Pumpking
Pumpking is the final boss of the Pumpkin Moon event, spawning from Wave 7 onward with 22,000 HP. It flies aggressively and attacks with spinning scythe arms and flame scythe projectiles. Drops some of the best weapons in the game: Horseman's Blade, Bat Scepter, Raven Staff, and Candy Corn Rifle.
Quick GuideHard
- Pumpking flies and charges aggressively -- vertical movement is your best dodge
- Phase 2 (below 50% HP) increases speed and aggression dramatically
- Drop rates improve at higher waves -- push to Wave 15 for maximum chance
Recommended Equipment
Class Weapon Recommendations
Best-in-slot for Pumpking. Homing bullets track a flying target while you focus on dodging charges.
Massive damage per hit. Drops from Mourning Wood. Stakes sold by Arms Dealer during event.
Reliable fallback. Homing bullets handle the aiming at a fast-moving flying target.
Accessories
WingsBest wings you have -- vertical mobility is your primary survival tool against Pumpking
Class EmblemDamage boost for faster kills. Pumpking has 22,000 HP and you need to kill multiple per night.
Charm of MythsReduced potion cooldown keeps you alive through repeated charge attacks
Ankh ShieldKnockback immunity prevents charge attacks from sending you into a wall or into other enemies
Armor
Use endgame armor for your class. Beetle (Melee), Shroomite (Ranger), Spectre (Mage), Spooky (Summoner). Chlorophyte is the bare minimum.
Recommended Buffs
Pumpking Arena Strategy
🏗️Construction Specs
- Tall Multi-Layer Arena4-5 層Build 4-5 layers of platforms spaced 18-20 blocks apart. Pumpking flies fast and needs vertical room to dodge.
- Maximum Width150 格150+ blocks wide for horizontal kiting. Pumpking charges aggressively and you need escape room.
- High Vertical Ceiling80 格80+ blocks of vertical space. Pumpking flies and attacks from all angles -- vertical movement is your primary dodge tool.
⚡Essential Buff Stations
Campfire
Life Regen
Place every 40 blocks across each platform layer
Heart Lantern
Life Regen
Stacks with Campfire for maximum regen against sustained damage
Honey Pool
Health Regen
Small honey puddles at platform ends for emergency healing during charges
Star in a Bottle
Mana Regen
Essential for Mage -- Bat Scepter and Spectre Staff drain mana fast
Sunflower
Happy!
+10% movement speed helps outrun Pumpking charges
Summoning
30
5
10
Core Strategy: Constant Vertical Movement
Never stay on the same horizontal plane as Pumpking -- its charges and scythes are aimed at your current position!
Pumpking has 22,000 HP and flies aggressively with 75 base damage scythes. In Phase 2, it gets faster and more aggressive. Vertical movement between platform layers is the most effective dodge because Pumpking commits to horizontal charges. Change elevation constantly while dealing DPS.
- 1Start on the third platform layer for maximum escape options
- 2When Pumpking charges, drop or rise 1-2 platform levels immediately
- 3Use homing weapons so you can focus entirely on dodging
- 4Phase 2 starts at ~50% HP -- Pumpking gets faster and more aggressive
- 5Keep moving between platform levels in a zigzag pattern to avoid scythe arcs
Combat Phases
Behavior Patterns
Scythe Arm Spin
Pumpking rotates its two scythe arms in a circular pattern while flying toward you. The arms have massive hitboxes and deal 75 base damage on contact. Phase 1 attack -- dodge by moving perpendicular to its approach direction.
Flame Scythe Projectiles
Launches spinning flame scythes that travel in arcs toward the player. These deal high damage and can hit multiple times. Most dangerous in Phase 2 when fired more rapidly. Drop or rise vertically to dodge the arc pattern.
Aggressive Flying Charges
Pumpking flies directly at the player at high speed, especially in Phase 2. Combined with scythe arms, these charges are deadly. Maintain distance and change direction sharply when it commits to a charge.
Advanced Pumpking Techniques
Horseman's Blade Loop
Once you get the Horseman's Blade, hit ANY enemy to spawn homing pumpkin heads that deal massive damage to everything nearby. In wave events with tons of enemies, this creates a chain reaction that clears screens. The pumpkin heads hit Pumpking too.
Vertical Zigzag Pattern
Move up 2 platforms, attack, drop down 3 platforms, attack, rise 2 platforms. This zigzag pattern makes you nearly impossible for Pumpking to hit during charges because it always aims at your last position. Time your weapon use during the brief pauses between elevation changes.
Wave Speed Optimization
Kill Mourning Wood and trash mobs as fast as possible to push waves. Pumpking spawns increase at higher waves, and drop rates scale from 1.56% (Wave 7) to 12.5% (Wave 15). The difference between reaching Wave 10 and Wave 15 is massive for loot.
Class Strategies
Chain Gun + Chlorophyte Bullets is king. Homing bullets track Pumpking while you focus on dodging its aggressive charges.
Chain Gun + Chlorophyte BulletsStake Launcher + Stakes
Shroomite Armor (Ranged helmet)Wings
Ranger EmblemAnkh ShieldTerra Blade ranged projectiles let you fight from a distance. Once you get Horseman's Blade, the fight becomes much easier.
