EGS

, ,

Terraria 1.4.5 Summoner Guide: Defeat the Moon Lord with No Sweat

Good luck in bending the world of Terraria to you and your minions’ will!

13–19 minutes

Terraria 1.4.5 Summoner Guide: Defeat the Moon Lord with No Sweat

The Terraria Summoner class centers around being a fragile glass cannon that aims to shred enemies through an army of minions. Since its early days, the class has evolved significantly, and with Terraria 1.4.5 the playstyle feels more complete than ever. Once one of the least developed classes, Summoners now have a clear and rewarding progression from spawn to the Moon Lord. This Terraria Summoner guide walks through the full Summoner progression in Terraria 1.4.5, breaking down the best weapons, armor sets, and accessories to aim for at each stage of the game.

Table of Contents

Terraria Summoner Guide: Early Game

1. Terraria Summoner Guide 1.4.5: New Whips!

Early game used to be extremely difficult for Summoners. Previously, a Terraria Summoner Guide would advocate for simply using a ranged weapon for the first few Bosses. However, 1.4.5 has now introduced the Cobwhip, which is made using 30 cobwebs and 10 wood.

It’s weaker than a Bow and Arrow, but it gives Summoner-only runs an early option. Alternatively, reaching 10% Bestiary completion (55 entries) lets the Zoologist move in, allowing you to buy the Leather Whip.

The new addition of the Cobwhip in 1.4.5 finally provides a whip option for Summoners in the very early game.
The new addition of the Cobwhip in 1.4.5 finally provides a whip option for Summoners in the very early game.

Explore: Helldivers 2 Machinery of Oppression: Beating Cyborgs on Super Helldive (No Warbonds)

These are the earliest whips that you can get, but they can definitely be improved before you fight Skeletron. After defeating the Eye of Cthulhu, craft the Vasculash or Soulscourge depending on your world evil.

Update 1.4.5 also adds Star Crash, made from Meteorite Bars, which summons a meteor when minions attack. It combos well with high-damaging minions such as Abigail, so definitely pick it up if you’re looking to summon her. The final pre-Skeletron whip is the Snapthorn, crafted from Jungle materials.

Explore: Helldivers 2 Terminids Guide: Best Loadout For Super Helldive Bugs (No Warbonds)

2. Armour

The first Summoner armor is the Flinx Fur Coat, giving +1 minion and +5% summon damage. After defeating Queen Bee or Eater of Worlds / Brain of Cthulhu, upgrade to Bee Armor or Obsidian Armor. Whichever one you choose will carry you through the rest of pre-Hardmode.

The Flinx Fur Coat is the earliest Summoner-related armour you can get in the game. Flinxes are found in Underground Ice biomes.
The Flinx Fur Coat is the earliest Summoner-related armour you can get in the game. Flinxes are found in Underground Ice biomes.

Explore: Helldivers 2 Automaton: How To Beat The Automatons On Super Helldive (No Warbonds)

3. Summons

Early-Game Summoners do not have a lot of options that are easily obtained at this point. The easiest summon to get would be Abigail’s Flower which spawns around tombstones after a few days.

The others require specific conditions to obtain. The Flinx Staff is found in the Underground Ice biome, the Finch Staff comes from Living Wood Chests (RNG or Journey Mode), and the Vampire Frog Staff is obtained by fishing during a Blood Moon. In 1.4.5, exploring the central quarter of the world may also give you Cattiva or Foxparks summons. You also have a rare chance to obtain the Slime Staff from killing Slime-related mobs.

Overall, the best option at this point is either the Vampire Frog Staff, Hornet Staff, or Foxparks. Choose one to bring with you as you challenge Skeletron and set the stage for the end of pre-Hardmode.

Pictured here is a Summoner equipped with the Flinx Coat, Finch Staff and Foxparks. Coupled with some mobility items, this setup is enough to start challenging Bosses like the Eye of Cthulhu.
Pictured here is a Summoner equipped with the Flinx Coat, Finch Staff and Foxparks. Coupled with some mobility items, this setup is enough to start challenging Bosses like the Eye of Cthulhu.

