Quick Answer
Beat Desert Claus with a sniper rifle or assault rifle, plenty of ammunition, and movement inside the shifting sand dome. You find him in the Desert's circular sandstorm arena. Dodge marked rocket impacts, use pillars against his sniper shots, and break the four Christmas Present containers after winning.
Where do you find Desert Claus?
You encounter Desert Claus in a large, circular arena while progressing through the Desert.
The arena sits inside a sandstorm, which becomes part of the fight.
Desert Claus wears a battered holiday outfit and uses machine-gun fire, rockets, and a sniper rifle. During the battle, he calls an elf named Max for artillery support.
He looks human, but the game groups him with the Hellshrew. These are his listed combat stats:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| HP | 8,000 |
| Armor | 3 |
| Exp | 130 |
| Faction | Hellshrew |
Which guns should you bring?
Bring a sniper rifle or assault rifle with a generous ammunition supply.
You need to hit Desert Claus during brief appearances and later engage him near distant ruins. Reinforcements also arrive during the encounter, so your ammunition must cover more than the boss alone.
Choose your weapon before entering the arena. The best weapons guide can help you compare your options. Review your equipment together with the weapon builds guide.
How do you beat each part of the fight?
Shoot Desert Claus when he surfaces, follow the moving dome, and use pillars during the sniper section.
Shoot when he surfaces
At the start, Desert Claus repeatedly bursts out of the sand and dives beneath it again. Fire whenever he becomes visible.
After he loses around 20% of his health, he starts summoning enemies. They ride creatures emerging from the sand, then jump into the arena. Your opening attacks lead into a fight with both the boss and reinforcements.
Move away from rocket markers
At roughly 70% health remaining, rockets begin hitting marked positions across the arena. Watch the floor markings and move into the spaces they leave clear.
Some volleys mark almost the entire floor, leaving only one safe row. Find that row when the markings appear.
The surrounding sand dome also starts moving. Keep checking its boundary while avoiding the rocket targets.
Find the sniper near the ruins
At about half health, Desert Claus takes out a sniper rifle. He moves outside the dome toward nearby ruins.
Look for his silhouette or trace the laser sight back to its origin. Shoot toward his position and use pillars to block incoming shots.
His position outside the dome does not make it safe for you to follow. Keep your movement within the dome's boundaries.
Survive the returning waves
After enough damage, or when the dome approaches him, the earlier rocket and reinforcement pattern returns. Keep responding to the floor markings while tracking the dome.
A large ambush follows. Eliminate those enemies before the final confrontation with Desert Claus.
Finish the duel and open the presents
The remaining fight becomes a one-on-one confrontation. Keep attacking until Desert Claus has no health left.
Four Christmas Present containers appear after his defeat. Break the gift boxes to collect their separate rewards.
How do you handle the moving sand dome?
Stay inside the dome because crossing its boundary damages you.
The safe arena moves during the rocket section. You must account for both the dome's position and the marked impact areas.
Desert Claus can move outside the dome during his sniper section. You still take damage outside, so shoot toward him from inside.
Use the pillars to interrupt incoming sniper shots while locating his silhouette or laser. When rockets and reinforcements return, resume watching the floor and dome together.
What does Desert Claus drop?
Desert Claus leaves four Christmas Present containers, each with a separate reward.
The possible rewards include weapons, valuables, keys, and enchantment scrolls. You do not receive every listed item each time.
| Reward group | Possible contents |
|---|---|
| Guns | Valet, Salamander, Star & Witness, Farsight, Majordome, M11A2 Fisk, Ferryman, Socom 9, Longboy, Type 80 Typhoon |
| Melee weapons | Nunchaku, Bo, Sai, Katana |
| Other items | Insurance, Crypt Key, Gold Chain, Soul Resin, The Cost, Fancy Watch |
| Enchantment scrolls | Scroll of Chaos Strike, Scroll of Holy Fire, Scroll of Chain Lightning, Scroll of Rocket Launcher, and others |
If you receive a scroll, consult the enchantments guide before choosing how to use it.
For your next encounter, check the SULFUR bosses guide.
FAQ
You find Desert Claus in a large, circular sandstorm arena in the Desert.
Bring a sniper rifle or assault rifle and plenty of ammunition. Shoot his exposed appearances, avoid rocket markings, and stay inside the moving dome. Use pillars against his sniper shots.
He switches to a sniper rifle at roughly half health and moves toward ruins outside the dome. Locate him using his silhouette or laser sight.
Yes, Crypt Key is among the possible Christmas Present rewards. You are not guaranteed one from each victory.
Four Christmas Present containers appear in the arena. Break them to collect four separate rewards.