The Corruption

A view of the Corruption

A typical structure of a corruption on a large map. Vertical chasms and horizontal caves are clearly visible (TEdit)

The Corruption is a biome characterized by purple "corrupted" Grass and Trees, and hazards like Eater of Souls, Devourers, and Thorny Bush growth. New players will want to avoid The Corruption prior to acquiring better equipment (generally Silver or Gold Armor, Weapons and Tools). Corruption features a dark background with limited daylight, and unique theme music.

The Corruption area that generates initially with the World is home to Chasms that lead to Shadow Orbs and Demon Altars. Chasms represent an additional hazard to players due to Fall Damage, and players without a climbing aide like the Grappling Hook will have a tough or impossible time climbing out of them, should they survive the fall. Chasms are lined with Ebonstone, which can only be mined with mid- to end-game tools.

Corruption can also spread to areas not initially infected, and can be seeded by the player in new locations using Corrupt Seeds. Chasms, Shadow Orbs, and Demon Altars will not spawn in Corruption that has formed this way. Corruption enemies like the Eater of Souls, as well as Thorny Bushes, will spawn in spread or seeded Corruption. If enough Corruption takes hold in a new area, it will begin to feature the Corruption theme music and background.

Purification Powder can be used on corrupted blocks to turn them into their regular counterparts. "Purified" blocks can still become Corrupted again afterwards.

Contents

The Corruption
Enemies	Unique treasures	Unique drops
Corrupt Goldfish Piranha Eater of Souls Devourer Eater of Worlds (boss) In Hardmode: Corruptor Slimer Corrupt Slime Slimeling (from Corrupt Slime) World Feeder Corrupted Desert: Dark Mummy	From Shadow Orbs: Ball O' Hurt Band of Starpower Musket Musket Ball Orb of Light (item) Vilethorn	Rotten Chunk (from the Devourer, Eater of Souls, and Corruptor) Worm Tooth (from the Devourer) Dark Shard (from Dark Mummies) From vegetation: Vile Mushroom Deathweed Corrupt Seeds (Blood Moon only) From the terrain: Ebonstone Block Ebonsand Block

Spread

In normal mode (pre-Hardmode worlds), corruption can spread, but only under limited conditions:

• Corrupt grass can spread in a manner similar to normal grass, converting adjacent Dirt tiles with at least one side open to air (only in the Surface Layer).
• Corrupt grass can also displace normal grass, unless the grass has a Sunflower planted on it.
• Corrupt grass may sprout Thorny Bushes, which can spread corrupt grass according to the same rules.

Naturally-occurring corruption will often be halted by various natural barriers (stone, desert, etc.) before it is even discovered, but care should be taken when creating an artificial corruption biome that it does not spread further than intended.

Hardmode

Once the Wall of Flesh is defeated, a world enters Hardmode. New areas of Corruption and Hallow are immediately created that extend from the Underworld up to the Surface, sometimes intersecting existing Corruption. Corruption begins spawning more dangerous enemies, such as the Corruptor, and underground, the Clinger.

Corruption converting the jungle (TEdit)

Corruption spreads much more aggressively once the world is in hardmode:

• Grass can still be converted to corrupt grass, and corrupt grass can cover new dirt as in regular mode.
• Mud can now be converted into dirt.
• Jungle grass can also be converted into corrupt grass (changing the underlying block type to dirt).
• Stone can be converted to ebonstone.
• Sand can be converted to ebonsand.
• Sunflowers no longer block the corruption, and will be uprooted if the grass they are planted in is corrupted.
• Corrupt grass is still limited to the Surface Layer, but ebonstone and ebonsand can spread through any depth.
• Blocks that are up to three squares away from an existing corrupt block can be converted (even if incorruptible blocks are in the way).

Corruption does not spread through other materials, even natural materials like clay and snow. Silt can be converted as part of the initial burst when you first defeat the Wall of Flesh, but not at other times.

In order to stop the spread of Corruption in Hardmode, the player must create a gap of at least three tiles containing empty space or non-corruptible blocks. Hallow blocks will also stop the spread of Corruption, but will spawn its own hazards as well.

Corrupted Desert

In Hardmode, Corruption spreads through Deserts, transforming it into Corrupted Desert. It is very similar to The Corruption: The theme music is the same, and enemies are the same, with the addition of Dark Mummies.

Sand is replaced by Ebonsand. Although their color is different, cacti still drop ordinary cactus when cut. Waterleaf is not able to grow in corrupted deserts.

Notes

• When you cut trees in The Corruption they will only drop wood, not acorns.
• Unlike most other biomes, Zombies and Demon Eyes may spawn within The Corruption.
• An artificial Corruption biome requires at least 200 corrupted blocks, such as Ebonstone or corrupted dirt.

History

• 1.1:
  • Corruption spreads through Sand and Stone, and will slowly turn Mud to Dirt after the Wall of Flesh is destroyed. This allows it to spread into the Cavern layer.
  • An artificial Corruption biome now only requires 200 Ebonstone blocks instead of 500 blocks.
  • Now have own specific background.
• 1.0.6:
  • Thorny Bushes in growing from Corruption are now destroyed on contact with the player.
  • The Corruption's music has been changed.
• 1.0.5:
  • Corruption areas now have cave systems connecting many of the chasms.
  • Small to medium deposits of Demonite Ore can now be found when exploring the chasms.
• 1.0.4: Number of chasms generated in the world is decreased, but each chasm now has 100% chance to spawn a Shadow Orb.
• Pre-Release: Introduced.