// weapon comparison

Cutlass vs Pickaxe Axe

Melee weapons · early-hardmode tier

The verdict

With crit factored in, Pickaxe Axe puts out 312.0 DPS against 206.7 for Cutlass — about 51% more damage per second. Base hits are Cutlass 53 vs Pickaxe Axe 35, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.

Pickaxe Axe swings faster at a 7-tick use time versus 16, 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, Pickaxe Axe hits with more knockback (4.75 vs 4), keeping enemies at range while you reposition.

Both are Melee 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
StatCutlassPickaxe Axe
Damage5335
Use time16 ticks7 ticks
Crit chance4%4%
Knockback44.75
Defense00
Mana cost00
Shoot speed00
Sells for 3 60 4 40

When to use which

open DPS calculator →
Pick Cutlass if…
  • You want higher raw damage per hit (53 vs 35).
Pick Pickaxe Axe if…
  • You prefer faster use time (7 ticks vs 16).
  • Pure DPS matters most — Pickaxe Axe wins by 105 DPS.

Frequently asked

Which deals more DPS: Cutlass or Pickaxe Axe? +

Cutlass averages 206.7 DPS with crit. Pickaxe Axe averages 312.0 DPS with crit. Pickaxe Axe is ahead by 105.3 DPS.

Is Cutlass or Pickaxe Axe faster to use? +

Pickaxe Axe has the shorter 7-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Cutlass at 16 ticks.

Do Cutlass and Pickaxe Axe use the same class build? +

Yes — both are Melee weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.

Are Cutlass and Pickaxe Axe from the same progression tier? +

Yes — both belong to the early-hardmode tier.