Shield of Cthulhu

Type	ShieldAccessory
Damage	30 (Melee)
Knockback	9 (Very strong)
Defense	2
Critical chance	4%
Tooltip	Allows the player to dash into the enemy; Double tap a direction
Rarity
Sell	2 GC
Research	1 required

Expert and Master Mode-Only Content: This information applies only to Expert Mode, Master Mode, and worlds with these modes.

Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

A player using the dash ability against a Target Dummy.

The Shield of Cthulhu is a pre-Hardmode shield accessory that allows the player to perform a dash attack by double-tapping either the ◀ Left or ▶ Right key. Dashing into an enemy deals 30 melee damage, recoils the player backward, and grants 0.07 seconds of invincibility frames. The Shield of Cthulhu is always dropped from the Eye of Cthulhu's Treasure Bag in Expert Mode.

Notes

Unlike most shields, the Shield of Cthulhu does not grant knockback immunity.
Unlike most accessories, the Shield of Cthulhu deals melee damage, making it affected by melee damage bonuses.
The damage done by the Shield of Cthulhu is not subject to the usual ±15% randomization, meaning that barring critical hits, it will always do the same amount of damage to enemies with the same defense.
The dash damage increases drastically while in Psycho Knife's stealth mode.
The Solar Flare armor's set bonus will override the Shield of Cthulhu's dash ability. The Master Ninja Gear and Tabi will only override it if they are equipped in an accessory slot below the Shield of Cthulhu.
The Shield of Cthulhu's dash works when Cursed. This is because the debuff only applies to items from the inventory, not the accessories.
The player's invulnerability timer resets after they hit something with the Shield of Cthulhu, meaning an enemy can hit the player again right after they have dashed into something. ^Verify
Enemy kills made with the Shield of Cthulhu's dash will not be counted by the Tally Counter (or its upgrades).
The Shield of Cthulhu's dash does not gain the Frostbite bonus from Frost armor or the Hellfire bonus from the Magma Stone.

Tips

Players can dash to boost themselves to the maximum sprint speed provided by their sprinting accessories. This also works with mounts, like the Unicorn Mount, if the mount is summoned immediately following the dash.
Getting the Shield of Cthulhu early and using the dash defensively will greatly increase a player's survival during boss battles. It remains a very valuable mobility accessory until it is replaced with the Tabi.
- However, it should be noted that the Tabi is not a direct replacement for the Shield of Cthulhu, since it does not provide any invincibility frames while dashing – one of the Shield of Cthulhu's greatest strengths.
When dashing below a 1-tile-wide hole and using the ▲ Up key (or otherwise, a hole below and pressing the ▼ Down key), the Shield of Cthulhu allows the player to move through 1-tile-wide holes. This seems similar to a hoik effect and can be useful where there are a lot of these gaps, e.g. in the Dungeon.
The Shield of Cthulhu can be used to effectively defend oneself while fishing, as it is not a weapon that needs to be switched to in the hotbar to use.
One should use caution around terrain hazards as one wrong push of the movement key can send the player hurling straight into that hazard.
The Shield of Cthulhu can be used as a form of reducing damage. Similar to the Slime Mount, dashing and hitting an enemy will grant the player temporary invincibility.
The Shield of Cthulhu can synergize with the Brand of the Inferno to block attacks, granting the Striking Moment buff.
While dashing towards any solid wall, the player can tap the opposite direction at the exact moment their character comes in contact to perform a wall bounce, conserving speed and instantly changing directions. This also works with the Tabi and the Master Ninja Gear.
The Shield of Cthulhu can allow players to use the Jousting Lance and its upgrades relatively safely without a mount, since they will bounce before taking damage.
The Guide to Critter Companionship is a good complement to the Shield of Cthulhu, as it will allow the player to dash through critters without bumping into them.
Dashing into a projectile NPC will safely destroy it; this is a useful tactic against the spell orbs shot by Goblin Sorcerers, Dark Casters, and Fire Imps.
Some mounts will release glowing particles when summoned. If they are summoned during Shield of Cthulhu's dash, the particles will keep their momentum, flying forward before falling downwards, which can be helpful for exploring caves.

Trivia

If the player is currently moving in one direction, and double taps the opposite direction key while still holding the previous direction key, they will dash in the same direction that they are moving in.
If the Shield of Cthulhu is equipped in a hidden accessory slot, it will still be visible while dashing; however, in this case dye will not be applied to it.
When walking with the Shield of Cthulhu in a visible accessory slot, part of its sprite is cut off during the frame where it is most forward.