Guide:Brimstone Elemental strategies

The Brimstone Elemental is a Hardmode boss that is usually fought after defeating a Mechanical Boss. Additionally, after defeating Providence, the Profaned Goddess, the Brimstone Elemental receives a buff and begins to drop Bloodstone. The Brimstone Elemental can be spawned by using a Charred Idol in the Brimstone Crag biome.

This guide will mention items exclusive to Expert and Revengeance Mode with no special formatting and will follow the intended progression.

Terrain Preparation
This fight requires a lot of space to easily avoid the Brimstone Elemental’s attacks. Leaving the Brimstone Crag will cause the Brimstone Elemental to enrage, so it’s extremely important to stay within the biome. Since the Brimstone Crag isn’t just limited to the Underworld, you can have additional space by digging out the area above you, around 100 blocks up works. Brimstone Slag can be mined at this point if you have an Adamantite or Titanium Pickaxe. Alternatively, actuators can be used to pass though the slag. Three rows of platforms is usually enough. Have them be spaced out in-between the area that you’ve hollowed out. The Brimstone Crag in the underworld is home to various house structures, mining or actuating them works to clear them out. The width of your arena will vary based on world size, but having your arena extend the length of the Brimstone Crag is not a bad idea.

Armor

 * Titanium armor is an all-around good option for Melee, Ranged, and Mages due to its high survivability from Shadow Dodge.
 * Hallowed armor can also be utilized for extra damage.
 * Spider armor is generally preferred for Summoners due to the high damage bonuses for minions.
 * Daedalus armor is a well-rounded armor set for all classes.

Accessories

 * Flame Wings and Frozen Wings are the best wings available to the player at this point, and should be prioritized.
 * A Frog Leg can be utilized with wings to give an extra boost to movement speed and vertical motion.
 * The MOAB can also be used but is generally more difficult to use effectively during this fight.
 * The Aero Stone can be used in conjunction with the MOAB to boost the effectiveness of each jump.
 * Frostspark Boots are a necessity for keeping up with the Brimstone Elemental’s speed.
 * The Evasion Scarf and the Shield of Cthulhu can be used to make quick dashes to escape deadly situations.
 * The Crown Jewel can be used to help reduce the effects of Brimstone Flames.
 * The Margarita drink can halve the duration of the debuffs the Brimstone Elemental inflicts at the cost of some defense and life regeneration.
 * Lava Waders may work to your advantage in this fight if Lava isn’t completely covered.
 * Note that Water Walking Boots and Obsidian Water Walking Boots do not allow you to walk on lava.
 * Water Walking Potion is a cheap alternative to Lava Waders as well as saving an accessory slot.
 * Melee players should use the Bloody Worm Scarf for its strong melee boosts as well as increased damage reduction.
 * If the player is utilizing Yoyos, then the Yoyo Bag should be prioritized.
 * Ranged players should use the Ranger Emblem to help in boosting damage output.
 * Magic players should use the Mana Flower and the Celestial Cuffs to quickly recover mana.
 * Summoners can boost their minion damage with the Summoner Emblem and the Spirit Glyph.
 * Rogue users will find the Rogue Emblem and the Raider's Talisman useful to boost their damage output.

Weapons

 * It is sometimes preferable to fight the other bosses at this tier in progression to have a much wider array of options, some of which are listed below.

Melee

 * The Ark of the Ancients' range and high DPS should make the fight fairly straight-forward for Melee users.
 * The Submarine Shocker is an extremely powerful option that deals colossal amounts of damage.
 * Darklight Greatsword has decent DPS which can spike if the split projectiles connect, especially during Phase 2.
 * Though Roxcalibur lacks the range to consistently hit during faster phases, it can deal massive amounts of damage during Phase 1, namely during her Brimstone Ray attack.
 * Shimmerspark can also be utilized due to its decent range and falling stars.
 * The Bonebreaker also does decent damage, especially when close range.

