Solar Eclipse
The sun bleeds out as monsters of old rise to feast
A Solar Eclipse is a Hardmode event that begins to occur rarely after at least one mechanical boss has been defeated. A Solar Eclipse has a 1/20 (5%) chance of occurring upon any particular dawn . It is also possible to summon a Solar Eclipse using a Solar Tablet (only legitimately obtainable after defeating Plantera , but can occasionally be obtained prior to that ). During a Solar Eclipse, unique and highly aggressive enemies spawn at very high rates, even near NPCs . The event lasts for one entire day, from sunrise (4:30 AM) to sunset (7:30 PM), regardless of the number of enemies that have been killed. Additionally, the moon appears visible in front of the sun , causing the ambient light level to drop to below-nighttime levels, as well as causing sleeping to not advance time, similar to a Blood Moon . A Solar Eclipse is announced at the beginning of a day with the status message " A solar eclipse is happening! " The event only affects the surface layer, and can be avoided by moving into the underground layer or below. When the Remix special seed is active, since there is no sun to be eclipsed, the status message " The horrors have arrived! " will appear instead. - 1 Content 1.1 NPC quotes - 2 Notes - 3 Achievements - 4 Tips - 5 Trivia - 6 History - 7 References
Lore & Background
Legends speak of these entities as echoes from forgotten cinema, monsters stitched together by the collective fear of humanity now made flesh in Terraria's soil. From the reanimated corpses of Frankenstein to the water-dwelling terrors of the deep, they emerge with a hunger that knows no satiation. Even the benevolent NPCs feel the chill of this unnatural day, their voices trembling as they acknowledge the sun has vanished. It is a time when the boundary between myth and reality dissolves, leaving only survival against an army that thrives in the darkness of the eclipsed light.
In Their Own Story
You raise your weapon, heart hammering against your ribs as the sky darkens further. The Reaper glides overhead, silent and deadly, while Frankenstein lumbers forward, tearing through your defenses with brute force. It is a battle not just for survival, but for sanity, as every shadow seems to birth another horror. You fight until your stamina wanes, watching the clock tick toward sunset, knowing this nightmare will persist from sunrise to sunset regardless of how many foes you fell. As the light finally begins to return, the monsters retreat into the earth, leaving behind only the scent of victory and the promise that tomorrow, they may rise again.
Reader's Guide
The Solar Eclipse is a Hardmode event triggered once at least one mechanical boss falls, occurring randomly with a 5% chance at dawn or summoned via a Solar Tablet. It lasts the entire in-game day from 4:30 AM to 7:30 PM, affecting only the surface layer unless you venture underground to avoid it.
The sky turns black as moonlight replaces sunlight, causing spawn rates of unique, highly aggressive enemies like Vampires, Reapers, and Mothron to skyrocket. These foes ignore NPC proximity buffers, meaning your base is no longer safe from their onslaught. To survive, construct a large arena with platforms and campfires, and stockpile enemy banners for damage reduction.
Stack Water Candles or use Battle Potions to maximize spawn rates, increasing the odds of rare drops like the Broken Hero Sword, Butcher's Chainsaw, and the coveted Neptunes Shell. Use enemy-specific strategies: fly high to avoid ground terrors, but watch the skies for Mothron. This event is a goldmine for endgame materials if you can endure the chaos.
Did You Know?
- Every Solar Eclipse enemy except the Reaper and Eyezor references classic 20th-century horror films.
- Unlike real life where eclipses last minutes, the in-game version persists for fifteen hours of daylight.
- A Solar Eclipse can theoretically be followed by a Blood Moon, creating an endless cycle of darkness.
- The event increases Truffle Worm spawn rates as they are internally classified as enemies.