Get the Carrot
Speak to the Tourist sitting beneath a palm tree on the Desert island. He asks for an endangered creature. Fish with the locally available Standard Lure, inspect each catch, and keep one carrying the Endangered tag. Current guides confirm examples including Seahorse, Bowlfish, and Needlefish, but the tag is the important part.
Hand that creature directly to the Tourist. He gives you the Carrot used to summon the Pufferfish. Do not cast until your weapon is loaded and healing food is ready.
Build a mobile loadout
The Pufferfish is a larger difficulty check than the opening bosses. PC Gamer reports better results with an upgraded SMG than with a slower Shotgun. That is a practical observation, not a mandatory build: the key requirement is sustained ranged damage while moving.
Cook several ordinary fish after completing the Grillmaster’s Blue Shark task. Keep those heals separate from the Pufferfish Fin you will need after the fight.
Use the island against the roll
The Pufferfish commits to fast, mostly straight rolling charges. Fight near palm trees with a clear loop around them:
- move sideways before the charge reaches you;
- place a tree trunk between the boss and your next position;
- shoot while it turns or recovers rather than standing still in open sand;
- keep an escape route so the same trees do not trap you.
Later in the fight, purple poison occupies parts of the arena. Re-route early instead of crossing an unsafe patch for one extra burst of damage. Surviving the next charge is more valuable than forcing a reload in place.
Keep the correct drop
After the kill, locate the Pufferfish Fin among the physics-scattered remains. Return the Fin to the Tourist to receive the Rocks coordinates. Ordinary meat can be cooked or sold; the Fin is the story item.
Official Patch 1.0.4 nerfed the Pufferfish without publishing exact values. Strategy and weapon advice here is therefore marked patch-sensitive and was checked on September 2, 2026.