Gladius vs Iron Shortsword
The verdict
With crit factored in, Gladius puts out 156.0 DPS against 41.6 for Iron Shortsword — about 275% more damage per second. Base hits are Gladius 15 vs Iron Shortsword 8, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.
Gladius swings faster at a 6-tick use time versus 12, 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, Iron Shortsword hits with more knockback (4 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| Stat | Gladius | Iron Shortsword |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 15 | 8 |
| Use time | 6 ticks | 12 ticks |
| Crit chance | 4% | 4% |
| Knockback | 3 | 4 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 0 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 2.4 | 2.1 |
| Sells for | 6 | 56 |
When to use which
open DPS calculator →- You want higher raw damage per hit (15 vs 8).
- You prefer faster use time (6 ticks vs 12).
- Pure DPS matters most — Gladius wins by 114 DPS.
Frequently asked
Which deals more DPS: Gladius or Iron Shortsword? +
Gladius averages 156.0 DPS with crit. Iron Shortsword averages 41.6 DPS with crit. Gladius is ahead by 114.4 DPS.
Is Gladius or Iron Shortsword faster to use? +
Gladius has the shorter 6-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Iron Shortsword at 12 ticks.
Do Gladius and Iron Shortsword use the same class build? +
Yes — both are Melee weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.
Are Gladius and Iron Shortsword from the same progression tier? +
Yes — both belong to the unranked tier.