Astral Monolith Mastery: A Comprehensive Guide to Obtaining and Utilizing This Celestial Building Block
The Astral Monolith is a unique Hardmode block found exclusively in the Astral Infection biome of the Calamity Mod for Terraria. Directly, you obtain Astral Monolith by cutting down the large, naturally-occurring monolith structures found within the Astral Infection biome using any pickaxe or axe. Think of them as the Astral’s equivalent to trees – simply chop them down!
Diving Deep into the Astral Monolith
What Makes the Astral Monolith Special?
The Astral Monolith isn’t just another block; it’s a fundamental component of the Astral Infection biome, serving both as a building material and a visual landmark. Understanding its properties and acquisition is key to surviving and thriving in this challenging environment.
Properties of Astral Monolith
- Hardmode Exclusive: The Astral Infection biome, and therefore the Astral Monolith, only appears after defeating the Wall of Flesh and entering Hardmode.
- Biome-Specific: Exclusively found within the Astral Infection biome, it’s a clear indicator that you’re in the right (or wrong, depending on your preparedness) place.
- Replacement for Wood: Functionally, Astral Monolith replaces wood within the Astral Infection biome. Meaning that in that biome it can be used to craft items normally crafted with wood.
- Building Material: The Astral Monolith can be used as a sturdy and decorative building material. It is resistant to explosives but is broken by a pickaxe.
- Summoning Platform: Naturally occurring Astral Monoliths act as the location for the Astral Beacon and therefore are needed in summoning Astrum Deus.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Astral Monolith and the Astral Biome
Here’s a comprehensive guide to the burning questions surrounding the Astral Monolith and the Astral Infection, crafted to elevate your Calamity playthrough. Understanding the Astral Infection will help you navigate this biome.
1. How do I unlock the Astral Biome in Terraria?
The Astral Biome is unlocked automatically upon defeating the Wall of Flesh in Hardmode. A meteor will crash-land on the Dungeon side of your world, creating the initial Astral Infection.
2. Can I create my own Astral Biome?
Yes! You can create a player-made Astral Biome by placing more than 950 ‘Astral tiles’ in a designated area. These tiles include: Astral Dirt, Astral Stone, Astral Ore, Astral Clay, and Novae Slag. Astral Grass that grows on Astral Dirt also counts. For an Astral Ice Biome, you’ll need at least 951 Astral Ice blocks.
3. Why can’t I mine Astral Ore?
Astral Ore requires a powerful pickaxe to mine. Specifically, you’ll need a Picksaw or a pickaxe with at least 210% pickaxe power. However, even with the right tool, you can only mine Astral Ore after defeating the boss Astrum Deus. Until then, the Astral Ore is indestructible using mining tools.
4. How do I obtain Astral Solution?
Astral Solution is a Hardmode solution that is sold by the Steampunker NPC. It is only sold when the player is not in a “Don’t dig up” or “Get fixed boi” world. It’s used with the Clentaminator or Terraformer to spread the Astral Infection to other blocks.
5. What are alternative methods to obtaining Astral Ore?
Besides mining, Astral Ore can be obtained by:
- Opening Astral Crates (obtained through fishing in the Astral Biome)
- Feeding Novae Slag or Celestial Remains into the Extractinator after defeating Astrum Deus.
- Astral Slimes will drop Astral Ore after Astrum Deus is defeated.
6. How do I unlock the Astral Chest?
Astral Chests spawn during world generation, but they are initially locked. To unlock and open them, you must defeat the boss Astrum Aureus. Only one Astral Chest will spawn per world.
7. How do I use the Astral Beacon?
The Astral Beacon is a furniture item found on a pillar of Astral Monolith or crafted. When right-clicked during the night with a Titan Heart or Starcore in your inventory, it summons the boss Astrum Deus.
8. Is the Astral Infection an evil biome?
No, the Astral Infection is not considered an evil biome like the Corruption or Crimson. Despite its name, it also doesn’t spread on its own naturally after the initial meteor impact.
9. What is Damage Reduction (DR) in Terraria?
Damage Reduction (DR) is a stat that reduces the damage you receive by a percentage. It’s different from defense, which reduces damage by a flat amount. Each percentage point of DR is additive, increasing the total damage reduction.
10. How do I obtain a Titan Heart?
The Titan Heart is a Hardmode crafting material that drops from the enemy Atlas, found in the Space Biome.
11. What can destroy Astral Ore before defeating Astrum Deus?
While standard pickaxes cannot mine Astral Ore before defeating Astrum Deus, the beam from the Crystyl Crusher can destroy it.
12. Can I spread the Astral Infection?
Yes, but not naturally. You can actively spread the Astral Infection by using Astral Solution with a Clentaminator or Terraformer.
13. What are the key features of the Astral Infection?
The Astral Infection is a Hardmode biome that features unique blocks like Astral Dirt, Astral Stone, Astral Ore, and Astral Monolith. It’s characterized by its alien aesthetic and challenging enemies.
14. Does pickaxe power requirement mean percentage?
The pickaxe power is the percentage of the pickaxe power required to mine a specific ore. For example, Astral Ore requires a pickaxe power of 210.
15. Can I purify the Astral Infection?
Yes, you can revert Astral-infected blocks to their original forms by using Green Solution with the Clentaminator, or through Purification Powder, in small amounts. This is useful if you want to contain the biome or reclaim areas for building.
These insights should give you a better understanding of the Astral Monolith and the Astral Infection in Terraria’s Calamity Mod. Remember to prepare adequately before venturing into this biome, as it presents unique challenges and rewards. Dive into further game discussions at the Games Learning Society website: https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/.