Explore: ODST Helldivers 2: How To Stealth Like an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (No Warbonds Needed)

Terraria Summoner Guide: Pre-Wall of Flesh

1. Whips

After Skeletron, you gain access to the Dungeon where you can gather cobwebs and bones. Combine these to craft the highest damage pre-Hardmode whip, the Spinal Tap.

This will be the best whip you can get before challenging Wall of Flesh. You don’t have to use this whip, but it’s highly recommended for its high damage and easy access.

The Spinal Tap does the most damage out of all pre-Hardmode whips. However, it does not provide a buff like the Snapthorn, so you may want to switch depending on your playstyle.
The Spinal Tap does the most damage out of all pre-Hardmode whips. However, it does not provide a buff like the Snapthorn, so you may want to switch depending on your playstyle.

Explore: Animal Well Review: Lovingly Made, But Demanding

2. Accessories

Before fighting the Wall of Flesh, get Feral Claws from Jungle chests (+12% swing speed and auto-swing). You should also buy the Pygmy Necklace from the Witch Doctor at night (+1 minion slot).

Summoners also need strong mobility items to compensate for their low defense. Spectre /Amphibian Boots are a must, along with an Anklet of the Wind to help increase speed.

An example of a Summoner loadout at this point in the game. This Terraria Summoner Guide prefers Amphibian Boots to other boots as they provide more vertical movement and are generally easier to obtain.
An example of a Summoner loadout at this point in the game. The Amphibian Boots are preferred to other boots as they provide more vertical movement and are generally easier to obtain.

Explore: Dispatch Game Review: A Refreshing Take on Superheroes

If you are playing on Expert Mode, the Shield of Cthulhu, Worm Scarf, and Brain of Confusion all help tremendously in ensuring your survival. Finally, getting a Mount will help quite a bit in the Wall of Flesh fight. I suggest buying one of the Horses from the Zoologist.

It’s also helpful to get a Bewitching Table from the Dungeon and place it near your boss arenas. Using this will grant you a buff that increases your minion count by one.

This Terraria Summoner Guide prefers the Obsidian Armour set as it is the best pre-Hardmode Summoner set. It also looks the coolest.
The Obsidian Armour set is the best pre-Hardmode Summoner set. It also looks the coolest.

Explore: Eastward Game Review: Is It Worth Picking Up?

3. Summons

The Imp Staff is the best summon for the Wall of Flesh, with Vampire Frog and Hornet Staff as good alternatives. Foxparks deals strong damage but only allows one summon, so fill other slots with different minions.

With these items obtained, you have prepared as much as you can for challenging the Wall of Flesh. After preparing Healing and Summoning potions, get ready to unleash the powers of light and dark into your world.

One of the unique aspects of Foxparks is that you can pick it up and use it as a Flamethrower that never runs out of fuel. The damage it deals is actually quite significant.
One of the unique aspects of Foxparks is that you can pick it up and use it as a Flamethrower that never runs out of fuel. The damage it deals is actually quite significant.

Explore: Illuminate Helldivers 2 Guide: How To Beat Super Helldive (No Warbonds)

Terraria Summoner Guide: Early Hardmode

1. Whips

Summoners begin to really come into their own once Hardmode begins. Defeating the Wall of Flesh can drop the Firecracker, useful until the Mechanical Bosses. Alternatively, craft the Cool Whip using Souls of Light/Night and a Frozen Core from Snow Golems. If you don’t get the Firecracker, farm the Wall or use Star Crash with Abigail until stronger gear is available.

The unique blazing strike caused by the Firecracker is based on your summon's damage. Therefore, this Terraria Summoner Guide recommends using it with single high-damage Summons like Abigail.
The unique blazing strike caused by the Firecracker is based on your summon’s damage. Therefore, it works well with single high-damage Summons like Abigail.

Explore: Grimshire Guide for Beginners: How to Get Your Farm Ready in Week 1

2. Armour

After beating the Wall of Flesh, Black Recluses spawn in Spider Nests, dropping Spider Fangs to craft Spider Armor (+28% summon damage, +3 minion slots, 28 defense). Alternatively, Forbidden Armor (Adamantite Bars + Forbidden Fragments) trades some summon power for a sand tornado attack. It honestly feels a bit gimmicky, but can be a unique option to try out.

