[Top 10] Best Terraria Weapons and How to Get Them

The world of Terraria is a dangerous place

Updated:

21 May 2020

The world of Terraria is one full of danger at every turn. In order to survive and combat these forces of evil, you must craft or discover one of many awesome weapons at your disposal. After all, what is a hero without a blade to slay the beast?

Since the latest major content update for the game, there are now a total of 495 craftable or discoverable weapons, leaving the player’s options almost endless.

What makes a weapon great depends largely on the player and how they have chosen to build their character. But there are some weapons simply so overpowered that they make the top of the list by default.

Below are ten of the best (and coolest) weapons accessible in Terraria:

10. Vampire Knives

It would be unwise to underestimate the unassuming damage of the Vampire Knives. With low base damage, one would assume they are not suited to endgame levels of play. But this would be a mistake. The Vampire Knives offer a massive utility in that they are an auto-swing weapon (the player can hold down the mouse button instead of repeatedly pressing it to use the weapon), are very fast, and even heal the player as they deal damage.

Vampire Knives stats:

Damage: 29 (melee)
Knockback: 2.75 (very week)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 16 (very fast)

The Vampire Knives not only look supremely cool in action, but they can also be used for any number of cosplay or character designing needs. The name suggests a spooky and ominous origin to the weapon, something that many players will incorporate into the theme of their build.

The weapon is awesome for a number of reasons, but especially because it allows for so much devastating power in exchange for very little. They are convenient and easy to use but offer decent damage output if used right.

How to get the Vampire Knives:

In order to obtain the Vampire Knives, you must defeat the Hardmode boss Plantera (this can be done after defeating the first three mechanical bosses in Hardmode).
Doing so will allow the player to use a special biome key, in this case, the crimson key. This key can be dropped very rarely (0.04% chance) by any enemy in the crimson biome but is unusable if Plantera has not been defeated.
While exploring your world’s dungeon, look for a crimson chest. There will only be one, so don’t worry about getting confused. If Plantera has been slain and you have obtained a crimson key, simply open the chest and the veritable Vampire Knives are yours.

9. Paladin’s Hammer

Arguably one of the best melee weapons in the game is the heavy-hitting Paladin’s Hammer, wielded by the not-so-friendly paladins of the post-Plantera dungeon. While it does not penetrate multiple enemies like others of its kind, it is extremely fast and packs a good punch in each hit. Like others of its type, it is thrown and then quickly returned to the player.

Paladin's Hammer stats:

Damage: 90 (melee)
Knockback: 9 (very strong)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 15 (very fast)

The hammer is often seen as a symbol of justice and might (take a judge’s gavel, for example) and the mighty Paladin’s Hammer is no exception. With the weapon in your hand, you become a terrifying force, able to bulldoze your way through hordes of enemies with ease.

Perfect for someone seeking raw melee power, this weapon makes a great choice for your heavy-hitting player.

How to get the Paladin's Hammer:

Unfortunately, the Paladin’s Hammer can be one of the more difficult weapons to obtain. Many have spent hours upon hours farming for it but to no avail.
In order to obtain the weapon, the player must explore the post-Plantera dungeon in hopes of finding a rare (and very unkind) paladin enemy. The hammer has a 6.67 (10% in expert mode) chance of dropping from a slain paladin.

8. Daybreak

The might of the sun lies within your hands when wielding the Daybreak. Like other throwable weapons, this fiery spear can be thrown endlessly by holding down your left mouse button. To make it even better, the projectile spears linger on their target for a few seconds, creating a huge stack of damage over time. This weapon has been proven by many players to be extremely effective against bosses, as it allows them to deal continuous damage at a safe distance.

Daybreak stats:

Damage: 150 (melee)
Knockback: 5 (average)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 16 (very fast)

As the item’s description says, the player can “rend their foes asunder” with the deadly Daybreak, piercing through terrible monsters as if they were target dummies. The spear costs nothing to use and deals almost absurd amounts of damage in the process.

How to get the Daybreak:

The Daybreak is an endgame weapon. After defeating the Lunatic Cultist boss and destroying the Solar Pillar that spawns in your world, collect the solar fragments left over by the alien entity.
Use the ancient manipulator dropped by the Cultist to craft the Daybreak with 18 of these solar fragments.

7. S.D.M.G. (Space Dolphin Machine Gun)

That’s right. You heard the name correctly. This endgame machine gun, coming straight from outer space, is built in the image of a dolphin because why not? Aside from the ridiculous but epic appearance, the S.D.M.G. is a devastating powerhouse of fully automatic destruction. Faster than any gun in the game, its fire rate absolutely annihilates any enemy or boss with little to no effort, provided you have enough ammunition.

