Hooks

This article is about the tool class. For the crafting material, see Hook (crafting material).

Using a Topaz Hook to climb a cliff.
Multi-hooks, like this Slime Hook, afford more versatile movement.	The Grappling Hook used on a platform.

Hooks are a class of tools which aid the player in traversing terrain. When used, hooks fire a chain that latches to a surface or platform and pulls the player towards it. A hook is an essential tool which offers significant freedom from terrain height restrictions as well as being a fast movement option, and will often be the first major mobility tool a player acquires. A variety of hooks are available at all stages of the game (see table below).

The Grapple hotkey activates the equipped hook in the player's equipment slot, or the first hook from the inventory (read from left→right, top→bottom) without requiring it to be in the player's hotbar. On the Nintendo 3DS version, hooks can be fired with A.

Several higher-tier hooks, like the Ivy Whip, allow the player to grapple multiple surfaces simultaneously. If the character grapples one surface, then fires the hook a second time, another chain extends from the player without dislodging the first. Upon grappling a second surface, the player will be suspended in midair at a point midway between the two surfaces. This allows players more freedom during construction, or for navigating hazardous areas, such as above lava or Meteorite.

When the player first acquires a hook on the Nintendo 3DS version, a small tutorial box will pop up telling the player how to use it.

Types

Hooks vary in range, velocity, number of deployable hooks, and number of hooks that can remain latched simultaneously.

• All crafted hooks are crafted at the Iron Anvil or Lead Anvil, with the exception of the Lunar Hook, crafted at the Ancient Manipulator.
• Single hooks dislodge immediately if fired again while already latched to a surface.
• Multi-hooks without simultaneous latching (Dual Hook; also the Fish Hook prior to 1.3) can fire a second chain before the first latches to a surface, but will dislodge the first chain when the second latches a surface.
• A multi-hook can be fired again only after the previous chain latched a surface or fully retracted. The Fish Hook, Dual Hook, Web Slinger, and Lunar Hook are exceptions, and can be fired very rapidly; nearly as fast as the player can press the button.

Pre-Hardmode

Item		Source	Reach (tiles)	Velocity	Hooks	Latching	Sell	Rarity	Notes
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 3  + or Goblin Tinkerer (2 GC)	18.75	11.5	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	18.75	10	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	20.625	10.5	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	22.5	11	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	24.375	11.5	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	26.25	12	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 15	28.125	12.5	1	Single	40 SC	01*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Web Covered Chests	15.625	10	8	Simultaneous	40 SC	02*	Can fire 8 times in rapid succession. Shortest range of any hook.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Skeletron (14.29%)	21.875	15	2	Simultaneous	90 SC	02*	Pulls in the user faster than any other non-seasonal pre-Hardmode hook.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	King Slime (14.29%)	18.75	13	3	Simultaneous	40 SC	03*	Slightly transparent
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Angler (1%)	25	13	2	Simultaneous	40 SC	03*	Can fire 3 times in rapid succession.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 12  + 3	25	13	3	Simultaneous	40 SC	03*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Goodie Bags	31.25	13.5	1	Single	1 GC50 SC	03*	Pulls in the user faster than any other hook.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Presents	25	11.5	1	Single	2 GC	07*

Hardmode

Item		Source	Reach (tiles)	Velocity	Hooks	Latching	Sell	Rarity	Notes
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Mimics (14.29%)	27.5	14	2	Individual	3 GC	04*	Glowing ends (red and light blue). Can fire 2 times in rapid succession. Two hooks can be fired, but only one may be latched at a time.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Plantera (10%)	30	16	3	Simultaneous	6 GC	06*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Hallowed Mimic (25%)	30	15	3	Simultaneous	6 GC	06*	Glowing ends.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Corrupt Mimic (20%)	30	15	3	Simultaneous	6 GC	06*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crimson Mimic (20%)	30	15	3	Simultaneous	6 GC	06*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Martian Saucer (11.11%)	31.25	14	3	Simultaneous	2 GC50 SC	07*	Suspends user 12 tiles from latch point in any direction. Allows player to orbit around the latch point.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Mourning Wood (14.29%)	34.375	15.5	3	Simultaneous	4 GC	07*
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Everscream (5%)	34.375	15.5	3	Simultaneous	4 GC	07*	Glowing chain & ends.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Crafted: 6  + 6  + 6  + 6	34.375	18	4	Simultaneous	10 GC	10*	Crafted at Ancient Manipulator. Glowing chain & ends. Each chain glows its respective color. Can fire 4 times in rapid succession.
Template:Item infobox/tableView/itemtwocells-anchor-nolink	Steampunker (50 GC)	37.5	16	2	Individual	10 GC	10*	Two hooks can be fired, but only one is latched at a time. Latching does not pull the player, unlike other hooks. Players can adjust their distance from the latched point. Players will not move while latching to a different point. Longest range of any hook.

