Table of Contents
What is Shimmer?
Shimmer is a unique liquid introduced in the Terraria 1.4.4 update. It generates in the Aether, a rare underground biome that spawns only once per world. Shimmer has the special ability to transform or “transmute” certain items when they are submerged in it. This makes it an incredibly useful resource for obtaining rare items, transforming boss loot, and even downgrading ores.
Locating the Aether Biome and Shimmer Pools
The Aether biome always generates on the same side of the world as the Jungle biome. So the first step is to locate the Jungle. Once you’ve found it, start tunneling horizontally near the cavern layer on that side of the map. Look for the background changing to a starry sky, gem trees, and bubbles rising in liquid pools. This signifies you’ve entered the Aether!
The Aether contains pools of Shimmer liquid needed for transmutations. Shimmer has a distinctive shiny, pearlescent look. You’ll know you’ve found a Shimmer pool when you see this liquid generating.
Safely Harvesting Shimmer
Touching raw Shimmer liquid inflicts the “Shimmering” debuff, causing you to phase through blocks uncontrollably. To safely collect Shimmer, craft a Bottomless Shimmer Bucket at an Ancient Manipulator. This bucket allows you to collect Shimmer infinitely without being afflicted by its effects.
The recipe requires:
- 10 Luminite Bars
- 1 Bottomless Water Bucket
With the Bottomless Shimmer Bucket, you can place Shimmer anywhere to create your own custom transmutation pools.
Useful Shimmer Transmutations
Here are some of the most useful item transformations Shimmer can provide:
Ore Transmutations
- Upgrade Cobalt/Palladium Ore into Mythril/Orichalcum Ore
- Upgrade Mythril/Orichalcum Ore into Adamantite/Titanium Ore
- Downgrade higher tier Hardmode ores into lower tiers
This makes obtaining specific ores for gear sets much easier!
Rare Item Crafting
- Life Fruit > Life Dew (increases life regen)
- Mana Crystals > Arcane Crystal (increases mana regen)
- Biome Keys > Biome Chests
- Boss Summon Items > Boss Masks/Trophies
Saves a lot of time farming for rare crafting materials!
Class Upgrades
- Emblem Upgrades (Warrior > Avenger, Sorcerer > Arcane, etc.)
- Whip Upgrades (Snapthorn > Spinal Tap)
- Rogue Weapon Upgrades (Light Disc > Phantasm)
Easily upgrade to more powerful class gear!
Shimmer Tips and Tricks
- Create multiple Shimmer pools for mass transmutations
- Build Shimmer liquid “reservoirs” above the pools to quickly refill them
- Use Pumps to transport Shimmer and Hoiks to fall through blocks quickly
- Pair with Extractinators to break down unwanted loot for resources
Experiment and find clever ways to exploit Shimmer in your world!
In Summary
With a Bottomless Shimmer Bucket in hand and a good understanding of the item transmutation system, Shimmer becomes an invaluable renewable resource. It can save hours of mining and farming for gear, provide renewable ores, and upgrade your arsenal. Master its use and it will give you a major edge as you battle the forces of darkness in Terraria!
