Summary
Swords first come to mind when players think of a fantasy weapon, and the selection of Swords inTerrariamakes it the ideal starting weapon. With Swords inTerrariahaving quite a lot of special effects, there’s almost always a Sword for every situation. Moreover, being the basic weapon of the Melee Class means Swords facilitate high-powered close-quarters combat without a lot of complications.
However, certain Swords do dominateTerrariagameplay when it comes to efficiency. When players pursue the entirety ofTerraria’s offerings for the first time, the right Sword can secure victory against the game’s selection of powerful enemies. Just which Swords are must-haves for players who are still gearing up pre-Hardmode?
Updated July 01, 2025 by Rhenn Taguiam:With Update 1.4.5 of Terraria making significant changes to Banners and Kites as well as the addition of Roller Skates, fans of the sandbox RPG may be interested in starting a new playthrough to see just how far they can take the ever-evolving game in terms of their creativity and combat prowess. For fans who want a more straightforward RPG experience, perhaps using the Sword in Pre-Hardmode can be a decent refresher to the game’s mechanics.
As such, players who want to capitalize on their Pre-Hardmode adventures should equip themselves with the most efficient Swords, which include the large variant of a metal sword, a blade made out of grass, a sword grafted from an ant’s mandible, a sword of pure ice, and even a traditional Japanese armament.
Source
8 Platinum Bar at an Iron or Lead Anvil
ShouldTerrariaplayers acquire enough Platinum Bars intheir world, thePlatinum Broadswordis a must-have due to its base 16 Damage. Its appearance is that of a sword with the silvery-blue sheen of platinum in the game, owing to both its namesake and the title’s straightforward crafting system. This doesn’t make the Platinum Broadsword any less deadly, however, especially since it can excel in the right hands.
The arcing motion of the Platinum Broadsword makes it ideal for attacking jumping and flying enemies, especially with its extended reach. This makes the Platinum Broadsword a more effective all-rounder, at least compared to base shortswords. Its faster speed also makes it more potent than the War Axe of the Night, despite its higher 20 Damage.
N/A
Has a 1/50 (2%) drop chance from Antlion Swarmers and Chargers
Players with a taste for a macabre may appreciate some of their first Pre-Hardmode gear to have a sense of fright in them. TheMandible Bladecan strike fear in the hearts of opponents, especially with its rather imposing appearance. The weapon isa rare dropfrom Antlion Swarmers and Creepers, making the gear a worthwhile find and starting weapon in the game’s tougher challenges.
Stats-wise, the Mandible Blade is a practical choice for players in the early game, especially up until they can acquire the Blood Butcherer, Light’s Bane, or even the Candy Cane Sword. Despite its lack of special modifications, its special appearance alone could make the Mandible Blade worth keeping until players find a more suitable armament of choice.
Ice Bolt: Every 0.9s, no special properties
Can be obtained at Boreal Crate (16.67%), Frozen Chest (15.51%), Frozen Crate (16.67%)
Players enjoyingtheirTerrariaplaythroughmay want to add an elemental flair to their overall experience. This is where theIce Bladecomes in, as its chilling appearance gives it a characteristically deadly allure. Its unique design makes it a decent early-game weapon for players, especially since its icy katana-esque look can give it a pristine appeal.
What makes the Ice Blade interesting is its projectile. While the projectile Ice Bolt itself doesn’t have any special properties, securing a guaranteed projectile with no mana cost every 0.9s means players can technically attack from both short and long-range. This can boost the survivability of early-game players, especially those who get overwhelmed by fighting many opponents at the same time.
Bonuses, Effects
Leaf Blade: 20 Armor Penetration, 4 Damage, 4.5 Knockback, 25% Poison Chance (7s)
12 Stinger, 15 Jungle Spores, 3 Vine at an Iron or Lead Anvil
Playing on the pun of a literary description associated with grass, theBlade of Grassis quite literally stylized to look like a pile of grass made to look like a blade. However, its fancy appearance hides a potent weapon inearly-gameTerrariaexperiences, especially when taking into account its slate of bonuses. Appearances-wise, the Blade of Grass is among the largest swords in the game.
However, despite its melee nature, the weapon also has a nifty projectile. When swung, the Leaf Blade auto-targets enemies and hits with 20 Armor Penetration, 4 Damage, 4.5 Knockback, and even applies Poisoned. The constant release of projectiles alongside slashes makes the Blade of Grass effective in specific stages such as the Eater of the Worlds and Eye of Cthulhu.