S.D.M.G. stats:

Damage: 77 (Ranged)
Knockback: 2.5 (very weak)
Critical strike chance: 14%
Use time: 5 (insanely fast)
50% chance to not consume ammo.

How to get the S.D.M.G.:

The S.D.M.G. is one of several insanely powerful weapons dropped by Terraria’s final boss, Moon Lord.
In order to summon the giant space monster, you must first defeat the Lunatic Cultist boss (accessible after defeating the jungle’s Golem boss) and destroy all four alien pillars that invade your world.
Immediately upon destroying the final pillar (the order in which they are destroyed doesn’t matter), Moon Lord will be summoned into your world to wreak havoc and eat your NPC friends. Well, maybe not that last part.
Moon Lord has an 11% chance to drop the S.D.M.G., so cross your fingers when you deal the final blow.

6. Star Wrath

As an upgraded version of the early game sword Star Fury, the endgame Star Wrath makes its little brother look like a shrimp in comparison. This otherworldly sword will rain down stars from the heavens, pelting enemies with a barrage of celestial fury. The stars can be directed by the player, albeit with fairly limited control. Not only that, but the blade itself deals fantastic damage, making it extremely effective for up-close-and-personal boss fights. Against the Destroyer, for example, the sword can end the boss fight in a matter of seconds. The Star Wrath is also an auto-swing weapon, which is always a plus.

Star Wrath stats:

Damage: 110 (melee + 220 projectile)
Knockback: 6.5 (strong)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 16 (very fast)

The Star Wrath simply makes the player feel like a stone-cold boss. Wielding it, you possess the power of the stars and can use it to catastrophic effect. And that’s not to mention the awesome appearance of the heavenly sword. One can only wonder where it came from.

How to get the Star Wrath:

The Star Wrath is another of the endgame weapons dropped by the final boss. To get it, you must first defeat the jungle’s Golem boss then move on to the Lunatic Cultist.
After defeating him you will be invaded by four alien entities and their swarms of thralls.
Destroy all four of these and wait in terror for Moon Lord to invade your world. Like the S.D.M.G., the Star Wrath has an 11% chance to drop from Moon Lord.

5. Death Sickle

Like the ghastly scythe wielded by the Reaper himself, the Death Sickle strikes fear in the hearts of your enemies (as well as the apparitions that carry it.) An auto-swing weapon, it can be swung infinitely, and the ghostly scythes that it emits travel a short distance through solid blocks. This makes the weapon very useful for fighting off hordes of monsters attacking your home or hidden underground, as you can slay them without having to physically touch them.

While its base damage output is nothing spectacular, it can prove very useful in dire situations.

Death Sickle stats:

Damage: 57 (melee)
Knockback: 7 (strong)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 25 (fast)

As stated above, the Death Sickle carries a mortal fear with it. All creatures fear death, and the monsters in Terraria are probably no exception. It looks undeniably awesome and has a nice spookiness to it, making it perfect for Halloween festivities.

The weapon is highly useful against crowds, making it many players' go-to crowd control weapon. Its projectiles are great for taking out enemies behind walls or hiding in dark caves.

How to get the Death Sickle:

Upon entering Hardmode by slaying the Wall of Flesh, you must defeat at least one of the three mechanical bosses. Doing so will make it possible for Solar Eclipses to occur in your world.
Reapers will periodically spawn during a Solar Eclipse, and they have a 2.5% (3.75% in expert mode) chance to drop the Death Sickle.

Feel free to harvest some souls. We won’t stop you.

4. Flairon

Speaking of auto-swing weapons, our next selection is the very odd but powerful Flairon. Made in the image of a fish-pig hybrid, it certainly is strange, but don’t let that deter you. The flail-type weapon packs a tremendous punch for a weapon dropped by a boss created as an April Fool’s joke (for real.) The player can swing the weapon to their heart’s content with no cost, and the head of the weapon spits out bubbles that follow and obliterate enemies. Why? Because. That’s why. Combined with the damage of the weapon itself, these two factors make it extremely useful against bosses with annoyingly large HP bars or enemy hordes. It is even more useful against enemies with multiple hitboxes, i.e. wyverns or worm-type monsters, as the player can deal damage to different parts of the creature simultaneously.

Flairon stats:

Damage: 66 (melee)
Knockback: 4.5 (average)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 20 (very fast)

Why is the Flairon an awesome weapon? I mean, look at it. It’s a pig-fish. Shouldn’t that be enough?

There are also the devastating damage and useful move set that the weapon offers, which are almost as cool.

