Fall damage

An example of fall damage.

Fall damage refers to the damage a player character sustains upon falling a large distance. It is one of the basic game mechanics. Fall damage occurs only if the distance of the fall exceeds a fixed threshold, beyond which the damage amount increases linearly with the distance traveled past said threshold. If the damage amount is greater than or equal to the player's current health, the player dies upon impact. Like all kinds of other damage, it provides invincibility frames and can be reduced by the player's defense and damage reduction.

Fall damage works the same way for all solid surfaces, but it does not occur when submerged in water, lava, or honey, nor is it applied in special circumstances, e.g. when landing on the surface of a liquid while wearing an accessory such as Lava Waders or landing on a Minecart Track in a Minecart. Fall damage can also be affected by certain buffs and debuffs, such as Stoned(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions). See Interaction for all things that interact with fall damage.

Calculation

In the basic case – falling through the air directly onto a solid surface, without the use of special accessories or buffs – the amount of fall damage is determined by the distance of the fall. No damage is sustained if the fall distance is less than or equal to a maximum "safe falling distance". The default maximum safe falling distance is 25 tiles, though some items can increase this distance (see below). Beyond this maximum safe falling distance, 10 damage is sustained for each tile traveled.

Thus, assuming that the maximum safe falling distance is exceeded, the amount of fall damage taken is:

[math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 10 * ( \text{fall distance} - \text{maximum safe falling distance} ) }[/math]

Falling 32 tiles: [math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 10 * ( 32 - 25 ) = 10 * 7 = 70 }[/math] Falling 64 tiles: [math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 10 * ( 64 - 25 ) = 10 * 39 = 390 }[/math] Falling 64 tiles with a Frog Leg equipped, which increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles: [math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 10 * ( 64 - 35 ) = 10 * 29 = 290 }[/math]

The final damage taken and invincibility frame provided will be affected by effects like defense, damage reduction, or the Cross Necklace in the same way as other sources of damage.

Fall distance

• The distance of a fall is always measured in whole tiles. For instance, falling from a block hammered into the "half" shape down two tiles onto another half block is considered a fall of 4 tiles (the starting tile + 2 tiles + the landing tile), rather than 3 (0.5 + 2 + 0.5) tiles.
• The horizontal distance during the fall is disregarded entirely; only the vertical distance is considered. Falling straight down, diagonally, or in a zig-zag pattern makes no difference with regard to fall damage.
• Fall distance is reset once the player's vertical velocity becomes 0. This includes reaching the top point of a jump, reversing gravity, etc. See below for all effects that reset fall distance.

Stoned

When the player is inflicted with the Stoned(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) debuff, fall damage uses the following formula:

[math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 20 * ( \text{fall distance} - 2 ) }[/math]

Falling 6 tiles: [math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 20 * ( 6 - 2 ) = 20 * 4 = 80 }[/math] Falling 64 tiles: [math]\displaystyle{ \text{fall damage} = 20 * ( 64 - 2 ) = 20 * 62 = 1240 }[/math]

In addition, the maximum safe falling distance is reduced to 3 tiles and cannot be increased by any items. Accessories that normally negate fall damage are ignored as well. The "safe" surfaces listed below do still negate fall damage while Stoned, however.

Note that since Stoned will deal some damage to the player first, the resulting invincibility frame may still prevent fall damage when falling short distances.

Interaction

Items

Item		Effect
	Hooks	Resets fall damage after grappling to a tile.
	Umbrella	Negates fall damage when held.
	Tragic Umbrella(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Magic Mirror(and its upgrades/equivalents)	Resets fall damage on teleport.
	Recall Potion
	Potion of Return(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Teleportation Potion
	Wormhole Potion(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Magic Conch(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Demon Conch(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Djinn's Curse(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Negates fall damage.
	Gravitation Potion	Resets fall damage upon flipping gravity.

