Brainiac
Brainiacs are common hostile mobs found in the Toxic Caves. They are powerful undead monsters that use a variety of different attacks to dispatch targets.
Cave Compendium Entry
"The Brainiac is a monstrous mutant made of several zombies and other unknown monsters. Brainiacs are fast, aggressive, strong, and in possession of a large tongue that can whip targets from a distance. Usually, Brainiacs can be found carrying around a Waste Drum on their backs. When in combat, they can either drink this to heal quickly, or use it as a range attack to spread acid near their targets. Once nearby, Brainiacs will either smash their target with their arms, or use their jaw-hand to snap at them. All Brainiac attacks have a chance to inflict the Irradiated effect. If slain, a Braniac can drop rotten flesh and Soylent Green, a new food item that can be drank when inflicted with Irradiated to heal. They can also drop a Charred Remnant, a mysteriously radioactive item..."
- - Dr. Prof. Alexander Caverns, PhD.
Spawning
Brainiacs can spawn anywhere in the Toxic Caves under normal monster spawn conditions, in groups of 1-2.
Drops
On death
| Item | Roll Chance | Quantity (Default) | Quantity (Looting I) | Quantity (Looting II) | Quantity (Looting III) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Green Soylent [1] |
100% | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-3 | 0-4 |
 Charred Remnant |
100% | 0-1 | 0-2 | 0-3 | 0-4 |
 Rotten Flesh |
100% | 0-2 | 0-3 | 0-4 | 0-5 |
- Has a minimum drop rate of -2, making it rarer than other items it may drop.
Equipment
If a Brainiac is carrying a Waste Drum on its back, it has a 100% chance to drop it as an item upon death.
Behavior
Brainiacs will attack any players, villagers, or wandering traders within a 32-block radius - they do not attack any other mob without provocation. When idle, they will aimlessly wander around while twitching their heads from side to side - they can step up one full block without having to jump. They will always spawn with a Waste Drum on their back - if they are not carrying one, they will seek out any Waste Drums lying on the ground within a 16-block radius and pick them up with their left arm.
Villagers and wandering traders will avoid any Brainiacs within a 16-block radius.
Attacks
When fighting targets, a Brainiac will use any of the following attacks:
- Smash: When close to its target, a Brainiac will roar and raise its arms before swinging them downwards, dealing 5
damage and inflicting Irradiated for 20 seconds. - Bite: When close to its target, a Brainiac will roar and quickly extend its left arm to bite with its brachial mouth, dealing 5 damage and inflicting Irradiated for 20 seconds.
- Tongue Lash: When within 24 blocks of its target, a Brainiac will shoot out its tongue towards a target, emitting a wet snarling noise as it does so - a Brainiac's tongue is able to hit targets from 19 blocks away, and will stretch out over a long distance before slowly retracting if it misses. If it successfully hits a target, it will deal 4 damage and inflict Irradiated for 20 seconds before quickly retracting. After performing this attack, a Brainiac will be unable to perform it again for a minimum of 0.75 seconds.
- Waste Drum Toss: If on 75% health (30 × 15) or below and within 19 blocks of its target, a Brainiac will grab the Waste Drum off its back with its left arm before throwing it at a target, dealing 2 damage if it hits a target. Upon hitting the ground, the Waste Drum will glow green and swell for one second before bursting into a puddle of acid that spreads across a 9-block radius. After performing this attack, a Brainiac will be unable to perform it again until it picks up another Waste Drum.
- Waste Drum Drink: If on 50% health (20 × 10) or below, a Brainiac will grab the Waste Drum off its back with its left arm before drinking from it, healing itself by 10 and giving itself Strength and Resistance for 20 seconds. After performing this attack, a Brainiac will be unable to perform it again until it picks up another Waste Drum.
Resistances and weaknesses
Being an undead mob, Brainiacs are:
- damaged by the Instant Health status effect and healed by the Instant Damage status effect.
- unaffected by the Regeneration and Poison status effects.
- ignored by the Wither.
- affected by the Smite enchantment.
As inhabitants of the Toxic Caves, Brainiacs are unaffected by the Irradiated status effect, in addition to being immune to acid.
History
| 1.0.0 | Introduced. |
| 1.1.0 | Fixed a bug where it was unable to deal direct damage to players with its bite. |
Trivia
- When alive, a Brainiac's brain will pulsate.
- The Brainiac's brain used to be pink, but was retextured to a shade of green.
- Brainiacs use similar footstep sounds to zombies, albeit slightly pitched down and filtered.
Gallery
A Brainiac standing near some Waste Drums.
A Brainiac swinging its arms up for an attack.
A Brainiac drinking from a Waste Drum to heal itself.
| Magnetic Caves | |
|---|---|
| Primordial Caves | |
| Toxic Caves | |
| Abyssal Chasm | |
| Forlorn Hollows | |
