Clockwork Assault Rifle vs Shotgun
The verdict
With crit factored in, Clockwork Assault Rifle puts out 265.2 DPS against 33.3 for Shotgun — about 697% more damage per second. Base hits are Clockwork Assault Rifle 17 vs Shotgun 24, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.
Clockwork Assault Rifle swings faster at a 4-tick use time versus 45, so it lands on-hit debuffs like ichor, procs set bonuses, and reapplies knockback more often — an edge the flat DPS figure understates.
For crowd control, Shotgun hits with more knockback (6.5 vs 0), keeping enemies at range while you reposition.
Both are Ranged weapons, so the same armor set and class accessories buff either one — you can swap between them without rebuilding your loadout.
Stat-by-stat
computed| Stat | Clockwork Assault Rifle | Shotgun |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 17 | 24 |
| Use time | 4 ticks | 45 ticks |
| Crit chance | 4% | 4% |
| Knockback | 0 | 6.5 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 0 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 7.75 | 7 |
| Sells for | 3 | 5 |
When to use which
open DPS calculator →- You prefer faster use time (4 ticks vs 45).
- Pure DPS matters most — Clockwork Assault Rifle wins by 232 DPS.
- You want higher raw damage per hit (24 vs 17).
Frequently asked
Which deals more DPS: Clockwork Assault Rifle or Shotgun? +
Clockwork Assault Rifle averages 265.2 DPS with crit. Shotgun averages 33.3 DPS with crit. Clockwork Assault Rifle is ahead by 231.9 DPS.
Is Clockwork Assault Rifle or Shotgun faster to use? +
Clockwork Assault Rifle has the shorter 4-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Shotgun at 45 ticks.
Do Clockwork Assault Rifle and Shotgun use the same class build? +
Yes — both are Ranged weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.
Are Clockwork Assault Rifle and Shotgun from the same progression tier? +
Yes — both belong to the early-hardmode tier.