Mining speed

Mining speed (also known as tool speed) is an invisible statistic that determines how fast the player can mine (or break walls, or chop down trees/cacti). Its value shows the time per hit in 60ths of second. It is therefore something of a misnomer: it is presented in the form of the amount of time taken for a certain event, whereas speed is the number of events that take place in a certain amount of time (or, in mathematical terms, the number that is seen is the reciprocal of the speed). This means that faster tools have smaller numbers, not larger. For example, a mining speed of 15 means that the tool will hit the block every 15/60 of a second, or four times per second. A mining speed of 20, on the other hand, means that the tool will hit the block every 20/60 of a second, or three times per second.

When breaking walls, its value is cut in half, then any numbers after the decimal point removed (e.g. 2.8 would be rounded down to 2). Thus, walls break at least twice as fast as blocks.

The final mining speed is determined by the following:

• The tool's base tool speed, which is hidden in the game's code and not normally visible in game (but can be looked up on this wiki, referred to as "tool speed" on each tool's page and as "mining speed" as a column header in a table of tools).
• Any speed-modifying modifier on the tool (the best being "Light," with a 15% increase. Note that for some tools, there are other modifiers which will work just as well. Details below). Changing other stats via a modifier (e.g. damage) has no effect on mining speed.
• Buffs and items specifically affecting mining speed. Note that these only apply to tools (except drills) that have pickaxe power. Interestingly, tools that can function as both pickaxes and axes will always benefit from these bonuses - regardless of if they are being used pickaxes as axes.

In particular, a tool's mining speed is independent of how quickly it swings, which is the speed visible in the in-game tooltip (e.g. "Copper Pickaxe—Fast Speed") which can also be referred to as "use time." Speed-modifying modifiers affect both mining speed and use time, potentially leading to the misconception that "melee speed" bonuses from armor and accessories improve mining speed. In truth, melee speed bonuses affect only use time, which is useful for combat but has no influence on mining speed.

What this wiki refers to for clarity's sake as "use time" is represented by an item's useAnimation property in the game's source code, and what it refers to as "mining speed" or "tool speed" is actually represented by useTime. Thus, "use time" and useTime are two separate things and should not be confused.

Useful modifiers

Pickaxes (including the Pickaxe Axe, Shroomite Digging Claw, and Picksaw), axes, hammers, and hamaxes (including The Axe) can be reforged with speed bonuses to improve their mining speed. Drills (including the Drax), chainsaws, and the Chlorophyte Jackhammer cannot. The speed-increasing modifiers are displayed in the following table.

Displayed values in-game may differ due to rounding.

Modifier	Damage	Speed	Critical strike chance	Size	Knockback	Tier	Value
Light	-	+15%	-	-	-10%	-	+7.12%
Legendary	+15%	+10%	+5%	+10%	+15%	+2	+209.85%
Deadly	+10%	+10%	-	-	-	+2	+46.41%
Agile	-	+10%	+3%	-	-	+1	+35.96%
Quick	-	+10%	-	-	-	+1	+21%
Nasty	+5%	+10%	+2%	-	-10%	+1	+16.87%
Murderous	+7%	+6%	+3%	-	-	+2	+44.54%
Nimble	-	+5%	-	-	-	+1	+10.25%

While the best modifier for mining in general is Light, certain tools will achieve the same speed with lesser modifiers due to rounding, which means it is much easier (and cheaper) to reforge these tools, since there are more modifiers that tie for "most optimal." This is complicated by the fact that tool speed is halved and floored when hammering, but the long and short of it is this:

