Overview
Big Slime is a mid-chapter miniboss in The Caves and a classic splitting boss. Whenever Big Slime is defeated, it divides into four Medium Slimes, and each Medium Slime further splits into four Small Slimes on death. Accounting for all splits, Big Slime's total effective HP is 192. A fight that starts against a single large target can flood the board with smaller enemies if you are not careful about how you prioritise. Awareness of the split mechanic is everything here.
Key Mechanics
Split On Death
When Big Slime dies, it splits into four Medium Slimes. Each Medium Slime splits into four Small Slimes on death. Small Slimes do not split further but can still attack your cats and block movement. In the worst case, the board can contain sixteen or more slime enemies at once.
Trample and Ram
Big Slime's primary attacks are Trample and Ram. On its turn it moves toward your cats and attempts to ram into them, dealing eight damage per hit. Do not underestimate this damage output, especially if multiple slimes are ramming simultaneously after a split. Big Slime can also push rocks aside, so do not rely on environmental obstacles for cover.
Board Flooding
The biggest danger is not the damage of any individual slime but the sheer number of enemies if splits are unmanaged. Slimes blocking your cats' movement paths mean your melee cats cannot reach priority targets, and your ranged cats face incoming attacks from multiple directions simultaneously.
Recommended Team Composition
Area-of-effect abilities are the most efficient tool here. A Mage with a spell that hits a 2x2 or larger area can clear multiple small slimes in one action. Any ability that chains between nearby enemies is also effective. The Cleric is recommended over the Mage for The Caves overall, as its healing and revival abilities help sustain your party through the entire chapter. Avoid building a party that relies entirely on single-target damage for this fight.
Step-by-Step Strategy
1. Use stuns, immobilize, or freeze effects to disrupt Big Slime's movement and prevent Ram attacks. Keeping it locked down while you deal damage is the safest approach.
2. After Big Slime dies and splits into four Medium Slimes, immediately prioritise killing one Medium Slime completely before spreading damage to others. Reducing enemy count is always better than leaving multiple damaged slimes alive.
3. Use AoE abilities to clear Small Slimes in groups. Spending a single action to kill three or four Small Slimes is far more efficient than targeting them one at a time.
4. If the board becomes too crowded, fall back to a corner and use area damage defensively to thin the population before advancing.