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Does Killing Plantera Stop the Crimson in Terraria? A Comprehensive Guide

The short answer is no, killing Plantera doesn’t stop the Crimson, but it dramatically slows its spread. Defeating this tough boss is a crucial milestone in Hardmode, and while it doesn’t eradicate the Crimson, it significantly reduces its relentless expansion, giving you a much-needed breather to implement proper containment measures. This article will explore the nuances of Crimson spread, the impact of defeating Plantera, and the definitive methods for controlling and ultimately eliminating this pervasive biome.

Understanding the Crimson’s Spread

The Crimson is one of the two world-evil biomes in Terraria, the other being the Corruption. It’s characterized by fleshy landscapes, grotesque monsters, and the insidious ability to convert nearby blocks to its own form. During pre-Hardmode, the Crimson’s spread is limited, but upon defeating the Wall of Flesh and entering Hardmode, the rate accelerates exponentially. This can quickly lead to the Crimson engulfing significant portions of your world if left unchecked. It spreads through various block types, including sand, mud, grass, stone, and most other default natural blocks.

Plantera’s Impact on Crimson Spread

Defeating Plantera for the first time triggers a significant change in the rate at which the Crimson spreads. Specifically, it reduces the speed of the Crimson’s spread by 50%. This means that after vanquishing Plantera, the Crimson will expand half as fast as it did immediately after entering Hardmode. This reduction provides players with valuable time to focus on constructing effective barriers, using the Clentaminator, or pursuing other strategies to contain the Crimson.

Permanent Crimson Elimination

While slowing the spread is helpful, completely eradicating the Crimson requires more deliberate action. Here’s how to permanently get rid of the Crimson:

The Clentaminator: The most effective tool for large-scale Crimson removal is the Clentaminator, purchased from the Steampunker NPC after defeating one mechanical boss. Using Green Solution as ammo, the Clentaminator can convert Crimson blocks back to their original, uncorrupted state. This process, while resource-intensive, is the fastest way to cleanse entire regions.
Purification Powder: An alternative, though significantly slower, method involves using Purification Powder, bought from the Dryad NPC. This powder can be applied to individual Crimson blocks to convert them. This is more suitable for small pockets of Crimson or for fine-tuning areas after using the Clentaminator.
Strategic Excavation: Digging wide, impassable trenches (at least 3 blocks wide) around Crimson biomes prevents further spread. Lined with non-corruptible materials like clay bricks, wood, or ash blocks, these barriers ensure long-term containment.

FAQs: Controlling the Crimson Menace

Here are some frequently asked questions about managing and eliminating the Crimson in Terraria:

1. Does the Hallow stop the Crimson?

Yes, the Hallow can prevent the Crimson from spreading into new areas. However, it doesn’t eliminate existing Crimson blocks. The Hallow is considered “good” by the Dryad, in contrast to the Crimson and Corruption, which she sees as “bad”. Remember, the Hallow, can still be dangerous for early Hardmode players.

2. Can Corruption take over the Crimson?

No, Corruption cannot inherently overwrite Crimson, and vice versa. While world generation can dictate which evil biome appears naturally, either can be artificially created in a world that initially generated with the other. Spreading mechanics remain normal.

3. Do Sunflowers stop the Crimson?

Sunflowers prevent the Crimson from spreading pre-Hardmode only. However, after entering Hardmode, the Crimson can convert the ground beneath Sunflowers, causing them to break and no longer provide protection.

4. What blocks cannot be corrupted by the Crimson?

Certain blocks are immune to Crimson corruption. These include clay, bricks, ash, silt, and wood. Using these materials to construct barriers around your base or key areas is an excellent preventative strategy.

5. How far can Crimson thorns spread?

Crimson thorns can grow 6 tiles in all directions and can spread the Crimson biome up to 3 blocks away. Containing them with physical barriers is crucial.

6. What pickaxe is needed to break Crimstone blocks?

Crimstone blocks require a pickaxe with at least 65% pickaxe power, such as the Nightmare Pickaxe or higher.

7. Do altars contribute to the Crimson percentage?

No, demon altars and ores do not count towards the Crimson percentage when determining world purity for achievements or NPC housing requirements.

8. Can a Mushroom biome be corrupted?

No, the Mushroom biome is immune to Crimson corruption. The Mushroom biome can be used for housing the truffle, which can live above ground as long as there are at least 100 mushroom grass blocks within 50 blocks of distance from its house.

9. Does breaking demon altars spread the Crimson?

Yes, breaking demon altars can randomly convert a block somewhere in your world into Crimstone. While helpful for artificially spreading the Crimson (or Hallow), you cannot control where this conversion occurs.

10. Is the Crimson Key rare?

Yes, the Crimson Key is relatively rare. It has a 1/2500 (0.04%) chance of dropping from enemies within the Crimson biome.

11. Can NPCs live in a Crimson biome?

NPCs can live in a Crimson biome, but if their house becomes corrupted, they may move out and wander the area until a suitable, uncorrupted house becomes available.

12. What is the best way to contain the Crimson early in Hardmode?

Early in Hardmode, focus on digging wide (at least 3-block wide) trenches around Crimson biomes and lining them with non-corruptible materials. Also, prioritize acquiring the Clentaminator as soon as possible.

13. How does the Dryad perceive the Crimson?

The Dryad considers the Crimson (and Corruption) to be “bad”. She only considers the world to be “pure” once all three biomes (Crimson, Corruption, and Hallow) are completely eradicated.

14. Which evil biome is better, Crimson or Corruption?

The choice between Crimson and Corruption is largely subjective. Crimson items tend to have slightly stronger stats, but Crimson enemies can be more challenging early on. Corruption tools tend to be slightly faster, but the Crimson is generally more powerful in Hardmode.

15. Is Plantera harder than the Moon Lord?

The difficulty of Plantera vs. Moon Lord depends on your preparation and playstyle. Enraged Plantera can be manageable with a well-designed arena and proper buffs, while the Moon Lord often requires specific strategies and gear.

Conclusion

While defeating Plantera doesn’t eliminate the Crimson, it provides a crucial breathing room to implement long-term containment and eradication strategies. Understanding the mechanics of Crimson spread, utilizing the right tools, and strategically planning your world layout are essential for successfully managing this pervasive biome. By combining Plantera’s debuff with deliberate efforts, you can conquer the Crimson and restore balance to your Terraria world.

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Does killing Plantera stop the Crimson?