The best ranged loadouts in Terraria optimize your damage and defense so you can keep shooting down your opponents in a blazing fashion. Having the best equipment to supplement your base stats is the best way to progress through the game. That said, there are plenty of choices for rangers especially since there are 3 different weapon types for the Ranged class.
With the abundance of equipment for bows, guns, and rocket launchers, we’ve compiled the best loadouts for you to choose from that take away all the trial and error. So without further ado, here are our top recommendations for Ranger gear.
Terraria Ranged Loadouts by Progression
We’ve created a list that’s compiled based on where you’re at in the game:
We have also added our top picks of accessories for each phase as well so keep an eye out for them.
Best Ranged Loadout in Terraria Pre-Wall of Flesh
These armor sets are helpful until the end of pre-Hardmode.
Accessory recommendations:
- Stinger Necklace – Armor penetration and Bee projectiles
- Terraspark Boots – Enhanced mobility
- Shield of Cthulhu – Dash ability
Check our list of pre-hardmode weapon recommendations!
Fossil Armor Set
- 13 defense
- 20% ammo conservation buff
The Fossil Armor set is the earliest ranger armor set you can get as soon as you start your game. Ranger armors in pre-hardmode have a unique buff, the ammo conservation buff. This is highly sought after for weapons that go through ammo quickly (e.g. Minishark) or for weapons that use expensive ammo (e.g. Star Cannon).
This armor set will keep you company until the Eater of Worlds where you’d eventually need to switch out into better armor. At this point, there is not much for rangers accessory-wise so focusing on movement items is your best bet.
Weapon recommendations:
Shadow Armor Set
- 19 defense
- Increased movement speed and acceleration
While it’s not necessarily an upgrade, the Shadow armor set is part of the best ranged loadouts in Terraria for mobility. While it doesn’t reduce your ammo consumption, it significantly increases your defense and mobility. This armor set is unlocked once you’ve beaten the Eater of Worlds and can be shimmered from a Crimson-tainted world.
The most important thing for the Ranged class is the ability to keep your distance and maintain it. This armor set increases your overall movement speed which stacks with all the boot-related accessories and the aglet. This allows you to be able to control your positioning during combat and exploration.
Weapon recommendations:
Necro Armor Set
- 19 defense
- 20% ammo conservation buff
- 10% increased ranged critical chance
The Necro Armor is the best ranged loadout in Terraria for pre-Hardmode. This is unlocked after the Dungeon is available and is crafted using Bones and Cobwebs in a basic Workbench. This is an easily available upgrade to the Fossil Armor as it provides straight upgrades to the Ranger class.
This armor set gives you the staple ammo conservation buff while also increasing the critical hit chance for all ranged weapons. This will be your armor set for facing off with the Wall of Flesh. That said, you’re free to mix and match your accessories based on the weapons you’re using.
Weapon recommendations:
Terraria Ranged Loadouts for Early Hardmode
This section includes armor sets you’ll use until you defeat the three Mechanical Bosses.
Accessory recommendations:
- Ranger Emblem – +15% ranged damage
- Magic / Molten / Stalker Quiver – 10% increased ranged damage and increased arrow speed. Upgrades provide situational bonuses.
Check here for our hardmode weapon recommendations!
Adamantite / Frost / Mythril Set
- 14% increased ranged damage
- 31% critical hit chance
- 37 defense
This armor set is made out of the Adamantite Mask, Frost Breastplate, and Mythril Greaves. The set is specifically chosen to maximize the balance between ranged damage and critical hit chance. Although it has a lower damage boost, it has the highest critical hit chance from all the early sets.
This is a mostly damage-oriented armor set so it’s best paired up with either all-out damage or defense accessories depending on your playstyle. Although it gets easily outclassed by the next armor sets in the same tier, it does provide a significant damage boost to fast-firing and multi-projectile weapons.
