// weapon comparison

Dark Lance vs Orange Phaseblade

Melee weapons · pre-hardmode tier

The verdict

With crit factored in, Dark Lance puts out 96.4 DPS against 90.1 for Orange Phaseblade — about 7% more damage per second. Base hits are Dark Lance 34 vs Orange Phaseblade 26, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.

Orange Phaseblade swings faster at a 18-tick use time versus 22, 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, Dark Lance hits with more knockback (5 vs 3), 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
StatDark LanceOrange Phaseblade
Damage3426
Use time22 ticks18 ticks
Crit chance4%4%
Knockback53
Defense00
Mana cost00
Shoot speed614
Sells for 54

When to use which

open DPS calculator →
Pick Dark Lance if…
  • You want higher raw damage per hit (34 vs 26).
  • Pure DPS matters most — Dark Lance wins by 6.3 DPS.
Pick Orange Phaseblade if…
  • You prefer faster use time (18 ticks vs 22).

Frequently asked

Which deals more DPS: Dark Lance or Orange Phaseblade? +

Dark Lance averages 96.4 DPS with crit. Orange Phaseblade averages 90.1 DPS with crit. Dark Lance is ahead by 6.3 DPS.

Is Dark Lance or Orange Phaseblade faster to use? +

Orange Phaseblade has the shorter 18-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Dark Lance at 22 ticks.

Do Dark Lance and Orange Phaseblade use the same class build? +

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

Are Dark Lance and Orange Phaseblade from the same progression tier? +

Yes — both belong to the pre-hardmode tier.