Guide:The Hive Mind strategies

This is a Guide page. This means the page will walk you through a specific task, strategy, or enemy/boss fight. This guide was last updated for version 2.0.2.003.

The Hive MindPhase 1

Map icon

Statistics

Type	Boss
Environment	The Corruption
Damage	35 / 63 / 81 / 90 / 135
Max Life	8,500 / 13,600 / 16,320 / 20,400 / 24,480
Defense	8
KB Resist	100%
Immune to

Resistances

Cold	Vulnerable
Water	-
Sickness	Vulnerable
Electricity	-
Heat	Vulnerable

Sounds

Hurt

Phase Transition

The Hive MindPhase 2

Map icon

Statistics

Type	Boss
Environment	The Corruption
Damage	35 / 63 / 81 / 90 / 135 (Contact) 36 / 56 / 68 / 76 / 102 (Shaderain)
Max Life	6,800 / 8,500 10,880 / 13,600 13,056 / 16,320 16,320 / 20,400 19,584 / 24,480
Defense	8
KB Resist	100%
Inflicts debuff	Brain Rot 100% chance
Debuff duration	6 seconds (Shaderain)
Debuff tooltip	Your neurons are popping like corn kernels
Immune to

Resistances

Cold	Vulnerable
Water	-
Sickness	Vulnerable
Electricity	-
Heat	Vulnerable

Drops

Coins	15

• Item (Quantity)Rate
• Rotten Matter (25-30 / 30-40 )
  100%
• Rotten Chunk (10-15 / 15-20 )
  100%
• Corrupt Seeds (10-15)
  100%
• Demonite Bar (10-15 / 15-20 )
  100%
• Cursed Flame(In Hardmode) (10-20 / 25-30 )
  100%
• At least one of the following 5 items will always drop:
• Shaderain Staff
  25% / 33.33%
• Perfect Dark
  25% / 33.33%
• Shadethrower
  25% / 33.33%
• Dank Staff
  25% / 33.33%
• Rot Ball (30-50 / 50-75 )
  25% / 33.33%
• Filthy Glove
  25% / 33.33%
• Rotten Brain
  100%
• Healing Potion (5-15)
  100%
• Rotting Eyeball
  10%
• Hive Mind Mask
  14.29%
• Hive Mind Trophy
  10%
• Thank You
  1%
• The Hive Mind (Lore)(Always on first kill)
  100%
• Treasure Bag(The Hive Mind)
  100%
• Hive Mind Relic(In Master or Revengeance Mode only)
  100% / 100%

Sounds

Hurt

Killed

Roar

Fast Roar

The Hive Mind is a Pre-Hardmode boss fought in The Corruption. It is summoned by killing a Hive Tumor or by using a Teratoma in the Corruption.

This guide will follow the mod's intended progression.

Terrain Preparation

A flat ground with 2 rows of platforms a good distance apart is useful for avoiding The Hive Mind's attacks. Be sure to keep your arena in the Corruption, as the Hive Mind becomes deadly when enraged.

Fighting The Hive Mind underground is recommended but not necessary, as The Hive Mind's attacks will become faster on the surface, resulting in a much more difficult fight. However, fighting on the surface will also net you a lot of freedom and space for dodging which can be vital for survival.

Gearing Up

Armor

• Victide armor is a solid choice for most classes at this point.
  • Keep in mind that choosing to use this armor set may cause a significant lack of defense compared to other choices. The damage and set bonus, however, should more than make up for this, granted you are skilled enough at dodging attacks.
• Melee users may use Molten armor for its great defense, melee damage increases, and true melee bonuses.
• Mage players may prefer using the Jungle armor due to its multiple magic bonuses or the Meteor armor due to its higher damage and synergy with the Space Gun and Gray Zapinator.
  • The strongest set is still a combination of a Wizard Hat, the Diamond Robe and Meteor Leggings.
• Sulphurous armor is the best option for Rogues.
• Summoners should use Obsidian armor as the whip boosts it provides are very strong.
• Crimson and Shadow armor are great choices for most classes, greatly improving survivability and movement speed respectively, as well as providing good damage bonuses.

Accessories

• The Aero Stone, Frog Leg and Magiluminescence are all powerful movement accessories.
• Using a double jump accessory such as the Sandstorm in a Balloon or its variants is great for mobility.
  • Alternatively, the player can use Fledgling Wings instead, trading velocity and range for the ability to glide.
• The Shield of Cthulhu may be used to provide a dash that can help with avoiding The Hive Mind's attacks.
• Terraspark Boots are extremely helpful due to their multiple boosts and great mobility.
  • Amphibian Boots are a good alternative, if the player wishes to forgo Rocket Boots' flight.
• The Rover Drive is a great defensive accessory, granting 10 defense and a barrier that can absorb up to 20 damage.
• Luxor's Gift is a powerful accessory that will benefit a lot of weapons at this stage.
• The Gladiator's Locket will provide a lot of healing from all the minions the Hive Mind summons.
• Most Melee weapons will benefit from Feral Claws.
• The Rusty Medallion is a good option for Ranged players for dealing with the huge amount of enemies.
• Mages can use the Celestial Cuffs or Mana Flower to help manage their mana.
• Summoners can use the Fungal Clump, Spirit Glyph, and Voltaic Jelly for a variety of benefits.
• The Raider's Talisman, Coin of Deceit, Rotten Dogtooth and Silencing Sheath are all great options for Rogues.

