Terraria has four combat classes: melee, ranged, magic and summoner. You do not pick a class when you create a character: your gear decides it. Your armor, weapons and accessories each boost one type of damage, which is why it pays to specialise as you progress.
This guide explains what each class does, which weapons and armor to use in each stage (pre-Hardmode, Hardmode and endgame) and which class suits you when you play alone or with friends on a server.
The 4 classes at a glance
| Class | Play style | Endgame armor | Signature weapons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melee | High defense, close combat | Solar Flare | Terra Blade, Zenith |
| Ranged | High damage from a distance, uses ammo | Vortex | Megashark, Vortex Beater |
| Magic | High damage, low defense, uses mana | Nebula | Razorblade Typhoon, Last Prism |
| Summoner | Your minions fight for you | Stardust | Terraprisma, Stardust Dragon Staff |
Melee
The toughest class: melee armor gives the most defense, so it forgives mistakes. You use swords, yoyos, spears and boomerangs. That makes melee the easiest class to start with.
- Pre-Hardmode: Molten armor (from hellstone bars) and Night's Edge, which you craft by combining four pre-Hardmode swords.
- Hardmode: Turtle armor and later Beetle armor, which soak up a lot of hits. The Terra Blade is the big goal of this stage.
- Endgame: Solar Flare armor, made from solar fragments, and the Zenith, widely seen as the best weapon in the game.
- Useful accessories: Warrior Emblem, Fire Gauntlet and Berserker's Glove.
Ranged
Ranged deals a lot of damage while keeping its distance, which makes it very safe against bosses. In return it needs ammo (bullets, arrows or rockets), so always carry a good supply.
- Pre-Hardmode: Necro armor from the dungeon, with the Minishark or Phoenix Blaster, or a bow such as the Molten Fury.
- Hardmode: the Megashark is the key weapon of this stage. After Plantera you get Shroomite armor and chlorophyte bullets, which home in on enemies.
- Endgame: Vortex armor with the Vortex Beater, the Phantasm bow or the S.D.M.G.
- Useful accessories: Ranger Emblem, Magic Quiver for bows and Sniper Scope for guns.
Magic
Mages deal very high damage and get weapons with unique effects, but their defense is low and everything costs mana. Great fun if you like dodging and controlling an area.
- Pre-Hardmode: Jungle armor, or Meteor armor with the Space Gun, which costs no mana with that set. Good weapons are the Water Bolt and the Demon Scythe.
- Hardmode: the Crystal Storm and the Golden Shower. After Plantera, Spectre armor heals you with your magic attacks, and the Razorblade Typhoon from Duke Fishron is one of the best spell tomes.
- Endgame: Nebula armor and the Last Prism.
- Useful accessories: Sorcerer Emblem, Celestial Emblem and Mana Flower.
Summoner
A summoner calls minions that fight for you while you move and dodge. You also use whips, which mark enemies so your minions deal more damage. It is the hardest class early on, but very strong at the end.
- Pre-Hardmode: Bee armor, made from the Queen Bee's bee wax, and the Imp Staff made from hellstone.
- Hardmode: Spider armor with the Spider Staff, the Optic Staff from The Twins and, after Plantera, Tiki armor and the Xeno Staff.
- Endgame: Stardust armor with the Stardust Dragon Staff, or the Terraprisma from the Empress of Light, together with the Kaleidoscope whip.
- Useful accessories: Summoner Emblem, Papyrus Scarab and Pygmy Necklace for more minions or more damage.
How to choose a class
Early on, specialising hardly matters: use what you find and mix weapons from different classes until you have a full armor set. From Hardmode on it does pay to choose, because armor bonuses and the Wall of Flesh emblems only boost one type of damage.
- Want something safe and easy? Pick melee.
- Prefer to attack from a distance? Pick ranged.
- Love flashy effects and do not mind low health? Pick magic.
- Looking for a different challenge? Pick summoner.
Classes on a multiplayer server
On a server with friends, a team with different classes works much better against bosses. A melee player takes the hits up close, ranged and magic players deal damage from behind, and a summoner adds steady damage without standing in the front line. Different classes also prevent fights over loot, because everyone needs different materials.
On a dedicated server the world stays available when the host is offline, so everyone can keep playing whenever they want.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Terraria class for beginners?
Melee. Melee armor gives the most defense and the weapons are easy to use, so you survive longer while you learn to fight bosses.
Can you change class in Terraria?
Yes. Your class only depends on your gear. Swap your armor, weapons and accessories and you change class, without making a new character.
Which Terraria class does the most damage?
No class is clearly the strongest. With good gear all four can finish the game, and the difference comes more from your gear and play style than from the class.
How many classes does Terraria have?
Four combat classes: melee, ranged, magic and summoner.
Play together with your friends on your own Terraria server from HostValues, online in a few minutes.
