Desert

Exclusive to:  

Desert
Abundant	()
Occasional	()
Rare	()

“It's a wonder anything grows in this climate at all.”

–Woodie

The Desert Biome is found in the Reign of Giants DLC. Commonly found in this biome are Hound Mounds, Tumbleweeds, Cacti, Buzzards, and Boulders. Occasionally there are Spiky Trees, Spiky Bushes, and Grass Tufts. In each Desert Biome there is typically a herd of 3-4 Volt Goats. The Desert is mostly covered with Sandy Turf, though it does have large patches of bare ground as well.

Deserts are commonly found as a standalone biome at the edge of the world, rarely manifesting itself in the mainland between other biomes. In Reign of Giants, the desert is the only location where Hound Mounds and Tumbleweeds spawn.

Hound Mounds are most often found in a single cluster in this Biome. The mounds tend to be spawned spread apart and interspersed with regular and Gold Vein Boulders, or packed closely together with a large amount of said boulders; occasionally, this will be the only source of regular and Gold Vein Boulders in the biome. The Desert will sometimes only spawn with Flintless Boulders; one might have the misfortune of such a desert with a tightly packed cluster of regular/gold Boulders guarded by multiple Hound Mounds, making obtaining Nitre and Gold difficult if not impossible.

The desert has a chance to contain the Summer version of the Ice Box trap Set Piece. This Ice Box trap will start Summer at one of its hottest temperatures instead of Winter.

Deserts can be an abundant source of many important items, such as:

• Hounds, from Hound Mounds, which can be a good source of Hound's Teeth;
• Tumbleweeds, which are a reliable source of Twigs and Grass even during Winter, and can contain many other previously non-renewable materials such as Gems;
• Boulders, for a source of Rocks, Nitre, and Gold;
• Bones, which can be broken for Bone Shards and Hound's Teeth;
• Cacti, which are a source of Cactus Flesh and, during Summer, Cactus Flowers;
• Volt Goats, a source of Meat, Volt Goat Horns, and Electric Milk.

Given its large area, it is a common place to find at least one of the Things or a major world feature like Maxwell's Door.

Don't Starve Together

In Don't Starve Together, the deserts are separated into two distinct variants. Each of them can be distinguished by the different types of Cactus that spawn, which are functionally identical but serve as easy calling cards for which desert is which. Each desert features one of two unique Bosses: the Dragonfly and the Antlion. Usually, Volt Goats are only present in the Antlion desert, while Hound Mounds and Tumbleweeds only appear in the Dragonfly desert.

Dragonfly Desert

The Dragonfly Desert is distinguished by its barrel cacti. Its unique Set Piece features multiple Magma pools, burnt Spiky Trees and Bushes, and Crispy Skeletons. This is where the Dragonfly spawns, regardless of the season, which makes it an option for getting rid of other Giants. Grass Gekkos can often be found in groups wandering in this biome.

Antlion Desert

The Antlion Desert is distinguished by its "armed" cacti. There, one is guaranteed to find the Oasis Set Piece, which features a small circle of of Grass Turf with 12 Birchnut Trees surrounding a dried-up Lake, which will spawn 18 Succulents during Summer; additionally, the Lake will fill up with water during said season with multiple Fireflies illuminating it. During Summer, the Antlion will spawn in this desert, and Sandstorms will occur through this entire desert except in the area of the Oasis.

As nothing in the Oasis Set Piece or in Sandstorms will smolder, and the fact that the lake can be fished in for Fish and unique drops (such as the blueprints for Desert Goggles and the Red Crown which can be exchanged with the Antlion for the Humble Lamb Idol), it is an ideal area for surviving Summer, provided the player sets up a proper base before the season arrives. Note that an Oasis base can still be set ablaze through burning Tumbleweeds.

Gallery

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  A Desert biome in Summer.

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  A Desert biome as depicted in the release trailer for Reign of Giants.

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  Dragonfly's magma pool set piece at dusk.

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  WX-78 wearing Desert Goggles during a Sandstorm.

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