• For pickaxes and axes:
  • Tools with a tool speed of 9 will achieve equal block/tree/cactus-breaking speeds with either a +6%, +10%, or +15% modifier—these include the Orichalcum Pickaxe and Orichalcum Waraxe.
  • Tools with a tool speed of 6, 7, 8, 15, or 16 will achieve equal block/tree/cactus-breaking speeds with either a +10% or +15% modifier—these include the Adamantite Pickaxe, Adamantite Waraxe, Blood Lust Cluster, Cactus Pickaxe, Candy Cane Pickaxe(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions), Chlorophyte Greataxe, Chlorophyte Pickaxe, Copper Pickaxe, Lucy the Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Meteor Hamaxe, Nebula Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Nebula Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Nebula Pickaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Nightmare Pickaxe, Pickaxe Axe, Picksaw, Platinum Pickaxe, Solar Flare Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Solar Flare Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Solar Flare Pickaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Spectre Hamaxe, Spectre Pickaxe, Stardust Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Stardust Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Stardust Pickaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), The Axe, Titanium Pickaxe, Titanium Waraxe, Vortex Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Vortex Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Vortex Pickaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), and War Axe of the Night.
  • Tools with a tool speed of 4 require the Light modifier for their speed to be improved at all. The only tool with a tool speed of 4 is the Shroomite Digging Claw(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions).
• For hammers:
  • Hammers with a tool speed of 7 cannot have their wall-breaking speed improved by modifiers at all—these include the Nebula Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Nebula Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Solar Flare Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Solar Flare Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Stardust Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Stardust Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), The Axe, Vortex Hamaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), and Vortex Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions).
  • Hammers with a tool speed of 14 or 16 will achieve equal wall-breaking speeds with either a +5%, +6%, +10%, or +15% modifier—these include the Chlorophyte Warhammer, Hammush, Meteor Hamaxe, Molten Hamaxe, Pwnhammer, and Rockfish.
  • Hammers with a tool speed of 8, 19, 21 or 23 will achieve equal wall-breaking speeds with either a +10% or +15% modifier—these include the Boreal Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions), Copper Hammer, Flesh Grinder, Gold Hammer, Lead Hammer, Palm Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions), Pearlwood Hammer, Platinum Hammer, Rich Mahogany Hammer, Silver Hammer, Spectre Hamaxe, The Breaker, and Tin Hammer.
  • For hammers with a tool speed of 11, 20, 25, Light (+15%) is the exclusive best modifier—these include the Ash Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Ebonwood Hammer, Haemorrhaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), Iron Hammer, Shadewood Hammer, Tungsten Hammer, and Wooden Hammer.

Speed-increasing buffs and items

These are the buffs and items which improve mining speed (pickaxes only):

• The Mining buff from the Mining Potion adds 25%.
• The Mining armor adds 30% ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 10% from the Mining Shirt, 10% from the Mining Pants, and 10% from the set bonus / (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) 30% from the set bonus).
• The Celestial Shell(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Celestial Stone each add 15%.
• The Sun Stone and Moon Stone add 15% during day and night respectively or during a Solar Eclipse.
• The Ancient Chisel(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) adds 25%
• The Slice of Cake(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) adds 20%
• The Well Fed, Plenty Satisfied(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) and Exquisitely Stuffed(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) buff add 5%, 10% and 15% respectively.
• (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) The permanent buff from Ambrosia adds 5%

This increase is capped at 70%, even though all items together add 135% ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) / 90% ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions)).

Modification formula

1. Start with the tool's base tool speed (as documented on its page on this wiki).
2. Multiply by [1 - speed modification from tool modifier].
3. Round to the nearest whole number.

If the tool is a pickaxe or axe:

4. Add up all the bonuses to mining speed from buffs and items.

5. Use 70% if the answer was anything higher than 70%.

6. Multiply the number from step 3 by [1 - the number from in step 5].

7. Round down.

If the tool is a hammer:

4. Divide by 2.

5. Round down.

Example A

Digging a tunnel with a Light Shroomite Digging Claw, having drunk a Mining Potion and wearing a Celestial Stone.

1. The Claw's tool speed is 4.
2. The Light modifier has +15% speed. 4×(1-0.15) = 3.4.
3. 3.4 is rounded to 3.
4. The Mining Potion adds 25% and the Celestial Stone adds 15%. These total 40%.
5. 40% is less than 70%, so nothing happens in this step.
6. 3×(1-0.40) = 1.8.
7. 1.8 is rounded down to 1.

Performance will be one hit every 1/60s (e.g. it will mine 60/1 = 60 dirt blocks per second).

Example B

Chopping trees with an Annoying Pickaxe Axe, having drunk a Mining Potion.

1. The Pickaxe Axe's tool speed is 7.
2. The Annoying modifier has -15% speed. 7×(1-(-0.15)) = 8.05.
3. 8.05 is rounded to 8.
4. The Mining Potion adds 25%.
5. 25% is less than 70% so nothing happens in this step.
6. 8×(1-0.25) = 6.
7. 6 is already a whole number, so nothing happens in this step.

