Desert Scourge

Desert ScourgeStatistics

Drops

* Item **(Quantity)****Rate**
* Sandy Angling Kit100%
* Parched Scale (7-14 / **10-16**)100%
* Profaned Shard100%
* Coral (5-9 / **7-11**)100%
* Seashell (5-9 / **7-11**)100%
* Starfish (5-9 / **7-11**)100%
* Scoria Bar (3-8 / **10-17** / **14-23**)100%
* Sand Block (261-820)100%
* At least one of the following 5 weapons will always drop:
* Seabound Staff25% / **33.33%**
* Barinade25% / **33.33%**
* Storm Spray25% / **33.33%**
* Aquatic Discharge25% / **33.33%**
* Scourge of the Desert25% / **33.33%**
* Ocean Crest100%
* Aero Stone20%
* Sand Cloak10% / **11.11%**
* Lesser Healing Potion (8-14)100%
* Desert Scourge Mask14.29%
* Desert Scourge Trophy10%
* The Desert Scourge (Lore)(Always on first kill)100%

SoundsHurt
Killed
Roar
Sand Blast
Desert Scourge map***Map Icon***
*If you were looking for something other than the Desert Scourge, see Scourge (disambiguation).*
 *"...A dried up and gluttonous husk, constantly on a veracious search for it's next meal.”*

The **Desert Scourge** (Japanese: 砂漠の惨劇 *Sabaku no sangeki*) is a Pre-Hardmode boss. It is intended to be one of the first bosses fought by the player and is considered to be one of the weakest of all of the bosses added by the Calamity Mod. It is intended to be fought before the Eye of Cthulhu, but it is likely a considerable challenge even to experienced players.

## Spawn

The Desert Scourge does not spawn on its own, and requires the player to summon it with the Desert Medallion at Night. It must be summoned in the Underground Desert.

## Segments

Desert Scourge HeadStatistics

Desert Scourge BodyStatistics

Desert Scourge TailStatistics

## Behavior

In its 1st phase, the Desert Scourge behaves similarly to a regular worm enemy, moving through blocks and attempting to charge at the player. The Desert Scourge has 54 / **64** / **74** / **84** segments in total.

It becomes enraged if the player leaves the Desert biome or the underground, increasing its speed and acceleration by 75% (150% if both enrage conditions are met).

### Attacks

* Upon reaching 85% / **90%** / **95%** health, the Desert Scourge will occasionally burrow underground and roar, then rapidly lunge at the player while firing sand blasts before burrowing again from a height 37.5 tiles above the player.
	+ This attack occurs every 9 / **6** seconds. After performing the attack, this timer resets on the apex of its lunge.
	+ If the attack takes longer than 10 seconds, it will automatically reset to its default behavior.
* There are 3 different variants of the sand blast attack:
	+ A common attack where the Desert Scourge lunges at the player from underground along with 20 sand blasts upwards in a semicircle formation.
	+ A rare attack where the Desert Scourge leaps behind the player, going above them, and fires 10 sand blasts downward.
	+ A rare attack where the Desert Scourge leaps below the player, firing 2 sets of 15 sand blasts upwards.

### In Expert Mode

* Segments are increased from 54 to 64 and lunge speed increased by 25%.
* Gains up to 50% bonus acceleration and speed as its health lowers.
* Sand blasts travel 50% faster.

### In Revengeance Mode

* Segments are increased from 64 to 74 and speed increased by 50%.
* 2 Desert Nuisances are spawned alongside the main worm, each with a total of 14 segments.
	+ These worms act independently and are not required to be defeated to progress through the fight.

### In Death Mode

* Segments are increased from 74 to 84 and lunge speed increased by 75%.
* Gains up to 25% bonus acceleration and speed as its health lowers, on top of the boost in Expert Mode.

### In Malice Mode

* Fires Sand Blasts constantly and very rapidly.
* Movement speed and aggressiveness greatly increased.
* Makes much sharper turns.
* Desert Nuisances are much faster and make sharper turns.