Ranged

 * The Barinautical is an extremely powerful option that can deal massive damage to the Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Daedalus Stormbow can deal good damage to the Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Darkecho Greatbow is also a viable option for this fight.
 * The Megashark and the Butcher can deal decent damage to the Brimstone Elemental when paired with Ichor Bullets.
 * The Sea's Searing (Legendary item) is an effective and powerful option for this fight. However, it may be difficult to obtain due to its rarity.
 * Bows should be paired with Holy Arrows.

Mage

 * The Relic of Ruin is an excellent homing option that can garner massive DPS.
 * Poseidon is another overall good choice dealing solid damage due to its homing and piercing typhoons.
 * The Death Valley Duster can deal good damage to the Brimstone Elemental, but it requires the player getting extremely close to her.
 * The Nimbus Rod can be used to gain extra DPS on the Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Shadecrystal Barrage deals decent damage to the Brimstone Elemental due to its high fire rate.
 * A Golden Shower can be used to inflict Ichor onto the Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Ion Blaster can decimate the boss's health, provided you can manage your mana effectively.

Summoner

 * The Ancient Ice Chunk, the Black Hawk Remote, or the Forgotten Apex Wand are all extremely effective at dealing damage to the Brimstone Elemental and her summons.
 * The Mounted Scanner tends to have the highest DPS, however it requires you to have defeated Skeletron Prime first.
 * The Orthocera Shell can provide additional DPS to your minions.
 * The Shellfish Staff can latch onto the Brimstone Elemental to deal powerful damage over time.
 * The Caustic Staff can be used for debuffing the Brimstone Elemental with several different effects.
 * If in Revengeance Mode, the Cold Divinity is the best possible summon for maximum DPS. However, as this is a Legendary item, its drop chance is very low.

Rogue

 * The Gacruxian Mollusk is another powerful option, dealing high amounts of damage.
 * The Prismalline can deal good damage to the Brimstone Elemental due to its high damage.
 * The Kelvin Catalyst has a very high damage output during the laser phase if you can get relatively close to the Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Spear of Paleolith deals decent damage towards the Brimstone Elemental due to its Fossil Shards.
 * Skyfin Bombers are extremely viable thanks to their high damage output.

Classless

 * A Lunic Eye and a Golden Gun can make the fight easier to bear due to their powerful debuffs.

Miscellaneous

 * The Well Fed buff provides a useful all-around stat boost.

Armor
Tarragon armor is the preferred choice for all classes. However, Lunar armors will work just as well.
 * Solar Flare armor for Melee
 * Vortex armor for Ranged
 * Nebula armor for Mage
 * Stardust armor for Summoner
 * Empyrean armor for Rogue

Accessories

 * Tarragon Wings (with Angel Treads) or Seraph Tracers are the preferred wings.
 * Lunar Wings do not perform as well as Tarragon Wings, but they are easier to obtain.
 * The Elysian Aegis is the best dash item at this stage, it also gives good survivability bonuses.
 * Asgard's Valor or Statis' Ninja Belt are good options as well.
 * The Absorber is important for survivability by increasing damage reduction as well as giving increased jump acceleration.
 * The Community is a great all-around accessory that boosts offensive and defensive stats as well as boosting flight time.
 * The Heart of the Elements provides many all-around boosts including damage, damage reduction, life regen, and jump acceleration.
 * The Deific Amulet is an excellent option, providing additional immunity frames and armor penetration.
 * Melee players should use the Fire Gauntlet and Celestial Shell for the wide range of stats both provide.
 * Ranged players should use the Dynamo Stem Cells, Sniper Scope or Artemis Emblem, which all help in boosting damage output.
 * The Artemis Emblem additionally gives some life regen and ammo conservation.
 * Magic players should use the Sigil of Calamitas for its strong magic boosts.
 * Summoners can boost their minion count and damage with the Star-Tainted Generator, Statis' Curse and the Profaned Soul Artifact.
 * Rogue users will find the Dark God's Sheath and Moonstone Crown useful to boost their damage output.

Weapons
The weapons made from Uelibloom Bars and drops from Providence are typically the best options for the fight.

