Clay Dunestrider

Clay Dunestrider
Ravenous Symbiont
Health	2100 (+630 per level)
Health Regen	0 (+0 per level)
Damage	20 (+4 per level)
Speed	9 m/s
Armor	20
Category	IgnoreFallDamage ImmuneToGoo
Internal
Name	ClayBoss

The Clay Dunestrider is a Boss Monster introduced in Risk of Rain 2. Being a Boss, the Clay Dunestrider may be encountered after initiating a stage's Teleporter Event. It can otherwise spawn naturally during higher difficulties.

Environments

• Abandoned AqueductAbandoned Aqueduct (Stage 2)
  Origin of Tar
  You dream of sand beneath your feet.
  
  Massive skeletons and pools of tar are littered around, and a towering aqueduct pouring down tar dominates the area.
• Survivors of the Void - DLC Content
  Aphelian Sanctuary is part of the Survivors of the Void DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info. Aphelian SanctuarySurvivors of the Void - DLC Content
  This content is part of the Survivors of the Void DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info.Aphelian Sanctuary (Stage 2)
  Cleansing Center
  You dream of clarity.
  
  Tall, complex structures lay surrounding a large forest.
• Seekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  Bulwark's Ambry (Aphelian Research) is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info. Bulwark's Ambry (Aphelian Research)Seekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  This content is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info.Bulwark's Ambry (Aphelian Research) (Hidden Realm)
  Aphelian Research
  The area consists of block-shaped platforms, with the Artifact Reliquary in the center. It's themed similarly to Aphelian Sanctuary.
• Seekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  Golden Dieback is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info. Golden DiebackSeekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  This content is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info.Golden Dieback (2 - Path of the Colossus - Loop Only)
  March of the Fallen
  You dream of golden leaves.
  
  A loop-exclusive variant of Treeborn Colony, second stage in the Path of the Colossus. The map is covered in an orange haze and the trees' leaves have turned red, with mushrooms now growing on their trunks and branches.
• Rallypoint DeltaRallypoint Delta (Stage 3)
  'Contact Light' Survivor Camp
  You dream of quiet snowfall.
  
  Rallypoint Delta is the remains of a makeshift camp constructed by a group of scattered crew members from the UES Contact Light, somewhere in the frigid tundra of Petrichor V.
• Scorched AcresScorched Acres (Stage 3)
  Wisp Installation
  You dream of wind, blowing through trees.
  
  Large, circular platforms make up the majority of the stage, and embers float through the air.
• Survivors of the Void - DLC Content
  Sulfur Pools is part of the Survivors of the Void DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info. Sulfur PoolsSurvivors of the Void - DLC Content
  This content is part of the Survivors of the Void DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info.Sulfur Pools (Stage 3)
  Pungent Spring
  You dream of brimstone.
  
  Tiered lakes of shallow sulfur pools. Arcing bridges and underground caves connect the map together.
• Sundered GroveSundered Grove (Stage 4)
  Dormant Locus
  You dream of violent growth.
  
  Ancient flora has risen up to reclaim this once sacred refuge. Mazes of roots and overgrown fungus have twisted the landscape, leaving only ruins.
• Seekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  Treeborn Colony is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info. Treeborn ColonySeekers of the Storm - DLC Content
  This content is part of the Seekers of the Storm DLC. It is only available if the DLC is enabled when starting a run.
  Click for more info.Treeborn Colony (2 - Path of the Colossus)
  Path of the Protector
  You dream of vines, cutting through the sky.
  
  A treetop village, located in a canopy directly above the Reformed Altar. This is the second stage in the Path of the Colossus.
• Other Environments with the Artifact of Dissonance enabled

Skills & Behavior

Primary: Clay Pot Barrage

The lid on top of the Dunestrider's pot shakes for 4 seconds and then launches 11 clay pots at its target every 0.2 seconds with an additional end lag of 2 seconds at the end. All of these timings scale with attack speed. The clay pots travel at 50m/s and upon impact they explode in a radius of 5m with no falloff and inflict the TarTar (Debuff)
Reduces movement speed.Reduces movement speed by 50% (in practice, 33.3%). debuff. The clay pots can be blocked by Captain's Defensive MicrobotsDefensive Microbots (Passive)Passively gain Microbots that shoot down nearby enemy projectiles. Drones are also given Microbots.
Survivor: Captain.

The pots aren't particularly accurate, adding 0.2 spread bloom with each shot. They each deal 100% damage and have a proc coefficient of 1.0. The skill has a cooldown of 10 seconds.