### On the For the worthy seed

* Is 50% smaller, but has double the amount of segments.
* Players take twice as much knockback and knockback immunity is removed.
* Significantly more aggressive.
* Desert Nuisances are even more aggressive.

## Summons

Desert Nuisance HeadStatistics

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Killed
Desert Nuisance BodyStatistics

SoundsHurt
Killed
Desert Nuisance TailStatistics

SoundsHurt
Killed

## Aftermath

* The Sunken Sea's tiles become breakable and Prism-Backs will begin dropping Prism Shards.
* The Sea King will begin to arrive if provided suitable housing and Giant Clam is defeated.
* If the Sea King isn't in the player's current world, defeating the Giant Clam will now summon the Sea King.
* Sandstorms can now occur, indicated by a sandstorm starting upon its defeat.
* Ghost Bells will begin dropping the Voltaic Jelly.
* Eutrophic Rays will begin dropping the Eutrophic Shank.
* Antlions, Antlion Swarmers, and Tomb Crawlers have 25% more health, Dungeon Guardians have 10% more health, and Antlions and Antlion Swarmers have 50% more defense.

## Resistances

* All segments take reduced damage from non-minion piercing projectiles in Expert Mode. Projectile damage is divided by the number of times it pierces. Infinite piercing deals 50% damage.
* All segments reduce damage from grenade-type projectiles by 80%. A list of affected projectiles is below.

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## Notes

* Desert Scourge, along with The Leviathan and the Aquatic Scourge, can drop items rewarded by the Angler for completing his quests.
* All of the Desert Scourge's loot will spawn at the nearest segment with the exception of the Sand Blocks and Hearts, which will always spawn at the head.

## Tips

*For more elaborate strategies on defeating the Desert Scourge, including weapon and arena recommendations, see Guide:Desert Scourge strategies.*
* Building a few layers of platforms across the Desert will make avoiding the Scourge much easier. Be careful to not enrage the Desert Scourge.
	+ Another alternative is to build a rope, however make sure the rope is inside the Desert or the Desert Scourge will become enraged.
	+ The Scourge will tunnel through platforms if it reaches them, keeping platforms around 40 blocks above the ground and each other can help prevent this.
	+ Be careful: If platforms are too high the player might leave the Desert while on them, enraging the Scourge.
	+ Despite this, it is still suggested to build a bridge roughly 30-40 blocks up, as this will give the player a height advantage over the Scourge as long as they make sure to stay moving.
	+ Make sure the rope is inside the Desert or the Desert Scourge will become enraged.
* Avoid its head at all costs, especially in Expert Mode or higher difficulties.
* Always keep moving as the Desert Scourge can easily kill an immobile target.
	+ This becomes even more important in Revengeance Mode or higher, as it's speed is boosted.
* While the player can fight the Desert Scourge as the first boss, caution is still advised as its size and speed can easily take down an unprepared player.
* The Desert Scourge is a good boss to farm for money in Pre-Hardmode, dropping 30 gold per kill.

## Trivia

* Desert Scourge's theme is **Guardian of the Former Seas**, which was composed by the artist DM DOKURO.
	+ If the Calamity Music add-on mod is disabled, **Boss 1** will play instead.
* The Aquatic Scourge is a hydrated version of the Desert Scourge, although it has been mutated by the toxic waters of the Sulphurous Sea.

* If the desert scourge were to stay in the Sulphurous Sea for over 3 minutes, it will get slower until it goes 10 mph, then turn into a passive Aquatic Scourge.

* This boss and the Aquatic Scourge can both drop several fishing drops, making them the only two bosses to share a drop outside of crafting materials, or potions.
* The Desert Scourge can be fought before any boss is defeated, as its summoning item only requires Sand Blocks, Cacti, Antlion and Stormlion Mandibles.
* The Desert Scourge used to spawn small worms called Dried Seekers when it reached 75% health.
* The Desert Scourge was one of the first bosses to be added to the Calamity Mod, along with The Slime God and The Devourer of Gods.
* If the Boss Checklist Mod is installed, its unique despawn message will be "*The scourge of the desert delved back into the sand.*”

## See also

* Aquatic Scourge, the cousin of the Desert Scourge