// weapon comparison
Detonator vs Rainbow String
Melee weapons · pre-hardmode tier
Detonator
Melee
winner · higher DPS
DPS with crit: 936
DPS without crit: 900
Rainbow String
Melee
DPS with crit: 502
DPS without crit: 456
Stat-by-stat
computed| Stat | Detonator | Rainbow String |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 150 | 190 |
| Use time | 10 ticks | 25 ticks |
| Crit chance | 4% | 10% |
| Knockback | 5 | 6.5 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 12 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 10 | 16 |
| Sells for | 4 | 60 |
When to use which
open DPS calculator →Pick Detonator if…
- You prefer faster use time (10 ticks vs 25).
- Pure DPS matters most — Detonator wins by 434 DPS.
Pick Rainbow String if…
- You want higher raw damage per hit (190 vs 150).
- You're stacking crit-chance gear (+6% over Detonator).
Frequently asked
Which deals more DPS: Detonator or Rainbow String? +
Detonator averages 936.0 DPS with crit. Rainbow String averages 501.6 DPS with crit. Detonator is ahead by 434.4 DPS.
Are Detonator and Rainbow String from the same progression tier? +
Yes — both belong to the pre-hardmode tier.