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Can You Get Hardmode Ores Without Breaking Altars in Terraria?

The short answer is yes, absolutely! While smashing Demon/Crimson Altars has long been the traditional method of initiating the spawn of Hardmode ores in Terraria, it is not the only way. Players looking to avoid the potential drawbacks of altar smashing, or those seeking alternative methods, can successfully acquire Hardmode ores through other means. This article explores these alternative paths and dives deep into the mechanics of Hardmode ore acquisition.

Alternative Routes to Hardmode Ores

While breaking altars is the most straightforward way to generate Hardmode ores upon entering Hardmode, it’s not your only option. Here are a few effective strategies that bypass the need to swing a Pwnhammer at those mysterious altars:

Fishing for Crates: This method has become increasingly popular due to its consistent and controllable nature. Crates, obtained through fishing, can contain a variety of valuable items, including Hardmode ores. Specifically, Golden Crates and Titanium Crates are known to drop the top tier of pre-Hardmode and Hardmode metals. While you might be thinking “But I don’t get Titanium crates until I break altars,” remember it’s the type of crate, not where you caught it, that matters. You can fish pre-Hardmode and keep the crates for later.
Extractinator: While not a direct source of ores itself, the Extractinator can transform silt, slush and desert fossils into a variety of items, including ores. Although it is more likely to yield pre-Hardmode metals, the Extractinator can very rarely reward the rarer Hardmode ores.
Trading: In multiplayer scenarios, you can trade with other players who have broken altars in their world. This allows you to acquire Hardmode materials without altering your world’s progression.
Special Events & Enemy Drops: While rare, certain enemies and events post-Hardmode can drop Hardmode ores and bars. This is less reliable than fishing, but a nice bonus that can occur during normal gameplay.

Why Bother Avoiding Altars?

You might wonder, “Why not just break the altars?” While it’s true that smashing altars will generate ore in your world, there are a few reasons why players might opt for the alternative approaches:

World Corruption/Crimson Spread: Every time you smash an altar, a small amount of Corruption/Crimson is created in a random location in the world. Over time, this can lead to uncontrolled spread. Many players are cautious about allowing biomes like the Crimson or the Corruption to expand out of control, as it makes it harder to move about, and more dangerous to fight.
Limited Ore Generation: Breaking altars repeatedly is not the best way to get more ores. After the initial ores are spawned, subsequent altars generate fewer ores, with the 4th altar spawned a considerable amount less than the first three. You’re better off sticking to crates after the first few altars.
Alternative Progression Paths: If you’re attempting a challenge run that restricts altar breaking or playing in a world type that has some mechanics that require altars, it may be better to avoid breaking any of them.

Crate Fishing in Detail

The most popular method to obtain ores without destroying altars is through fishing. Here’s a closer look at this process:

Preparation: You’ll need a decent fishing rod and bait. Worms are a great starting bait. To increase your chances of finding crates, you should consider using fishing potions and equipping fishing gear to boost your fishing power.
Location: Fish in any body of water, but keep an eye out for certain locations that increase your fishing power. Honey and Ocean biomes tend to have the highest yields.
Crate Types: There are different crate types. To get the best Hardmode ore drops, focus on Golden Crates (found at any time) and Titanium Crates (found after Wall of Flesh is defeated).
Pre-Hardmode Fishing: While it might seem counterintuitive, pre-Hardmode fishing can be very effective. You can fish up an abundance of crates pre-Hardmode, and save them until after defeating the Wall of Flesh to then have a considerable supply of materials for when Hardmode starts. This means you avoid breaking altars at all, while still having a solid base of the new ore types.

Hardmode Ores and Their Uses

Understanding the different ores and their applications is crucial. When altars are smashed, three Hardmode ores are generated at random from the following pairs of ores:

Cobalt Ore or Palladium Ore: Used to create the early Hardmode tier of armor, tools, and weapons.
Mythril Ore or Orichalcum Ore: Required for crafting mid-tier Hardmode gear.
Adamantite Ore or Titanium Ore: Needed for crafting late-tier Hardmode equipment.
Chlorophyte Ore: Spawns in the underground jungle after the mechanical bosses are defeated and has the potential to be crafted into Chlorophyte bars for better weapons and armor.
Hallowed Ore: This is only available after defeating the Mechanical Bosses and can be found at the surface level in the Hallow biome.
Luminite Ore: Dropped by the Moon Lord, this can be crafted into items useful during the end game.