Secondary: Rolling Tar Balls

The Clay Dunestrider extends its legs to raise itself up over 3 seconds, before dropping 3 balls of clay out from the bottom of its pot every 1 second. Both of these timings scale with attack speed. These balls roll across the floor with a velocity of 30m/s and home in on targets. Upon impact or after 10 seconds, they explode in a radius of 8m with linear damage falloff. This attack has an end lag of 3 seconds which scales with attack speed, during which the Dunestrider lowers itself again.

These balls can also be blocked by Defensive Microbots.

Each ball deals 200% damage and has a proc coefficient of 1.0. The skill has a cooldown of 20 seconds.

Special: Recover

The Clay Dunestrider plants itself into the ground and opens its lid. Tar tendrils will then latch onto all entities within a 50m radius - players and enemy monsters alike - and drag them towards the pot's center while slowly siphoning health from all affected entities. Once something is sucked close to the Dunestrider, the siphoning effect is amplified greatly. The tendrils will break if the latched entity dies or escapes more than 50m away from the Dunestrider. If all tendrils have been broken, or the Dunestrider has spent 15 seconds in this state, it will end the attack with an end lag of 1 second.

Each tether starts siphoning after 0.3 seconds upon latching onto an entity for 3.33% damage every 1/3rd of a second. This attack has a proc coefficient of 0.0 and cannot crit. The entity is dragged towards the center with a speed of 6m/s and if it is within 10 meters, each tick does 33.3% damage and ticks every 1/6th of a second.

The Dunestrider heals for 100% of the damage it deals, but since it can siphon from a large number of entities, the heal effect can be much stronger than the damage it deals to the player. In addition, it gains the Armor BoostArmor Boost (Buff)
Gain additional armor.Gain +200 armor. buff during this attack, making it extremely difficult to kill until the attack is over.

The skill has a cooldown of 60 seconds.

Behaviors

1. Use special on friendlies: the Dunestrider must be within 50m of an ally and have less than 25% health.
2. Use special on enemies: the Dunestrider must be within 50m of a player and have less than 25% health.
3. Use secondary: the Dunestrider must be within 20-60m from its target and have less than 75% health.
4. Use primary while strafing: the Dunestrider must be within 50m from its target and the skill doesn't have to be off cooldown.
5. Use primary while approaching: the Dunestrider must be within 50-100m from its target and the skill doesn't have to be off cooldown.
6. Chase: no requirements.

Loot

Main Article: Mired Urn

If the Clay Dunestrider is the Teleporter Boss, there is a 15% chance for the Uncommon item (that drops as a reward for defeating the Clay Dunestrider) to be replaced by its Boss item, the Mired UrnMired Urn
Siphon health from nearby enemies while in combat.
While in combat, the nearest 1 (+1 per stack) enemies to you within 13m will be 'tethered' to you, dealing 100% damage per second, applying tar, and healing you for 100% of the damage dealt..

