The Buried Champion

The Buried Champion is a boss fought in the Marble Caves. Powerful Pre-Hardmode equipment is recommended, as the attacks of the boss can be incredibly punishing.

While The Buried Champion is alive, the vanilla track Boss 5 will play.

Spawn
The Buried Champion does not spawn on its own and must be summoned by the player by killing a Bizarre Rock Formation, which spawns rarely in the Marble Caves after defeating Skeletron.

Alternatively, the player may summon this boss with an Ancient Blade while they are in the Marble Caves, the Ancient Blade won't work if there is a Bizarre Rock Formation in the area.

Behavior
The Buried Champion assaults the players with a variety of attacks, with different mechanics to worry about every time it loses a third of its total health.

Attacks

 * While above 66% life, The Buried Champion attacks with a blade.
 * The Buried Champion hovers a distance from the player, releasing quick slashes of wind horizontally for high damage.
 * The Buried Champion pauses in place, then either swoops over the target player, or quickly charges at the player. It resumes its attacks from the other side.
 * The Buried Champion periodically summons a golden circle below the player that tracks their movements, before stopping and creating a barrage of daggers from below.


 * While between 66% and 33% life, The Buried Champion attacks with a bow.
 * The Buried Champion hovers a distance from the player, rapidly firing normal arrows at the player horizontally that are able to pass through blocks. Once brought below 50% life, its fire rate significantly increases.
 * The Buried Champion pauses in place, then fires a trio of elemental arrows towards the player's position.
 * The ice arrow inflicts Chilled and has a chance to inflict Frozen.
 * The poison arrow inflicts Poisoned and Weak.
 * The fire arrow inflicts On Fire!.
 * The Buried Champion sweeps above the player, firing off a volley of falling arrows onto the target player.


 * While below 33% life, The Buried Champion attacks with a staff.
 * The Buried Champion summons a Fallen Champion, that attacks using the same pattern as its blade phase. The Fallen Champion cannot be damaged by normal means.
 * The Buried Champion hovers a distance from the player, firing off volatile Magical Bursts horizontally, that explodes into several smaller projectiles upon tile contact.
 * The Buried Champion pauses in place, then fires three special Magical Bursts towards the player's position. If a player hits these bursts with a broadsword, they will be reflected back towards the boss or Fallen Champion, dealing damage to them on impact; the Fallen Champion can take exactly three reflected hits before dying. These bursts will have sword symbols above them to indicate their vulnerability.

In Expert Mode
 * While below 33% life, The Buried Champion summons an additional Fallen Champion, that attacks using the same pattern as its bow phase.

Aftermath

 * Defeating The Buried Champion for the first time will allow the Spiritualist to arrive if provided suitable housing.
 * Once defeated, the Cobbler will start selling Spartan Sandals.

Tips

 * Like the Star Scouter and Granite Energy Storm, the boss can prove to be challenging to unprepared players. An arena, potions and later Pre-Hardmode equipment is highly recommended.