---
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam
type: mechanic
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam
lang: en
title: Scanning beam
summary: 'A beam changes direction, sweeping a dangerous line across the arena.'
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
status: active
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam/
jsonUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam.json
markdownUrl: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam.md
aliases: []
tags:
- Boss fights
- Beams
sourceIds:
- source-49937bc2b570a1d2
- source-0fa82b3c382b3767
- source-3d98aa5b859ad11b
- source-d88e73d9030adb59
- source-8257284e3816dc3e
- source-baf38070a8989361
- source-945019fe5d82d809
- source-9474c0b9c13eecc5
sources:
- id: source-49937bc2b570a1d2
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Scanning beam (RU)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/scanning-beam/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-0fa82b3c382b3767
title: 'Boss Fight Atlas: Scanning beam (EN)'
url: 'https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/scanning-beam/'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-3d98aa5b859ad11b
title: Absolute Radiance · Hollow Knight
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgh04-wCRyk&t=20s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-d88e73d9030adb59
title: Phrike · Returnal
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdBbTMFLFIo&t=32s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-8257284e3816dc3e
title: Ziva the Engineer · V Rising
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FaqtlB36V8&t=24s'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-baf38070a8989361
title: Enemy Attacks and Telegraphing · Mike Stout
url: 'https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-945019fe5d82d809
title: 'Boss Up: Boss Battle Design · GDC Vault'
url: 'https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024921/Boss-Up-Boss-Battle-Design'
verifiedAt: null
- id: source-9474c0b9c13eecc5
title: Terraria
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s'
verifiedAt: null
relations: []
placements:
- catalogId: boss-fight-atlas
id: boss-scanning-beam
title: Boss fights
url: >-
https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/boss-fight-atlas/#boss-scanning-beam
categoryIds:
- catalog-part-3
supersededBy: []
attributes:
preview:
updatedAt: '2026-10-22'
title: Scanning beam
description: 'A beam changes direction, sweeping a dangerous line across the arena.'
image:
src: images/mechanics/boss-frame-rivhpmkqgv4-18.webp
width: 854
height: 470
game: Terraria
sourceUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s'
originalUrl: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4'
sourceFrameSeconds: 18
credit: Re-Logic; gameplay capture by DumbCrispyCat
rights: >-
Game graphics © Re-Logic. Gameplay recording by DumbCrispyCat. Visible
source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC
BY 4.0.
caption: Moon Lord’s forehead-eye beam sweeps across the space
alt: Moon Lord’s forehead-eye beam sweeps across the space
markers:
- x: 53
'y': 45
label: The beam originates from the boss’s visible eye
tips:
- Show the sweep’s starting point and direction before damage begins.
examples:
- title: Terraria
url: 'https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s'
endsAt: null
provenance: >-
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic
pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by
gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference
URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights;
references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
license: CC-BY-4.0
codeLicense: MIT
attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors
catalogKey: catalog/boss-fight-atlas
---
# Scanning beam
id: boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam
type: mechanic
key: mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam
lang: en
status: active
url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/boss-fight-atlas--boss-scanning-beam/
A beam changes direction, sweeping a dangerous line across the arena.
## At a glance
[Terraria](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s) · Game graphics © Re-Logic. Gameplay recording by DumbCrispyCat. Visible source markings preserved. All rights reserved; excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0.
[Source recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4), 18 s
1. The beam originates from the boss’s visible eye
- Show the sweep’s starting point and direction before damage begins.
- [Terraria](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s)
## How it works
A beam changes direction, sweeping a dangerous line across the arena.
## Variants
### How the technique works
- A beam changes direction, sweeping a dangerous line across the arena.
## Context and limits
A concise reference to all 124 Boss Fight Atlas mechanics across its 14 source sections. Each entry includes a definition, full RU/EN lesson links, game references and further reading retained from the source. Animations and detailed rules remain in the atlas.
## Connected materials
## Sources and provenance
Editorial reference index based on the 124 public Boss Fight Atlas mechanic pages checked on 2026-10-20. Original concise RU/EN definitions by gamemechanics.pro; source categories, game/boss associations and reference URLs retained from the atlas. Linked materials retain their original rights; references are upstream attributions, not independent verification.
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Scanning beam (RU)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/ru/mechanics/scanning-beam/) (id: source-49937bc2b570a1d2)
- [Boss Fight Atlas: Scanning beam (EN)](https://polyakovin.github.io/boss-fight-atlas/en/mechanics/scanning-beam/) (id: source-0fa82b3c382b3767)
- [Absolute Radiance · Hollow Knight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgh04-wCRyk&t=20s) (id: source-3d98aa5b859ad11b)
- [Phrike · Returnal](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdBbTMFLFIo&t=32s) (id: source-d88e73d9030adb59)
- [Ziva the Engineer · V Rising](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FaqtlB36V8&t=24s) (id: source-8257284e3816dc3e)
- [Enemy Attacks and Telegraphing · Mike Stout](https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/enemy-attacks-and-telegraphing) (id: source-baf38070a8989361)
- [Boss Up: Boss Battle Design · GDC Vault](https://www.gdcvault.com/play/1024921/Boss-Up-Boss-Battle-Design) (id: source-945019fe5d82d809)
- [Terraria](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIVHPmKQgV4&t=18s) (id: source-9474c0b9c13eecc5)
CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors