Terraria: Best Summoner Build In Terraria 1.4 (2024)

Terraria's Summoner class has always been a strange one. It didn't get much love until the 1.4 Journey's End update, but with the introduction of Whips and other new summoning items, it is, at last, a viable build to tackle Terraria with.

Playing as a Summoner poses a unique challenge but offers plenty of advantages over the other classes. It also has a couple of downsides, mostly that it's tricky to play in the early game. This guide will cover how to complete the Summoner build in Terraria, from your first steps to sending your swarm of minions right at the Moon Lord's big smug space-face.

Updated July 13th by Harry Alston:We're updating this Summoner build guide to include more info ahead of the 1.4 console release date for Terraria. The guide has been restructured to be easier to follow, as well as with some extra info about the best summoner weapons, armor, and playstyles you can expect with all the new 1.4 buffs for the class.

Summoner Build Fundamentals

Playing as a Summoner means you might die. A lot. This is because Summoners typically have low defensive stats but incredible damage output. You are a glass cannon in pretty much every way.

Like the other classes, the Summoner really comes into its own during the latter stages of Hardmode, but there are still ways to tackle enemies and defeat bosses throughout Terraria. It's not always easy, but is a fun challenge to try out if you're an experienced Terrarian.

Early Game Summoner Build

The very early stages of Terraria are mostly based on what you manage to find on your spelunking trips. A mixed approach is usually recommended, with any armor or weapons you find that can get you through the first bosses and more challenging biomes.

That being said, the Summoner class does have a few options thanks to the 1.4 update, including the Finch Staff and Leather Whip. Armor at this point is usually Cactus Armor, later upgraded to armor crafted from the early ores, like Gold and Platinum. No accessories for Summoners yet, so go for something simple like a Cloud in a Bottle and Hermes Boots.

An early game summoner build might look like this:

• Finch Staff, Leather Whip
• Gold Armor, Platinum Armor, Jungle Armor
• Cloud in a Bottle, Hermes Boots, Lucky Horseshoe

Pre-Hardmode And The Wall Of Flesh Boss Fight

Up until 1.4, Summoners were pretty useless at this stage of the game. Thanks to the addition of the Spinal Tap whip (crafted from Cobwebs and Bones) and the Obsidian Armor (crafted from, you guessed it, Obsidian), the Summoner is now a viable option to take down the Wall of Flesh.

There are also a few more options for weapons, such as the Hornet Staff (dropped from the Queen Bee), the Vampire Frog Staff, and the Imp Staff. You might also go for the Bee Armor which increases minion damage by ten percent. There's one essential accessory at this stage: the Pygmy Necklace. You can purchase this from the Witch Doctor at night. It provides one extra minion slot.

A pre-Hardmode Summer build should include:

• Hornet Staff, Spinal Tap, Imp Staff (other options for weapons are available)
• Bee Armor, Obsidian Armor
• Feral Claws, Pygmy Necklace, and other accessories of choice

The best weapon for a Summoner build that is transitioning it Hardmode? It has to be the Imp Staff paired with the Spinal Tap.

Early Hardmode Summoner Build

At this stage of the game, choosing a set build is the best route to take. The Summoner build has quite a few options with early Hardmode weapons such as the powerful Blade Staff and the skin-crawling Spider Staff. We recommend the Blade Staff. It is dropped by the Queen Slime as of 1.4 with a 33.33 percent chance to drop.

Likewise, the Summoner has access to some class-specific armor sets, such as the Spider Armor and Forbidden Armor. The Obsidian Armor is a good introductory armor to see you through the first steps into Hardmode. The Wall of Flesh can also drop the Summoner Emblem, a crucial accessory for the class.

Spider Armor is crafted from 36 Spider Fangs and will increase the number of minions you can have by three, as well as providing a boost to minion damage.

Forbidden Armor is crated with Forbidden Fragments and either Titanium or Adamantite Bars. The Mask, Robes, and Treads all provide a mild boost to minion damage and the number of minions you can spawn.

