Hooks are a class of tools which aid the player in traversing terrain. When used, hooks fire a chain that latches to a surface or platform and pulls the player towards it. A hook is an essential tool which offers significant freedom from terrain height restrictions as well as being a fast movement option, and will often be the first major mobility tool a player acquires. A variety of hooks are available at all stages of the game (see table below).
The Grapple hotkey activates the equipped hook in the player's equipment slot, or the first hook from the inventory (read from left→right, top→bottom) without requiring it to be in the player's hotbar.
Several higher-tier hooks, like the Ivy Whip, allow the player to grapple multiple surfaces simultaneously. If the character grapples one surface, then fires the hook a second time, another chain extends from the player without dislodging the first. Upon grappling a second surface, the player will be suspended in midair at a point midway between the two surfaces. This allows players more freedom during construction, or for navigating hazardous areas, such as above lava or Meteorite.
All Journey Mode characters will spawn with the basic Grappling Hook already in their inventory.
When the player first acquires a hook, a small tutorial box will pop up telling the player how to use it.
Types[]
Hooks vary in range, velocity, number of deployable hooks, and number of hooks that can remain latched simultaneously.
- All crafted hooks are crafted at the Iron Anvil or Lead Anvil, with the exception of the Lunar Hook, crafted at the Ancient Manipulator.
- Single hooks dislodge immediately if fired again while already latched to a surface.
- Multi-hooks without simultaneous latching (Dual Hook; also the Fish Hook prior to 1.3) can fire a second chain before the first latches to a surface, but will dislodge the first chain when the second latches a surface.
- A multi-hook can be fired again only after the previous chain latched a surface or fully retracted. The Fish Hook, Dual Hook, Web Slinger, and Lunar Hook are exceptions, and can be fired very rapidly; nearly as fast as the player can press the button.
- (Pre-Hardmode) Only the level 1 grapple requires the hook component which cannot be made, only found in chests. Emerald, diamond, amethyst etc. hooks only require gems. Thus if the player has sufficient of that material they do not need to search for the hook part.
Pre-Hardmode[]
Item | Source | Reach (tiles) |
Velocity | Hooks | Latching | Sell | Rarity | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grappling Hook Internal Item ID: 84
|
Crafted: 3 + or Goblin Tinkerer (2) |
18.75 | 11.5 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Amethyst Hook Internal Item ID: 1236
|
Crafted: 15 | 18.75 | 10 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Squirrel Hook Internal Item ID: 4759
|
Zoologist (2) | 19 | 11.5 | 1 | Single | 40 |
| ||
Topaz Hook Internal Item ID: 1237
|
Crafted: 15 | 20.625 | 10.5 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Sapphire Hook Internal Item ID: 1238
|
Crafted: 15 | 22.5 | 11 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Emerald Hook Internal Item ID: 1239
|
Crafted: 15 | 24.375 | 11.5 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Ruby Hook Internal Item ID: 1240
|
Crafted: 15 | 26.25 | 12 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Amber Hook Internal Item ID: 4257
|
Crafted: 15 | 27.5 | 12.5 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Diamond Hook Internal Item ID: 1241
|
Crafted: 15 | 29.125 | 12.5 | 1 | Single | 40 | |||
Web Slinger Internal Item ID: 939
|
Web Covered Chests | 15.625 22.625 |
10 | 8 | Simultaneous | 40 |
| ||
Skeletron Hand Internal Item ID: 1273
|
Skeletron (12.24% / 33,33%) | 21.875 | 15 | 2 | Simultaneous | 90 |
| ||
Slime Hook Internal Item ID: 2585
|
King Slime (33.33% / 50%) | 18.75 | 13 | 3 | Simultaneous | 40 | |||
Fish Hook Internal Item ID: 2360
|
Angler (1.7%) | 25 | 13 | 2 | Simultaneous | 40 |
| ||
Ivy Whip Internal Item ID: 185
|
Crafted: 12 + 3 | 25 | 13 | 3 | Simultaneous | 40 | |||
Bat Hook Internal Item ID: 1800
|
Goodie Bags (0.67%) | 31.25 | 13.5 | 1 | Single | 150 |
| ||
Candy Cane Hook Internal Item ID: 1915
|
Presents |
25 | 11.5 | 1 | Single | 2 |
Hardmode[]
Item | Source | Reach (tiles) |
Velocity | Hooks | Latching | Sell | Rarity | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dual Hook Internal Item ID: 437
|
Mimics (14.29%) | 27.5 | 14 | 2 | Individual | 3 |
| ||
Hook of Dissonance Internal Item ID: 4980
|
Queen Slime (33.33%) | 30 | 16 | 1 | Single | 5 |
| ||
Thorn Hook Internal Item ID: 3021
|
Plantera (10%) | 30 | 16 | 3 | Simultaneous | 6 | |||
Illuminant Hook Internal Item ID: 3022
|
Hallowed Mimic (25%) | 30 | 15 | 3 | Simultaneous | 6 |
| ||
Worm Hook Internal Item ID: 3023
|
Corrupt Mimic (20%) | 30 | 15 | 3 | Simultaneous | 6 | |||
Tendon Hook Internal Item ID: 3020
|
Crimson Mimic (20%) | 30 | 15 | 3 | Simultaneous | 6 | |||
Anti-Gravity Hook Internal Item ID: 2800
|
Martian Saucer (11.11%) All enemies in the Martian Madness event |
31.25 | 14 | 3 | Simultaneous | 250 |
| ||
Spooky Hook Internal Item ID: 1829
|
Mourning Wood (2% – 20%) | 34.375 | 15.5 | 3 | Simultaneous | 4 | |||
Christmas Hook Internal Item ID: 1916
|
Everscream (5.19% – 7.78%) | 34.375 | 15.5 | 3 | Simultaneous | 4 |
| ||
Lunar Hook Internal Item ID: 3572
|
Crafted: 6 + 6 + 6 + 6 | 34.375 | 18 | 4 | Simultaneous | 10 |
| ||
Static Hook Internal Item ID: 3623
|
Steampunker (50) | 37.5 | 16 | 2 | Individual | 10 |
|
Notes[]
- The Squirrel Hook will always automatically dislodge when grappled to Palm Trees.
- Prior to 1.4, Grappling a platform or rail with only one hook would pull the player inside the platform, meaning that the player would always hit that platform with subsequent grapples. The player would have to jump to dislodge the hook if this happens.
- Hooks reset a character's flight time when Rocket Boots or wings are equipped as soon as the hook latches on something. This also applies to items that allow more jumps midair, like the Cloud in a Bottle or Cloud in a Balloon.
- Most hooks can remain attached to a surface continuously for 10 minutes (10 hours in-game time) before they automatically disengage. However, there are some exceptions with shorter times.
- Players can remove hooks from their inventory while clinging to a surface and remain there until they jump, use another hook, or automatically disengage, even though the hook is no longer in their inventory.
- When used via the hotbar, multi-hooks can be re-fired more rapidly, requiring only that the previous chain has fully extended first.
- There is a short in-game tutorial when the Grappling Hook is first obtained.
- Attempting to use a hook on a slope will often cause the player to grapple the block they are standing on, as they are technically inside the block.
- Using a hook will cancel a mount buff. The mount will not appear again unless the player starts the buff again.
- The player cannot use the Hook of Dissonance to teleport through holes that the player is not normally able to fit through.
- Canceling a grappled hook with the ↷ Jump key will result in a jump with half duration, unless currently moving or holding the ▼ Down key in which case no jump happens.
Achievement[]
Tips[]
- When sprinting accessories are equipped, the burst of speed provided by a hook upon latching a surface can be used to accelerate a player to sprinting speed instantly. This can also be done with the Unicorn and Basilisk Mount's charging abilities, though requiring an additional input to reactive the mount, and Anti-Gravity Hook, but it will boost the player in the opposite direction.
- The Ice Rod can provide blocks to grapple while flying with wings, repeatedly resetting flight time in midair.
- Characters that have hooked to a block are immune to gravity and knockback. Grappling the ground in dangerous locations, such as near lava, can ensure one does not fall in when taking damage from an enemy.
- Players can also exploit immunity to gravity by shooting the hook to the ground to prevent fall damage.
- Simultaneous-latch multi-hooks are more useful for intricate maneuvers. When fast travel is preferred, individually-latching multi-hooks allow faster transit, since they immediately sling the player across gaps, rather than automatically suspending them midway.
- Hooks that can be fired in rapid succession (Dual Hook, Web Slinger, Fish Hook, etc.) provide greater security when falling. If the first hook fails to latch onto a surface, the other hooks will provide additional chances to avoid fall damage.
- If a player grapples onto a door and opens it while suspended, the player will fly through it with immense speed (up to 50 mph if performed in quick succession), provided they're in a position to fit through the door. The same effect can be achieved with Actuators. When there are Frozen Slime Blocks on the other side of the door, this speed will be kept and can be used for very rapid transportation in a skybridge, etc.
- This effect does not apply to the Static Hook or Anti-Gravity Hook, which do not pull players in.
- On the Console version, Old-gen console version, and Mobile version, doors are opened automatically when the player gets near one, so this is easier to perform.
- Smart Doors, an option added in PC version's 1.4.0.1 for doors to open automatically when the player is going through them, makes this method far more convenient, as the player only needs to hold left or right in order to open it.
- While latched with the Anti-Gravity Hook and rotating around the latch point, mana and health will regenerate as if the player was standing still. It also provides a simple way to dodge quickly even when under the effects of reduced movement speed (such as from the Vortex Armor's
special ability). - The Anti-Gravity Hook is very effective in avoiding quick enemies like Mothron, provided there is enough space.
- Smooth walls can be climbed extremely quickly with the Anti-Gravity Hook by pressing the Grapple key quickly and holding the ▲ Up key while the mouse is in the top and slightly to the right of the middle of the screen.
- Right-clicking a hook in the inventory will automatically equip it to the hook slot.
Trivia[]
- It was once going to be possible to grapple to trees. However, this feature was later scrapped, because Redigit found that it "interfered with gameplay in an annoying way".[1] This feature has since been added as the Squirrel Hook's unique feature.
- The Fish Hook is a play on words, using the term for the real-life fishing tool for a grappling hook with the same appearance.
- The tooltip for the Grappling Hook, "Get over here!", is a reference to Scorpion's catchphrase in the fighting video game series Mortal Kombat.
- However, none of the hooks can grab entities and pull them forward in any way.
- The tooltip for the Lunar Hook "You want the moon? Just grapple it and pull it down!" is a possible reference to the quote "You want the moon? Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down." by George Bailey, protagonist of the 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama movie It's a Wonderful Life.
- The Bat Hook is most likely a reference to DC Comics' fictional superhero Batman, who uses a grappling hook which reels in very quickly, usually launching him up onto ledges.
- The Web Slinger is most likely a reference to Marvel Comics' fictional superhero Spider-Man, who is often referred to as the "Web Slinger" due to his ability to sling webs and attach them in order to enhance movement.
- When using the Lunar Hook, the color fired always follows this order: First orange (Solar), second green (Vortex), third pink (Nebula), and finally blue (Stardust).
- Because the Lunar Hook always follows this pattern, it is possible to cycle through the different hooks (i.e., shooting them out without latching onto an object) and latch onto objects with whichever desired color. Therefore, it is also possible to have four of the same type of hook out (four Solar, Nebula, Vortex, or Stardust hooks) at a time.
- The Candy Cane Hook can be sold at a price comparable to the Hardmode hooks, despite it only being a pre-Hardmode hook. It is also one of the few items with the rarity that can be obtained pre-Hardmode.
- The Thorn Hook resembles a miniature version of Plantera's Hooks.
- If a player switches hooks while already hooked, the existing hook will keep the previous hook's sprite. However, re-shooting the hook will update the sprite.
- When switching hooks from an older hook that has more ends to a newer hook with less ends, the new hook will initially replace the first hook shot out, but then will subsequently always replace the older hook. This is very unstable and can allow strange effects such as two static hooks latched at the same time. It can also cause the player to have both Anti-Gravity hooks and static hooks at the same time and doing so can be very janky.
- The Static Hook has a rarity of despite being acquirable after only one of the mechanical bosses has been defeated. It is also the only item with this rarity that can be purchased.
- Considering that the Thorn Hook has almost the same stats as the three Biome Mimic hooks, the Illuminant, Tendon and Worm Hooks, it is possible that the Thorn Hook may have originally been intended as a drop from the Jungle Mimic.
- The tooltip for the Squirrel Hook 'In the tree, part of the tree' is a possible reference to the Adventure Time episode "Up A Tree" in which Finn climbs a tree to get a frisbee and meets a squirrel who says the line.
History[]
- Desktop 1.4.3.3: Web Slinger's range was increased by 25%.
- Desktop 1.4.1: The basic Grappling Hook is now given to all Journey Mode characters.
- Desktop 1.4.0.3: Fixed a bug where Hooks were still usable after dying in Mediumcore.
- Desktop 1.4.0.1:
- Introduced Squirrel and Amber Hooks and the Hook of Dissonance.
- Once grappled onto a platform, the player no longer continues to grapple onto the platform and get stuck once they release subsequent grapples.
- Bat Hook pull in speed decreased from 16 to 13.
- Bat Hook shoot speed decreased from 15.5 to 13.5.
- Thorn Hook pull in speed increased from 11 to 12.
- Thorn Hook shoot speed increased from 15 to 16.
- Lunar Hook pull in speed increased from 13 to 16.
- Lunar Hook shoot speed increased from 16 to 18.
- Desktop 1.3.2: Gem hook sprites updated.
- Desktop 1.3.1: Introduced the Static Hook.
- Desktop 1.3.0.5: Fixed Lunar Hook not allowing you to use the hooks freely unless at least 1 is placed.
- Desktop 1.3.0.4: Fixed controls being reversed for Anti-Gravity hook when used in reverse Gravity.
- Desktop 1.3.0.1:
- Introduced Worm, Tendon, Illuminant, Thorn, Anti-Gravity, and Lunar Hooks.
- Tweaked grappling mechanics:
- Hooks have been given a dedicated equipment and dye slot, and can no longer be fired from the inventory.
- Fish Hook changed to Simultaneous latching.
- You can no longer grapple while frozen.
- Desktop 1.2.4: Introduced Slime and Fish Hooks.
- Desktop 1.2.3:
- Fixed a bug where hooks would break if they tried to attach to blocks with liquid in them.
- Using a Rod of Discord or Teleporter will now release all grapples.
- Desktop 1.2.2: Introduced Candy Cane and Christmas Hooks.
- Desktop 1.2.1.2: Bat Hook now correctly drops from the Goodie Bag.
- Desktop 1.2.1: Introduced Bat Hook and Spooky Hook.
- Desktop 1.2:
- Introduced the Gem hooks (Amethyst, Topaz, Sapphire, Emerald, Ruby, and Diamond), Web Slinger, and Skeletron Hand.
- Ivy Whip recipe changed, no longer requires the Grappling Hook.
- Desktop 1.1:
- Introduced the Dual Hook.
- Grappling Hook can now be bought from the Goblin Tinkerer for 2.
- Ivy Whip recipe changed, Jungle Spores requirement reduced from 15 to 12.
- Desktop 1.0.6:
- Grapple hotkey added (default hotkey is E).
- Multiple hooks can no longer be thrown at once.
- Removed 60-second auto-disengage.
- Ivy Whip recipe changed, now requires 15 Jungle Spores instead of 30 Jungle Rose.
- Desktop 1.0.4: Grappling Hook tooltip added.
- Desktop-Release: Introduced Grappling Hook and Ivy Whip.
- Console 1.0.1372.5: Introduced the Static Hook.
- Console 1.0.933.1: Made changes from PS4's 1.0.750.0 update. ()
- Console 1.0.750.0: ()
- Introduced Worm, Tendon, Illuminant, Thorn, Anti-Gravity, and Lunar Hooks.
- Updated Gem hook sprites to match Desktop 1.3.2.
- Tweaked grappling mechanics:
- Hooks have been given a dedicated equipment and dye slot, and can no longer be fired from the inventory.
- Fish Hook changed to Simultaneous latching.
- You can no longer grapple while frozen.
- Console 1.07: Introduced Slime and Fish Hooks.
- Console 1.06: Using a Rod of Discord or a Teleporter will now release all grapples.
- Console 1.04: Introduced Candy Cane and Christmas Hooks.
- Console 1.02:
- Introduced the Gem hooks, Bat and Spooky Hooks, Web Slinger, and Skeletron Hand.
- The Ivy Whip no longer uses the Grappling Hook in its crafting recipe.
- Console-Release: Introduced Grappling and Dual Hooks and the Ivy Whip.
- Switch 1.0.1096.2: Gem hook sprites updated to match Desktop 1.3.2.
- Switch 1.0.895.9: Introduced the Static Hook.
- Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced with changes up to Desktop 1.3.0.1.
- Mobile 1.4.0.5.0:
- Introduced Static, Squirrel, and Amber Hooks and the Hook of Dissonance.
- Updated Gem hook sprites to match Desktop 1.3.2.
- Once grappled onto a platform, the player no longer continues to grapple onto the platform and get stuck once they release subsequent grapples.
- Bat Hook pull in speed decreased from 16 to 13.
- Bat Hook shoot speed decreased from 15.5 to 13.5.
- Thorn Hook pull in speed increased from 11 to 12.
- Thorn Hook shoot speed increased from 15 to 16.
- Lunar Hook pull in speed increased from 13 to 16.
- Lunar Hook shoot speed increased from 16 to 18.
- Mobile 1.3.0.7:
- Introduced Worm, Tendon, Illuminant, Thorn, Anti-Gravity, and Lunar Hooks.
- Tweaked grappling mechanics:
- Hooks have been given a dedicated equipment and dye slot, and can no longer be fired from the inventory.
- Fish Hook changed to Simultaneous latching.
- You can no longer grapple while frozen.
- Mobile 1.2.11212:
- Introduced Slime, Fish, Candy Cane, and Christmas Hooks.
- Using a Rod of Discord or Teleporter will now release all grapples.
- Mobile 1.2.6508:
- Introduced the Gem hooks, Bat and Spooky Hooks, Web Slinger, and Skeletron Hand.
- The Ivy Whip no longer uses the Grappling Hook in its crafting recipe.
- Mobile 1.1.5536:
- Introduced the Dual Hook.
- The Grappling Hook can now be bought from the Goblin Tinkerer for 2.
- Mobile-Release: Introduced Grappling Hook and Ivy Whip.
- 3DS-Release: Introduced all hooks added up to Desktop 1.2.1 along with the Christmas Hook.