The Forbidden Armour set allows you to summon a sand tornado that damages enemies.
The Forbidden Armour set allows you to summon a sand tornado that damages enemies.

Explore: Grimshire Critters: Complete Beginners Guide to Raising Critters

3. Accessories

After beating the Wall of Flesh, aim for a Summoner Emblem (+15% summon damage). You should also hunt Mimics for a Titan Glove. This combines with Feral Claws to make the Power Glove (auto-swing, +attack speed, +10% whip size).

Get at least one Hardmode mount for easier boss mobility The best I have found so far is the Winged Slime Mount which is dropped by Queen Slime as it is both easy to obtain, and very fast when moving vertically which helps tremendously in outrunning Bosses. Other mounts like Unicorn, Basilisk, Goat, or Pirate Ship are rare.

I prioritise getting a Mount as it allows you to skip equipping Wings, freeing an equipment slot for extra damage or utility. For example, you can get a Shark Tooth Necklace to boost armor reduction for the Blade Staff.

This Terraria Summoner Guide suggests a loadout geared towards more whip attack speed. Stacking the Feral Claws and Power Glove increases your whip speed by 24%.
A loadout geared towards more whip attack speed. Stacking the Feral Claws and Power Glove increases your whip speed by 24%.

Explore: Anno 117 Pax Romana Review: You May Prefer This Over Anno 1800!

4. Summons

Summoners have an array of Summon options once they reach Hardmode. For very early Hardmode, you can use the Firecracker in combination with Abigail since she gets a buff to her stats once Hardmode begins. Use this combo to farm Spider Fangs from Underground Spider Nests to obtain a Spider Staff.

You will now want to use the Spider Staff to fight one of three Challenges. These are the Pirate Invasion, the Queen Slime, and the Blood Moon’s Dreadnautilus.

The Sanguine Staff summons Sanguine Bats to attack your enemies. This Terraria Summoner Guide recommends it as a good choice as the Bats have very good enemy tracking.
The Sanguine Staff summons Sanguine Bats to attack your enemies. It is a good choice as the Bats have very good enemy tracking.

Explore: Oxygen Not Included Beginner’s Guide: How to Get an Easy Start

The Pirate Invasion drops the easy but weak Pirate Staff. Queen Slime grants the powerful Blade Staff, especially with debuffs like Flask of Ichor or Golden Shower. Blood Moon Dreadnautilus drops the Sanguine Staff, summoning Sanguine Bats.

I highly recommend using the Blade Staff in combination with armour-reducing items as previously stated. With these, you’re ready for the Mechanical Bosses—bring potions and buffs like Well-Fed for an easier fight.

The Blade Staff has a very unique mechanic in that it attacks very fast and ignores a portion of the enemy's Defense. This Terraria Summoner Guide is of the opinion that this pairs very well with armour-reducing items to shred enemies and scales well even up until Plantera and beyond.
The Blade Staff has a very unique mechanic in that it attacks very fast and ignores a portion of the enemy’s Defense. This pairs very well with armour-reducing items to shred enemies and scales well even up until Plantera and beyond.

Explore: Anno 117 Pax Romana How to Make Money: Simple Ways to Have Money Rolling in

Terraria Summoner Guide: Pre-Plantera

1. Whips

At this point, the only further upgrade you can make for your whip is the Durendal. It is crafted using 12 Hallowed Bars and does a hefty 55 Damage per swing. Additionally, it grants Durendal’s Blessing when striking an enemy, which increases your attack speed by 25%.

2. Terraria Summoner Guide 1.4.5: New Armours!

Having defeated the Mechanical Bosses, you are now able to craft Hallowed Gear, which means you can also mine Chlorophyte now using the Hallowed Drax or Pickaxe Axe.

Craft the Hallowed Armor (Hood) first: 27 defense, +17% summon damage, +7% crit, +8% movement speed, +3 minion slots. It synergizes well with whip damage, and the full set grants Holy Protection (immune to one attack every 30 seconds).

