So, you want to be a Terraria melee master, huh? Awesome! This guide will walk you through the entire journey, from the humble beginnings of chopping down trees to taking down the Moon Lord with a powerful sword. We'll cover the best weapons, armor, accessories, and strategies to make your melee playthrough a smashing success. Let's dive in!

Pre-Hardmode

Early Game (Starting Out)

Alright, so you've just spawned into the world of Terraria. The first thing you're going to want to do as a melee character is to punch some trees and gather wood! Craft a wooden sword to defend yourself. This initial phase is all about survival and gathering resources. Explore the surface, underground, and maybe even venture into the caves a bit (but be careful!). Your primary goal is to gear up enough to take on the first boss: the Eye of Cthulhu.

For armor, aim to get a full set of wood armor, and then upgrade to cactus armor if you're near a desert biome, or even better, a full set of tin, copper, iron, or silver armor. These will give you the defense you need to survive early encounters. As for weapons, don't underestimate the power of a good broadsword. These are your bread and butter in the early game. Also, craft a bow with wooden arrows for ranged attacks when necessary. Remember, melee doesn't always mean face-tanking everything right from the start!

Accessories are also crucial. Look for things that boost your defense or damage. An increase in defense stat is a lifesaver in those early battles. Explore underground to find chests that contain useful items like the Band of Regeneration (for health regen) or the Magic Mirror (for quick escapes). Don't forget to build a decent house for the NPCs. They'll provide essential services and items that will help you progress. Once you feel confident, it's time to summon the Eye of Cthulhu. Prepare an arena with platforms to make dodging easier.

Mid Pre-Hardmode (Eye of Cthulhu to Wall of Flesh)

With the Eye of Cthulhu defeated, you're now entering the mid-stage of pre-hardmode. This is where things start to get interesting. You'll want to explore deeper underground, searching for better ores and equipment. Gold or platinum armor should be your goal. These sets provide significantly more defense than their predecessors, making you much more durable in combat. To help, you can always use potions to make you stronger, faster, and see enemies near you.

Weapon-wise, there are several excellent options. The Night's Edge is a fantastic sword crafted from several other swords found throughout the world (Blade of Grass, Muramasa, Blood Butcherer/Light's Bane, and the Fiery Greatsword). This will serve you well for quite some time. The Blade of Grass is crafted from jungle materials, the Muramasa is found in the dungeon, the Blood Butcherer (Corruption) or Light's Bane (Crimson) is crafted with boss materials, and the Fiery Greatsword requires hellstone. Other notable choices include the Bee Keeper, if you can defeat Queen Bee in the jungle, or the Cascade, which is a yoyo found in the underworld. Experiment and find what suits your playstyle.

Accessories become even more important at this stage. Look for items that boost your melee damage, speed, or critical hit chance. The Power Glove and its upgrades increase melee speed. Hermes Boots or their upgrades will help you move faster. Consider crafting the Obsidian Shield to prevent knockback. These items will significantly improve your combat capabilities. Continue exploring, defeating bosses like Skeletron to gain access to the dungeon, and gathering resources to prepare for the Wall of Flesh. This is the final boss of pre-hardmode, and defeating it will trigger the start of hardmode, so be ready!

Hardmode

Early Hardmode (Wall of Flesh to Mechanical Bosses)

Congratulations, you've entered hardmode! This is where Terraria truly throws down the gauntlet. The world becomes significantly more dangerous, but also more rewarding. Your immediate priority is to smash some Demon Altars or Crimson Altars to generate hardmode ores. Be careful, though; doing so spawns a powerful enemy. Then, start mining the new ores to upgrade your gear. Cobalt/Palladium armor is a good starting point. After that, aim for Mythril/Orichalcum, then Adamantite/Titanium. The stat boosts are significant, so get on that as soon as possible.

For weapons, the options are plentiful. The Excalibur, crafted from Hallowed Bars dropped by the Wall of Flesh, is a reliable choice. The Adamantite/Titanium Sword are solid options too. The Dao of Pow is a powerful yoyo that can be obtained from underground Hallow and Corruption/Crimson biomes. If you're lucky, you might even find a Cutlass during a Pirate Invasion. Each of these swords will give you more damage per swing, increasing your chance of survival.

