

With crit factored in, Star Cannon puts out 286.0 DPS against 0.0 for Rocket III. Base hits are Rocket III 65 vs Star Cannon 55, so the gap comes as much from attack speed and crit as from raw damage.
For crowd control, Rocket III hits with more knockback (6 vs 3), keeping enemies at range while you reposition.
Both are Ranged weapons, so the same armor set and class accessories buff either one — you can swap between them without rebuilding your loadout.
| Stat | Rocket III | Star Cannon |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | 65 | 55 |
| Use time | 0 ticks | 12 ticks |
| Crit chance | 4% | 4% |
| Knockback | 6 | 3 |
| Defense | 0 | 0 |
| Mana cost | 0 | 0 |
| Shoot speed | 0 | 14 |
| Sells for | — | 10 |
Rocket III averages 0.0 DPS with crit. Star Cannon averages 286.0 DPS with crit. Star Cannon is ahead by 286.0 DPS.
Both share the same 0-tick use time, so neither is faster to swing.
Yes — both are Ranged weapons and share the same armor and accessory bonuses.
Yes — both belong to the pre-hardmode tier.