Performance will be one hit every 6/60s, or 60/6 = 10 hits per second.
Trees have 500% hit points and the Pickaxe Axe has 110% axe power, so it will take CEILING(500%/110%) = 5 hits to chop down a tree, which will take (6×5)/60 = 0.5 seconds.

Example C

Breaking background walls with a Murderous The Axe, wearing full Mining armor.

1. The Axe's tool speed is 7.
2. The Murderous modifier has +6% speed. 7×(1-0.06) = 6.58.
3. 6.58 is rounded to 7.
4. 7/2 = 3.5.
5. 3.5 is rounded down to 3.

Step 3 illustrates why some tools do not have their speed improved by some modifiers.
The Mining armor was a red herring: it has no effect on The Axe. Since the bonus it provides is mining speed, and axes are not affected by mining speed
Performance will be one hit every 3/60s, so it will break 60/3 = 20 walls per second.

Mining speed tables

The Legendary, Deadly, Agile, and Nasty modifiers have exactly the same impact on mining speed as Quick.

Pickaxes/Drills

All drills' mining speeds are not affected by modifiers.

Pickaxe	Source	Pickaxe power	Range bonus	Mining speed	Best speed (Minimum modifier)	Can mine
Cactus Pickaxe	15  ( @  )	35%	0	16 (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 15 (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	14 (Quick) (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 13 (Quick) (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	Everything below Meteorite
Copper Pickaxe	: 8  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  ) Merchant (5 SC)	35%	−1	15	13 (Quick)	Everything below Meteorite
Tin Pickaxe	: 8  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  )	35%	0	14	12 (Light)	Everything below Meteorite
Iron Pickaxe	: 10  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 3  ( @  /  )	40%	0	13	11 (Light)	Everything below Meteorite
Lead Pickaxe	: 10  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 3  ( @  /  )	43%	0	12	10 (Light)	Everything below Meteorite
Silver Pickaxe	: 10  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  )	45%	0	11	9 (Light)	Everything below Meteorite
Tungsten Pickaxe	: 10  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  )	50%	0	19	16 (Light)	Meteorite
Gold Pickaxe	: 10  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  )	55%	0	17	14 (Light)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Candy Cane Pickaxe(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)		55%	0	16	14 (Quick)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Platinum Pickaxe	: 10  + 4  ( @  /  ) or  : 12  + 4  ( @  /  )	59%	0	15	13 (Quick)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Fossil Pickaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	12  + 4  ( @  /  )	55%	0	14	12 (Light)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Reaver Shark	Fishing	59%	0	13 (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 18 (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	11 (Light) (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 15 (Light) (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Bone Pickaxe		55%	0	11	9 (Light)	Meteorite, Demonite, Crimtane
Nightmare Pickaxe	12  + 6  ( @  /  )	65%	0	15	13 (Quick)	Hellstone, Ebonstone/Crimstone
Deathbringer Pickaxe	12  + 6  ( @  /  )	70%	0	14	12 (Light)	Hellstone, Ebonstone/Crimstone
Molten Pickaxe	20  ( @  /  )	100%	0	18	15 (Light)	Cobalt, Palladium
Cobalt Pickaxe	15  ( @  /  )	110%	0	13	11 (Light)	Mythril, Orichalcum
Cobalt Drill	15  ( @  /  )	110%	−1	7	7 (None)	Mythril, Orichalcum
Palladium Pickaxe	18  ( @  /  )	130%	0	12	10 (Light)	Mythril, Orichalcum
Palladium Drill	18  ( @  /  )	130%	−1	7	7 (None)	Mythril, Orichalcum
Mythril Pickaxe	15  ( @  /  )	150%	0	10	8 (Light)	Adamantite, Titanium
Mythril Drill	15  ( @  /  )	150%	−1	6	6 (None)	Adamantite, Titanium
Orichalcum Pickaxe	18  ( @  /  )	165%	0	9	8 (Murderous)	Adamantite, Titanium
Orichalcum Drill	18  ( @  /  )	165%	−1	5	5 (None)	Adamantite, Titanium
Adamantite Pickaxe	18  ( @  /  )	180%	0	8	7 (Quick)	Adamantite, Titanium
Adamantite Drill	18  ( @  /  )	180%	−1	4	4 (None)	Adamantite, Titanium
Titanium Pickaxe	20  ( @  /  )	190%	0	7	6 (Quick)	Adamantite, Titanium
Titanium Drill	20  ( @  /  )	190%	−1	4	4 (None)	Adamantite, Titanium
Pickaxe Axe	18  + + + ( @  /  )	200%	0	7	6 (Quick)	Chlorophyte
Drax	18  + + + ( @  /  )	200%	−1	4	4 (None)	Chlorophyte
Chlorophyte Pickaxe	18  ( @  /  )	200%	+1	7	6 (Quick)	Chlorophyte
Chlorophyte Drill	18  ( @  /  )	200%	0	4	4 (None)	Chlorophyte
Spectre Pickaxe	18  ( @  /  ) or  : 18  + 18  ( @  /  )	200%	+3	8 (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 10 (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	7 (Quick) (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) 9 (Murderous) (Old-gen console and 3DS versions)	Chlorophyte
Shroomite Digging Claw(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	18  ( @  /  )	200%	−1	4	3 (Light)	Chlorophyte
Picksaw	(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	210%	+1	6	5 (Quick)	Lihzahrd Brick
Luminite Pickaxes(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  )	225%	+4	6	5 (Quick)	Lihzahrd Brick
Luminite Drills(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  ) 12  + 10  ( @  )	225%	+2	2	2 (None)	Lihzahrd Brick
Laser Drill(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		230%	+11	6	6 (None)	Lihzahrd Brick