After crafting this, head to the Hardmode Jungle to mine Chlorophyte to craft the new Chlorophyte Armour set with Visor. This set gives 33 defense, +21% summon damage, +15% crit, 3 minion slots, +5% movement speed. Additionally, it summons a Leaf Crystal that attacks nearby enemies to augment your already impressive army.

The Hallowed Armour set provides the Holy Protection buff which helps the fragile Summoner with survivability.
The Hallowed Armour set provides the Holy Protection buff which helps the fragile Summoner with survivability.

Explore: What If I Let Johnny Take the Wheel: A Cool Metal Fire Side Gig Walkthrough

3. Summons

There are no real Staff upgrades you can get until after you beat Plantera. The Optic Staff summons Twins per minion slot but is weaker than Sanguine or Blade Staff. Still, it can be very fun having a horde of mechanical eyes chewing up everything around you.

After strengthening your gear with loot from the Mechanical Bosses, it is time to dethrone the Jungle Tyrant, Plantera.

The Optic Staff Twins' tracking and damage are mediocre, but they are honestly kinda cute.
Their tracking and damage are mediocre, but they are honestly kinda cute.

Explore: One of the Most Unforgettable Jobs: Play It Safe Cyberpunk 2077 Stories and Fun Details

Terraria Summoner Guide: Pre-Moonlord

1. Whips

After Plantera comes a gauntlet of events and opportunities to upgrade your gear before you fight the Moonlord. The most immediate source of loot is the Hardmode Dungeon, where you can obtain the Morning Star whip as a drop from killing Armored Bones. This whip is one of only two whips that gives minions the chance to deal critical hits.

This will be a good upgrade to use going into the next event, which is the Pumpkin Moon which you can summon using the Pumpkin Moon Medallion. Beating the Pumpking has a chance of yielding the Dark Harvest whip, This whip deals 50 less base damage than the Morning Star, but in return, it both has higher attack speed and applies a debuff that ignores the enemy’s defense.

Finally, the last whip you can get before Moonlord is the Kaleidoscope which is the other whip that gives minions the chance to deal critical hits. Being dropped from defeating the Empress of Light, the Kaleidoscope is largely regarded as the most powerful whip in the game. Thus, it should be a priority to beat the Empress of Light as soon as possible.

Although this Terraria Summoner Guide forgot to mention it, the Electric Eel dropped by Duke Fishron can be very helpful until you obtain the Kaleidoscope.
Although I forgot to mention it, the Electric Eel dropped by Duke Fishron can be very helpful until you obtain the Kaleidoscope.

Explore: Speed Your Way Through the Traffic Jam: Bikes Ratings and Reviews in Cyberpunk 2077

2. Armour

At this point, you have two options for Summoner armour – Spooky and Tiki. Spooky Armour is crafted from Spooky Wood, which is dropped by Mourning Wood during the Pumpkin Moon event. This armour is geared towards having more damage all around compared to the Tiki Armour, and is generally the better choice.

Tiki Armour, on the other hand, is bought from the Witch Doctor after Plantera has been beaten, and provides more defense as well as whip range. This can come in useful especially for Bosses where it is important to keep a distance between you and the enemy. It can also reduce the need for defensive accessories, allowing you to supplement your loadout with an extra damage accessory instead.

The Tiki Armour can cost a pretty penny at 1 platinum and 50 gold. Thankfully, you're now at the stage of the game where you can easily afford this price.
The Tiki Armour can cost a pretty penny at 1 platinum and 50 gold. Thankfully, you’re now at the stage of the game where you can easily afford this price.

Explore: Parasite and Faith: Cyberpunk 2077 Tapeworm Story Explained

3. Accessories

The Pumpkin Moon event continues providing power spikes to the Summoner class by giving access to the powerful Necromantic Scroll which increases your minion slot by 1 and minion damage by 10%. At this point, the Witch Doctor will also sell the Hercules Beetle which will increase summon damage by a further 15% and increase the knockback of your minions.

Finally, you can combine both the Hercules Beetle and Necromantic Scroll to make a Papyrus Scarab. Equip all three at the same time to double their effects.

