Iron Shortsword vs Ruler
The verdict
With crit factored in, Ruler puts out 149.8 DPS against 41.6 for Iron Shortsword — about 260% more damage per second. Base hits are Iron Shortsword 8 vs Ruler 12, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.
Ruler swings faster at a 5-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 0.5), 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 | Iron Shortsword | Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 8 | 12 |
| Use time | 12 ticks | 5 ticks |
| Crit chance | 4% | 4% |
| Knockback | 4 | 0.5 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 0 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 2.1 | 2.4 |
| Sells for | 56 | — |
When to use which
open DPS calculator →- You want higher raw damage per hit (12 vs 8).
- You prefer faster use time (5 ticks vs 12).
- Pure DPS matters most — Ruler wins by 108 DPS.
Frequently asked
Which deals more DPS: Iron Shortsword or Ruler? +
Iron Shortsword averages 41.6 DPS with crit. Ruler averages 149.8 DPS with crit. Ruler is ahead by 108.2 DPS.
Is Iron Shortsword or Ruler faster to use? +
Ruler has the shorter 5-tick use time, so it attacks faster than Iron Shortsword at 12 ticks.
Do Iron Shortsword and Ruler use the same class build? +
Yes — both are Melee weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.
Are Iron Shortsword and Ruler from the same progression tier? +
Yes — both belong to the unranked tier.