The Axe

The Axe

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Statistics

• 0%
• 100%
• 175%

Type	Tool
Damage	72 (Melee)
Knockback	7.25 (Very strong)
Bonus	+1 range
Critical chance	4%
Use time	23 (Fast)
Tool speed	7 / 6
Rarity	08*
Sell	10
Research	1 required

Sounds

Use

• Internal Item ID: 1305

 Obtained from

 Classic

 Expert

 Master

Entity	Qty.	Rate
Plantera (Second Form)  Plantera (Second Form)	1	2% 0.5%
Treasure Bag (Plantera)Treasure Bag (Plantera)	1	5%

The Axe is a Hardmode, post-Plantera hamaxe, a combination of a hammer and an axe. It produces an overdriven electric guitar sound when swung, which changes in tone depending on the distance from the cursor to the player. The Axe has a 2*1/50 (2%) chance of being dropped by Plantera on the  Desktop version,  Console version, and  Mobile version, and a 0.5*1/200 (0.5%) chance on the  Old-gen console version and Nintendo 3DS version.

Its best modifier is Legendary. While Light may seem to provide a better speed boost by percentages, rounding reveals that Legendary and Light mine at equal speeds for this tool.

Notes

• The Axe is capable of breaking Demon and Crimson Altars.
• In PvP, it is able to hit a player twice in one swing. ^Verify
• While autoswinging, the player will be unable to change direction.
• It has the highest axe power of any item in the game (175%), even surpassing that of the Luminite Hamaxes (all 150%). It also has 12 more base damage, but its range is shorter by 3 tiles.
  • Despite the lower axe power, the Luminite Hamaxes are recommended for building as they have a higher tile reach than The Axe.

Achievements

Stop! Hammer Time! • “Obtain your first hammer via crafting or otherwise.”

Obtain a hammer.

Trivia

•     Modifier prefixes are added in front of the "The" in its name, which can result in a grammatically incorrect name such as "Keen The Axe". It shares this trait with all other items that can obtain modifiers and whose names begin with "The". This error is not present in the  Old-gen console version.
• The Axe closely resembles a "Flying V" guitar model.
• The Axe was added as a tribute to Dimebag Darrell, guitarist and member of the American heavy metal band Pantera, which Cenx has stated is her favorite band. Fittingly, Plantera, the enemy referencing Pantera, drops it.
• Its name and sprite refer to electric guitars being nicknamed "axes" in rock and heavy metal music culture. Its dual role as a hammer comes from how some classic "hard rockers" would famously smash their guitars on stage as part of their acts.
  • Before becoming rock slang for the guitar in 1967, the term "axe" was first used as jazz slang in 1955 (possibly earlier) for the saxophone, and later the trumpet (for its history; see here, and here).
• The Axe is one of the three musical weapons in the game, the others being the Magical Harp and the Stellar Tune.
• Unlike similar items such as the Rain Song, Ivy, or the Stellar Tune, it cannot be strummed.
• In 1.4, the Axe's notes increase as the cursor is moved further out. The farther, the higher the note when swung. Prior to this, The Axe would play notes randomly.

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.4.0.1: Sprite updated.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1: Drop rate increased from 1/200 to 1/50.

• Desktop 1.2: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.02: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.2.6508: Introduced.

Nintendo 3DS version

• 3DS-Release: Introduced.