Class setup
Ranged class setup, every stage (1.4.5)
Ranged in Terraria 1.4.5, from start to Moon Lord: begin with Phoenix Blaster, Minishark and Molten Fury and Necro armor before the Wall of Flesh, and finish with S.D.M.G., Phantasm and Vortex Beater in Vortex armor. Ranged fights from a distance with guns and bows; ammo choice matters as much as the weapon. The table gives three weapons, an armor set and three accessories for each of the 5 stages.
| Stage | Weapons | Armor | Accessories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Hardmode |  Phoenix Blaster 30 dmg Minishark 6 dmg Molten Fury 31 dmg | Necro armor |  Shield of Cthulhu Cloud in a Bottle Hermes Boots |
| Early Hardmode (pre-mechanical bosses) |  Clockwork Assault Rifle 17 dmg Daedalus Stormbow 38 dmg Onyx Blaster 24 dmg | Titanium armor |  Magic Quiver Ranger Emblem Cross Necklace |
| Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera) |  Megashark 25 dmg Chlorophyte Shotbow 34 dmg Hallowed Repeater 53 dmg | Hallowed armor |  Avenger EmblemMagic QuiverRanger Emblem |
| Post-Plantera (pre-Moon Lord) |  Tsunami 53 dmg Chain Gun 38 dmg Pulse Bow 80 dmg | Shroomite armor |  Recon Scope Destroyer EmblemAvenger Emblem |
| Endgame (Moon Lord and after) | S.D.M.G. 85 dmg Phantasm 50 dmg Vortex Beater 50 dmg | Vortex armor | Recon ScopeDestroyer Emblem Celestial Shell |
Stage notes
Pre-Hardmode
From your first day to the Wall of Flesh: copper tools, the first ores, the evil biome boss, the Dungeon and the Underworld. The Minishark from the Arms Dealer plus Meteor Shots or Silver Bullets carries you to the Wall of Flesh.
Early Hardmode (pre-mechanical bosses)
Right after the Wall of Flesh: smash altars, mine Cobalt/Palladium to Adamantite/Titanium and gear up for the three mechanical bosses. The Daedalus Stormbow with Holy Arrows is a strong pick against The Destroyer.
Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera)
After the three mechanical bosses: Hallowed Bars, Souls of Might, Sight and Fright, and Chlorophyte. The target is Plantera. Chlorophyte Bullets home in on targets and make the Megashark much easier to aim.
Post-Plantera (pre-Moon Lord)
From Plantera to the Lunatic Cultist: the Jungle Temple, Golem, Duke Fishron, the Empress of Light and the moon events. Shroomite armor comes from Shroomite Bars, made from Chlorophyte Bars and Glowing Mushrooms.
Endgame (Moon Lord and after)
The Celestial Pillars, Moon Lord, and the gear that Luminite and the lunar fragments unlock. The S.D.M.G. drops from Moon Lord; Phantasm and Vortex Beater are crafted from Vortex Fragments.
Check hit damage with the damage calculator and the bosses in order with the boss order checker.
Questions players ask
What is the best ranged weapon before the Wall of Flesh?
Phoenix Blaster is our pick, with Minishark and Molten Fury as alternatives.
Which armor should a ranged player use?
By stage: Pre-Hardmode: Necro; Early Hardmode (pre-mechanical bosses): Titanium; Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera): Hallowed; Post-Plantera (pre-Moon Lord): Shroomite; Endgame (Moon Lord and after): Vortex.
What is the best endgame ranged weapon?
S.D.M.G., followed by Phantasm and Vortex Beater.