Melee

 * The Omega Biome Blade is an excellent option with homing and high single target damage.
 * The Solar Flare or Verdant provide good DPS against the Brimstone Elemental at the cost of lesser range.
 * The Lifehunt Scythe is a good option that leaves lingering projectiles as well as healing should the Brimstone Elemental get too close.

Ranged

 * The Blissful Bombardier can deal solid damage and homes as well.
 * The Nettlevine Greatbow with Elysian Arrows is a solid pick with piercing and high damage output.
 * The Onyx Chain Blaster is an excellent option that deals high damage when landing the onyx blasts.

Mage

 * The Purge Guzzler is a good choice with its spread effect.
 * The Plasma Rifle's alternate fire provides a powerful area of effect with a lingering toxic cloud.
 * The Everglade Spray is an excellent secondary weapon for applying Ichor for long periods of time.
 * Alternatively the Ultra Liquidator may be used instead.

Summoner

 * Dazzling Stabber Staff is a great option for dishing out a ton of damage onto Brimstone Elemental.
 * The Energy Staff provides additional DPS to aid your minions.

Rogue

 * The Elemental Disk or the Molten Amputator provide good DPS as the Brimstone Elemental flies right into the boomerangs.
 * The Shattered Sun provides homing and more range at the cost of DPS.

Miscellaneous

 * Farm Blood Orbs to easily craft many helpful potions that will increase your survivability.
 * If in multiplayer, Wormhole Potions are a cheap and effective tool to escape death.

The Fight
The Brimstone Elemental spawns offscreen, flying towards the player. The Brimstone Elemental has 3 phases that cycle throughout the fight.

In the first phase, the Brimstone Elemental will teleport around the player, flying towards you. During this phase it’s extremely important to not let her overlap you, as that is sure to result in you taking massive damage. Staying roughly 20 blocks away from the Brimstone Elemental works well in avoiding her during this phase. Applying Ichor and other debuffs is extremely easy during this phase so use that to your advantage.

The second phase will have the Brimstone Elemental begin to rapidly fly above you, raining down Brimstone Fireballs as she passes. Running in a single direction can work in this case, changing your direction half way through to keep the Brimstone Elemental close to you in preparation for the third phase. Aiming slightly in front of the Brimstone Elemental as she flies should allow for your weapons to hit her.

The third phase will have the Brimstone Elemental come to a complete halt, as she will begin to launch barrages of Brimstone Hellblasts and Darts. Hellblasts will be aimed towards your position, while Darts will be launched in 6 directions around the Brimstone Elemental. The further you are away from her, the faster they travel. Getting hit during this phase will lead to a huge dent in your health due to the Abyssal Flames debuff that they inflict. Making a slow circle around the Brimstone Elemental while staying at least 10 blocks away from her should allow you to dodge most projectiles. Also during this phase, the Brimstone Elemental will receive a massive Defense boost. Due to this boost, prioritize dodging over damage in this phase.

As the Brimstone Elemental takes damage, the amount she teleports, her rate of fire, and movement speed will all increase, so it’s important to be prepared to increase your speed to compensate.

In Revengeance mode, up to two Brimlings will be spawned to harass the player by occasionally firing Brimstone Fireballs. Killing them has no penalty, but they do respawn extremely fast, making them a hassle to kill. Thus they should be avoided rather then being targeted. The Brimstone Elemental will also begin to fire a laser from her eye twice in phase 1 after going below 50% of her max health, this laser will attempt to fire directly where your predicted destination will be and is telegraphed with a tracking line that comes to a halt when she is about to fire.

In Death Mode, the Brimstone Elemental will always be able fire a laser from her eye in phase 1. However, she will only fire it once in contrast to the 2 fired in Revengeance Mode.

General Tips

 * If you get overwhelmed during the third phase, getting hit by the Brimstone Darts is more preferable then being hit by the Hellblast.
 * The Rod of Discord (or the Normality Relocator for the Post-Providence fight) is a very useful tool as it allows instantaneous teleporting to avoid the numerous projectiles.