The Sleepy Octopod attacking Target Dummies. The slam is only performed if the weapon is swung continually.
The Sleepy Octopod is a Hardmodemelee weapon that is swung continuously in a 360° radius around the player when used. After swinging the Sleepy Octopod for 0.7 seconds, green particles appear at the tip of the weapon, signifying that it is ready to deliver its secondary attack: If the head hits a block at the end of the swing, it causes a 3×12-tile tall explosion. Between explosions, the Sleepy Octopod acts as a swung melee weapon, dealing regular damage to enemies that make contact with the staff.
The explosion deals 300% or three times the weapon's base damage (150 damage) and will damage enemies through blocks. Because of the distance that the head is at when the swing finishes, the explosion will not hit enemies closer than two blocks from the player, though the weapon itself will hit these enemies, dealing regular damage. The Sleepy Octopod is dropped by Ogres during the Old One's Armyevent, with a 1/10 (10%) / 1/5 (20%) chance during Tier 2, and a 1/20 (5%) chance during Tier 3.
Its best modifier is Godly or Demonic. Both modifiers increase the average damage output by the same amount. However, Ruthless might be preferred if the player already has very high critical strike chance.
Notes
Regardless of whether the weapon hits a block at the end of the swing, the sound effect plays, and the cycle will start over.
Due to the way the weapon swings, enemies 3 blocks away horizontally and (more or less) directly above/beneath the player will get hit. Enemies to either side can get hit a maximum of 5 times, while enemies above can get hit a maximum of 4 times, and enemies below a maximum of 3 times. How far away an enemy is will determine how many times it gets hit.
Tips
Due to the way the explosion is generated, it is not recommended to use the Sleepy Octopod on mounts which elevate the player more than three tiles off the ground, e.g. Rudolph or the Unicorn Mount. Since the ground is not within the weapon's reach while mounted, an explosion can only be generated by hitting the Sleepy Octopod against a wall.
While not well-suited for boss fights, the Sleepy Octopod is useful for farming in the Underground Hallow, where most enemies use high-damage melee attacks. The all-around attack of this weapon and its high knockback keep the player safe. It is less useful in other areas where enemies can fire projectiles, such as the Underground Corruption or Underground Crimson.
Trivia
Like the other Old One's Army weapons, the Sleepy Octopod is a direct reference to the weapon of the same name in Dungeon Defenders 2, due to its implementation as part of a crossover event.
The Sleepy Octopod's attack resembles the Monk's first ability: Pole Smash.