99 Nights in the Forest – How to Beat Scorpions

The new Volcanic Biome update for 99 Nights in the Forest has introduced a landscape of fiery new challenges. While navigating the molten lava rivers is a hazard in itself, the biome’s new signature inhabitant presents a far more active and venomous threat: the Scorpion.

These aggressive, hostile creatures are a constant danger in the volcanic wastes, and understanding how to fight them is crucial for survival and for completing the new event badges.

This guide is your ultimate resource for everything you need to know about this dangerous new creature. We will provide a deep dive into the Scorpion’s stats, its unique behaviors, and its key weaknesses. Most importantly, we’ll offer expert combat strategies for both solo players and teams to help you hunt and farm them safely and efficiently, allowing you to conquer the volcano and claim its rewards.

Scorpion Bestiary: Know Your Enemy

Before you charge into battle, it’s essential to understand the capabilities of your new foe. The Scorpion is a moderately durable and highly dangerous enemy, with its primary threat coming from its unique poison attack.

Core Stats and What They Mean

• Health (HP): 75 With 75 HP, the Scorpion is a fairly sturdy opponent. It’s tougher than the basic cultists you encounter in the early game and will likely require several hits from mid-tier weapons like an iron spear or a basic bow to take down. Do not underestimate its ability to withstand damage while closing the distance.
• Walkspeed: 20 (estimated) A walkspeed of 20 is reasonably fast, meaning you will not be able to simply walk or backpedal away from an aggravated Scorpion. You will need to actively sprint or use tactical positioning to maintain a safe distance.
• Damage: 20 + Poison This is what makes the Scorpion so deadly. Each of its attacks will deal a significant 20 points of direct damage, which can quickly add up. However, the far greater threat is the additional poison damage-over-time that is applied with every hit. Similar to the poison from Frogs, this venom will continue to drain your health long after the initial attack, forcing you to use valuable healing supplies. The exact damage-per-second of the poison is still being tested by the community, but it is a major threat that must be respected.

Spawn Locations

Scorpions are exclusive to the new, high-difficulty endgame zone.

• Primary Biome: They are only found in the Volcanic Biome.
• Points of Interest: While they can be found wandering the fiery landscape, they spawn in much higher concentrations in and around specific landmarks called “Scorpion Nests.” These nests are the best locations for players who are looking to actively hunt scorpions for the new “Pest Control” event badge.

Scorpion Behavior: How to Predict and Counter Their Actions

Understanding the Scorpion’s behavior is the key to defeating it. It follows a predictable pattern of behavior that smart survivors can exploit.

The Aggression Radius

By default, a Scorpion will wander aimlessly around its spawn point. It is not immediately hostile. It will only become aggressive if a player enters its detection radius or deals damage to it from a distance. This means you can often avoid a fight by using stealth and giving them a wide berth. If you’re simply passing through the Volcanic Biome and don’t want to engage, be observant and keep your distance.

The Relentless Pursuit

Once a Scorpion is aggravated, its behavior changes completely. It will lock onto its target and begin running directly at them in a relentless pursuit. It will only stop attacking when it is in melee range. Fighting a scorpion in the middle of an open lava field is extremely dangerous, as you’ll be forced to focus on both the enemy and the environmental hazards. The best strategy is to pull the Scorpion to a safer, more open area where you can fight it on your own terms.

The Power of Fire: Their Greatest Weakness

This is the most crucial piece of tactical information for surviving against scorpions. Despite being native to a fiery biome, Scorpions are terrified of lit Campfires. If a Scorpion gets too close to an active campfire, it will immediately stop its attack and flee. This is an incredibly powerful tool that you can use to your advantage in several ways:

• Creating Safe Zones: If you’re overwhelmed by multiple scorpions, you can quickly place and light a temporary campfire to create a small pocket of safety where they cannot reach you.
• Defending Your Base: An aggravated scorpion that follows you back to your main base will likely be repelled by your fully-lit central campfire, preventing it from attacking your structures.
• An Escape Strategy: If a fight is going poorly and you are low on health, running towards the nearest campfire is a reliable way to escape and give yourself a chance to heal.

The “Leash” Mechanic

Like many enemies in the game, Scorpions have a “leash” range. If you manage to kite a Scorpion too far away from its original spawn point (such as a Scorpion Nest), it will eventually de-aggro and teleport back to its home territory. This means you cannot simply lead them on an endless chase across the map; you must be prepared to stand your ground and fight them within their designated area.

Combat Strategy: How to Kill Scorpions Safely and Efficiently

Now that you know what the Scorpion can do, here is the best way to fight it.

Recommended Gear and Preparation

Venturing into the Volcanic Biome unprepared is a death sentence. Before you go scorpion hunting, make sure you have the following:

• Weapons: Ranged weapons are highly recommended. A good bow or firearm will allow you to deal damage from a safe distance, minimizing your risk of being hit and poisoned. If you must use melee, a fast weapon that allows for quick “hit-and-run” tactics is preferable to a slow, heavy one.
• Armor: Wear the best set of armor you can craft. The 20 base damage from each hit is significant, and good armor is the best way to mitigate it.
• Consumables: Do not leave your base without a healthy supply of healing items like Bandages and Medkits. More importantly, bring items that can cure poison. Finally, since you’ll be in the Volcanic Biome, always carry a stack of snowballs to instantly extinguish yourself if you accidentally step in lava.

Solo and Team Strategies

• Solo Strategy: As a solo player, your greatest assets are preparation and positioning. Use a ranged weapon to kite the Scorpion, always staying just outside its attack range. If it gets too close, use your sprint to create distance. Set up a temporary campfire in your chosen fighting arena before you engage to give yourself a reliable safe zone to retreat to.
• Team Strategy: In a team, you can use classic “tank and spank” tactics. Have one player with the best armor (the “tank”) draw the Scorpion’s attention and focus on dodging its attacks. The other players can then safely attack it from a distance. Having a dedicated healer to manage the poison damage and a support player ready with snowballs will make your team an efficient and unstoppable scorpion-hunting machine. This is the best way to complete the “Pest Control” badge, which requires you to kill 100 scorpions.

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• 99 Nights in the Forest: A Complete Guide to the New Volcanic Biome Update
• 99 Nights in the Forest – Ultimate Crafting Guide: Benches, Recipes & Tips
• 99 Nights in the Forest – Bugs & Glitches: Ultimate List of Exploits
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