Class setup
Summoner class setup, every stage (1.4.5)
Summoner in Terraria 1.4.5, from start to Moon Lord: begin with Imp Staff, Hornet Staff and Snapthorn and Bee armor before the Wall of Flesh, and finish with Stardust Dragon Staff, Terraprisma and Kaleidoscope in Stardust armor. Summoner lets minions do the damage while you dodge; whips boost your minions and set the tag damage. The table gives three weapons, an armor set and three accessories for each of the 5 stages.
| Stage | Weapons | Armor | Accessories |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Hardmode |  Imp Staff 17 dmg Hornet Staff 12 dmg Snapthorn 18 dmg | Bee armor |  Feral Claws Shield of Cthulhu Cloud in a Bottle |
| Early Hardmode (pre-mechanical bosses) |  Spider Staff 26 dmg Blade Staff 6 dmg Cool Whip 45 dmg | Spider armor |  Summoner Emblem Pygmy Necklace Cross Necklace |
| Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera) |  Optic Staff 24 dmg Durendal 55 dmg Pirate Staff 40 dmg | Hallowed armor | Summoner EmblemPygmy Necklace Avenger Emblem |
| Post-Plantera (pre-Moon Lord) |  Xeno Staff 36 dmg Raven Staff 55 dmg Morning Star 160 dmg | Spooky armor |  Papyrus ScarabPygmy NecklaceSummoner Emblem |
| Endgame (Moon Lord and after) | Stardust Dragon Staff 40 dmg Terraprisma 90 dmg Kaleidoscope 170 dmg | Stardust armor | Papyrus ScarabPygmy Necklace 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. Bee armor and the Hornet Staff come from Queen Bee materials, so beat her before Skeletron.
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. Spider armor needs Spider Fangs from the Spider Nest; it adds minion slots.
Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera)
After the three mechanical bosses: Hallowed Bars, Souls of Might, Sight and Fright, and Chlorophyte. The target is Plantera. The Optic Staff needs Souls of Sight from The Twins.
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. Spooky armor is crafted from Spooky Wood, dropped during the Pumpkin Moon.
Endgame (Moon Lord and after)
The Celestial Pillars, Moon Lord, and the gear that Luminite and the lunar fragments unlock. The Terraprisma only drops when the Empress of Light dies in daylight.
Check hit damage with the damage calculator and the bosses in order with the boss order checker.
Questions players ask
What is the best summoner weapon before the Wall of Flesh?
Imp Staff is our pick, with Hornet Staff and Snapthorn as alternatives.
Which armor should a summoner player use?
By stage: Pre-Hardmode: Bee; Early Hardmode (pre-mechanical bosses): Spider; Post-mechanical bosses (pre-Plantera): Hallowed; Post-Plantera (pre-Moon Lord): Spooky; Endgame (Moon Lord and after): Stardust.
What is the best endgame summoner weapon?
Stardust Dragon Staff, followed by Terraprisma and Kaleidoscope.