Terraria: Best Armor For Summoners

Highlights

• The Fossil Armor in Terraria gives players a +20% chance to not consume ammo, making it great for Summoners using ranged weapons.
• The Flinx Fur Coat allows Summoners to summon an extra minion and boosts their minion damage by 5%, increasing their combat efficiency.
• The Bee Armor in Terraria gives players +2 minions and a +13% minion damage, making it a great choice for Summoners who want to focus on minions in combat.

Boasting some of the most unique gameplay in Terraria is the Summoner Class, giving players the opportunity to rely on Summons to do most of the heavy lifting for them. Despite their fragile nature, a Summoner’s Terraria experience can be made more versatile depending on the combination of creatures they summon on the battlefield.

However, Summoners are only as efficient as the armor they wear. While the game offers players a multitude of options to choose armor parts they prefer, certain Armor Sets are just built to complement a Summoner’s spellcasting-heavy arsenal. Depending on a player’s preferred Summoning playstyle, certain Armor Sets can confer specific benefits that can last them even throughout Hardmode.

Updated on January 26th, 2024 by Rhenn Taguiam: The upcoming 1.4.5 update for Terraria this 2024 signals yet another gameplay milestone for the 13-year-old game, especially when the sandbox has allowed players to shine with a wide variety of builds and gameplay styles across its myriad of locales, environments, and difficulty options. In the case of Summoners, fans of Terraria may be able to enjoy their experience further with the right Armor for their build. To those just starting out their journey in this playstyle, players may want to consider trying armor seemingly made out of bones, robes for wizards, an ancient-looking armor, an insectoid-inspired clothing, and even a modern-looking fashion piece.

15 Fossil Armor

Become A Ranged Attack Powerhouse

Resembling the bone motif of the Necromancer in Diablo 4, the Fossil Armor in Terraria also contains the rather horrific pretext of using monster bones as a backdrop of a menacing Summoner Armor. Players who want their Summoners to hit hard in combat may want to get the Fossil Armor, especially if they pair it with a ranged weapon due to its effects.

At its core, the main Set Bonus of the Fossil Armor gives players +20% Chance not to consume their Ammo upon firing, conserving their resources. Not only that, the Fossil Armor’s chest piece gives +5% Ranged Damage, while all pieces contribute +4% Critical Strike Chance each up to a total of +12% Critical Strike Chance with a complete set.

14 Flinx Fur Coat

Players who want their Summoners to resemble Wizards from Hogwarts Legacy can opt for a traditional robe via the Flinx Fur Coat. When equipped, its wearer gets stylish purple robes with lavender fur for both the collar and the dress-ends. Its straightforward but posh appearance becomes in line with the Summoner’s more sophisticated flair compared to spellcaster builds in Terraria.

With a full set, the Flinx Fur Coat lets Summoners conjure another Minion, boosting their combat efficiency with more summons. Not only that, Summoners also boost their minions’ damage by 5%, allowing them to contend with their more aggressive comrades in any encounter.

13 Bee Armor

Make Minions More Dominant In The Early Game

The insect motif of the Bee Armor in Terraria resemble the Vespoid Armor from the Monster Hunter series, especially its integration of insect parts into the gear’s overall aesthetic. The Terraria armor itself seems to boast heavy yellows with gold details, giving the imagery of a chest plate and a chain-looking dress with yellow boots. Notable to the overall design is the appearance of spiked shoulder blades and headgear stylized to look like a bee.

When equipped as a set, the Bee Armor gives players +2 Minions, in line with the swarm motif that comes with the insect. Moreover, Summons get +23% Damage, making Bee Armor users more combative compared to their peers. Lastly, using the Bee Gun with the full set unlocks the “Not the Bees!” Achievement.

12 Obisidian Armor

Makes Whips And Minions A Viable Combo

The hat-toting Obsidian Armor that players can obtain in Terriar has a striking resemblance to the Blue Mage of the Final Fantasy series, at least in terms of overall design motif. However, Summoners in Terraria looking for a change of pace may find the Obsidian Armor quite a stylish set, especially since the hat, the mouthpiece, and even the imposing back piece can give them a more modern flair compared to other armor sets.

When equipped, the Obsidian Armor gives quite a decent slate of balanced effects to boost the Summoner’s combat capabilities. Summoners wearing this set can get an extra Minion as well as boost their Summon Damage by 31%. Moreover, players can improve their Whip’s performance with +15% Speed and +30% Range.

11 Ancient Shadow Armor

Critical Strike Chance Boost Mesh Well With Offensive Kits

The heavy dark colors of the Shadow Armor closely match the motif of the Dark Knight in Final Fantasy 14, with the red details of the Ancient Shadow Armor adding a much-needed flair to its older aesthetic. Compared to the more imposing dragon head-like hood of the Shadow Armor, the Ancient Shadow Armor has a more prominent traditional helm for a cowl that, alongside its strong reds, give it a familiar vibrance to the supposed original appearance of marbled Greek statues of yore.

Should Summoners get the Ancient Shadow Armor from the Eater of Souls, players get +15% Movement Speed and +15% Critical Strike Chance for the complete set. Not only that, players get a special after-image whenever they move as well as change the flame of the Rocket Boots to become purple. Most importantly, the Ancient Shadow Armor’s pieces could be interchanged with those of the original Shadow Armor to achieve the same bonuses.

10 Spider Armor

Access To More Minions Enhance Summoner’s Overall Combat Potential

Unlike the sleek Spider-Man suit, the Spider Armor is a bulky armor that gives players four spider leg appendages on top of stylized biological protective gear. Despite its monstrous appearance, the Spider Armor is straightforward in terms of its benefits.

