The Goblin Army event in Terraria can catch players off-guard with a horde of tiny green foes to face. But you can beat the surprise by being prepared. Here's how to start the Goblin Event in Terraria, all of its enemies, and the loot you can earn by withstanding the assault.

Terraria Goblin Army Event: An Overview

Also called the Goblin Invasion, the Goblin Army is a pre-Hardmode event wherein hordes of Goblin-type enemies storm the surface of a Terraria world. The Goblins attack in waves, but the event doesn’t have a point system like Frost Moon or Pumpkin Moon. Instead, players must defeat 80 Goblins to complete the invasion. Note that the number of Goblins scales with the number of players in the same world. In particular, the invasion adds 40 Goblins per player with a maximum health of 200 or more on the same map.

How to Start the Goblin Army Event in Terraria

The Goblin Army event in Terraria normally occurs randomly. But players must fulfill certain criteria before the first instance of this invasion can occur. The requirements are as follows:

• Destroy at least one Crimson Heart or Shadow Orb
• One player must have at least 200 maximum health

Also, the Goblin Invasion only occurs during the day. Plus, a Goblin Event mustn’t be in progress for another instance to occur. Alternatively, you can craft a Goblin Battle Standard item and use it. Combine 10x Tattered Cloth from Goblin Scouts (found in the farthest edges of the surface layer) with 5x Wood (any type) near a Loom to craft the event-triggering item. Using the Goblin Battle Standard eliminates the RNG involved in activating the invasion. However, you must still fulfill the other requirements to activate the event. If successful, the words “A goblin army is approaching from the east/west!” will appear on the screen’s bottom-left corner. Next, the words, “A goblin army has arrived!” will show up a few moments after the initial message, indicating the start of the invasion.

Enemies and Loot

Unique Goblin-type enemies appear during this event. The opponents you’ll encounter in this invasion are as follows:

• Goblin Peon
• Goblin Sorcerer
• Goblin Thief
• Goblin Warrior
• Goblin Archer
• Goblin Summoner (introduced in version 1.3 and Hardmode only)

Note: All enemies drop the same items: the Harpoon and Spiky Ball. But the Goblin Summoner drops the Shadowflame Hex Doll, Shadowflame Knife, and Shadowflame Bow. Defeating the final wave of Goblins will make the message “A goblin army has been defeated!” appear on the screen. Also, the Goblin Tinkerer NPC will start appearing randomly after completing this invasion for the first time.

Tips and Tricks to Complete the Goblin Army Event in Terraria

Strength in numbers is the name of the game when dealing with the Goblin Army in Terraria. Although the Goblins aren’t difficult to defeat, the number of enemies spawning during the invasion can overwhelm beginners. So, here are some tips and tricks you can follow to ensure you survive and complete this event:

• Build a sky base and battle arena. That way, the Goblins can’t harm the NPCs on the surface layer.
• If a sky base isn’t available, build a lava pit instead. But the lava should be fairly shallow so it doesn’t burn dropped items.
• Use Wings to avoid becoming cornered. Flying above Goblins can be useful in evading their attacks.
• Place the banners you acquire as soon as you get them. These items can give you an edge in dealing more damage to Goblins during the Terraria Goblin Army event.