Every night on a Terraria landscape means danger. From your first night with a small base and zombies in either direction, to the dreaded fight with the Moon Lord, each step you take could end in destruction, if the right tools are not equipped.
Through creation or destruction, many different types of weapons are procured during a Terrarian’s travels. However, the weapons range differently by choice of the player. One may choose a sharp-edged sword, while another can wield magical items and staffs. So, the list below will be divided into sections - Melee, Ranged, and Magical - and rank the best weapons in them.
Melee Weapons
Swords and shield in hand, melee players in many different games love close-range action and combat. Though sans shield, Terraria makes up for the lack of them with creative, and interesting melee weapons, like a perpetually spinning yo yo or harnessing the power of shooting stars.
4. Flairon
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The Flail of Bubbly (and Powerful) Proportions
This flail may seem unintimidating, but its bubbles are nothing but damage to those who aren’t wielding it. Though categorized as a flair, the Flairon acts almost like a grappling hook, but minus the grappling. Instead of being dragged along like most other flairs, Flairon projects out in a straight line, unaffected by gravity, and continues for its entire range, unless stopped by an enemy. That, paired with bubbles that can take out a whole horde of enemies, should be enough to put fear on your face. But, the most remarkable thing about this weapon is the hybrid fish-pig face it attacks with.
Flairon base stats:
66 melee damage
4.5 knockback strength (Average)
4% critical strike chance
20 weapon speed (Very Fast)
As mentioned above, this fish-pig mutant weapon must come from a very peculiar place. In fact, it almost seems like a joke meant to troll players. That’s because it is. Duke Fishron, the boss you have to beat in order to maintain this item, was originally an April Fool’s joke by Re-Logic that was included in an “Aquarium Horde” event. In the end, Duke Fishron, this completely optional boss with a very familiar fish-like, tusked face, was added alone. The Flairon has a 20% (1/5) chance of spawning after beating Duke Fishron, which can be beaten easily with methods from this YouTube video.
3. Meowmere
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Meowmere, plus its feline projectile, in action!
With the highest raw base damage in the game, the Meowmere is a cute but deadly melee weapon with a fast projectile. As this bright sword is swung, a cat noise is made (which can be removed by accessing the games files if too annoying for the player) and deals a massive amount of both melee and ranged damage. The projectile, resembling the Nyan Cat meme, soars and ricochets against walls and enemies four times, as well as speeding up and increasing the projectile burst range each time. Now, why is this an awesome weapon? The Meowmere:
Is based off the sound and visual it makes, with the Nyan Cat rainbow projectile and the meowing with the swing of the sword.
Has an amazing projectile speed of 62 mph, and it still seems to get faster with each ricochet, as well as increasing damage with time.
Emits light from both the sword and the projectile.
Meowmere base stats:
200 melee damage
6.5 knockback strength (Strong)
4% critical strike change
16 weapon speed (Very Fast)
Legendary is its best Modifier
Autoswing Ability
The Meowmere is a drop from the Moon Lord with an 11.11% (1/9) drop rate. With tips on how to beat the Moon Lord with any class of your choice, visit this YouTube video.
2. Star Wrath
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The cosmic effects of Star Wrath
As the second sword on our list, the Star Wrath has less base damage than the Meowmere. But with the right cursor accuracy, can be a gamechanger for any player. This weapon acts like an upgrade of the Starfury, doing melee damage with the sword as well as projectile damage with 3 shooting stars barrelling down at wherever the cursor is pointing. When combining both damage sources, a player can easily get up to 1200 DPS. This sword is an amazing addition to this list because:
It deals massive amounts of damage and is a direct upgrade to the Starfury.
It is better suited for those who like both ranged and melee damage, though can make an awesome weapon to whoever wields it.
It can clear large groups of enemies in seconds with its autoswing ability plus an overwhelming amount of stars.
Star Wrath base stats:
110 melee damage and 220 projectile damage
6.5 knockback strength (Strong)
4% critical strike chance
16 weapon speed (Very Fast)
Legendary is its best Modifier
Autoswing ability
This sword, like the Meowmere, has an 11.11% (1/9) chance to drop from the Moon Lord, which you can learn how to defeat quickly here.
1. The Terrarian
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The real-life Terrarian Yoyo!
The first non-sword weapon on this list, the Terrarian is a super-yoyo of a weapon. With the longest range of any other yoyo, this ball of green energy has infinite airtime and projectiles that fly away for a short time, bouncing off blocks and homing onto nearby enemies. The Terrarian, being the best yoyo in the game , can rack up a high amount of DPS because of its ability to infinitely be airborne, and even more so when it’s paired with yoyo accessories like the Yoyo Glove or Yoyo Bag. This weapon is one of the best weapons in the game because:
It can stay in the air indefinitely, allowing the yoyo itself and the projectiles that come from it to be spawned practically forever.
When combined with yoyo accessories that double its effects, the Terrarian is a very powerful weapon that can be wielded to impressively destroy any enemy that crosses the player’s path.
