You’re wandering through the Forgotten Ruins, dodging Caveling Shamans and trying not to get toasted by stray fireballs, when you stumble upon that suspicious-looking throne room. If you’ve played Core Keeper, you know exactly the one. It’s grand, it’s eerie, and it’s the home of Malugaz the Corrupted. He isn't just another boss you can face-tank while eating a snack. Honestly, he’s a massive reality check for players who think they’ve mastered the game's combat loop after beating the first three Great Walls bosses.
Malugaz is a jerk. Let’s just put that out there. He’s fast, he teleports, and he turns the entire arena into a literal floor-is-lava simulator. But he’s also one of the most rewarding fights in the early-to-mid game because of the loot he drops—specifically the Blue Leather and the Skull Necklace. If you’re trying to optimize a magic build or just want to prove you’ve got the reflexes, you need to take him down.
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Finding the Ritual: It’s Not Just Luck
You can’t just walk up and slap him. First, you have to summon him. This involves finding the Throne Room within the Forgotten Ruins biome. It’s usually tucked away in a stone-walled sub-biome. Once you find the spot, you’ll notice a distinct circular pattern on the floor. To get him to show up, you need a Skull of the Corrupted.
Making this thing is a bit of a chore. You’ll need 10 Crystal Skull Shards, which drop from Caveling Shamans and Brutes. Once you have the shards, you combine them in your inventory to create the skull. Place that bad boy on the ritual circle, and the music shifts. That's your cue to start sweating.
The First Phase: Fire and Frustration
The fight starts with Malugaz in his "humanoid" form. He’s basically a high-speed pyromaniac. He has two main moves here that will ruin your day if you aren't paying attention. First, he throws fireballs. These aren't just slow-moving projectiles; they have a bit of weight to them and travel fast. Second, and more importantly, he teleports.
He loves to blink right next to you, drop a pillar of fire, and then vanish before you can land a hit. The floor starts filling up with persistent fire tiles almost immediately. If you don't have enough movement speed, you'll find yourself cornered very quickly.
Pro tip: Bring a shovel or a hoe. No, seriously. You can actually "dig" up the fire tiles to clear a path, though it’s hard to do while he's shooting at you. A better bet is to use the Swift Feather for dashes or just stack up on movement speed buffs from food. Hearty Pepper Wraps (Hearty Pepper + Mushman) are a godsend here.
The Second Phase: When Things Get Weird
Once you deplete his first health bar, Malugaz doesn't die. He sheds his robes and turns into a flaming shadow-beast. This phase is much more aggressive. He stops playing the "ranged mage" game and starts chasing you down like a heat-seeking missile.
His melee swings are heavy. They deal significant physical and fire damage. The good news? He stops teleporting as much. The bad news? He moves way faster on his feet. The strategy here shifts from "dodging projectiles" to "kiting for your life." If you’re a melee player, this is where the fight gets risky. You have to bait out his swing, step back, and then punish him during the brief recovery window.
The Gear You Actually Need
Don't go in there with copper armor and a prayer. You’ll get melted. At a minimum, you want Iron Armor, but Scarlet Armor is significantly better if you’ve managed to break into the Azeos’ Wilderness biome already.
- Ranged Options: The Iron Bow is fine, but the Musket is better for raw damage if you can time the slow reload. Magic users should look at the Fireball Staff or the Scepter, though using fire against a fire boss feels a bit redundant.
- Melee Options: The Iron Sword works, but if you’ve found a Battle Axe, the extra reach helps stay out of his immediate "burn zone."
- Off-hand: The Shield is okay, but honestly, the Swift Feather is the MVP. Being able to dash through a fireball or out of a fire pillar is worth more than blocking 30% of the damage.
Food is the secret sauce. You want buffs that stack. Eat something that gives you fire resistance—look for Blue Cave Guppies. Mix them with something like a Rock Turtle to get a defense boost. You want to be as tanky and fast as possible. If you can get your fire resistance high enough, the floor tiles become a minor annoyance rather than a death sentence.
Why Bother? The Loot Table
People farm Malugaz for a reason. He’s the primary source of Blue Leather, which is a vital crafting ingredient for higher-tier magic armor sets like the Blue Elder set.
He also drops the Skull Necklace and the Skull Ring. When worn together, these give you a set bonus that reduces the damage you take from bosses. It’s one of the best defensive sets in the game for mid-tier progression. If you’re lucky, you might even snag the Ritual Dagger, which is a fast-hitting melee weapon that scales well with crit builds.
Misconceptions About the Fight
A lot of players think you need to clear the entire room of pillars and debris before starting. While it helps to have space, Malugaz's own attacks will destroy most of the environment anyway. Don't waste twenty minutes terraforming the arena. Just clear enough space so you don't get stuck on a corner.
Another myth is that you can "cheese" him by standing outside the room. The developers fixed most of those exploits. If you try to leash him too far, he’ll just reset, and you’ll have wasted a Skull of the Corrupted. Fight him fair, or don't fight him at all.
Survival Tactics for Solo Players
If you're playing solo, the pressure is entirely on you. The best way to manage the chaos is to move in a wide circle around the perimeter of the room. This keeps the fire tiles concentrated on the edges, leaving the center relatively clear for when you need to dodge a big attack.
Never stand still for more than a second. Even when you're attacking, be prepared to tap that dash button. Malugaz has a "tell" before he teleports—a slight purple shimmer. When you see that, stop swinging and start moving. He’s likely about to appear right behind you.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Attempt
- Farm 10 Crystal Skull Shards from the Forgotten Ruins. Check the stone houses; Shamans love hanging out there.
- Cook for Success. Combine a Blue Cave Guppy with a Hearty Pepper. This gives you fire resistance and movement speed. It’s the perfect counter to his kit.
- Upgrade to Scarlet. If you’re struggling, go to the Wilderness first. Get some Scarlet Ore, craft the armor, and come back. The extra defense makes the fight feel 50% easier.
- Clear a Path. Before summoning, break the torches and decorative pillars in the throne room. You don't want to get stuck on a piece of furniture while a fireball is screaming toward your face.
- Focus on Phase Two. Save your healing potions for the second phase. The first phase is predictable, but the second phase is chaotic. You’ll likely take some unavoidable hits when he starts lunging.
- Use the Swift Feather. Practice your dash timing. Dashing through his fireballs is often safer than trying to outrun them.
Take these steps, and Malugaz goes from a wall to a speed bump. Good luck down there—you're going to need that Blue Leather for what's coming next.