Weapons

Melee

• The Flamarang has great damage and velocity, which makes it a great choice.
• The Bladecrest Oathsword can fire piercing projectiles that can slightly home into enemies.
• The Old Lord Claymore is great for doing damage and also gaining immunity frames while dashing through the boss.
• The Volcano is another good choice due to its massive size and high damage output.

Ranged

• The Magna Cannon is a very effective weapon against both phases.
• The Firestorm Cannon is the best option for this fight and can deal both high single target and grouped damage with its two attacks.
• The Molten Fury paired with Hellfire Arrows can deal high damage to the boss.
• The Fungicide is a good option for dealing with the big amount of enemies spawned during the fight.
• The Star Cannon does decent damage but requires Fallen Stars which may be difficult to get at this stage of the game.

Mage

• The Flare Bolt is a powerful weapon that can damage the Hive Mind and its minions at the same time.
• Sky Glaze deals heavy damage to the Hive Mind and is especially useful for the first phase.
• The Hellwing Staff does strong damage to the Hive Mind.
• The Demon Scythe is a powerful weapon, though it can be difficult to aim at times.

Summoner

• The Cinder Blossom Staff and Deathstare Rod are recommended as a means of having other damage alongside the player's other minions.
• The Brittle Star Staff is a powerful option for the entire fight, although it is slightly weaker by this stage.
• The Vile Feeder and Scab Ripper are also very powerful against the Hive Mind's second phase.
• Tavernkeep Rods work as available sentries.
  • Alternatively, the Rusty Beacon Prototype may be used as a means of inflicting constant debuffs on the boss and its minions.
• Using the Snapthorn is a solid way to deal active damage and make minion targeting easier.

Rogue

• The Sand Dollar is an extremely powerful rogue weapon that will quickly handle the Hive Mind.
• The Mycoroot is a very good option for close ranged damage.
• The Ashen Stalactite's stealth strike is also a good alternative.
• The Meteor Fist's stealth strike is great against the Hive Mind and its minions.
• The Infernal Kris is very good due to its piercing and damage, being effective in dealing with both the Hive Mind and its minions.

Miscellaneous

• The Well Fed buff and its upgrades provide useful all-around stat boosts.
• Rage and Wrath Potions are excellent ways to improve the player's overall damage.
• Endurance, Ironskin and Regeneration Potions all provide extremely useful buffs to improve the player's survivability.
• Swiftness Potions are a good way to avoid the big amount of enemies and projectiles.
• Melee players can use Ale to improve their offensive capabilities.
• Mage players should use Magic Power and Mana Regeneration Potions to massively boost their damage and not have to worry as much about the damage penalty of Mana Sickness.
• Summoning Potions will grant the player one extra minion slot, massively boosting their damage.
• Shadow Potions will give Rogues more overall damage as well as quicker stealth regeneration.

The Fight

Phase 1

Once summoned, the Hive Mind will remain stationary, occasionally burrowing into the ground and reemerging near the player. The Hive Mind will not directly attempt to attack the player, instead summoning enemies to attack as it receives damage. However, the Hive can still deal contact damage. Upon reaching 95%, 90%, and 85% of its max health, respectively, it will summon several Hive Blobs and Dank Creepers. In Expert Mode and above, killing Dank Creepers will make a shade cloud appear where they died, raining down damaging raindrops that inflict the Shadowflame debuff.

In this phase, the player will generally want to keep their distance while safely attacking the Hive Mind as it continues to summon enemies; not much movement is required for this phase except for when the Hive Mind burrows closer to the player. It should also be kept in mind that Hive Blobs will fire vile clots at the player in Expert Mode or higher.

Phase 2

After reaching 80% of its max health, the Hive Mind become mobile, floating towards the player and doing so even faster in Expert Mode or higher. Additionally, all existing Hive Blobs will despawn and will no longer be spawned. If hit, the Hive Mind will dash back and teleport, spawning Dank Creepers, Devourers, and Eaters of Souls. In Expert Mode or higher, it has a chance to fade in while circling a player, then proceeding to lunge at them. This will occur at least once every 3 teleportations. In Revengeance Mode or higher, it does not spawn enemies while reeling back but instead performs one of three attacks as it teleports depending on its current health:

• It fades in while rapidly circling a player and then lunges at them at high speed.
• Below 53% health, it appears below the player and flies in a semicircle, spawning several enemies as it moves. The Hive Mind can now summon Dark Hearts among these enemies.
• Below 27% health, it appears above the player and then dashes horizontally, creating many short-lived shade clouds in its wake.
  • The same attack will never be executed twice in a row.
  • In Death Mode, the Hive Mind can use all attacks upon reaching 53% health.

Dashing away from the Hive Mind's lunges is an extremely effective method to avoid them. Continuously moving to keep the Hive Mind at bay is also helpful.

General Tips

• Do not leave the Corruption while fighting the Hive Mind, as it will enrage, becoming more deadly.
• Using hooks can make maneuvering arenas a lot easier.