Pre-Hardmode Events Complete Guide
Blood Moon, Goblin Invasion, Slime Rain, Meteor, Old One's Army & Frost Legion
Events Overview
Pre-hardmode events are special occurrences that can happen during your early game progression. They spawn unique enemies, drop exclusive loot, and test your combat readiness before you face the Wall of Flesh. Understanding these events is essential for gearing up efficiently.
Events provide some of the best pre-hardmode accessories and weapons. The Shark Tooth Necklace, Money Trough, Meteor armor set, and Goblin Tinkerer NPC are all gated behind events. Mastering these encounters gives you a significant edge going into hardmode.
Blood Moon
A nighttime event where enemy spawn rates skyrocket and unique enemies appear. Zombie variants can open doors.
Random 1/9 chance each night (requires at least one player with >120 HP)
Goblin Invasion
An army of Goblin warriors attacks your spawn point. Defeating them unlocks the Goblin Tinkerer NPC.
Random chance after smashing a Shadow Orb/Crimson Heart, or summoned with Goblin Battle Standard
Slime Rain
Slimes fall from the sky continuously. Killing 150 slimes spawns King Slime.
Random 1/480,000 chance per game tick, or after killing 150 slimes
Meteorite
A meteorite crashes into the world surface, creating a biome of Meteorite ore that deals contact damage.
50% chance each midnight after breaking a Shadow Orb/Crimson Heart
Old One's Army
A wave-defense event where you protect the Eternia Crystal from enemy portals.
Manually started by placing an Eternia Crystal on the Eternia Crystal Stand
Frost Legion
An invasion of hostile snowmen summoned by the Snow Globe item. Features three unique snowman enemies with ranged attacks.
Summoned by using a Snow Globe (dropped by Presents during Christmas, or from Hardmode enemies)Blood Moon
Zombie (variants)
Increased spawn rate, can open doors during Blood Moon
Blood Zombie
Blood Moon exclusive. Drops Shark Tooth Necklace (1/200) and Money Trough (1/200)
Drippler
Blood Moon exclusive. Also drops Shark Tooth Necklace and Money Trough
The Groom
Rare Blood Moon enemy. Drops the Top Hat vanity item
The Bride
Rare Blood Moon enemy. Drops the Wedding Dress vanity set
Corrupt/Crimtane Bunny
Passive animals turn hostile during Blood MoonKey rewards: Money Trough (portable piggy bank, 1/200 from Blood Zombie/Drippler), Shark Tooth Necklace (+5 armor penetration, 1/200 from Blood Zombie/Drippler), KO Cannon (melee flail weapon, 1/1000 from Blood Zombie). The Shark Tooth Necklace is one of the best pre-hardmode accessories for any class.
Goblin Invasion
The Goblin Invasion is covered in detail in our dedicated Goblin Invasion guide. It features waves of Goblin Peons, Goblin Thieves, Goblin Warriors, Goblin Sorcerers, and Goblin Archers that attack your spawn point. The invasion requires defeating about 120 goblins (+ 40 per additional player).
After defeating your first Goblin Invasion, the Goblin Tinkerer NPC can be found tied up in the Cavern layer. He provides the Tinkerer's Workshop, which is essential for combining accessories. This is one of the most important NPCs in the entire game and is the primary reason to complete this event.
For a detailed Goblin system guide including the Goblin Tinkerer and reforging, see our dedicated Goblin Guide.Slime Rain
Slime Rain has a 1/480,000 chance of starting each game tick (1/300 each day, approximately). Various slime types fall from the sky, including Green, Blue, Purple, and Pinky slimes. After killing 150 slimes during the event, King Slime will spawn. If King Slime is already defeated, only 75 kills are needed.
King Slime is a relatively easy boss that drops the Slime Hook, Slimy Saddle, Ninja Armor vanity set, and the Solidifier crafting station. There is also a rare chance to get the Slime Staff (1/10,000 from normal slimes, 1/7,000 from Pinky), one of the few pre-hardmode summoner weapons.
Meteorite
After breaking a Shadow Orb or Crimson Heart, there is a 50% chance each midnight that a meteorite will land somewhere on the world surface. Only one meteorite can fall per Orb/Heart broken, and it requires at least one night to pass. The meteorite creates a Meteorite biome where Meteor Heads spawn.
Meteorite ore deals contact damage when touched, similar to Hellstone. Use Bombs or Dynamite for safe mining, or equip an Obsidian Skull/Obsidian Shield to negate the burning damage. You need 45 Meteorite ore to prevent Meteor Head spawns in the area.
Meteorite Bar
Crafted from 3 Meteorite ore at a Furnace. Used to craft all Meteor-tier items.
Space Gun
Magic weapon. Costs 0 mana with full Meteor armor. Piercing projectile.
Meteor Armor
Set bonus: Space Gun costs 0 mana. Provides +21% magic damage.
