Key Takeaway
Players can get the “Heliophobia” achievement by luring a Gnome into the sunlight, transforming it into a Garden Gnome statue. Gnomes are only found in the Living Tree biome, which is usually underground.
One of the most interesting achievements in Terraria is “Heliophobia,” which requires players to “trick a gnome into turning into stone.” This in-game text gives no indication of where to find these bearded fellows or how to petrify them. Luckily, the steps for doing so are straightforward!
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Where to Find Gnomes
In essence, Terraria Gnomes are rare mobs found near the Living Tree biome, which is famous for its colossal trees extending from the Sky to deep Underground.
Gnomes will almost always be Underground within the root networks of these huge Living Trees. Since they’re so small, they can be hard to see, but thankfully, Gnomes are detectable by the Lifeform Analyzer, Cell Phone, or one of its upgrades.
When encountered, these little creatures immediately become aggressive, battering the player with their tiny fists and knocking them back. Since Gnomes turn into garden ornaments after coming face-to-face with sunlight, using yourself as bait is the perfect way to trick them.
How to Turn a Gnome Into a Garden Gnome
Since players need to turn the little Gnome into a stone to get the “Heliophobia” achievement, all they need to do is stand near a Gnome to grab its attention.
The next step is to dig a hole or break the walls to let the sunlight in. In light of this, all that’s left to do is lure the Gnome into the bright patch and watch it turn to stone.
After the Gnome gets the Medusa treatment and turns into a cute garden ornament, the Heliophobia Terraria achievement will pop up. For your efforts, you also gain a Garden Gnome decoration that grants a 0.2 increase in Luck when placed nearby. Neat!
Tips for Farming Gnomes
Garden Gnomes are rare mobs, with around a 0.5% spawn rate, making them a scarce sight indeed. However, you can increase your chances of seeing them by increasing your Luck stat. You can do this by placing a Garden Gnome nearby, using Luck Potions, or throwing coins into Shimmer.
Additionally, Gnomes only spawn against Dirt Walls or Living Tree Walls (albeit at any height). Still, spawn rates are significantly higher with Living Tree walls. As such, you should try to maximize the amount of these walls by expanding the Living Tree. You can always craft more using 1 Wood at a Living Loom crafting station.
While the Luck modifier of Garden Gnomes doesn’t stack, it’s useful to stockpile them at certain locations—like monster farms—to get rare items such as the Rod of Discord or even fishing spots. Happy Gnome hunting!
