Rune Wizard

Rune WizardHardmode exclusive

 Classic

 Expert

 Master

Statistics

Type	Undead Enemy
Environment	Cavern
AI Type	Caster AI
Damage	200/400/600 (contact) 80160240 (Rune Blast)
Max Life	600/1200/1800
Defense	30
KB Resist	70%/73%/76%
Banner	Rune Wizard Banner
Immune to

Drops

Coins	50125

• Item (Quantity)Rate
• Rune Hat
  100%
• Rune Robe
  100%

Sounds

Hurt
Killed
Attack
Teleport

• Internal NPC ID: 172

The Rune Wizard is a rare Hardmode caster-type enemy that is found in the lower Cavern layer. Upon spawning, he will proceed to fire magical Rune Blast projectiles at the player that penetrate terrain, similar to the Fire Imp's Burning Spheres. However, unlike Burning Spheres, the Rune Wizard's projectiles cannot be destroyed in any way. He will teleport to a new location after firing six projectiles, and will always drop the Rune Hat and Rune Robe upon death.

It is one of the few entities that can be detected by the Lifeform Analyzer or its upgrades.

Notes

• The Rune Wizard can only spawn below a certain depth level. This level can be determined by adding the absolute depths of the bottom of the underground layer and the bottom of the Underworld, and dividing that by 2. Due to the randomized world generation, these values will be different for every world.
  • In general, areas with lava are a good indicator of where the Rune Wizard will spawn.

Tips

• An easy way to fight the Rune Wizard is to continually attack him. This will essentially paralyze him, preventing his attacks and teleportation. Inflicting debuffs like On Fire! can be a very effective way to fight him.
  • Viable weapons for paralyzing the Rune Wizard include the Piranha Gun, weapons with a high rate of fire, like the Megashark, as well as most summoning weapons.
• Despite making no attempt to touch players as part of his attacks, the Rune Wizard inflicts extreme contact damage, enough to kill most players in around 3 hits. His projectiles deal far less damage, but he can nonetheless be very dangerous to players with weak Hardmode items, especially if he spawns in an unreachable place.
  • In Master Mode, the contact damage is often enough to instantly kill the player.
  • Due to the extreme contact damage, it is advisable to fight the Rune Wizard using long-range weapons. This may prove difficult due to the narrow caves where he spawns, however.

Trivia

• The Rune Wizard can be considered the Hardmode version of Tim. The vanity items dropped closely resemble the same items dropped by Tim. The two also have similar spawn depths, attack patterns and drop unique items only obtainable by defeating them. Also, according to the Bestiary, the Rune Wizard is Tim's older brother.
• Due to the Rune Wizard's extremely low spawn rates and its spawn location requirements, it can be considered one of the rarest enemies in the game.
• The Rune Wizard inflicts the second most contact damage of all enemies, and the fourth most damage in the game. His contact damage is as much damage as the Pirate Captain's cannonballs, Skeleton Sniper's sniper bullets and Clown's bombs, fourth to the Martian Saucer's death ray (berserk), the Dungeon Guardian, and the Empress of Light if fought during day.

The Bestiary entry for the Rune Wizard: "Tim's more powerful and much better-looking older brother. He, too, prefers the heat, but not excessively."

History

 PC version

• Desktop 1.4.4: Spawn rate increased from 1/300 to 1/200

• Desktop 1.3.5: Sprite updated.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1: Can now drop its own respective banner.

• Desktop 1.2: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.02: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.2.6508: Introduced.

Nintendo 3DS version

• 3DS-Release: Introduced.