Tips

• Players with poor mobility and sub-par movement skills must avoid the Clay Dunestrider while it is attempting to heal itself. While players are generally able to maintain their distance from the Dunestrider if they backpedal, getting fully caught by the boss will result in them having to wait until the attack ends before they regain control of their movement - assuming they don't die in the process.
• If multiple Dunestriders are present and the player lacks mobility, it might be wise to focus one at a time. The pulling effect of Life-Draining Tendrils can stack, and with lesser movement, it can become inescapable.
• It only takes a one or two movement items to be able to comfortably dodge both of the Clay Dunestrider's clay ball attacks (particularly jumping perpendicular to direction of the balls with Wax QuailWax Quail
  Jumping while sprinting boosts you forward.
  Jumping while sprinting boosts you forward by 10m (+10m per stack).), even at close range. If the player doesn't happen to have any movement items when encountering one, it's wise to stick to high ground to avoid the Rolling Balls attack. Be mindful, however, that simply standing atop a rock won't necessarily be enough to avoid the attack; there are situations where the level geometry is just shallow enough to allow the balls to roll up and across them.
• While the Dunestrider's life drain can be a source of frustration, it can also be an opportunity to inflict heavy damage upon the boss. Despite the large armor increase for the duration of the attack, the boss's health can still be whittled down if the party is proactive and makes an effort to kill all nearby monsters before the boss gets the chance to suck them in. This will greatly reduce the amount of health the Dunestrider ends up regaining.
  • If the party has a large number of crowd control items, such as GasolineGasoline
    Killing an enemy ignites other nearby enemies.
    Killing an enemy ignites all enemies within 12m (+4m per stack) for 150% base damage. Additionally, enemies burn for 150% (+75% per stack) base damage. or Will-o'-the-wispWill-o'-the-wisp
    Detonate enemies on kill.
    On killing an enemy, spawn a lava pillar in a 12m (+2.4m per stack) radius for 350% (+280% per stack) base damage., it may be advantageous to allow a large number of monsters to be consumed before killing them all at once.
  • If the player doesn't have enough dps to kill the Dunestrider, they can hedge their bets by getting it as close as possible to 25% health and waiting until it raises to do the tarball attack. This gives the player a lot more time to do damage before the siphoning begins as long as they are confident they can avoid the tar balls.
• Since the Dunestrider's life-draining attack involves the boss healing itself, the Dunestrider is one of five enemies (the others being the Mini MushrumMini Mushrum
  HP: 290 (+87 per level)
  Damage: 16 (+3.2 per level)
  Class: Ranged
  Speed: 2 m/s
  Armor: 0, the ScavengerScavenger
  Item HoarderHP: 3800 (+1140 per level)
  Damage: 4 (+0.8 per level)
  Class: Ranged
  Speed: 3 m/s
  Armor: 20, Kipkip the GentleKipkip the Gentle
  Twisted ScavengerHP: 3230 (+969 per level)
  Damage: 4 (+0.8 per level)
  Class: Ranged
  Speed: 3 m/s
  Armor: 20, and MithrixMithrix
  King of NothingHP: 1000 (+300 per level)
  Damage: 16 (+3.2 per level)
  Class: Melee / Ranged
  Speed: 15 m/s
  Armor: 20's fourth phase if the player has healing items) that can be meaningfully affected by the Malachite healing disabledHealing Disabled (Debuff)
  Disables healing.Disables all healing, including base health regeneration and item regeneration. debuff.
  • This can be accomplished if the player has obtained and equipped N'kuhana's RetortN'kuhana's Retort
    Become an aspect of corruption., summoned a Malachite ghost using the Happiest MaskHappiest Mask
    Chance on killing an enemy to summon a ghost.
    Killing enemies has a 7% chance to spawn a ghost of the killed enemy with 1500% damage. Lasts 30s (+30s per stack)., or defeated a Malachite Elite while holding the Wake of VulturesWake of Vultures
    Temporarily steal the power of slain elites.
    Gain the power of any killed elite monster for 8s (+5s per stack).. It is also possible for a Malachite enemy to damage and debuff the Clay Dunestrider if the Artifact of Chaos is enabled, although this is unreliable.
  • Even if the Dunestrider becomes unable to heal itself, it is still capable of using its tendrils to damage everything around it and gain massive armor. It will become easier to kill without its healing but is just as dangerous nonetheless.

Lore

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<Click> There are no landmarks in site. I am surrounded by infinite desert. <Click>

<Click> I’ve run out of rations… and no one is responding to my transponder. I may be doomed if I don’t find a way out of these dunes. <Click>

<Click> I see something in the distance… some large creature. I may be in luck yet. <Click>

<Click> Oh... my eyes deceived me. It was not a creature… but a herd. There was more than one. Many more. 

Hundreds of enormous creatures, moving as a mob– and each one the biggest beast I have ever seen. These striders resembled… enormous spiders, or hermit crabs, in a porcelain shell, with legs dark like tar. 

Between the sound and the sand, the entire herd bounded past me without realizing – moving at incredible speeds on their long legs. Were they fleeing… or migrating? I still can’t believe… what a terrible place. Get me out. <Click>

<Click> I still have no food. <Click>

Version History

Early Access Content Update 5

• Major Content
  • Added New Monster Lore Entry: Clay Dunestrider
• Quality of Life
  • Reduced the audio levels of the Clay Dunestrider

Early Access Artifacts Content Update

• Gameplay Changes
  • 🌧Improve accuracy of hurtboxes

PC Early Access Patch (Build ID No.4233443)

• Bug Fixes
  • Fix Clay Dunestrider's Tarball attack not networking its position correctly

Early Access Scorched Acres Content Update

• Gameplay Changes
  • Add standable platform on Clay Dunestrider’s pot body
  • Increase inner “mulch” radius from 5 to 10 to compensate for new collision
• QOL
  • Set up Clay Dunestrider corpses to properly disappear over time

Trivia

• The Clay Dunestrider may be related to the Clay Man, a monster in the original Risk of Rain who is also in Risk of Rain 2 code.
  • The pots thrown by the Clay Dunestrider look very similar to the Clay Man's pot, further establishing the relation.