Each ore is essential for progression, and having a good supply is vital to tackling the challenges of Hardmode.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions related to obtaining Hardmode ores in Terraria:

Can I get Hardmode ore from pre-Hardmode crates after defeating the Wall of Flesh?

Yes! Crates fished up before entering Hardmode can be saved. Once the Wall of Flesh is defeated and your world is in Hardmode, these crates can be opened to obtain Hardmode ores. They are the same crates regardless of when they were obtained, the change in loot table occurs upon opening the crate.

Does breaking more altars give me more Hardmode ore?

Yes, breaking the first few altars will generate ores but after that, breaking additional altars offers less ore, and has the drawback of generating additional corruption/crimson. Each time you break an Altar, the ore generation per altar decreases. Breaking more than a couple is less worthwhile and should be avoided once you have a reliable source of ores.

What are the best crate types for Hardmode ore?

Golden Crates are best for pre-Hardmode ore, and Titanium Crates are the best for Hardmode ore. These contain a higher concentration of valuable materials.

Can I get all Hardmode ores in one world without using a different world?

Yes. The ore types that generate are decided on the first altar broken, but all ores can still be obtained through crates or the Extractinator. So a world that generates with Cobalt will still be able to find Palladium through crates.

Can pre-Hardmode pickaxes mine Hardmode ores?

Yes. The Molten Pickaxe is the strongest pre-Hardmode pickaxe and can mine Cobalt Ore and Palladium Ore which are the first tier of Hardmode ores. For the other Hardmode ores, you will need the upgraded picks from the new ores that you have collected.

What is the rarest crate in Terraria?

Golden/Titanium crates are the rarest of the standard crates. You can also find very rare crates unique to different areas, such as the Jungle, Desert and Ocean biomes.

Does luck affect crate drops?

No, luck does not affect the drop rates of items from grab bags such as crates. Luck only affects enemy drops.

What does Titanium look like in Terraria?

Titanium is a dark, almost tar-like color with a metallic texture, and it can sometimes be hard to see when mining in dark areas as it can blend into Stone.

How do I find Golden Crates?

Golden Crates can be found through fishing anywhere. They are rarer than Iron/Mythril and Wooden/Pearlwood crates.

Are Hardmode ore types random?

The initial Hardmode ore types are chosen at random the first time an Altar is broken. For instance, if your world spawns with Cobalt, you will not have Palladium, and will need to find those ores through other means such as crates.

Is Tungsten better than Gold?

For armor, Tungsten is nearly as good as Gold, while being much more common. A Tungsten Pickaxe is capable of mining Meteorite, while a Gold Pickaxe is not. Because of this, Tungsten is generally considered the superior ore.

Can the Molten Hamaxe destroy Demon Altars?

While it’s not explicitly stated in its tooltip, the Haemorrhaxe, an upgraded version of the Molten Hamaxe, can be used to destroy altars. However, this is generally not recommended as stronger hammers are easy to obtain in Hardmode.

Are there any Hardmode ores in Calamity Mod?

The Calamity Mod introduces unique ores. Some of these, such as Sea Prism, Charred Ore, and Scoria Ore, are generated upon world creation. The rest are spawned when bosses are defeated.

What is the fastest pickaxe in Terraria?

The Shroomite Digging Claw is the fastest pickaxe in the game, capable of mining at a rapid rate. It is available after Plantera is defeated.

What is the most common bait in Terraria?

Worms are very common and make for great bait when fishing. You can increase their drop rate with the use of a Bug Net and other gear/potions that improve fishing.

Conclusion

Obtaining Hardmode ores without breaking altars is not only possible but can also be a strategic and effective way to approach Hardmode in Terraria. By fishing for crates, using the Extractinator, trading, or knowing where the ores spawn in your world, you can bypass the potential drawbacks of breaking altars. Understanding the game mechanics and utilizing these alternative strategies will help you to better prepare for the challenges ahead while preserving your world’s integrity.

Can you get Hardmode ores without breaking altars?