Axes/Chainsaws

Modifiers aside, all chainsaws which have a corresponding axe are functionally identical to that axe and have therefore been omitted, except for the Chlorophyte Chainsaw.

Axe	Source	Axe power	Range bonus	Mining speed	Best Speed (Minimum modifier)	Tree time (No modifier)	Tree time (Best modifier)
Copper Axe	: 6  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  ) Merchant (4 SC)	35%	−1	21	18 (Light)	5.25s	4.50s
Tin Axe	: 6  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	40%	0	20	17 (Light)	4.33s	3.68s
Iron Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	45%	0	19	16 (Light)	3.80s	3.20s
Lead Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	50%	0	19	16 (Light)	3.17s	2.67s
Silver Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	50%	0	18	15 (Light)	3.00s	2.50s
Gold Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	55%	0	18	15 (Light)	3.00s	2.50s
Tungsten Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	55%	0	18	15 (Light)	3.00s	2.50s
Platinum Axe	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 9  + 3  ( @  /  )	60%	0	17	14 (Light)	2.55s	2.10s
Cobalt Waraxe	10  ( @  /  )	70%	0	8	7 (Quick)	1.07s	0.93s
Sawtooth Shark	Fishing	70%	−1	4	4 (ineligible)	0.53s	0.53s
Blood Lust Cluster	10  ( @  /  )	75%	0	15	13 (Quick)	1.75s	1.52s
Palladium Waraxe	12  ( @  /  )	75%	0	8	7 (Quick)	0.93s	0.82s
War Axe of the Night	10  ( @  /  )	75%	0	15	13 (Quick)	1.75s	1.52s
Mythril Waraxe	10  ( @  /  )	85%	0	8	7 (Quick)	0.80s	0.70s
Orichalcum Waraxe	12  ( @  /  )	90%	0	7	6 (Quick)	0.70s	0.60s
Adamantite Waraxe	12  ( @  /  )	100%	0	6	5 (Quick)	0.50s	0.42s
Meteor Hamaxe	: 20  ( @  /  ) or  : 35  ( @  /  )	100%	0	16	14 (Quick)	1.33s	1.17s
Titanium Waraxe	13  ( @  /  )	105%	0	6	5 (Quick)	0.50s	0.42s
Pickaxe Axe	18  + + + ( @  /  )	110%	0	7	6 (Quick)	0.58s	0.50s
Chlorophyte Greataxe	18  ( @  /  )	115%	+1	6	5 (Quick)	0.50s	0.42s
Chlorophyte Chainsaw	18  ( @  /  )	115%	0	4	4 (ineligible)	0.33s	0.33s
Picksaw	(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	125%	+1	6	5 (Quick)	0.40s	0.33s
Shroomite Digging Claw(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	18  ( @  /  )	125%	−1	4	3 (Light)	0.27s	0.20s
Lucy the Axe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		150%	0	15	13 (Quick)	1.00s	0.87s
Molten Hamaxe	15  ( @  /  )	150%	0	14	12 (Light)	0.93s	0.80s
Axe of Regrowth(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	+ + 12  + 3  ( @  ) or + + 12  + 3  ( @  )	150%	0	12	10 (Light)	0.80s	0.67s
Spectre Hamaxe	18  ( @  /  ) or  : 18  + 18  ( @  /  )	150%	+3	8	7 (Quick)	0.53s	0.47s
Luminite Hamaxes(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  )	150%	+4	7	6 (Quick)	0.47s	0.40s
Butcher's Chainsaw(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		150%	−1	4	4 (ineligible)	0.27s	0.27s
The Axe	(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	175%	+1	7 ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 6 ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))	6 (Quick) ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 5 (Quick) ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))	0.35s ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 0.30s ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))	0.30s ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 0.25s ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))

