The pyramid
Explore the pyramid and face the Sun Warden.
The pyramid is in the desert west of where you start. It has two ground-level entrances, three treasure pedestals and the Sun Engine in its central hall. The boss details are in the spoiler section below.
Before you go
The desert's surface and shallow rock are at 60 °C, hot enough to damage you. A Steel Suit, an Ascent Sigil, or a Sentinel Ankh will protect you completely. Heat resistance adds across equipped pieces: a Steel Helmet and Silk Sigil provide 18 degrees together, enough for the desert. You need at least 15 degrees of total protection; full Iron armour gives 10 and only reduces damage. Cotton, silk and beeswax will also burn in the desert. See How heat behaves.
Bring a weapon and light. The pyramid's halls count as underground, so creatures spawn there. The desert has Dune Hounds, Scarabs and Tomb Sentinels. At night, Dune Striders charge straight through you, then skid before turning. Get above one during its charge and attack while it skids. In shallow caves, Amberbacks lower their shells before rushing. Step out of their path. See Fighting back and Lighting dark areas if you need to prepare.
Finding your way around
Walk west until you reach the pyramid. Its base is level with the surrounding sand, with a tall doorway on each side. Either door leads straight to the central hall, a large room with a ledge on each side. You can enter and leave the hall without starting the boss fight.
The pyramid is made of Sandstone, which you can dig, but every room is reachable on foot.
The three treasures
Right-click a pedestal to take its reward.
- West crypt: Partway along the west corridor, follow the sloping floor down to the crypt under the desert. It holds a Swift Charm.
- East treasury: Just inside the east door, take the long ramp that climbs west above the corridor. At the top, turn east into the treasury. It holds a Whetstone.
- Apex: Follow the gallery west to its far end. A second ramp doubles back east to a landing, and a third ramp reaches the chamber under the peak. It holds a Wisp Prism.
You can also climb the outside of the pyramid. A west vent opens at the far end of the gallery, and an east vent opens at the landing below the apex. These let you skip the ramps in either direction.
The Sun Engine
The Sun Engine is the shrine in the central hall with a glowing eye and a sun disc on top. Its beam of light makes it easy to spot. No tool can break it. Walk close to the disc and a right mouse button icon appears.
Right-click the Sun Engine to summon the Sun Warden. You do not need an item, and nothing is consumed. Only one Warden can be awake at a time. While it is active, the beam goes out and the disc glows red.
The Sun Warden: spoilers
The Sun Warden flies around the hall with two detached hands. You can stand on the ledges, but they will not keep it away from you.
Attack the hands first
While either hand is alive, the Warden's body takes only a quarter of your damage. The health bar shows a pip for each hand and says ARMOURED while either one still protects it. Wait until a hand stops moving after an attack, then hit it.
Attacks
Each attack has a warning. The Warden never uses the same attack twice in a row.
- Fan: Its eyes flare white before it fires a spread of sunlight. Move sideways rather than back.
- Beam: It stops, then a line marks the start of its beam and a dotted arc shows the sweep. Get behind a ledge or under the start of the sweep.
- Slam: A hand rises over you, locks in place and shakes. A dashed line and bracket mark where it will land. Move away and jump the shockwaves that travel along the floor.
- Sweep: A hand moves to the floor on your far side. Arrows show its direction before it drags across the floor. Jump over it or stand on a ledge.
- Clap: The hands move to either side of you, and brackets close on the target spot. Leave that spot before they slam together.
- Scarab call: Its jaw drops and rings appear on the floor. Two Scarabs climb out. It uses this attack when few scarabs are nearby.
Second phase
When both hands die, or the Warden's health gets low enough, the disc turns red and the mask cracks. The Warden moves faster, takes full damage and gains two attacks:
- Nova: It rises and a ring closes around the disc. Then it fires two staggered rings of shards. Stand in a gap or move far enough away for the shards to spread.
- Dive: It hangs above you and marks the floor with a dashed line and bracket. Move off the mark before it drops. Jump the shockwaves and attack while it rises back up.
Beating it drops the Sun Disc, which adds flat and percentage damage and shortens the delay between shots. The game records the win, and you can summon the Warden again. If everyone moves far away, including after a distant respawn, the Warden and its hands leave. Return to the Sun Engine to start the fight again.