Achievement

Hold on Tight! • “Equip your first grappling hook.”

Equip a Grappling Hook. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Category: Collector

Notes

The glow provided by certain Hooks: Dual Hook blue end (top), Dual Hook red end (middle), and Christmas Hook (bottom). No light sources other than the Hooks are present in this shot.

As shown is this image here, each hook on the Lunar Hook shines its respective color. Solar (top) shines orange/red, Nebula (right) shines purple, Vortex (bottom) shines teal, and Stardust (left) shines blue.

The Anti-Gravity Hook is unlike any other hook allowing the user to rotate around the grappling point.

The Static Hook in action, keeping the user in place when grappling to a new location and allowing the user to move back and forth at will.

Using a hook to instantly accelerate to sprinting speed.

• Grappling a platform or rail with only one hook will pull the player inside the platform, meaning that the player will always hit that platform with subsequent grapples. You must jump to dislodge the hook if this happens.
• Hooks reset a character's flight time when Rocket Boots or wings are equipped as soon as the hook latches on something. This also applies to items that allow more jumps midair, like the Cloud in a Bottle or Cloud in a Balloon.
• All hooks can remain attached to a surface continuously for 10 minutes (10 hours in-game time) before they automatically disengage.
• Players can remove hooks from their inventory while clinging to a surface and remain there until they jump, use another hook, or automatically disengage, even though the hook is no longer in their inventory.
• When used via the hotbar, multi-hooks can be re-fired more rapidly, requiring only that the previous chain has fully extended first.
•   There is a short in-game tutorial when the Grappling Hook is first obtained.
• Attempting to use a hook on a slope will often cause the player to grapple the block they are standing on, as they are technically inside the block.

Tips

• When sprinting accessories are equipped, the burst of speed provided by a hook upon latching a surface can be used to accelerate a player to sprinting speed instantly. This can also be done with the Anti-Gravity Hook, but it will boost the player in the opposite direction.
• The Ice Rod can provide blocks to grapple while flying with wings, repeatedly resetting flight time in midair.
• Characters that have hooked to a block are immune to gravity and knockback. Grappling the ground in dangerous locations, such as near lava, can ensure one does not fall in when taking damage from an enemy.
  • Players can also exploit immunity to gravity by shooting the hook to the ground to prevent fall damage.
• Simultaneous-latch multi-hooks are more useful for intricate maneuvers. When fast travel is preferred, individually-latching multi-hooks allow faster transit, since they immediately sling the player across gaps, rather than automatically suspending them midway.
• Hooks that can be fired in rapid succession (Dual Hook, Web Slinger, Fish Hook, etc.) provide greater security when falling. If the first hook fails to latch onto a surface, the other hooks will provide additional chances to avoid fall damage.
• If a player grapples onto the middle of a door and opens it while suspended, the player will fly out with immense speed in the direction that they grappled onto the door with. The same effect can be achieved with Actuators. When there are Frozen Slime Blocks on the other side of the door, this speed will be kept and can be used for very rapid transportation in a skybridge, etc.
  • This effect does not apply to the Static Hook or Anti-Gravity Hook, which do not pull players in.
  • On the  Console version,  Old-gen console version, and  Mobile version, doors are opened automatically when the player gets near one, so this is easier to perform.
• While latched with the Anti-Gravity Hook and rotating around the latch point, mana and health will regenerate as if the player was standing still. It also provides a simple way to dodge quickly even when under the effects of reduced movement speed (such as from the Vortex Armor's(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) special ability).
• The Anti-Gravity Hook is very effective in avoiding quick enemies like Mothron, provided there is enough space.
• Smooth walls can be climbed extremely quickly with the Anti-Gravity Hook by pressing the Grapple key quickly and holding the ▲ Up key while the mouse is in the top and slightly to the right of the middle of the screen.
• Right-clicking a hook in the inventory will automatically equip it to the hook slot.

