Ballista sentry summons

The Ballista Rod, Cane, and Staff are special sentry summon weapons that summon a Ballista sentry minion at the point clicked. Each Ballista sentry is a large automated crossbow device on the ground that fires piercing spears at approaching enemies. The Rod is sold by the Tavernkeep for 5 Defender Medals, the Cane for 25, and the Staff for 100.

The Rod is always available. The Cane becomes available after defeating one Mechanical Boss, and the Staff becomes available after defeating Golem. The three different versions cause an identical effect, but with varying statistics, with the Staff being the most expensive and the most powerful.

These weapons can only be used outside of the Old One's Army event after the event has been successfully completed. Completing the event on any difficulty allows Rods, Canes, and Staves alike to be used outside of the event, and sets a hidden attribute for both the world it was completed on and the character who completed it. Any characters, including newly made ones, who visit that world may then use Rods, Canes, and Staves on any world. The character who completed the event may also use Rods, Canes, and Staves on any world.

During the Old One's Army event, Etherian Mana can be collected, which allows the placement of multiple Ballistas that remain permanently until the event is over. Etherian Mana cannot be used outside the event.

Its best Modifier is Ruthless. The Mythical modifier presents a wider array of stat bonuses, but most of these apply to the initial summoning, and not to the resulting Ballista. Additionally, Minions cannot deal critical hits. The only significant advantage the Mythical modifier has over Ruthless is in knockback.

Ballista sentries are boosted by the Squire armor and Valhalla Knight armor set bonuses, which grant Ballista Panic! when the player takes damage. Ballista Panic! doubles the fire rate of Ballista sentries for 3 seconds after taking damage.

Right clicking an enemy or near the enemy will make the Ballista Sentry target that enemy. When targeted, the enemy will have a purple glow around it. The purple glow will be caused even if the sentry is not summoned.

The Ballista fires instantly after its attack cooldown ends. This also means it will attack instantly on being summoned. Rapid summoning will dramatically increase its natural firing rate at the cost of high mana consumption, as an alternative to taking damage to reduce the attack cooldown. This style of usage can be effective against mobs that are too powerful to die to a single shot, and can be useful in boss fights as long as there are suitable placement options.

Tips

 * Since the Ballista fires as soon as it is summoned, it can be made to rapidly fire via re-summoning it repeatedly while outside of the Old One's Army Event.
 * Despite piercing it doesn't add invincibility frames.