My preferred loadout for fighting Moonlord. As I use a Mount for most of the fight, I can use all my slots for either damage or extra Summons.
My preferred loadout for fighting Moonlord. As I use a Mount for most of the fight, I can use all my slots for either damage or extra Summons.

Explore: Red Dead Redemption 2 NPC Stories

As for Mounts, you may be able to obtain the Hexxed Branch from the Mourning Wood if you are playing on Master Mode. The Tree Mount is the fastest Mount on land in-game, and can outrun almost anything if given a long enough flat surface. However, it is unable to fly, which hurts its utility significantly.

A much better Mount would be the Cute Fishron Mount which is summoned using the Shrimpy Truffle dropped by Duke Fishron. This Mount is the fastest in the air if it is raining or it has touched a water block, making it extremely good for fighting Bosses if you can time your fights right. An alternative would be the UFO Mount which is dropped by the Martian Saucer during the Martian Madness event.

Ain't that a cute lil' thing?
Ain’t that a cute lil’ thing?

Explore: Tropico 6 Multiplayer: Friends or Foes?

4. Summons

The single best Summon weapon you can obtain at this point, and actually in the entire game, is the Terraprisma. However, you need to defeat the Empress of Light during the day for this to drop, which is an extreme challenge in itself. There are multiple videos on how to do this on the Internet, so I will not go into it here. Suffice to say, if you do manage this feat, the Terraprisma is your best option to fight the Moonlord and even end the game with.

If you would rather not spend the time challenging an enraged Empress of Light, you could either go for the Xeno Staff (dropped during the Martian Madness event), the Raven Staff (dropped during the Pumpkin Moon event), or the Deadly Sphere Staff (dropped during the Eclipse event).

Alternatively, you can go for a hybrid build which implements Sentries. Pictured here are Ballistas, which can be obtained from the Old One's Army event.
Alternatively, you can go for a hybrid build which implements Sentries. Pictured here are Ballistas, which can be obtained from the Old One’s Army event.

Explore: Sims 4 Money Mods: Must-Have Income Solutions for Both Lazy and Hard-Working Sims!

If you were lucky enough to get the Desert Key beforehand, you can also use it to obtain the Desert Tiger Staff from the Dungeon Desert Chest. However, in my experience, the Desert Tiger Summon has poor tracking and does not really beat out the other Staffs, especially in terms of crowd control. It can be a very powerful option for single target damage if paired with the Firecracker, however.

After reaping the various benefits from the Pumpkin Moon and Martian Madness events, you should more or less finally be ready to take on the final boss of the game. Head over to the dungeon, slay the Lunar Cultist and set into motion the end-game.

Although the Kaleidoscope is the best overall Whip in the game, the single highest damage Whip is the Firecracker when paired with a high-damage Summon like the Desert Tiger as pictured on the left.
Although the Kaleidoscope is the best overall Whip in the game, the single highest damage Whip is the Firecracker when paired with a high-damage Summon like the Desert Tiger as pictured on the left.

Explore: Chippin’ In Cyberpunk 2077: JS 2023, a Cold Grave for a Legend

End Game

Assuming that you have beaten the Stardust Pillar, I highly recommend that you do not use the Stardust Fragments to craft a whip, as the Kaleidoscope is far superior to the Stardust Whip. Instead, save the Stardust Fragments to craft yourself the Stardust Armour Set, which is the best Summoner Armour in the game.

You can also use it to craft the Stardust Dragon Staff if you wish. However the Stardust Cell Staff is quite lacklustre and is comparable to the Xeno Staff that you get before this.

A complete End-Game Summoner.
A complete End-Game Summoner.

Explore: Chinese Visual Novel: Feminist Wave with Chinese Characteristics

Terraria Summoner Guide: Conclusion

Once you defeat the Moonlord, you have completed a full playthrough of Terraria as a Summoner! Your enemies now tremble before your mighty army, which can reduce even the toughest of enemies into paste. After this, there is little left to do except for beating the Empress of Light during daytime if you have yet to complete that, or downloading the Calamity Mod, which introduces a whole host of new Bosses for you to challenge. Either way, good luck in bending the world of Terraria to you and your minions’ will!

Back to Home

Trending

Discover more from EGS

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading