What Does Luck Do in Terraria?

Luck is a stat that you have, but it is not directly shown. The only real way to determine your luck is by speaking to the Wizard.

The luck stat affects several game mechanics, but here are the major ones:

• Drop rates
• NPC spawn rates
• Coin Portal spawn chance from pots
• Traveling Merchant inventory
• Fishing power (not catches)
• Damage numbers (in certain situations)

We’ll explore the specifics in this guide, as well as how to increase your luck.

In-Depth Look at Luck

1. Drop Rates

The drop rates of all items are directly affected by luck. This includes materials, tools, coins, and gear.

At maximum luck, you’ll get a ~15% increase in coin drop rates, while at minimum luck you’ll get a ~15% decrease in coin drop rates.

Hearts and Mana Stars, which heal you and replenish mana respectively, have increased drop rates.

Grab bags are not affected by luck. These are items like crates, treasure bags, presents, and oysters.

Guaranteed drops from bosses are also not affected by luck. This would be for items like the Slime Hook (from King Slime).

2. NPC Spawn Rates

Golden critters will spawn in place of regular critters depending on your luck.

The Bound Goblin and the Bound Wizard (when the NPCs are waiting to be freed) have a higher chance of appearing.

Dungeon Spirit spawns are also affected, which appear after defeating an enemy in the Dungeon.

Dungeon Slimes, Golden Slimes, Pinky Slimes, and Mimics spawn rates are also affected by your luck.

3. Damage Numbers

Projectiles and enemy melee damage are both affected by luck.

The player also has a chance to deal more damage if their luck is high. If their luck is low, they have a chance of dealing less damage.

How Do You Increase Your Luck?

Luck itself is a value that goes from a minimum of -1.0 to a maximum of 1.0.

The worst effect that can be received is with a luck stat of -0.4, and the best effect that can be received is with a luck stat of 1.0.

This is increased or decreased by several different factors. These are:

• Torches
• Ladybugs
• Luck Potions
• Garden Gnomes
• Lantern Nights

Option 1: Torches

Placing different types of torches in different biomes increases luck if done correctly.

If you place the right type of torch, you get an increase of 0.2 luck. If you place the wrong one, you get the extra 0.2 luck decreased.

For example, if you place Ice Torches in the Snow biome, you’ll get increased torch luck.

You cannot be penalized with negative luck for incorrect torch placement, you simply lose the bonus luck.

Torch placement only applies in the Underground and Cavern layers, not the surface layer.

Luck From The Torch God

You can start the Torch God event, which will give you the Torch God’s Favor item. Once consumed, this item automatically converts the torch you place to the current biome’s respective torch.

You can start this event by placing approximately 100 torches near each other.

The torches will begin to attack you once the event starts, and you’ll have to dodge them to stay alive. If successfully survived, the Torch God’s Favor will drop.

Option 2: Ladybugs

Touching a normal ladybug critter increases your luck by 0.2, while touching a golden ladybug critter increases your luck by 0.4.

Killing a ladybug will cause your luck to decrease by the same values as above.

Using ladybugs as bait while fishing counts as killing them, which will decrease luck. For this reason, it is best to not use them as bait.

Note: The ladybug must have naturally spawned, you cannot catch it and release it for luck.

Option 3: Luck Potions

Luck Potions provide you the Lucky buff, which will increase your Luck stat. This is based on the time left on your buff.

If there are more than 5 minutes left, you will gain 0.3 luck. If there are more than 3 minutes left, you will gain 0.2 luck.

If there are 3 minutes or less remaining, you will gain 0.1 luck.

There are three different types of Luck Potions:

Option 4: Garden Gnomes

When Gnome enemies interact with sunlight, they become Garden Gnomes, which are furniture items you can place.

Placing a Garden Gnome increases your luck by 0.2. This buff is applied to you as long as within its range, which is 170×125 tiles large.

Option 5: Lantern Night

Lantern Night is an event that occurs after defeating a boss or completing an event for the first time.

It is easily distinguishable by its visuals in the background, as lanterns fly into the sky. And this event increases your luck by 0.3.