Traveling Merchant (10 Gold Coins)
Players may want their Summoner to boast a more familiar weapon while their Minions protect them. In this regard, theKatanamight make a fine choice with its sleek but straightforward allure as a weapon commonly associated with dutiful samurai. Obtained only from the Traveling Merchant, one might mistake this weapon for a rather weak armament due to its ordinary appearance and meager 18 Damage.
However, players shouldn’t underestimate the Katana’as plain appearance. As an early-game sword, the Katana boasts helpful stats for melee combatants: particularly a high 19% Critical Hit chance compared to the 4% that most other swords have. Its larger size can also accommodate both jumping and flying enemies, allowing players to knock them back just before they land a hit.
Has a 1/200 (0.5%) chance to drop from Skeletons and Spore Skeletons in the Cavern layer.
Similar to the design motif ofthe Necromancer inDiablo 4, theBone Swordisn’t merely a sword with an ordinary skeletal aesthetic. Instead, the early-game weapon boasts a skull for a guard and a gray overall hilt, extending into a rugged blade lining a hole in the middle.
Unlike other swords, the Bone Sword has less knockback and swings much slower. However, the weapon offsets this by packing more damage, giving players a more stylish option for their early-gameTerrariaadventures while they build toward more powerful weapons.
Has a 0.639% (pre-Hardmode) / 0.596% (Hardmode) chance to be obtained from Presents dropped during the Christmas event.
While the appearance of theCandy Cane Swordas that of a sword-shaped candy cane does add a bit of a violent twist to the Christmas ornament, the weapon makes for a perfect addition to players who want their characters to resemble protagonists of“totally not Christmas Films” that are still loved in the holidays.
Similar to other beginner-level weapons, the Candy Cane Sword doesn’t have any remarkable effects to enhance its inherent combat potential. However, its rather wide swing range does allow players to hit up to two opponents at once when side by side in melee range, allowing them to contend with early-game threats in a more colorful fashion.
Dropped by the Dye Trader upon death with a 1/8 (12.5%) chance.
Despite theExotic ScimitarofTerrariagameplay looking nowhere nearthe more pristine Scimitars inBaldur’s Gate 3, its straightforward appearance does pack a punch in terms of its status as a Sword. Its Very Fast speed alongside decent Damage allows it to contend with most early-game foes, although it would do players good to find a higher-level sword to replace this with as they make progress in the game.
Thankfully, the Exotic Scimitar’s acquisition does allow players to pack enough damage potential to fight more than enough foes to collect crafting materials and access more upgraded weapon variants. Among early-game swords, the Exotic Scimitar may be able to become a player’s trusted companion.
Tentacle Spike: -3 Health every second over 9 Seconds
Dropped by the Eater of Souls, Devourer, Crimera, Face Monster, and Blood Crawler with a 1/525 (0.19%) chance. On The Constant seed, the drop chance is increased to a 1/100 (1%) chance.
Players enjoying theirTerrariaexperience who want characters to feelstraight from a Lovecraftian gamemight appreciateTentacle Spike. Taking the appearance of a tentacle with spikes protruding at the end, players may find the weapon resembling either a hammer or an odd toothbrush. Moreover, this odd aesthetic coincides with its unique effects.
Despite its averaging 20 Damage, Tentacle Spike comes with a projectile of the same name. These projectiles embed to enemies on hit, dealing 3 Damage per second over 9 Seconds. Moreover, this effect can be stacked up up to 5 Times, allowing players to inflict as much as 15 Damage every second should they embed all Spikes onto opponents.
Crafted solely out of Crimtane Bars.
The deep red aesthetic of theBlood ButchererinTerrariagameplay introduces quite the darker visuals to players who wanta blood-themed weaponthat appears in other games. At its core, the curved steel of the Blood Butcherer with hints of blood already implies a grittier design motif compared to other weapons. And when equipped, players can bring a bloody welcome to opponents who try to face them.
When hitting enemies, the Blood Butcherer gives opponents the Blood Butchered Debuff. This essentially forces enemies to emit spurts of blood that indicate losing 4 Health per second. This effect lasts for 9 Seconds, although the effect can be stacked up to 5 Times. This essentially allows players to deal as much as 20 Damage per second should all stacks take effect at the same time.
