Grounded throws a lot of threats at you, but none are as imposing as the Wasp Queen and the Hedge Broodmother, two of the backyard’s apex predators. The Queen commands the skies with relentless aerial assaults, while the Broodmother lurks in her lair, a terrifying matriarch spider that overwhelms you with speed and venom. Taking them down is a rite of passage for any aspiring survivalist. This guide breaks down everything you need from gear and consumables to advanced combat tactics so you can slay both bosses with confidence.
Gearing Up for the Fights
Your loadout can make or break these encounters. Both bosses hit hard and have specific weaknesses, so a tailored approach is key.
Armor Sets
For the Wasp Queen, mobility and ranged damage matter most. The Moth Armor set boosts ranged critical hit chance and provides poison resistance, perfect for peppering her from a distance. Alternatively, the Ladybug Armor offers solid defense and health regeneration, which helps against the Broodmother’s relentless melee. If you prefer a more aggressive setup against the matriarch, the Roly Poly Armor’s high defense and stunning effects work wonders, but it makes you slower.
Weapons
Against the Queen, nothing beats a fully upgraded Crossbow with Splinter Arrows or Venom Arrows. The extra range and poison ticks soften her up between dives. The Pinch Whacker or Salt Morning Star can work as backup weapons when she lands. For the Broodmother, slashing and spicy weapons melt her health bar. The Tick Macuahuitl heals you on hit, granting sustained survivability, while the Spicy Coaltana deals enormous damage thanks to her weakness to fire. A sturdy shield like the Black Ox Shield helps block her rapid attacks.
Consumables and Mutations
Liquid Rage smoothies boost attack damage, while Beefy Smoothies or fiber bandages keep your health topped off. Bring plenty of both. For the Queen, equipping Mithridatism reduces poison damage, Sharpshooter enhances bow damage, and Coup de Grass increases criticals. Against the Broodmother, swap Sharpshooter for Blade Master or Barbarian depending on your weapon, and keep Mithridatism active. Natural Explorer is handy in both fights for repositioning.
Locations and How to Summon
The Wasp Queen resides inside a massive nest on the tree trunk near the Upper Grasslands. To access her chamber, you’ll need to build a bomb and blast open the sealed entrance. The Broodmother awaits in the Hedge, inside the spider cave near the Frisbee. To summon her, craft a Broodmother BLT at an oven and place it on the egg sac.
How to Defeat the Wasp Queen
The Queen’s arena is a large, open platform with minimal cover. The fight unfolds in two phases.
Phase One: Raining Terror
She starts by circling overhead, launching venomous stingers and dive-bombing your position. Stay near the edges of the platform to bait her dives, then roll away at the last second. When she hovers low, unload with your crossbow. If you brought a friend, have them draw aggro while you snipe from safety. When summoned wasps appear, use a one-handed weapon or quick bow shots to clear them quickly; they can overwhelm you if ignored.
Phase Two: Enraged Swarm
Below half health, the Queen summons more wasps and gains a rapid-fire stinger barrage. At this stage, don’t stand still. Sprint in wide circles around the arena, stopping only to fire when she pauses. If you run out of arrows, switch to your backup melee weapon and target her abdomen when she lands. A quick Salt Morning Star combo can stagger her briefly. Use any smoothies immediately if poisoned, and don’t be afraid to retreat to heal.
How to Defeat the Hedge Broodmother (Matriarch)
This fight is entirely different. The Broodmother’s lair is cramped, and she blocks your escape routes with webs. Melee proficiency and perfect blocking are essential.
Attack Patterns and Counters
She uses several moves: a quick three-hit bite combo, a leg slam that spawns spiderlings, and a web shot that slows you. The key is blocking. With a shield and the Ladybug Armor, you can absorb her hits without much stamina drain. When she rears back for the leg slam, immediately side-step to avoid the shockwave. If you see her abdomen twitch, anticipate a web shot and dodge laterally. Stay at medium range, then dart in for two to three swings after each combo.
Spiderling Management
The spawned spiderlings are weak but pile on poison and stagger you, leaving you open to the Broodmother’s attacks. Use a spicy weapon to one-shot them or carry a Mint Mace for a wide sweep. Alternatively, throwing a pebblet turret before the fight can distract spiderlings, but it’s risky to set up mid-battle.
Phase Two: Frenzy
At roughly 40% health, the Broodmother enrages, attacking faster and summoning web traps. Stay mobile and watch your stamina. If you see a web trap beneath you, jump immediately. In this phase, switching to a faster weapon like the Pinch Whacker can help you land hits between her barrages. Keep your health topped, because her venom now stacks faster. With steady shield blocks and deliberate strikes, she’ll eventually crumple.
Rewards
Defeating the Wasp Queen rewards you with Wasp Queen Chunks, used to craft the Queen’s Staff, a powerful summoner tool, and the Queenly armor set with ranged bonuses. The Broodmother drops Broodmother Fang, which upgrades the Club of the Mother Demon and unlocks the Spider Armor set. Both also yield large pools of Raw Science.
Solo vs Co-op Tactics
In solo play, patience is paramount. Don’t greed for extra hits, and always keep a healing item on your hotbar. In co-op, have one player tank the Broodmother with a shield while the other uses a crossbow or spicy sword. For the Queen, assign one person to handle adds while the other focuses on the boss. Communication is everything call out dive bombs and web shots so everyone can react.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best armor for the Wasp Queen?
Moth Armor is ideal for its ranged critical boost and poison resistance. If you lack moth parts, Ladybug Armor serves as a durable alternative.
Can I fight the Broodmother without a shield?
It’s possible but extremely difficult. Her rapid attacks drain stamina quickly without a shield, and perfect blocking becomes a must. New players should bring a shield.
Where do I get the Broodmother BLT recipe?
Explore the Hedge Lab and analyze berry leather or other hedge resources. The recipe unlocks once you’ve found a Broodmother egg sac and analyzed it.
Is the Wasp Queen harder than the Broodmother?
Opinions vary, but the Queen’s flying and adds make her challenging for ranged builds, while the Broodmother is a melee skill check. Both require well-prepared loadouts.
What mutations should I use?
Always equip Mithridatism for poison resistance. Sharpshooter for the Queen, Blade Master or Barbarian for the Broodmother. Coupe de Grass and Natural Explorer are great general picks.