How to get the Flairon:

Remember the part about the Flairon being dropped by a boss who was created for April Fools? Yeah, that would be Duke Fishron, the king (or duke) of the sea who also happens to be a mix between a fish and a pig.
To summon the beast, you must first farm for the elusive Truffle Worm found rarely within the underground mushroom biomes. If you are lucky, you’ll be able to nab one of these worms before they dig away, a difficult task in itself.
If you have successfully caught a Truffle Worm with your trusty bug net, you must then travel to one of your world’s oceans and use a fishing rod to reel in Duke Fishron. Note: The Truffle Worm must be in your inventory and you must have a fishing rod of any kind (The wooden rod is the easiest to craft and works just fine.)
The Flairon has a 20% chance to drop from Duke Fishron, so get out there and slay that pig-fish.

3. Terra Blade

Originally the most powerful weapon in Terraria, the terra blade is a manifestation of nature itself, with all the power that nature wields. It is a massive sword made from organic matter that emits an endless stream of magical blades when the left mouse button is held down. This weapon can be highly effective when dealing with enemies from a distance, and the sword can be swung infinitely when the mouse button is held down (yay auto-swing!)

Terra Blade stats:

Damage: 95 (melee)
Knockback: 6.5 (strong)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 16 (very fast)

The Terra Blade embodies the world of Terraria itself. Nature is a mighty force, and even mightier when formed into a sword.

How to get the Terra Blade:

The Terra Blade is one of the most notoriously difficult weapons to obtain. To explain, an image is attached showing the crafting tree of the sword:

Don’t be daunted by the complexity. Once the sword is in your possession, you find that all your effort was worth it.

2. Last Prism

Let’s show some love to the mages of Terraria. The Last Prism is easily the most powerful magic weapon in the game, obtained from Moon Lord at the very end of your journey. It is a prism structure that emits several ways of light that all focus into one, rainbow-colored beam when the left mouse button is held down. The damage output is almost unreasonably high at the cost of excessive mana consumption. The beam cuts through rows of enemies, piercing any target in range. If you plan to use the weapon, though, make sure you bring plenty of Greater Mana Potions and a Mana Flower. You’ll thank us (and yourself) later.

As with any weapon, the best performance is achieved by careful consideration into how you spec your character. But don’t worry if you don’t have the capability to use the Last Prism effectively - you can change this at any time.

Last Prism stats:

Damage: 100 (magic
Knockback: 0 (none)
Critical strike chance: 4%
Use time: 10 (very fast)

The Last Prism is the magic weapon to end all magic weapons. If used carefully, it can be one of the strongest weapons obtainable and make the game a cakewalk. Coming from outer space, its mysterious gem-like appearance tells tales of other worlds. The Last Prism is undoubtedly one of the coolest weapons available.

How to get the Last Prism:

As with the S.D.M.G. and the Star Wrath, the Last Prism has an 11% chance of dropping from Moon Lord. If you haven’t already figured it out, Moon Lord can be summoned by defeating the Lunatic Cultist boss and the four alien pillars that invade afterward. Redigit be with you, Terrarian.

1. Terrarian (with honorable mentions)

At last, our journey through the greatest weapons in Terraria has come to an end. Before you is perhaps the strongest weapon available in the world of Terraria, the Terrarian. The Terrarian is a yo-yo—yes, a yo-yo. That’s totally a thing in Terraria— that emits numerous magical spheres that follow and attack enemies. Combined with the absurd damage of the weapon itself, the possible damage output is unreal. And if you choose to use a yo-yo glove and counterweights, the weapon will prove even more powerful.

Now, we cannot proceed without naming some honorable mentions, weapons that didn’t quite make the list: Solar Eruption, Meowmere, Scourge of the Corruptor, Phantasm, Shadowbeam Staff, Stardust Dragon Stuff, and Lunar Flare.

As if it wasn’t good enough, the Terrarian is also an auto-swing weapon and can be spun for an indefinite period of time.

Terrarian stats:

Damage: 190 (melee)
Knockback: 6.5 (strong)
Critical strike chance: 14%
Use time: 25 (fast)

The Terrarian for many people symbolizes their ultimate goal: to obtain the strongest gear possible and become a total boss. With weapons like this one, the player can bend their world to their will. Combined with the status that it brings and its usefulness, the Terrarian is one heck of an endgame weapon.

How to get the Terrarian:

To obtain the legendary Terrarian, you must complete all steps necessary to summon Moon Lord.
The boss has an 11% chance to drop the weapon, making it that much more exciting when you finally get your hands on it. Your efforts have paid off, Terrarian.

Terraria is a wonderful game offering adventure, exploration, cooperation, and awesome combat. An RPG in some ways and a sandbox/survival in others, it makes for an endlessly re-playable and immersive experience. The player is truly free to forge their own path in Terraria and make their world their own. Go on, Terrarians, and conquer your world with these mighty weapons in hand.