Rootmolt Striders
What it is
A wide cave creature with six legs, bark plates and shovel arms. It eats mature Glowcaps, then guards that garden. Before it strikes, it warns you with one straight physical rake.
How to get it
Rootmolts appear in lush caves and dripstone caves. They need all of these:
- below Y 48
- a dark spot with no sky above
- dry footing
- a mature Glowcap nearby (fresh buds don’t count)
A few Rootmolts close together stop new ones from arriving. Peaceful stops them completely.
They drop no items or experience. A meal resets the Glowcap to a bud and gives you nothing. That makes them rivals for your Glowcap nursery, not a loot source.
How to use it
| Tell | What to do |
|---|---|
| Shovel arms rise and dirt marks a straight line | Step sideways. The line doesn’t turn to follow you |
| The rake hits you | It may hold you with a short Root Tether |
| You’re slowed by Root Tether | You can still attack. Hit it, cleanse the effect or get out of its sight |
| Arms lower | Leave the garden before the next warning |
A real hit on the Rootmolt breaks its hold.
Tips and counterplay
- React to the warning. Don’t stand in the line and wait.
- Rootbound Greaves let you resist one hold.
- Crouch still on dry ground for 1.5 seconds to ready them.
- This costs 8 extra wear and starts a 10-second rest.
- A nearby Sporeback Snail tucks into its shell when a Rootmolt warns. A narrow, sheltered nursery can let snails in and keep Rootmolts out.
- The Field Guide lists Rootmolts under Wildlife.
- Watch one eat from within 6 blocks, then counter or dodge its rake. Each counts as a field note for the nursery investigation.
- Server owners: the
rootmolt_striderwildlife setting turns them off.