The Terrarian base stats:
190 melee damage
6.5 knockback strength (Strong)
14% critical strike chance
25 weapon speed (Fast)
25 block range
Godly is its best modifier
The Terrarian, like the past two weapons, are dropped at a 11.11% (1/9) rate by the Moon Lord, which can be beaten easily with tips from this YouTube video.
Ranged Weapons
In the scope of weapons, guns and bows and other types of ranged weapons distance themselves from close-ranged combat (and yes, puns were intended). Terraria, seemingly having a very fun time designing strange daggers, arrows, and guns, has a wide range of ranged weapons to choose from, but some overpower others with speeds, damages, and styles.
4. Vampire Knives
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A 3-D rendering of this weapon, used to spray deadly and damning blades
This weapon is a bit controversial in my mind about whether it’s melee or ranged. In one context, the official wiki for Terraria classifies these as melee weapons. On the other hand, the Vampire Knives are thrown at an alarming speed and range, which puts them in the ranged lineup.
These glowing red daggers are very powerful weapons, though one wouldn’t think so if looking at stats alone. What this weapon lacks in damage it makes up for in speed and abilities. The Vampire Knives, only available in worlds with Crimson, not Corruption, biomes, act as both a damage-dealer and healing weapon. Like the name would suggest, the Vampiric tendencies of these daggers allow the player to take health from its enemies at a rate of 7.5% of the damage dealt. This lethal spray also shoots four daggers, with a chance to have up to eight, making this a very dangerous weapon when combined with the autoswing ability, which gives the player the ability to throw these daggers endlessly by holding the attack button.
Vampire Knives base stats:
29 melee damage
2.75 knockback strength (Very Weak)
4% critical strike chance
16 weapons speed (Very Fast)
7.5% heal based on damage dealt
54 block range (28 normal, then fading for 26)
Autoswing ability
Godly or Demonic is its best modifier
This amazing slew of daggers is found through a different series of events than the melee weapons mentioned above. Vampire Knives are only accessible after defeating Plantera, the sentient plant monster which you can easily beat with these methods, and getting a Crimson key. This key is dropped by enemies in the Crimson biome at a very rare rate, 0.04% to be exact, but with a little bit of grinding, you can get one quickly. Once you’ve taken care of both of these prerequisites, you can now start your search for a Crimson chest in your dungeon. Don’t worry about getting mixed up or anything, because there is only one and looks like a red and black variation of a chest. With that, the Vampire Knives are yours to throw, whether it’s for some role playing action or to defeat the next boss.
3. Daybreak
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There are no stabs in the dark with Daybreak, with each spear lighting the way
This weapon, like the Vampire Knives, is technically classified as a melee weapon. However, because of it’s projectile capabilities, I am considering it a ranged weapon.
Throwing up to 8 projectiles, Daybreak is a spear-like weapon that is similar the Bone Javelin except that it doesn’t consume the item. Instead, a player can hold the attack button and throw many of these sun-powered spears. After hitting an enemy, the solar force of the weapon kicks in, sticking to the enemy and dealing damage every quarter of a second. Daybreak is an awesome addition to your artillery because:
It deals damage over time, making it very dangerous for single enemies and bosses
The item isn’t consumed after throwing and doesn’t require any mana or ammunition, giving you an endless amount of solar-charged spears
The weapon itself emits a good amount of light, making exploring an underground jungle or finding enemies at night easier
Daybreak base stats:
150 melee damage
5 knockback strength (Average)
4% critical strike chance
16 weapon speed (Very Fast)
25 damage per quarter second of contact with an enemy
Godly and Demonic are its best modifiers
The Daybreak is made out of exactly what you think it is, the sun. Yes. The sun. Using 18 Solar Fragments dropped by the Solar Pillar during a Lunar Event or forged by combining one of each Vortex, Nebula, and Stardust Fragments, you can have the power of the sun shaped into a spear and in your hands. Just bring those Solar Fragments to a Ancient Manipulator and craft them together to harness the power of flames.
2. Phantasm
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Wraiths aren't the only ones with ghoulish weapons in Terraria
Like the Vampire Knives, this weapon is able to shoot more than one projectile. This time, instead of glowing, red daggers, the Phantasm will shoot whatever arrows you have on you. Once an enemy is hit, this bow then creates a magical slew of arrows to hone in on the target that was hit, dealing extra damage, despite its low base damage stat which can be increased with armors and accessories. This is an awesome and amazing bow to have because it:
Auto-fires four arrows but only consumes one
Has a 66% chance to not consume ammo at all, which can be increased up to 89.76% when combined with certain armors, accessories, and potions that can increase the chances of not consuming ammunition
Can be combined with special types of arrows to maximize damage, such as ichor arrows to decrease enemy defense or holy arrows to rain stars down on them.
Can be an unlimited, deadly weapon when paired with the Endless Quiver (an accessory that has, as the name suggests, an infinite amount of wooden arrows).