Weapon recommendations:
Titanium Armor Set
- 23% ranged damage increase
- 13% critical hit chance
- 34 defense
- Titanium Barrier buff
The Titanium Armor Set is the pinnacle of the Hardmode Ore armors. This armor can easily be acquired before beating any boss so long as you can farm for all the related materials. The armor itself has a decent ranged damage boost while offering a balanced defensive boost with the average defense stat and Titanium Barrier buff.
The Titanium Barrier buff summons blades that will damage and knock enemies back on contact. This allows you to maintain your distance during hectic combat and enemy events like the Old One’s Army and the regular invasion events.
Weapon recommendations:
Frost Armor Set
- 26% increased ranged damage
- 11% increased critical hit chance
- 43 defense
- Inflicts Frostbite on hit
The Frost Armor Set is a hybrid set that affects both Melee and Ranged classes. However, the benefit of using this set lies solely in the increased DPS provided by the Frostbite debuff that it inflicts at a 100% chance. This debuff damages any target enemy by 25 damage per second for 3-4 seconds.
This armor can be obtained at the beginning of Hardmode, so long as you can defeat the Ice Golems that appear during the Snowstorms in the Snow Biome. Finding this early is also great for farming the Ice Feather needed for the Frozen Wings.
Weapon recommendations:
Best Ranged Loadout in Terraria Pre-Moon Lord
This includes everything you have up until the Moon Lord fight. We did not include anything that you’d need to defeat Moon Lord to obtain since those are mostly only for bragging rights (unless you play modded Terraria)
Accessory recommendations:
- Same accessories as early Hardmode
- Sniper Scope – 10% increased ranged damage and critical strike chance. Increased view range for guns
Red Riding Rocket Set
- 39% ranged damage increase
- 20% critical hit chance
- 48 defense
- 50% increased summon damage
The Red Riding Rocket set is made out of the Adamantite Mask and the Red Riding Dress and Leggings. This damage set does not cater to any specific bullet type like the other ranged armor sets so it’s best paired with high damage weapons like the Rocket Launchers.
Alternatively, you can swap the headgear for the Red Riding Hood to enhance the effect of the Explosive Trap Staff for better crowd control and burst damage. This is an overall versatile set that is a hybrid between weapon and sentry use. This becomes way better due to the addition of the loadout button where you can switch armor with a click of a button.
Weapon recommendations:
Valhallan Shroom Set
- 15% bullet-specific damage increase (e.g. arrow, bullet, rockets)
- 15% critical hit chance
- 51 defense
- 55% summon damage increase
- +4 health regeneration per second
This armor set is a combination of any of the Shroomite headpieces, Valhalla Knight’s Breastplate, and Red Riding leggings. This set provides extremely high defensive capabilities with the health regeneration buff it provides. This does not have very good damage stats but makes up for it with increased survivability.
The set itself is great for any weapon type as you can switch the headgear to match your weapon. Whether you use bows, guns, or rocket launchers, this armor set will give you what you need. On top of that, you can use the Ballista Staff for extra damage coverage even if you’re not wearing the complete Valhalla set.
Weapon recommendations:
Vortex Armor Set
- 36-116% additional ranged damage (max damage on full Stealth)
- 27-47% critical hit chance (max crit on full Stealth)
- 62 defense
The Vortex Armor set is the best ranged loadout in Terraria since it offers the highest damage boost and critical hit chance while also enabling you to use the Stealth ability. It also provides the highest defense stat for a full set of armor which makes it easier to survive the fight with Moon Lord.
This armor may be a bit difficult to create since you’ll need to defeat the Vortex Pillar which is the final gauntlet before the Moon Lord. The most effective way to get this is to aim for the Vortex Pillar as your first subjugation target. Once you finally craft this armor, you’ll have an easier time reaching Moon Lord.
Weapon recommendations:
Conclusion
The Ranger is the most situational class in the game as you’ll often find yourself wanting to maintain your positioning. This is why equipment and accessories are important to increasing your odds of survival, especially during the later phases of the game.
Finding the right combination of the best ranged loadouts in Terraria is a surefire way of getting through and beating the game. Tell us, which loadout is your favorite? Is there anything that you feel should have been on the list? Let us know in the comments below!
