Vanilla Summoner Class Progression Guide

Overview

Summoner is Terraria's most challenging class, especially early game where options are limited. This guide covers the optimal gear at each progression stage. The class revolves around minion weapons (staffs), whips, and summoner armor.

Pre-Boss

• Finch Staff — found in Living Tree chests (craft Wooden Armor to start)
• Slime Staff — extremely rare (1/10000) from slimes, don't farm for this
• Flinx Fur Coat — crafted with Flinx Fur from Snow biome, first summoner armor
• Abigail's Flower — found by gravestones, surprisingly decent minion
• Leather Whip — craft at workbench, your first whip

Pre-Wall of Flesh

• Imp Staff — crafted at Hellstone/Obsidian, your best pre-HM minion
• Snapthorn — jungle whip, combos faster than Leather Whip
• Bee Armor — from Queen Bee, summon damage + extra minion slot
• Obsidian Armor (preferable) — Obsidian set with whip speed/damage bonuses
• Vampire Frog Staff — from Blood Moon fishing, strong alternative to Imps

Early Hardmode

• Spider Staff — crafted from Spider Fangs in Spider Caves. Top early HM minion
• Cool Whip — crafted from ice materials, great crowd control whip
• Spider Armor — Spider Fangs, +3 minion slots
• Firecracker — Wall of Flesh drop whip, pairs well with single-target minions
• Sanguine Staff — Blood Moon drop, flies and is very aggressive

Mechanical Bosses

• Blade Staff — from Queen Slime, ignores defense, excellent DPS
• Durendal — Hallowed Bars whip, increases minion attack speed
• Hallowed Armor — Mech boss bars, good defensive option
• Optic Staff — Twins drop, twin minions with decent AI

Plantera and Beyond

• Pygmy Staff — Plantera drop, reliable minions
• Tiki Armor — purchased from Witch Doctor in Jungle at night
• Xeno Staff — Martian Madness drop, very fast and aggressive UFO minion
• Kaleidoscope — Empress of Light whip, best whip in the game
• Morning Star — post-Plantera dungeon whip

Moon Lord

• Stardust Dragon Staff — Stardust Pillar, high single-target DPS
• Stardust Cell Staff — Stardust Pillar, good multi-target
• Terraprisma — Empress of Light daytime kill, BEST minion in the game
• Stardust Armor — +5 minion slots, Stardust Guardian

Essential Accessories

• Pygmy Necklace — +1 minion slot
• Papyrus Scarab — +1 minion slot, minion damage
• Summoner Emblem — straight damage increase
• Berserker's Glove — whip speed and autoswing

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