Trivia

• It was once going to be possible to grapple to trees. However, this feature was later scrapped, because Redigit found that it "interfered with gameplay in an annoying way".
• The Fish Hook is a play on words, using the term for the real-life fishing tool for a grappling hook with the same appearance.
• The tooltip for the Grappling Hook, "Get over here!", is a reference to Scorpion's catchphrase in the fighting video game series Mortal Kombat.
• The tooltip for the Lunar Hook "You want the moon? Just grapple it and pull it down!" is a possible reference to the quote "You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down." by George Bailey, protagonist of the 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama movie It's a Wonderful Life.
• The Bat Hook is most likely a reference to DC Comics' fictional superhero Batman, who uses a grappling hook which reels in very quickly, usually launching him up onto ledges.
• The Web Slinger is most likely a reference to Marvel Comics' fictional superhero Spider-Man, who is often referred to as the "Web Slinger" due to his ability to sling webs and attach them in order to enhance movement.
• When using the Lunar Hook, the color fired always follows this order: First orange (Solar), second green (Vortex), third pink (Nebula), and finally blue (Stardust).
  • Because the Lunar Hook always follows this pattern, it is possible to cycle through the different hooks (i.e., shooting them out without latching onto an object) and latch onto objects with whichever desired color. Therefore, it is also possible to have four of the same type of hook out (four Solar, Nebula, Vortex, or Stardust hooks) at a time.
• The Candy Cane Hook has the same sell value as the Hardmode hooks, although it can be obtained pre-Hardmode. It is also one of the few items with the 07* rarity that can be obtained pre-Hardmode.
• The Thorn Hook resembles a miniature version of Plantera's Hooks.
• If a player switches hooks while already hooked, the existing hook will keep the previous hook's sprite. However, re-shooting the hook will update the sprite.
• When switching hooks from an older hook that has more ends to a newer hook with less ends, the new hook will initially replace the first hook shot out, but then will subsequently always replace the older hook. This is very unstable and can allow strange effects such as two static hooks latched at the same time.
• The Static Hook has a rarity of 10* despite being acquirable after only one of the mechanical bosses has been defeated. It is also the only item with this rarity that can be purchased.

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.3.2: Gem hook sprites updated.

• Desktop 1.3.1: Introduced Static Hook.

• Desktop 1.3.0.5: Fixed Lunar Hook not allowing you to use the hooks freely unless at least 1 is placed.

• Desktop 1.3.0.4: Fixed controls being reversed for Anti-Gravity hook when used in reverse Gravity.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1:
  • Introduced Worm, Tendon, Illuminant, Thorn, Anti-Gravity, and Lunar Hooks.
  • Tweaked mechanics:
    • Hooks given a dedicated equipment and dye slot, and can no longer be fired from inventory.
    • Fish Hook changed to Simultaneous latching.
    • You can no longer grapple while frozen.

• Desktop 1.2.4: Introduced Fish Hook and Slime Hook.

• Desktop 1.2.3:
  • Fixed a bug where hooks would break if they tried to attach to blocks with liquid in them.
  • Using a Rod of Discord or Teleporter will now release all grapples.

• Desktop 1.2.2: Introduced Candy Cane Hook and Christmas Hook.

• Desktop 1.2.1.2: Bat Hook now correctly drops from the Goodie Bag.

• Desktop 1.2.1: Introduced Bat Hook and Spooky Hook.

• Desktop 1.2: Introduced Gem hooks, Web Slinger, Skeletron Hand.

• Desktop 1.1: Introduced Dual Hook, the Grappling Hook can now be bought from the Goblin Tinkerer for 2 GC.

• Desktop 1.0.6:
  • Grapple hotkey added.
  • Removed 60-second auto-disengage.

• Desktop-Release: Introduced Grappling Hook and Ivy Whip.

 Console version

• Console-Release: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced all hooks up to 1.3.0.1.

 Mobile version

• Mobile-Release: Introduced.

Nintendo 3DS version

• 3DS-Release: Introduced all hooks added up to 1.2.1 along with the Christmas Hook.