Voodoo Totem

* Normal
* Broken

> "*LIKE, THANKS FOR DESTROYING MY TOTEM???*"
> ― *Emerald Golem*
>
>

**Voodoo Totem** is a boss in the Picnic Panic DLC of The Messenger. It is the second boss of the DLC and is fought at the end of Voodkin Shore. It is a tall wooden totem piloted by the wisp of the Emerald Golem, as it attempts to perform a ritual to prevent the volcano from activating.

## Profile

### Appearance

Voodoo Totem is a tall wooden totem composed of four animal blocks: an eagle, a boar, a lion, and a frog/salamander. The core of the totem is filled with a swirling column of green energy that is released from the eagle head. The different sections of the totem can independently float and move around the arena. There are retractable spikes on the sides of the three lower animal blocks, and the frog/salamander block can manifest a drill on its bottom section.

When the eagle head at the top of the totem is attacked, it spins around. After the boss fight ends, the eagle head twists off like a twisty cap on a metal water bottle container to reveal the wisp of the Emerald Golem hiding inside of it.

## Boss Fight

### Notes

* You can safely stand on top of the Beach Parrots.
* During each phase transition, Voodoo Totem will unleash an "Obliteration Drill" attack, which creates a hole in the floor. It is recommended to lead this drill to the right side of the arena.
* The weak point is the eagle totem at the top of the totem stack, which spins around when attacked. If it is attacked for 9 damage, it will fire off a short burst of tornadoes that push Ninja leftwards away from the eagle totem. While the pushback itself does not deal damage, it can push Ninja into other damage threats.

### Phases

#### Phase 1

* HP: 90 HP
* Attack Pattern: Totem Stairs → Tornado Spike → Flame Burst
* The "Totem Stairs" move infinitely loops and does not progress to the next attack until you deal damage to the Voodoo Totem. After completing its full attack pattern, it performs "Obliteration Drill" and transitions to phase 2.

#### Phase 2

* HP: 45-89 HP
* Attack Pattern: Lightning Staves → Totem Stairs → Tornado Spike → Flame Burst → Repeat

#### Phase 3

* HP: 1-44 HP
* Attack Pattern: Eagle Beam → Lightning Staves → Totem Stairs → Tornado Spike → Flame Burst → Repeat

### Attacks

#### Totem Stairs

Voodoo Totem starts off by sending its three lower animal totems to hover around the arena, giving the Ninja the opportunity to cling to them and climb up them like a staircase to reach and attack the eagle totem.

During Phase 2 and Phase 3, spikes are added to the animal totems, making them harder to climb.

#### Tornado Spike

Voodoo Totem sends its three animal totems to the left side of the arena, creating a spike wall. It then sends tornadoes at varying heights from the right side of the arena that push Ninja leftwards. Jump and duck appropriately to dodge the tornadoes and avoid contacting the spike wall. After the final wave of tornadoes, a group of three Beach Parrots will appear flying from the right side of the screen. You can either jump off their backs or Cloudstep after slashing each of them in order to reach the eagle totem.

During Phase 2, the tornado attack becomes significantly faster and longer. During Phase 3, this attack now has intervals in which Beach Parrots fly by, signaling a full wave of tornadoes. These are only avoidable by Cloudstepping with the Beach Parrot or jumping off its back.

#### Flame Burst

The three animal totems will manifest at the top of the arena and shuffle around. One-by-one, each will land at different times and fire off flame blasts from each side. You can jump onto the totem closest to the eagle totem for an easy attack after it lands.

During Phase 1, the totems fall in the order of left, middle, right. During Phase 2, the totems fall in the order of middle, left, right. During Phase 3, the two side totems attack together, finishing up with the middle one.

#### Obliteration Drill

The eagle totem will send out the three totems stacked with a drill at the bottom. This will follow you and destroy the floor in the location which it lands. You can jump onto the top of the drill and ride it upwards to reach the eagle totem in order to deal damage to it.

#### Lightning Staves

Staves rain from the sky, resulting in lightning to rain down seconds later. There are usually one or two open sections; everywhere but these sections are struck by lightning.

#### Eagle Beam

A laser beam shoots down from the eagle totem, which cycles along far left to far right top of the arena until it either takes enough damage or enough time passes. You can avoid damage by being under the totems or by staying with it using Cloudstep. During this attack, it will get progressively faster based on damage taken.

## Main Story

As Ninja approaches Fire Mountain, he encounters the Voodoo Totem, interrupting it by attacking it in while it is in the middle of a ritual of some kind. After Ninja defeats the Voodoo Totem, the eagle section of the totem flies off, revealing the wisp of the Emerald Golem which Ninja previously fought in the Howling Grotto. The wisp is irritated with Ninja for destroying its totem, but quickly forgives him and understands how Ninja perceived it as a threat. The wisp tells him that it was creating a ritual to stop the volcano from erupting, mentioning that Barma'thazël was attempting to use it for a Voodoo Ritual. The wisp proceeds to channel the wind so that Ninja can climb up Fire Mountain.

## Trivia

* If you do not deal any damage to Voodoo Totem, it will make no attempts to attack you. The fight begins after dealing at least 1 damage to it.

## Achievements

*For the main article, see Achievements.*

## Gallery

Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's eagle head.Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's various parts and attacks.Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's blocks phasing.Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's wooden spikes.Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's wooden spikes phasing.Spritesheet of the gravel that flies out of the ground after the drill attack.Spritesheet of the laser hitting the ground.Spritesheet of the aura that surrounds the Voodoo Totem's eagle head as it repels you away.Spritesheet of the Voodoo Totem's fireballs.Emerald Golem wisp's 16-bit spritesheet.Voodoo Totem boss fight concept artwork.Picnic Panic key art, which depicts the Voodoo Totem on the left.
## References

1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2q9S6Yz7-8&t=59