Hammers

• The hit points of a wall are more than 65% and at most 68% (the exact value is unknown). Therefore, tools with at least 68% hammer power (Molten Hamaxe/Rockfish or better) will break a wall in one hit, the Wooden Hammer will take three hits, and all other hammers will take two hits.
• The Chlorophyte Jackhammer is the only jackhammer in the game.
• While the Meteor and Molten Hamaxes do not further improve their hammer performance with modifiers beyond Nimble, they can improve their axe performance.
• While the Luminite Hamaxes and The Axe do not improve their hammer performance with modifiers, they can improve their axe performance.

Hammer	Source	Hammer power	Range bonus	Mining speed	Effective speed	Best effective speed (Minimum modifier)
Wooden Hammer	8  ( @  )	25%	−1	25	12	10 (Light)
Boreal Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	8  ( @  )	35%	0	23	11	10 (Quick)
Copper Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	35%	−1	23	11	10 (Quick)
Palm Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console, Old-gen console and Mobile versions)	8  ( @  )	35%	0	23	11	10 (Quick)
Rich Mahogany Hammer	8  ( @  )	35%	0	23	11	10 (Quick)
Tin Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	38%	0	21	10	9 (Quick)
Ebonwood Hammer	8  ( @  )	40%	0	20	10	8 (Light)
Iron Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	40%	0	20	10	8 (Light)
Shadewood Hammer	8  ( @  )	40%	0	20	10	8 (Light)
Lead Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	43%	0	19	9	8 (Quick)
Ash Wood Hammer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	8  ( @  )	45%	0	20	10	8 (Light)
Pearlwood Hammer	8  ( @  )	55%	0	19	9	8 (Quick)
Silver Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	45%	0	19	9	8 (Quick)
Tungsten Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	50%	0	25	12	10 (Light)
Flesh Grinder	10  + 5  ( @  /  )	55%	0	19	9	8 (Quick)
The Breaker	10  + 5  ( @  /  )	55%	0	19	9	8 (Quick)
Gold Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	55%	0	23	11	10 (Quick)
Platinum Hammer	: 8  + 3  ( @  /  ) or  : 10  + 3  ( @  /  )	59%	0	21	10	9 (Quick)
Meteor Hamaxe	: 20  ( @  /  ) or  : 35  ( @  /  )	60%	0	16	8	7 (Nimble)
Rockfish	Fishing	70%	0	14	7	6 (Nimble)
Molten Hamaxe	15  ( @  /  )	70%	0	14	7	6 (Nimble)
Pwnhammer	(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	80%	0	14	7	6 (Nimble)
Haemorrhaxe(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)		80%	0	11	5	4 (Light)
Hammush	Truffle (40 GC)	85%	0	14	7	6 (Nimble)
Chlorophyte Warhammer	18  ( @  /  )	90%	+1	14	7	6 (Nimble)
Chlorophyte Jackhammer	18  ( @  /  )	90%	0	4	2	2 (None)
Spectre Hamaxe	18  ( @  /  ) or  : 18  + 18  ( @  /  )	90%	+3	8	4	3 (Quick)
Luminite Hamaxes(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  ) 14  + 12  ( @  )	100%	+4	7	3	3 (none)
The Axe	(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)	100%	+1	7 ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 6 ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))	3	3 (none) ((Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)) 2 (Quick) ((Old-gen console and 3DS versions))

Fastest mining tools

The Legendary, Deadly, Agile, and Nasty modifiers have exactly the same impact on mining speed as Quick.

