How to Farm Biome Crates in Terraria: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you want to become a master angler and reel in those sweet, sweet biome crates in Terraria? You’ve come to the right place! Farming biome crates efficiently involves a combination of preparation, location selection, gear optimization, and a dash of patience. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Location, Location, Location: First and foremost, ensure you’re fishing in the correct biome. Each biome has its own specific crate. For example, you’ll need to be in a Snow biome to fish up Frozen Crates (or Boreal Crates in Hardmode), and a Desert biome for Oasis Crates. Make sure you have a sufficiently large body of water in that biome, which is roughly 300 tiles.
2. Maximize Fishing Power: Your fishing power is the name of the game. Aim for a fishing power of 50% or higher for noticeable results. To achieve this, invest in:
   • A Good Fishing Rod: The Golden Rod is a great early goal, followed by the Fiberglass Fishing Pole, and eventually the Sitting Duck’s Fishing Pole or Mechanic’s Rod. In hardmode the hotline fishing hook and golden fishing rod can be obtained through quests from the angler NPC.
   • Quality Bait: Worms are decent, but Enchanted Nightcrawlers (created by combining Worms and Fallen Stars) are much better. The Master Bait (obtained from Angler quests) is also a top-tier choice. Other options include bug type baits found within the jungle.
   • Fishing Armor and Accessories: Equip items like the Angler Armor, Tackle Box, High Test Fishing Line, and Fisherman’s Pocket Guide. The tackle box and high test fishing line can be combined to make the fishing line setup, and all four accessories can be combined to make the angler tackle bag.
3. Potion Power-Up: Potions are your best friends. Chug the following:
   • Fishing Potion: Significantly increases your fishing power.
   • Crate Potion: Doubles your chance of catching crates.
   • Sonar Potion: Shows you what you’re about to catch, allowing you to reel in unwanted catches and save time.
4. Create a Dedicated Fishing Spot: Build a small platform or dock in your chosen biome. Consider adding a chair for the “sitting” buff, which slightly increases fishing power. Remove any structures or foliage that might interfere with casting your line.
5. Dealing with Overlapping Biomes: Be cautious of biome overlap. If your fishing spot contains parts of multiple biomes, only one crate type will be obtainable (usually the highest priority biome crate). If you are trying to fish in the sky, but there is corruption nearby, the sky crate won’t be obtainable, and you must remove the corruption from the area.
6. Patience is Key: Fishing can be a bit grindy. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get a crate on your first few casts. Keep at it, and the crates will eventually come.

By following these steps, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of catching biome crates and reaping their rewards!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Biome Crate Farming

What is the best fishing power to farm biome crates?

The higher, the better! While 50% fishing power is a decent starting point, aiming for 100% or more will significantly improve your crate catch rate. The highest fishing power achievable in the game is 310, though this is only obtainable by reaching the best possible combinations of all fishing accessories, bait, rod, and fishing buffs.

How does luck affect crate fishing?

Interestingly, while luck affects enemy drops, it doesn’t affect the drop rates of items from crates or other “grab bags” in Terraria. So, focus on maximizing your fishing power instead of your luck stat when crate fishing.

What happens if I fish in multiple biomes at once?

If your fishing spot overlaps multiple biomes, only one biome’s crate type will be available. The game has a priority system for biome influence. For example, if a Floating Island is corrupted, you will only be able to catch crates found within the corruption biome.

What is the rarest crate in Terraria?

The rarity of standard crates (Wooden/Pearlwood, Iron/Mythril, Golden/Titanium) is tiered, with Golden/Titanium Crates being the rarest. However, for biome crates, the rarity is generally similar within their respective biomes, assuming optimal fishing conditions.

Is the Truffle Worm good bait for crate fishing?

No. The Truffle Worm has a bait power of 666%, but it’s solely used for summoning Duke Fishron in the Ocean biome. It can’t be used for regular fishing, including crate farming.

How do I get Frozen Crates and Boreal Crates?

Frozen Crates are found in pre-Hardmode Snow biomes and Ice biomes. Once you enter Hardmode, these crates are replaced by Boreal Crates, but the location remains the same.

What’s the difference between Boreal Crates and Frozen Crates?

Boreal Crates are the Hardmode version of Frozen Crates. They contain items found in standard Hardmode crates, and always contain one item normally found in Frozen Chests.

What are the best potions to use when fishing for crates?

The essential potions are:

• Fishing Potion: Boosts fishing power.
• Crate Potion: Doubles the chance of catching crates.
• Sonar Potion: Allows you to avoid unwanted catches.

How do I create a large enough fishing spot?

A fishing spot requires a minimum of 300 water tiles to be considered a “lake” and provide full fishing power. The bigger the lake, the better, to ensure no fishing penalties.

Can NPCs sell bait?

Yes, certain NPCs will sell bait, though the availability varies. Look for NPCs like the Angler (after completing quests) or those who generally focus on fishing-related goods.

What’s the easiest way to get bait?

• Worms: Breaking rocks, especially during rain, often yields worms.
• Nightcrawlers: Catching worms at night.
• Bug Net: Use a Bug Net to catch butterflies, grasshoppers, and other insects for bait.

Can I find biome crates in chests?

No, biome crates are exclusively obtained through fishing. Biome chests are a different type of chest found in the Dungeon, and they require biome keys to open.

How many Biome Chests spawn in the Dungeon?

Only five/four Biome Chests (one of each type) will spawn in a particular world’s Dungeon. This is completely separate from crate fishing.

How does biome chest work?

Each of these chests requires a key from that biome to open it, but on the 1.4.4 update, you can throw the biome key into shimmer to obtain its respect biome chest’s weapon.

Is fishing a skill that relates to the Games Learning Society?

Yes! Fishing in Terraria, with its strategic planning, resource management, and understanding of complex systems, can be seen as an engaging learning experience. Much like the principles explored by the Games Learning Society, it shows how gameplay can foster problem-solving skills and strategic thinking. You can explore more about how games can be used to foster education at GamesLearningSociety.org.