Accessories-wise, upgrade your pre-hardmode items and look for new ones. Warrior Emblem is an essential pick-up to increase melee damage. Wings, once crafted, offer much-needed mobility, enabling you to dodge attacks and navigate the world more easily. The Cross Necklace and its upgrades provide extra invincibility frames after taking damage, which can be a lifesaver. Defeat the mechanical bosses (The Destroyer, The Twins, and Skeletron Prime) to progress further. Preparation is key: build arenas, use potions, and summon them one at a time.

Mid Hardmode (Mechanical Bosses to Plantera)

With the mechanical bosses defeated, you're now in the mid-hardmode stage. This is where you'll consolidate your power and prepare for the jungle's wrath. Craft the Hallowed Armor, which is crafted from Hallowed Bars and provides great stat bonuses. It will significantly improve your survivability and damage output.

Weapon-wise, the True Excalibur and True Night's Edge are the go-to swords. These are crafted by combining the Excalibur/Night's Edge with Broken Hero Swords (dropped by Mothron during a solar eclipse). The Gungnir, dropped by Ocram, is another excellent choice. These weapons deal a ton of damage and will make short work of most enemies. Don't be afraid to experiment and find what works best for you.

Continue to upgrade your accessories. The Avenger Emblem is an upgrade to the Warrior Emblem and provides an even larger boost to melee damage. Craft better wings, such as the Leaf Wings or the Bat Wings, for improved mobility. The Frozen Shield combines the Obsidian Shield and Frozen Turtle Shell, offering both knockback immunity and a defense boost. With your gear upgraded, it's time to challenge Plantera in the underground jungle. Build an arena and stock up on potions, because this fight can be tough. And remember, you can always use a summon to do extra damage for you!

Late Hardmode (Plantera to Moon Lord)

Plantera is down, and you're now in the late hardmode stage. This is the final stretch before the Moon Lord. Your next step is to obtain the Temple Key from Plantera and enter the jungle temple. Defeat the Golem boss inside to unlock even more powerful items. After defeating the Golem, the Lunatic Cultist will spawn at the Dungeon's entrance. Defeat it, and the Lunar Events will begin.

For armor, aim for the Beetle Armor. This set provides amazing defense and melee damage bonuses. It is crafted using Beetle Husks, which are dropped by Golem. There are two chestplate options: Beetle Scale Mail (for more damage) and Beetle Shell (for more defense). Choose the one that best suits your playstyle. The Solar armor is also an option, focusing on melee damage.

As for weapons, the Terra Blade is the ultimate melee weapon. It is crafted by combining the True Excalibur and True Night's Edge. The Seedler, dropped by Plantera, is also a viable option. The Possessed Hatchet, dropped by Golem, is a powerful ranged melee weapon. The Flairon from Duke Fishron is also useful. During the Lunar Events, defeat the four celestial towers to obtain fragments. Use these fragments to craft endgame weapons, such as the Star Wrath (from the Celestial Pillars) or Meowmere (from the Celestial Pillars). Each of these weapons will help you prepare for the final battle.

Accessories should be optimized for maximum damage and survivability. The Celestial Emblem is a must-have, as it provides a huge boost to all damage types. The Celestial Shell combines the Celestial Stone and Moon Shell, granting stat bonuses during both day and night. Wings are still essential for mobility. Prepare potions, build an arena, and get ready to face the Moon Lord. This is the ultimate challenge, but with the right gear and strategy, you can emerge victorious!

Post-Moon Lord

Congratulations, you've defeated the Moon Lord! You have basically completed the game now, but there is still some stuff to do.

General Tips for Melee Players

• Prioritize Defense: As a melee player, you'll be up close and personal with enemies. Defense is crucial for survival. Always aim for the highest defense armor and accessories you can get.
• Master Dodging: Even with high defense, you'll still take damage. Learn to dodge enemy attacks using movement accessories like wings and boots. Practice makes perfect!
• Use Potions: Potions can significantly boost your stats and survivability. Always have a supply of healing potions, as well as buff potions like Ironskin, Regeneration, and Endurance.
• Build Arenas: Building arenas for boss fights makes a huge difference. Clear out the area, add platforms for mobility, and place campfires and heart lanterns for health regen.
• Experiment with Weapons: Terraria has a vast array of melee weapons. Don't be afraid to try out different ones to find what suits your playstyle.
• Manage Aggro: In multiplayer, be mindful of your aggro. Sometimes it's better to let someone else tank while you deal damage from a safer distance.

Final Thoughts

The melee path in Terraria is a rewarding one. It requires a mix of skill, strategy, and gear. By following this guide, you'll be well-equipped to tackle any challenge the game throws your way. Good luck, have fun, and may your swords always be sharp!