Accessories

Accessory		Effect
	Lucky Horseshoe(and its upgrades)	Negates fall damage.
	Wings
	Moon Lord Legs(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Frog Leg	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Amphibian Boots(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Frog Flipper(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Frog Gear(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Frog Webbing(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases the maximum safe falling distance by 10 tiles.
	Climbing Claws	Resets fall damage after grabbing to the side of blocks.
	Shoe Spikes
	Tiger Climbing Gear
	Master Ninja Gear
	Water Walking Boots	Negates fall damage when landing on water, honey, or shimmer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
	Obsidian Water Walking Boots
	Lava Waders	Negates fall damage when landing on liquids.
	Terraspark Boots(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Rocket Boots(and its upgrades)	Resets fall damage after activating flying.
	Flying Carpet	Resets fall damage after activating.
	Extra jump accessories	Resets fall damage after jumping.
	Gravity Globe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Resets fall damage upon flipping gravity.

Mounts

Item		Mount		Effect
	Slimy Saddle(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)		Slime Mount(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	Reduces fall damage by 50%.
	Pogo Stick(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Pogo Stick Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Reduces fall damage by 60%.
	Golf Cart Keys(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Golf Cart(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Reduces fall damage by 80%.
	Mollusk Whistle(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Flamingo(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Blessed Apple(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Unicorn Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Ancient Horn(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Basilisk Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Goat Skull(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Goat Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Hexxed Branch(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Tree Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Reduces fall damage by 90%.
	Lilith's Necklace(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Wolf Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Brain Scrambler (item)(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Scutlix Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Reduces fall damage to 1.
	Superheated Blood(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Lava Shark Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Toy Tank(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Santank Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Minecarts	(All minecarts)		Negates fall damage when landing on Minecart Tracks.
	Fuzzy Carrot(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)		Bunny Mount(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	Negates fall damage.
	Honeyed Goggles(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)		Bee Mount(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)
	Scaly Truffle(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)		Pigron Mount(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)
	Gelatinous Pillion(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Winged Slime Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Reindeer Bells		Rudolph
	Dark Mage's Tome(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Book Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Cosmic Car Key(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		UFO Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Drill Containment Unit(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Drill Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	The Black Spot(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Pirate Ship Mount(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Witch's Broom(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		Witch's Broom(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Tiles

Tile		Effect
	Cobweb	Negates fall damage when landing on it.
	Pink Slime Block(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Silly Pink Balloon(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Silly Purple Balloon(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Silly Green Balloon(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Cloud((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions))
	Rain Cloud((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions))
	Snow Cloud(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Poo(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
	Liquids(more than 1 tile deep)	Negates fall damage when falling into them.

Buffs/Debuffs

Buff/Debuff		Effect
	Featherfall	Negates fall damage.
	Water Walking	Negates fall damage when landing on liquids.
	Stoned(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	Increases fall damage and ignores the effect of accessories that grant immunity to fall damage.

Enemies

On the  Desktop version,  Console version, and  Mobile version, if the player is knocked back or slowed down by an enemy, the fall damage will be reset.

On the  Old-gen console version and Nintendo 3DS version, enemies will not reset the player's fall damage.

Achievements

Lucky Break • “Survive a long fall with just a sliver of health remaining.”

Take fall damage and survive with less than 10% maximum health. (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)

Category: Challenger

Safe Fall • “You have landed safely.”

Survive a fall using a Lucky Horseshoe or Cloud in a Bottle. (Old-gen console version)

Tips

• It is possible to build an invincibility machine using fall damage by utilizing hoiks.
• (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) The player should be careful when falling down long shafts such as hellevators without fall damage or knockback protection, as enemies will not reset the player's fall damage.

Trivia

• The maximum amount of fall damage the player can take on a small world with 0 defense is 10,090, from top of the world to the bottom of Underworld. On a large world, the maximum fall damage is 43,620.
• Dying from fall damage will display one of the following unique death messages:
  • "<Player name> fell to their death."
  • "<Player name> didn't bounce."
  • "<Player name> invented gravity."
  • "<Player name> discovered the meaning of defenestration."
  • "<Player name> was freeeee, free-fallin'."
  • "<Player name> tried to ice skate uphill."
  • "<Player name> thought they could fly."