Bubble Crab
Location: Sunken Sea Biome
Attacks: Ranged bubble attack
The Bubble Crab is probably one of the first enemies you’ll encounter in the Sunken Sea biome, but don’t expect a warm welcome. This naughty crustacean is quick to attack any Explorers that cross its path. Keeping your distance can help, but the Bubble Crab does boast a ranged attack that you’ll want to watch out for – as the name suggests, it shoots a flurry of bubbles from its mouth. Not only do these bubbles deal damage, but they also apply the slippery effect to the player, making your movement much less manageable!
Here’s a fun fact, the Bubble Crab was inspired by one of Julian, our Lead Artist’s, concepts for a four-legged insect that could have appeared in Azeos’ Wilderness. This design eventually got repurposed for the Sunken Sea biome, but you can see the concept art for the early design below.
Tentacle
Location: Sunken Sea Biome (water only)
Attacks: Uses jellyfish as projectiles, and will strike the player if you get too close
By now, you’ll probably be familiar with the Mold Tentacles in the Mold Dungeon, and we’re sure you’ve enjoyed their pesky attacks. Well, we’re pleased to report that there’s another species of Tentacle native to the Sunken Sea biome, and it is just as friendly and fun to deal with (we really hope that our sarcasm is coming through here).
The Tentacles within the Sunken Sea biome can be found in the water only…but that doesn’t mean that you’re entirely safe once you’re on land, as these naughty creatures have been known to hug the shores and shoot jellyfish for a frustrating ranged attack. They’re also prepared to strike Explorers that get a little too close for comfort, and will take a whack even when you’re just passing by in your boat! While they’re not particularly hardy, they are a nuisance, and they can be a real problem when several band together in the same area.
Blue Slime
Location: Sunken Sea Biome
Attacks: Melee only
Like the passive Orange Slime, the aggressive Red Slime, and the poison Purple Slime, the Blue Slime has one primary method of attack: tackling any Explorers that get too close. These Slimes are native to the Sunken Sea Biome and will attack on sight, dealing damage and applying the slippery effect on its enemies for roughly 10 seconds. They also leave behind Slippery Ground Slime that has the same effect on the player’s movement. While they’re not too difficult to defeat, as they’re relatively easy to dodge, we advise you to watch out for groups of Blue Slimes and make sure you don’t find yourselves backed into any corners.
Caveling Scholar
Location: Forlorn Metropolis
Attacks: Melee and ranged using a staff
Caveling Scholars are a much more advanced version of the Cavelings you may have encountered in the past. They dwell in the Forlorn Metropolis and provide a slightly more accurate representation of Caveling society than the isolated and primitive Cavelings you can find in the Forgotten Ruins.
Much like the Caveling Shaman, Caveling Scholars use a staff as their weapon of choice, and they can make both a melee and ranged attack with this. While the Shaman shoots a ball of fire, the Scholar shoots a ball of pure energy at the player, and this attack packs a serious punch. It’s not just the Scholar’s attacks you need to be wary of, though, as this Caveling also has the ability to heal other Scholars and its Core Sentry companions.
Core Sentry
Location: Forlorn Metropolis
Attacks: Energy shockwaves (ranged) and a nasty kick!
You wouldn’t be blamed for mistaking the Core Sentry for a statue at first, as these giant golems fit in nicely with the décor of the Forlorn Metropolis. In fact, you may even come across an inactive Sentry first and let your guard down, only to be spooked when one of these statues suddenly springs to life further into the Metropolis.
Core Sentries were built as powerful guards, designed to protect the Forlorn Metropolis and all who dwelled within it. These stone automatons have continued with their duties long after the collapse of the Caveling society. They typically shoot three energy balls at a time – and these can break through any destructibles that an Explorer may be taking cover behind – making dodging their attacks a lot more challenging. Taking them on in melee combat is also dangerous, as a Core Sentry won’t think twice before kicking you!
Shrooman
Location: The Dirt Biome
Attacks: With an adorable charge
Have you come across any patches of Fungal Soil in the Dirt Biome lately? You might be thinking you’ve hit a mushroom gold mine here, but watch out. If you go mushroom picking, a mushroom might just try to pick a fight with you! The Shrooman is a brand-new enemy introduced to the Dirt biome following The Sunken Sea Update. This enemy wasn’t originally planned, but after we created the Fungal Soil Ground Cover to help players farm mushrooms, we thought it would be fun for this terrain to also spawn little mushroom people too!
Shrooman are possibly one of the cutest enemies in Core Keeper, and their clumsy charge attacks make it hard to find them particularly threatening. These critters are aggressive and will attack you the minute you cross their paths, but they find it difficult to change their trajectory once they start moving, so a well-timed dodge makes them easy to avoid. They’ll crop up wherever there’s Fungal Soil, so you may want to dig it up if you find there are too many Shrooman spawning near your base in the Dirt biome.
And there you have it, Explorers! A whole new batch of baddies for you to tackle. Of course, there are also two new bosses hidden away in the Sunken Sea biome, and we may touch upon Morpha and Omoroth in another boss-exclusive Steam post later on. Until then, why not discuss your enemy defeating strategies over on the Core Keeper Discord?