An early Hardmode summoner build should look like this:

• Cool Whip, Spinal Tap, Blade Staff, Spider Staff
• Spider Armor, Forbidden Armor, Obsidian Armor
• Summoner Emblem, Pygmy Necklace, Berserker's Glove

Plantera Hardmode Summoner Build

The defeat of the mechanical bosses opens up new avenues for the Summoner class. The Hallowed Armor is a fantastic choice to flesh out your Summoner build, as it will increase the set number of minions by two. Craft the Hood first, as this increases minions by one and minion damage by ten percent.

Hallowed Armor is crafted with Hallowed Bars, which are dropped by the Mechanical Bosses. It's one of the best sets of summoner armor you can wear pre-Plantera. You just need to craft the Hood and all the other pieces of armor are standard.

Your Summoner build will likely make use of the same weapons as with the mechanical bosses, particularly the Blade Staff. This is usually the most recommended summoner weapon for this stage of the game, although you can experiment with the Ballista Rod (summons a static Sentry to assist you), Lightning Aura Cane, or the classic Queen Spider Staff.

Here's a good Summoner build for taking on Plantera:

• Blade Staff (other weapons are available)
• Hallowed Armor, Spider Armor, Squire Armor (for a sentry build)
• Summoner Emblem, Berserker's Glove, Pygmy Necklace

Golem Hardmode Summoner Build

Defeating Plantera opens a world of possibility for the Summoner build. There are some new weapons available thanks to the Frost Moon and Pumpkin Moon events, such as the Raven Staff and Staff of the Frost Hydra. You can also get your hands on a new whip, the Dark Harvest.

The Raven Staff is one of the best Hardmode summoning weapons to have before you face the Golem. It summons a raven that hunts enemies down. The Staff is dropped by the Pumpking during the Pumpkin Moon event, and its best modifier is Ruthless.

Likewise, it's time to upgrade your armor. The Spooky Armor or Tiki Armor are recommended since they both offer advantages to the Summoner build. You should also get your hands on a Necromantic Scroll or Papyrus Scarab. This is where you'll really start to understand the power of the build.

Spooky Armor is the second-best set of summoning armor in the entire game and can be crafted from Spooky Wood earned during the Pumpkin Moon event. It is very close to Tiki Power in what it offers, but you can deal more minion damage with the Spooky Armor with every new minion you spawn. The more minions, the more damage it deals.

A Golem Hardmode summoner build should include:

• Blade Staff, Raven Staff, Dark Harvest (other weapons are available to experiment with)
• Spooky Armor, Tiki Armor
• Summoner Emblem, Papyrus Scarab, Necromantic Scroll, Pygmy Necklace

Lunar Events and Moon Lord Summoner Build

Congratulations, you've reached the endgame of Terraria with a Summoner build. The latter stages of Terraria have some great options to complete your build, including the powerful Xeno Staff and Stardust Dragon Staff.

Spooky Armor holds up well until the very end of the game when you can upgrade to Stardust Armor to round everything off. The accessories stay widely the same (with the Pygmy Necklace and your scrolls) but can be complemented by other endgame accessories like the Celestial Shell.

Stardust Armor is the BEST Summoner armor in the entire game, available once you've defeated Moon Lord. It takes 36 Luminite Bars to craft (that's 144 Luminite in total) and 45 Stardust Fragments. As Moon Lord is basically the end of content, the Stardust Armor is suited to late-game PVP content.

This is the ideal endgame Summoner build:

• Stardust Dragon Staff, Xeno Staff (there are a couple of other options, too)
• Stardust Armor, Spooky Armor
• Papyrus Scarab, Necromantic Scroll, Pygmy Necklace

Check out our other Terraria 1.4 build guides here:

• Terraria: Best Magic Build IN Terraria 1.4
• Terraria: Best Melee Build In Terraria 1.4
• Terraria: Best Ranged Build In Terraria 1.4
• Terraria: Best Yoyo Build In Terraria 1.4