Combat / Ocean Monument
How to Beat a Guardian
The guardian fight is a sight-line puzzle dressed as a boss. Its laser charges for two seconds before it fires for 3 hearts, and a single block between you and its eye cancels the whole thing. Pillar up, peek out for damage, and 30 HP melts fast. Here is the loadout and the rhythm.
LASER CHARGINGBREAK LINE OF SIGHT
-6
The pillar-and-peek rhythm
Treat every guardian like a turret with a wind-up. Stand behind a monument pillar, wait for the beam to start growing, and stay hidden the full two seconds so it cancels. The instant the charge resets, step out, land two or three hits, and slide back to cover before the next lock-on. Guardians have only 30 HP, so two clean peek windows with a Sharpness V sword finish the job. For elder guardians, drink milk to wash off Mining Fatigue before you commit, and bring a Power bow so you can chip from cover without triggering thorns spikes.
Quick answers
+How much damage does the guardian laser do?
The beam deals 6 damage (3 hearts) on Normal difficulty after a ~2 second charge. It can hit you through water but never through a solid block.
+How do I cancel the laser?
Break line of sight. As soon as the beam appears, put a block, pillar, or wall between you and the guardian's eye and the laser fizzles out with no damage.
+How much health does a guardian have?
30 HP, which is 15 hearts. A Sharpness V netherite sword crit kills it in 3 hits; a Power V bow drops it in 2-3 arrows from cover.
+What are the spikes for?
Extended orange spikes reflect 2 thorns damage when you melee the guardian. Strike only when spikes are retracted, or use a bow so the reflection never applies.
+Do guardians follow you onto land?
No. Guardians flop and suffocate out of water. Lure one into shallows or a 1-deep channel and it loses mobility, making it trivial to finish.
+What gear do I need for an ocean monument?
Depth Strider III, Respiration III, Aqua Affinity, a Sharpness sword, a Power bow, Water Breathing and Night Vision potions, plus milk to clear Mining Fatigue from the elder guardians.