The boost in Minion count enables players to be more comfortable summoning more Minions to do the heavy lifting in terms of DPS, especially against tough foes like Plantera. While simple in terms of stats, the Spider Armor is superior for Summoners versus the Forbidden Armor.

9 Forbidden Armor

Extra Minion And Storm Mechanics Add Flair To Class

Fans who want their Terraria sessions to have a more artistic take on their Summoner’s appearance could go for the Forbidden Armor, especially since its design scheme and headdress seem to reference Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Dead. When worn as a full set, the Forbidden Armor releases the Forbidden Sign companion. This companion has an activated attack that summons a Sand Tornado.

Unlike other Armor Sets that either focus heavily on Summoners or have interchangeable parts to accommodate other Classes, the Forbidden Armor can prioritize both Summoner and Magic Classes.

8 Monk Armor

Despite the armor allowing players to sport the familiar look of a monk in a fantasy world, the Monk Armor has some of the best buffs for summon-heavy Terraria builds. The Monk Armor’s best feature is its buff to the Lightning Aura Sentry, encouraging builds that hold locations and eliminate enemies from afar – perfect for Plantera and mechanical bosses.

In terms of comparisons, the Monk Armor’s stats are tied close to the Squire Armor. Whereas the Monk Armor enables players to deal more damage, the more defensive Squire Armor is a better choice for often-fragile Summoners.

7 Squire Armor

Ballista Enhancement Encourages Frontline Combat

Taking on the visuals of a traditional Middle Ages knight, the Squire Armor lets players simulate the feeling of defending an area from sieges. After all, the Armor’s focus on Sentries gives the impression of players calling for fortress-defending ballista to add protections against powerful Terraria bosses.

The Squire Armor can become a decent Hardmode Summoner Armor for both the early game and specific encounters. Its focus on Sentries makes the Squire Armor an alternative to the Minion-heavy Spider Armor, giving players more firepower if they’re looking to cover specific locations in combat.

6 Shinobi Infiltrator

More Sentry Options Expands Combo Potential

Set up as a direct upgrade to the Monk Armor, the Shinobi Infiltrator is an attack-heavy gear that once again focuses on Sentries, this time giving a massive boost to the Lightning Aura Sentry to make it a more formidable force on the battlefield.

While it has higher melee bonuses than the melee-based Solar Flare Armor, the Shinobi Infiltrator’s Sentry-heavy kit makes it ideal for Summoners to wear against tougher bosses like the Golem.

5 Hallowed Armor

Invincibility Option Can Drastically Boost Defensive Options

The ceremonial gray-and-gold aesthetic of the Hallowed Armor can give players an experience akin to donning the knightly Armor Parts in a Mega Man game. This Hardmode set gives players the opportunity to accommodate all Classes, with the Hallowed Hood allowing players to enjoy up to +3 Minions, with the Holy Protection buff allowing players to dodge an opponent’s second attack with a neat afterimage effect.

However, despite the Hallowed Armor having a regal appeal, its bonuses are subpar compared to other Summoner sets. On top of its overall defense being the lowest across all Hardmode gear, even the Spider Armor is superior in terms of Summon Damage. In turn, the Hallowed Armor may work better in Terraria events instead of difficult Hardmode bosses.

4 Tiki Armor

Multiple Minions Enhances Overall Summoner DPS

The Tiki Armor has high stats that make it a decent pre-Plantera Summoner Armor that should allow players to devastate enemy ranks with sheer Summon Damage alone. However, where the Tiki Armor shines once it’s crafted is its potential to have the highest Minion count with the right setup.

When players get the Summoning and Bewitched Buffs on top of equipping the Necromantic Scroll, Papyrus Scarab, and the Pygmy Necklace, they should be able to summon a whopping 10 Minions.

3 Spooky Armor

Multiple Minions With Enhanced Damage Greatly Boosts Combat Potential Against Bosses

Bearing a spiked purple wood design with orange markings, the Spooky Armor has a menacing appearance that hints towards its Summoning specialization. Unlike other higher-tier Summoner Armors, the Spooky Armor doesn’t have exceptional bonuses except for a grand total of +58% Summon Damage.

However, this aggro focus does make it effective when speedrunning against the likes of Duke Fishron. Its aggressive-leaning buff makes Spooky Armor a more combative contrast to the defensive Tiki Armor.

2 Stardust Armor

Being one of the four Armor Sets available for crafting via Luminite Bars, the Stardust Armor boasts a majestic golden armor with blue crystalline highlights, giving a regal flair deserving of the Stardust’s status as one of the best endgame Summoner Armor in Terraria Hardmode sessions. Perhaps its most surprising component is the Stardust Guardian, an immortal pet-like follower that attacks enemies on sight and can be buffed by effects that boost Summon Damage.

However, despite the Stardust Armor giving decent offensive bonuses, its lack of defense still makes Summoners somewhat fragile. Thanks to the Stardust Guardian, players can find workarounds for this vulnerability, as they can simply wall themselves off and have the Stardust Guardian attack enemies without exposing themselves to danger.

1 Valhalla Knight Armor

Lack Of Minion Powerhouse Compensated By Stellar Defense

Despite its Valkyrie-themed appearance, the Valhalla Knight Armor is a direct upgrade to the Squire Armor which has a similar bonuses scheme alongside a preference for the medieval Ballista Sentry.

Summoners who want to secure damage mitigation and survivability in the endgame should acquire the Valhalla Knight Armor. Despite Stardust Armor having better Summon buffs, the Valhalla Knight’s additional health regeneration and Ballista Sentry boosts give them the potential to solo much tougher opponents.