The Verdant Growth
The Verdant Growth is an unstoppable plant infection that spreads across the world, consuming forests and reshaping landscapes. It expands through two primary mechanisms: strangler vines entwine and overgrow trees, and underground roots transform even deepslate into lush greenery. This relentless overgrowth introduces new resources, challenges, and dangers; survival can be difficult, but the rewards are well worth it. Players who unleash the Verdant Growth must be prepared—it cannot be contained easily.
Overgrown regions offer unique materials and ingredients. Strangler-vine-covered trees yield large amounts of Strangler Wood, while the rarer Heartwood can be crafted into tools, weapons, and armor. Players may rarely find Imbued Heartwood, a key step in creating rapidly self-repairing equipment.
Many other plants have distinct and useful properties: Poison Ivy can be crafted into Poison Arrows, Thorn Bushes provide materials for devious traps, and climbable Strangler Tendrils can be crafted into Rope and upgradable throwable Rope Coils. Many plants serve as ingredients for powerful potions, while crops like Cassava, Ube, and Coffee introduce unique mechanics, risks, and rewards.
Fortunately, the Verdant Growth doesn’t spread naturally. Players must first locate an Overgrown Pyramid hidden in jungle biomes and deliberately trigger its release. Once it is set loose, all players in the world will receive an advancement notification—marking the start of a slow spread that will consume and transform the world.
Getting Started
To start your experience with the Verdant Growth, you'll first have to find an Overgrown Pyramid. These are found in any jungle biome, and come in two variants. Both variants have four loot chests, one per corner. What you find in the center of the pyramid will vary. There are no traps in this structure.
After you have found an Overgrown Pyramid, releasing the Verdant Growth should be simple. For more in-depth information on the Overgrown Pyramid, take a look at its wiki page (TODO).
Surviving in the Verdant Growth
Surviving in the Verdant Growth can be difficult at first. If your Overgrown Pyramid contained a Verdant Conduit, you may have noticed that you now have the Verdant Energy effect; this grants you immunity to the many hazards of the Verdant Growth in a small radius around the conduit. If your Overgrown Pyramid contained a Heart of the Forest, you've probably noticed that you are granted the Verdant Energy effect whenever you have that item in your inventory, with the same effects.
However, you'll soon want to expand into areas beyond your bubble of safety. One of the first hazards you might encounter is Tangled Bushes blocking your path. Try to avoid these; the ones without thorns will merely slow you down, but the thorny bushes will deal damage.
Heads up!
You can use a hoe to mine Tangled Bushes more quickly.
Thorny Tangled Bushes will drop Thorns when destroyed; hold onto those, as they'll be useful for crafting.
While making your way through the Verdant Growth, you may find yourself accidentally stepping in a Stinking Blossom. As you've no doubt noticed, you now have the Nausea effect for a short duration. Stinking Blossoms are primarily used in potion-brewing.
Once Strangler Vines start growing over trees, you'll soon encounter Poison Ivy; this inflicts Poison when you walk through it. You can climb Poison Ivy It is a good idea to collect Poison Ivy when you see it; it can be used in a variety of crafting recipes. Take a look at its wiki page for more information (TODO).
Rarely, you may see a Snapleaf patch; these suspiciously grass-free areas are more dangerous than they appear. Snapleaves act as natural traps, and will rapidly snap shut to trap anything that walks above them. If you're caught by one, don't panic; you can break the Snapleaf to free yourself, though it may take a bit of mining.
Heads up!
If you're trapped by a Snapleaf, you can break it to free yourself.
With all these hazards on the ground, it may seem safer to travel on the canopies of the trees. However, this is not the case. The regular, harmless Strangler Leaves are interspersed with Thorny Strangler Leaves and Poison Ivy Covered Strangler Leaves, which are not safe to walk on.
For more in-depth information about each of these hazards, take a look at the Hazards page (TODO).
Crafting
TODO