You're sailing through the Sunken Sea, maybe hunting for some Octarine or just enjoying the blue glow of the water, when suddenly the music shifts. The screen shakes. Out of the depths comes a massive, segmented nightmare that looks like it crawled out of a Lovecraftian fever dream. That’s the Atlantean Worm. It’s not just another boss; it’s a massive gear check and a test of your patience. Honestly, if you aren't prepared, this thing will shred your boat and your health bar in about six seconds flat. It's fast.
Most players make the mistake of treating it like the Azeos or Omoroth fights where you can just tank a few hits or out-maneuver the boss with basic movement. You can't. The Atlantean Worm—formally known as Azeos the Sky Titan's oceanic equivalent in terms of progression weight—is a beast of momentum.
What is the Atlantean Worm Core Keeper encounter really about?
First off, let’s get the facts straight. The Atlantean Worm isn't a static boss you find sitting in a room waiting for you to knock on its door. It’s a wandering titan. You’ll find it patrolling the outer edges of the Sunken Sea biome. Look for the massive ripples. If you see huge disturbances in the water that look like a submarine is surfacing, that's your cue to either gear up or turn the boat around.
The boss is massive. It consists of a head, multiple body segments, and a tail. Unlike the early-game Malugaz or Glurch, you aren't just hitting a hitbox; you’re managing a collision course.
The movement is the hardest part to nail down. The worm moves in long, sweeping arcs. It doesn’t just "attack" you in the traditional sense; it is the attack. Its entire body deals massive contact damage. If you’re caught in its path, your boat—even the high-tier ones like the Speeder—will take a beating. You’ve basically got to learn to dance with it on the open water. It’s a rhythmic fight.
The gear you actually need (Don't go in naked)
Stop trying to fight this thing with a wooden boat. Just stop. You need the Speeder at a minimum if you want to stay alive. The Speeder provides the maneuverability required to dodge those tight turns the worm makes when it decides to circle back and crush you. Some people swear by the Galleon for the extra health, but honestly, if you're getting hit enough to need a Galleon's HP pool, you're probably going to die anyway. Speed is your best defense here.
Armor-wise, you’re looking at Octarine or better. If you’ve been lucky enough to delve into the Desert of Beginnings or the Crystal Biomes, bring that gear.
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- Solarite Armor: Great for the set bonus and sheer defense.
- Azeos’ Dash Feather: Essential. Even on a boat, having that extra burst of mobility can save a run.
- Ranged Weapons: Do not try to melee this thing unless you are a literal god of timing. Use the Galaxite Chakram or a high-level musket. The Phantom Spark is the gold standard here, obviously, but not everyone has the patience to grind that out before hitting the Sea Titan.
Food is another big one. You want movement speed buffs. Cook something with Spirit Fruits or Bomb Peppers. You need that "slippery" feeling where your character moves just a bit faster than the game expects. High-tier cooked fish that grant dodge chance are also a lifesaver.
Mechanics that catch people off guard
The Atlantean Worm has phases. It isn't just a "swim in circles and shoot" fight. As its health drops, it gets more aggressive. It starts making tighter turns.
One thing most players miss is the summoned adds. The worm doesn't just fight alone; it creates smaller threats that can clutter the water. If you ignore the small fry, you’ll find yourself blocked or slowed down just as the head of the worm is coming around for a pass. It’s a mess.
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Positioning is everything
You want to stay on the "inside" of its turn radius if possible, but that’s risky. The safest bet is to kite it in a massive figure-eight. If you try to run in a straight line, it will eventually catch you because it doesn't have to deal with water friction the same way your boat does.
Wait for the head to pass. Then, unload your ranged attacks into the body segments. Each segment has its own hitbox, but they all share the same health pool. This means piercing weapons are your best friend. If you can fire a projectile that passes through three or four segments at once, you’re doing triple or quadruple damage. That’s the secret. That’s how you melt the health bar before it has a chance to enrage and move at Mach 1.
Why the loot is worth the headache
Why bother? Because the drops are incredible. We're talking about the Atlantean Worm Chest, which is a massive storage upgrade. But more importantly, it drops the Soul of the Sea. This is a permanent buff to your character.
You’ll also get plenty of Ancient Gemstones and Octarine Ore, but the real prize is the sense of progression. Beating the worm feels like you've finally conquered the ocean. It’s the gateway to the late-game grind where you start feeling truly powerful.
Common Myths
- "You can trap it in a small area." No. It’s a worm. It goes through things. It ignores most player-placed obstacles or simply destroys them.
- "Melee is better for the multi-hit." Technically, if you have a spear with enough reach, you can hit multiple segments. In practice, you'll get bumped by the hitbox and die. Stick to ranged.
- "The worm only spawns in one spot." It has a patrol route. If you can't find it, sail further out. It loves the deep water.
Critical Tactics for the Enrage Phase
When the worm hits about 30% health, things get spicy. It turns redder and moves significantly faster. This is usually where the "panic" sets in and players start driving their boats into walls or islands.
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Don't panic. Keep your distance. This is the time to use your potions. If you have any Potions of Rage or Potions of Hardening, chug them. The goal here is to finish the fight as quickly as possible. Every second the worm is in its enrage state is a second where one mistake ends the fight.
Focus on the tail if the head is too dangerous to get near. Since the whole body shares health, hitting the tail is just as effective as hitting the face, and it’s much safer. Just watch out for the tail-whip movements that happen during sharp turns.
Actionable Next Steps
To get this done tonight, follow this exact sequence:
- Craft 200+ Galaxite Slugs or high-end arrows. You do not want to run out of ammo mid-fight.
- Cook 10+ "Luminous Wraps" (or any food combining a glow-tulip/fruit with a movement speed ingredient).
- Clear a large area of the Sunken Sea. Get rid of those annoying small islands or crab nests that might get in your way. You need a "boss arena" that is basically just open ocean.
- Repair your Speeder. Entering this fight with a damaged boat is a death wish.
- Locate the ripples. Stay at the edge of the ripple zone until you are fully buffed, then dive in.
The Atlantean Worm is a wall, but once you break through it, the rest of the Sunken Sea becomes your playground. Just keep your boat moving and your fingers away from the "stop" button. If you stop moving for even a second, it’s game over. Stay fast, stay ranged, and keep those piercing shots flying through as many segments as you can line up. It'll go down eventually.