Desert

Exclusive to:  

Desert
Abundant
()
Occasional
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Rare
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“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, surrounded and interspersed with regular and Gold Vein Boulders. 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.

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; and Volt Goats, a source of Meat, Volt Goat Horns, and Electric Milk.

Don't Starve Together

In Don't Starve Together, there is a Set Piece only found in this biome which contains multiple Magma pools, burnt Spiky Trees and Bushes, and is the only place where the Dragonfly spawns, regardless of the season. Grass Gekkos can often be found in groups wandering in this biome.

The Antlion also spawns in a different Desert, during Summer. There, one can also find the Lake in an Oasis Set Piece featuring 12 Birchnut Trees and 18 Succulents, which will be filled up with water during the same Season. Additionally, this Desert contains a visually different Cactus that works the same as the original one. In the same desert, Sandstorms occur in Summer except in the area of the Oasis. Nothing in the Oasis Set Piece or in Sandstorms will smolder, making it ideal for mega bases.

Usually, Volt Goats are only present in the Antlion desert, while Hound Mounds and Tumbleweeds only appear in the Dragonfly desert.

Trivia

• The desert where the Oasis Set Piece is located can provide protection for flammable items and structures from smoldering during summer, though they can still be set ablaze through other means (such as tumbleweeds).

Gallery

A Desert biome in Summer.

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

Dragonfly's magma pool set piece at dusk.

WX-78 wearing Desert Goggles during a Sandstorm.