Terra Blade
Horseman's Blade (once dropped)Beetle Armor (Shell for survival, Scale Mail for DPS)WingsWarrior EmblemAnkh ShieldBat Scepter homing bats are perfect for a fast-flying boss. Spectre Hood provides sustain healing through repeated hits.
Bat Scepter
Spectre Staff
Spectre Armor (Hood for sustain, Mask for DPS)Wings
Sorcerer EmblemAnkh ShieldRavens auto-chase Pumpking through the air. Full focus on dodging while minions deliver consistent DPS.
Raven Staff
Tempest Staff
Spooky Armor (from Mourning Wood) or Tiki ArmorWings
Summoner EmblemAnkh ShieldCommon Mistakes
Scythe Charge One-ShotHigh
Pumpking charges into you with spinning scythes dealing 75+ damage on contact plus scythe hits
Change elevation constantly. When Pumpking starts a charge, immediately drop or rise 2 platform levels. It commits to horizontal movement and cannot turn quickly.
Flame Scythe SpamHigh
Phase 2 flame scythes fire rapidly and arc toward your position, creating overlapping danger zones
Dodge vertically, not horizontally. The scythes arc horizontally, so moving up or down avoids the entire pattern. Use homing weapons to maintain DPS while dodging.
Phase 2 Speed SpikeHigh
Below 50% HP, Pumpking moves dramatically faster and attacks more frequently
Pre-position on a middle platform layer with escape routes both up and down. Save your highest mobility (dash, wing speed) for Phase 2.
Dawn TimerMed
Event ends at dawn. Slow kills mean fewer Pumpking spawns and less loot
Stack all damage buffs. Class emblems + damage potions + best-in-slot weapons. Every second counts toward reaching Wave 15.
Overwhelmed by Mob CountMed
Other Pumpkin Moon enemies spawning alongside Pumpking create chaos
Focus Pumpking exclusively. Use piercing or AoE weapons to handle trash mobs passively. Horseman's Blade is ideal once you get your first drop.
Preparation Checklist0/9
Drops
Melee sword that spawns homing pumpkin heads on hit. One of the best crowd-clearing melee weapons in the game. 1.56-12.5% drop.
Rocket launcher that fires explosive pumpkins. High AoE damage for crowd control. 1.56-12.5% drop.
Fires homing bat projectiles. Top-tier mage weapon with auto-targeting. 1.56-12.5% drop.
Summons raven minions with excellent single-target DPS. Best summoner weapon before Moon Lord. 1.56-12.5% drop.
Full-auto rifle that fires candy corn. Solid ranger option with unique ammo. 1.56-12.5% drop.
Crafting material for Tattered Fairy Wings. Combine with Butterfly Dust at Mythril Anvil. 1.56-12.5% drop.
After Defeating Pumpking
FAQ
QWhat does Pumpking drop in Terraria?
Pumpking drops six unique weapons and items: Horseman's Blade (melee, spawns homing pumpkin heads), Jack 'O Lantern Launcher (explosive rocket launcher), Bat Scepter (homing magic), Raven Staff (summoner, best pre-Moon Lord), Candy Corn Rifle (auto rifle), and Black Fairy Dust (wing crafting material). All have 1.56-12.5% drop rate depending on the wave -- Wave 7 gives minimum rates, Wave 15 gives maximum. These are some of the best weapons in the entire game.
QHow do you dodge Pumpking in Terraria?
Vertical movement is the key. Pumpking charges horizontally and its flame scythes arc horizontally, so changing elevation avoids both attacks. Build a 4-5 layer platform arena and zigzag between levels. When you see Pumpking start a charge, immediately drop or rise 2 platform levels. It commits to its path and can't adjust quickly. In Phase 2 (below 50% HP), it gets faster -- save your best mobility for this phase.
QHow many phases does Pumpking have in Terraria?
Pumpking has 2 phases. Phase 1 (100%-50% HP): Flies with spinning scythe arms and launches flame scythe projectiles at moderate speed. Phase 2 (below 50% HP): Gets dramatically faster, charges more aggressively, and fires flame scythes more rapidly. Phase 2 is where most deaths happen. Use homing weapons so you can focus entirely on dodging during Phase 2.
QWhen does Pumpking spawn in Pumpkin Moon?
Pumpking first spawns at Wave 7 of the Pumpkin Moon event. Multiple Pumpkings spawn at higher waves (2-3+ simultaneously at Wave 12+). The event starts with the Pumpkin Moon Medallion at night and ends at dawn. Drop rates scale with wave -- 1.56% at Wave 7, up to 12.5% at Wave 15. Push waves as fast as possible for better loot.
QIs Horseman's Blade worth farming from Pumpking?
Absolutely. Horseman's Blade is one of the strongest melee weapons in the game for crowd control. Every enemy you hit spawns homing pumpkin heads that deal 150 base damage and seek out nearby targets. In wave events and invasions with lots of enemies, this creates a chain reaction that clears entire screens. It also makes farming future Pumpkin Moon runs trivial -- hit the small enemies to spawn pumpkins that shred the bosses.
Stats
Appears from Wave 7 onward in the Pumpkin Moon event. Aggressive flying mini-boss with 2 attack phases.