How to Find and Defeat Skeletron Prime in Terraria

Terraria’s Hardmode is like a staircase; the climb gets difficult with each step. But there’s a twist, unlike a regular-schmegular staircase, Terraria has bosses at each step. Some of these bosses are quite annoying and the three hardmode mechanical bosses fit the description.

Skeletron Prime is a skeletal-mechanical monster (if the name hasn’t made it obvious already). It’s actually an upgraded version of the Skeletrons with four arms that shoot lasers and grenades and has a mean-looking face.

Terraria: How to Find the Skeletron Prime

To beat the Skeletron Prime boss, you will first have to hunt it down. Just like many other bosses that have to be summoned, the Skeletron Prime spawns under specific conditions.

The mechanical boss appears right after the Crimson or Demon Altar is destroyed. However, destroying these Altars is also likely to spawn the Twins or the Destroyer.

Alternatively, you can use a Mechanical Skull at night to summon the Skeletron Prime. To put together a Mechanical Skull, you need 30 bones, 3 souls of night, 3 souls of light, and 5 iron bars.

Top Tips on How to Defeat Skeletron Prime

By now, you must have realized that the skeletal monster is a tough nut to crack. The Skeletron Prime head has 28000 HP. Its melee arms have 9000 HP each, the grenade arm has 7000 HP and the laser one has 6000 HP.

To beat the monster, you need to focus on the head. In fact, it’s just the head that you need to defeat. But targeting the head is difficult as the arms keep deflecting the blows and attacking you at the same time.

There are two different approaches to the fight –

1) Taking Down the Head

If you take the head down, you win! This is why, most players focus on the head. Use buff, dodge the mean skull, and keep targeting the head. This is the most straightforward way to beat the Skeletron boss.

2) Taking Down the Arms

Skeletron’s arms are quite quirky. Let’s get shake hands with each arm real quick –

1. Prime Saw – the melee saw-like arm with predictable pattern.
2. Prime Vice – this is more aggressive cousin of the Prime Saw
3. Prime Laser – the arm that shoots lasers and tends to hover above the player
4. Prime Canon – the canon-like arm which shoots canon balls. The balls explode only if they land on a solid block.

Now, there’s a smarter way to tackle this boss. To reduce the amount of damage that the boss does to you, take down the laser arm and vice arm. These arms do the most damage while the other two are relatively passive.

With an arm or two out of the picture, hitting the head becomes easier and you don’t receive much damage.

Skeletron Prime: Best Weapons, Armor, and Buffs

In Terraria, the worst thing you can do is not prep the surroundings. Make sure you light up enough camp fires, heart lanterns, honey, Garden Gnomes, Sunflowers, and have all your potions and mana ready. For an easier fight, set up an arena. This will increase your mobility.

1) Weapons

If you are a fan of melee weapons, then Shadowflame Knife, Light Discs, or some powerful Yo-Yos are must-haves. For the ranged weapon user, Onyx Blaster is the best bet followed by Clockwork AR.

Piercing weapons can take down Skeletron Prime effectively too. Adamantite Repeater and Daedalus Stormbow are great choices. If you are planning to use magic against the boss, then consider Crystal Serpent, Golden Ichor, and Sky Fracture. For summoners, the Sanguine Staff and Queen Spider Staff are the best bets.

2) Armor

Armor is as important as weapons. While all the armor sets do the same basic job, some of them can help you better against the Skeletron Prime.

Adamantite and Titanium armor sets are certainly the top choices. Orichalcum armor lets you shoot multiple targets while, Palladium armor heals you faster. If you plan on using summoners, consider getting Spider armor.

3) Potions and Buffs

To restore health and enhance the defense, you might want to use the Ironskin Potion, Endurance Potion, and Regeneration Potion. To dodge the boss faster, consume the Swiftness Potion.

Along with the potions, you might want to have some extra buffs like Ammo Box, Sharpening Station, and other buffs depending on your approach.

Finally, note that the Prime Skeletron has to be defeated during the night. To give yourself maximum time, start the battle just after the night falls.

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