Pre-Hardmode

Pickaxes

• Light Bone Pickaxe for things that it can break in one hit (e.g. Dirt, Mud, Sand, Snow), as well as things that will take two hits regardless of pick strength (e.g. Grass).
• If the Bone Pickaxe is too difficult to obtain, substitute a Light Reaver Shark.
• (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) If using a Bone Pickaxe, also use it for everything else that it can mine (namely, Meteorite Ore and below, plus Spikes).
• (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) If using a Deathbringer Pickaxe, also use it for things it mines in three hits: Ebonstone, Crimstone, Hellstone Ore and Dungeon Brick.
• Light Molten Pickaxe for everything else.
• Keep in mind that Bombs and Dynamites can mine faster than pickaxes when used well. It is also possible to make them more intuitive to use by combining them with gel to make Sticky Bombs and Sticky Dynamites.

Axes

• Light Molten Hamaxe.
• Without access to Hellstone, the best chopping tool is a Sawtooth Shark (any modifier), followed by a Quick/Light Meteor Hamaxe.

Hammers

• Rockfish/Molten Hamaxe with any speed-increasing modifier.
• Meteor Hamaxe with any speed-increasing modifier is a distant second, since it takes two hits to break a wall.

Hardmode

Pickaxes

• Light Shroomite Digging Claw for everything except Lihzahrd Brick (which it cannot mine).
• (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Post-Moon Lord, the Light Luminite Pickaxe can be used for Lihzahrd Brick, or if the Claw's -1 range is unfavorable to the player.
• A Luminite Pickaxe can be subsituted by a Quick/Light Picksaw if necessary.
• When range is more important than speed, the (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Laser Drill (any modifier) has an extreme +11 range.
• Pre-Plantera, a Quick/Light Chlorophyte Pickaxe (a Quick/Light Pickaxe Axe, which must be crafted first, has the same speed but lacks a range bonus).
• pre-Mechanical Bosses, a Quick/Light Adamantite/Titanium Pickaxe is best.
• Bombs, Dynamite, Rockets II and IV and Mini Nuke IIs (most preferably used with the Celebration Mk2) as well as the Drill Containment Unit might be more effective strategies for mining large areas but they can lack the precision of standard tools.

Axes

• Light Shroomite Digging Claw.
• Quick/Light The Axe if the player finds the Claw's -1 range unfavorable.
• If The Axe is too hard to obtain or too frustrating to use (due to its sound effect), a Quick/Light Picksawcan be substituted.
• (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) Quick/Light Luminite Hamaxe when post-Moon Lord and if more range than the Picksaw or The Axe (do not get confused: with the best modifiers on everything, the Picksaw is a faster axe than the Luminite Hamaxes, but a slower pickaxe than the Luminite Pickaxes) is an absolute must.
• Pre-Plantera, a Quick/Light Chlorophyte Greataxe (a Quick/Light Adamantite/Titanium Waraxe has the same speed but lacks a range bonus).
• When pre-Mechanical Bosses, the Quick/Light Adamantite/Titanium Waraxe are useful.

Hammers

• (Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) The Chlorophyte Jackhammer is the fastest hammer in the game, though it lacks a range bonus.
  • The Luminite Hamaxes are slightly slower but have much more range.
• (Old-gen console and 3DS versions) A Quick The Axe, is the fastest hammer available.
• When pre-Mechanical Bosses, a Light Haemorrhaxe is the best option.
• If the Haemorrhaxe is too difficult to obtain, the Hammush/Pwnhammer/Molten Hamaxe/Rockfish with any speed-increasing modifier are useful.

Trivia

• Despite being presumably higher-tech, Chainsaws are generally inferior to Axes made out of the same material: they have the same or worse tool speed and they cannot be reforged to increase that speed. They do have the advantage that clicking "resets" the digging process, so the player can theoretically make up the difference (and then some) by clicking rapidly. However, faster tools require faster clicking to keep up, and realistically, doing this with even Cobalt tools is very demanding, most likely requiring two hands on the mouse for any player not thoroughly seasoned in rapid clicking from other games. As of 1.4(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions), all drills are faster than pickaxes, though they still do not benefit from speed boosts.
• Using the Drill Containment Unit is probably a better, albeit more expensive alternative. But it does not benefit from any upgrades that are given.