Auto-fires at a rate of once per 24 frames, and can even accelerate to once every 18 frames, but doesn’t benefit from weapon speed modifiers.
Phantasm base stats:
50 ranged damage
Arrow Ammunition
2 knockback strength (Very Weak)
4% critical strike chance
12 weapon speed (Very Fast)
66% chance to not consume ammunition
Unreal is its best modifier, though Godly and Demonic give the same DPS but also give weapon speed bonuses, which don’t work with the Phantasm
This ghoulish bow is procured through crafting, in which you need Vortex Fragments. This crafting item can be dropped by Vortex Pillars during Lunar Events or created by combining Solar, Nebula, and Stardust Fragments at the Ancient Manipulator crafting station, which is dropped by a Lunatic Cultist. Once you have 18 of these fragments, you can go back to your Ancient Manipulator and craft your brand new Phantasm bow. This, as well as how to get the Vortex Armor set, is explained in this YouTube video.
1. S.D.M.G. (Space Dolphin Machine Gun)
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Crazy name to match Crazy damage
If you thought this game couldn’t get any stranger than a pig-fish mutant flail, then you were greatly mistaken. May I introduce the Space Dolphin Machine Gun, or S.D.M.G for short. Combining the power of the two great unknowns, sea and space, the S.D.M.G fires extremely fast and extremely accurately. If the imaginative touch of the weapon alone doesn’t attract you to the weapon, it also:
Has a 50% rate not to consume any ammunition, lowering the amount of bullets you run through practically in half
Can be shot with many different types of bullets to maximize damage and debuff effects, like Luminite, Chlorophyte, and Ichor bullets, as well as pairing with armors that increase ranged effects.
Is an upgrade to the Megashark, another gun that is in the category of aquatic themed weapons, including the Minishark, Gatligator, and Megashark.
S.D.M.G. base stats:
77 ranged damage
2.5 knockback strength (Very Weak)
14% critical strike chance
5 weapon speed (Insanely Fast)
50% chance to not consume ammo
Unreal is its best modifier
This endgame gun is obtained through defeating the Moon Lord, where it has an 11.11% (1/9) chance of dropping and can be killed easily with these methods.
Magic Weapons
While some players may enjoy seeing bullets fly at a boss or swords coming down onto a horde of enemies, others may enjoy the more ‘intellectual’ side of combat. Magic weapons channel energy through mana, which can be regenerated naturally, with potions, or buffed with accessories. However, there is a max amount of a mana pool a player can have. Because of this limitation, it can be difficult to be a mage in Terraria. But, these weapons make the trek to be a wizard worth it. Both of these weapons are a drop by the Moon Lord, the final boss of the game currently, at a rate of 11.11% (1/9), who can be beaten easily with techniques shown in this YouTube video.
2. Lunar Flare
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An explosion from the Lunar Flare, magically powered
I’m sure every player imagines raining fire down onto their enemies, dealing massive amounts of damage and creating chaos. With the Lunar Flare, you are able to do just that. With the ability to travel through blocks, this spell tome harnesses the energy of the moon into three projectiles, which come from above and explode on impact. The Lunar Flare is also amazing because:
It is practically an upgrade to the Blizzard Staff but with higher damage outputs and the ability to pass through blocks.
The projectiles it calls not only pass through blocks, but shine a bit of light on impact. Maybe not your ordinary flashlight, but it’s still a source of light to explore by.
Its high mana cost can be curved with accessories, or even a contraption that spawns enemies and collects mana stars to replenish the loss.
Lunar Flare base stats:
100 magic damage
4.5 knockback strength (Average)
13 mana cost
4% critical strike chance
10 weapon speed (Very Fast)
Mythical is its best modifier
1. Last Prism
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Enemies stand no chance against this powerful beam of light!
Ever hear characters in movies say they’re “going towards the light” when they’re about to die? Well, this weapon speaks directly to that, because it will be the last thing your opponents see. Bursting out into different lines of color and then spiraling to converge into a single white laser, the Last Prism puts a dangerous spin to Newton’s prismatic concepts. This weapon, though costing a good bit of mana, is the definition of sheer awesomeness because:
It can be used solely as a spray and can use a lot less mana than it does when it’s fully charged.
The mana cost for it can be reduced and replenished with potions, accessories, and, like the Lunar Flare, a machine that allows for easy collection of mana stars.
It hits 12 times per second, dealing massive amounts of damage to many targets over time.
Last Prism base stats:
100 magic damage
0 knockback strength (No Knockback)
12 mana cost
4% critical strike chance
10 weapon speed (Very Fast)
Demonic or Deadly is its best modifier, or Mystic to prioritize mana conservation
All the weapons brought forth by Terraria and its developers creates an extremely fun gameplay experience for any player brought into its world. The protection that they offer, from the first night, allows much more than combat to occur, from building to exploring. With weapons in hand, any player can experience Terraria to its fullest.