Star Cannon
Extremely powerful ranged weapon that uses Fallen Stars as ammo.
Phaseblade
Melee weapon crafted with Meteorite Bars and gems. Upgraded to Phasesaber in Hardmode.The Meteor armor set (Meteorite Bars crafted from Meteorite ore at a Furnace) grants the set bonus of reducing Space Gun mana cost to 0. This makes the Space Gun + Meteor Armor combo one of the strongest pre-hardmode magic loadouts with unlimited ammo.
Old One's Army
The Old One's Army is a unique wave-defense event available once the Eater of Worlds or Brain of Cthulhu has been defeated. Purchase the Eternia Crystal Stand (25 silver) and Eternia Crystal (25 silver) from the Tavernkeep NPC, who spawns after the aforementioned boss is defeated.
Place the Eternia Crystal Stand on a flat surface and then place the Crystal on it. Enemies spawn from portals on both sides and march toward the crystal. If the crystal is destroyed, the event fails. Tier 1 (pre-hardmode) consists of 5 waves with relatively weak enemies including Etherian Goblins, Etherian Wyverns, and Dark Mages.
Tier 1 rewards include Defender Medals (currency for buying Tavernkeep items), and the Dark Mage boss can drop the War Table, Tome of Infinite Wisdom, and various Apprentice/Huntress/Monk/Squire armor sets. The event is repeatable for farming medals.
Frost Legion
The Frost Legion is a snowman-themed invasion event summoned by using the Snow Globe item. Unlike most pre-hardmode events, the Snow Globe is obtained from Presents opened during the Christmas season (December 15–31) or can drop from certain enemies. The invasion sends waves of hostile snowmen to attack your spawn point.
The Frost Legion consists of three enemy types: Snowman Gangsta (ranged attacker with a tommy gun), Mister Stabby (melee attacker with a knife), and Snow Balla (ranged attacker that throws snowballs). The invasion progresses similarly to the Goblin Invasion, requiring you to defeat a set number of enemies to complete it. All three enemies have moderate health and deal decent damage, making crowd control weapons effective.
Snowman Gangsta
Ranged attacker with a tommy gun. Fires rapidly at players from a distance.
Mister Stabby
Melee attacker with a knife. Charges at players for close-range damage.
Snow Balla
Ranged attacker that throws snowballs. Moderate damage with slight knockback.Defeating the Frost Legion unlocks the Santa Claus NPC during the Christmas season (December 15–January 1). The enemies drop Snow Blocks and can rarely drop the Frost armor crafting materials in Hardmode. While the direct loot is modest in pre-hardmode, completing this event at least once is recommended for the NPC unlock and achievement.
Preparation
Arena
Build flat arenas near your spawn point with Campfires, Heart Lanterns, and multiple platform layers. Blood Moons and Goblin Invasions happen at your base.
Potions
Stock up on Ironskin Potions, Regeneration Potions, Swiftness Potions, and Thorns Potions. Bring a stack of Lesser/Regular Healing Potions.
Weapons
Upgrade to at least Gold/Platinum-tier weapons before your first event. A ranged weapon with piercing (e.g., Jester Arrows) is excellent for crowd control.
NPCs
Have the Nurse nearby for emergency healing. Place the Arms Dealer and Dryad close for ammo purchases and the Dryad's blessing buff.
Summary
Blood Moon and Goblin Invasion are the most rewarding events - prioritize getting their drops early.
Break Shadow Orbs/Crimson Hearts as soon as possible to trigger Meteorite landings and unlock Goblin Invasions.
The Space Gun + Meteor Armor combo trivializes most pre-hardmode content with its zero mana cost.
Always keep your spawn area well-lit and fortified - most events center on your base location.
The Goblin Tinkerer is arguably the most important NPC unlock in all of pre-hardmode. Complete the invasion early.
Expert Tip
Blood Moon fishing yields unique catches like the Chum Caster and Blood Rain Bow. Always keep a fishing rod handy during Blood Moons!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I trigger a Blood Moon?
Blood Moons have a 1-in-9 chance of occurring on any night when at least one player has more than 120 HP. You can also force one using a Bloody Tear, which is crafted from 5 Vertebrae at a Crimson Altar (or found in Blood Moon fishing).
What does the Goblin Invasion drop?
The Goblin Invasion drops the Harpoon, Spiky Balls, and rare banners. More importantly, defeating it allows the Goblin Tinkerer NPC to spawn underground, who sells the Tinkerer's Workshop — essential for combining accessories.
Are Pre-Hardmode events worth farming?
Yes, especially Blood Moon (for fishing unique catches like the Chum Caster and Blood Rain Bow) and Goblin Invasion (to unlock the Goblin Tinkerer). Slime Rain gives King Slime loot which is good early on. Old One's Army grants unique sentries.