolts (60-99) | Ranged weapon - Autofires Stynger Bolts that explode on impact. Deals 45 damage. | 14.29%* |
Possessed Hatchet | Melee weapon - Acts as a boomerang that hones onto enemies before returning to the player. Also emits a small amount of light. Deals 80 damage. | 14.29%* |
Golem Fist | Flail - Fires a giant fist attached to a chain that retracts on impact. Deals 90 damage. | 14.29%* |
Golem Mask | Vanity Item. | 14.29% |
Golem Trophy | Furniture Item. | 10% |
Terraria is available to play on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, PS4, iOS and Android devices.