Copper Shortsword

Type	WeaponCrafting material
Damage	5 / 7 (Melee)
Knockback	4 (Weak)
Critical chance	4%
Use time	13 (Very fast)
Velocity	4.2 (effective)
Rarity
Sell	70
Research	1 required
Use

The Copper Shortsword attacking a Target Dummy. Note the limited range.

The Copper Shortsword is the weakest of the shortswords. It has a slightly stronger counterpart, the Tin Shortsword.

On the Desktop, Console, Old-gen console, and Mobile versions, all newly created non-Journey Mode characters will spawn with a Copper Shortsword in their first inventory slot, and it is possible that it can have a modifier already applied to it. On the 3DS versions, newly created players will spawn with a Wooden Sword instead of a Copper Shortsword. In Journey Mode, newly created characters will spawn with an Iron Shortsword instead of a Copper Shortsword.

Like all shortswords, the Copper Shortsword has a very limited range and attacks with a stabbing motion at any direction / horizontally in front of the player, instead of an arc. This makes it almost useless against flying or jumping enemies, although its high attack rate makes it somewhat effective against weaker fighter type enemies.

Its best modifier is Legendary.

Crafting

Recipes

Result	Ingredients	Crafting station
only: Copper Shortsword	Copper Bar (5)	Iron Anvil or Lead Anvil
only: Copper Shortsword	Copper Bar (7)	Iron Anvil or Lead Anvil

Used in

Result	Ingredients	Crafting station
Zenith	Terra Blade Meowmere Star Wrath Influx Waver The Horseman's Blade Seedler Starfury Bee Keeper Enchanted Sword Copper Shortsword	Mythril Anvil or Orichalcum Anvil

Tips

Always keep at least one Copper Shortsword, as it is required to craft the Zenith. In a world that generates with Tin Ore, it is important to keep the starter shortsword, as it is possible to create more, but Copper is somewhat harder to obtain.
- However, on Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions, Shimmer and Chlorophyte Extractinator allow the acquisition of Copper Ores with Tin Ores, allowing Copper Shortsword to be craftable regardless of the ore generated on world creation.
- This is less of an issue in a drunk world, as it contains both Copper and Tin Ore.

Trivia

The uselessness of the Copper Shortsword, even at the beginning of the game which it is supposedly suited for, has earned it "memetic" status within the Terraria community. On videos of people successfully completing challenges in Terraria such as unusual boss fights or speedruns, for example, comments saying "Now do it with a copper shortsword!" are not a rare sight, to make the seemingly impossible challenge even more ridiculous. However, there have been videos where bosses have been defeated with a Copper Shortsword.
- The developers seem to have made fun of this idea by including the Copper Shortsword in the recipe of the Zenith, an endgame melee weapon.
A Tiny Copper Shortsword is the smallest possible sword in the game.
It is possible to spawn with a Broken Copper Shortsword. This reduces its damage to 3, which makes the early game even harder. Furthermore, a Broken Copper Shortsword is the weapon with the second-lowest damage in the game, as the weapon with the lowest damage is the Broken Wooden Hammer, which deals 1 damage. However, a player in this condition can simply make a new sword, which is generally accepted as the best course of action for a new character anyways.
Because the Copper Shortsword autoswings on the Nintendo 3DS version, its use is slightly increased. However, 3DS players start with a Wooden Sword, a mostly better weapon.