Attack speed

Attack speed in Terraria is handled like movement speed: additive bonuses except the cap is at 4 times original speed. However use time, or the time it takes to swing (attack) or use an item, is reduced instead of increased. Use time of 30 is slower than use time of 10. See weapon list for an organized view of this.

Max increased attack speed (for melee) is above 95% using Beetle Scale Mail set (12, plus 30 with fully-powered Beetle Might buff), Well Fed (buff) (5), Tipsy (buff), (10), and the five accessories Feral Claws (12), Power Glove (12), Mechanical Glove (12), Celestial Stone (10), and either the Sun Stone or Moon Stone (10) (though the Fire Gauntlet (9) works at every time of day), each reforged to Violent (20). When combined with the fastest melee weapon, the Bladed Glove, a player may execute a full melee attack in roughly 0.05 seconds, or twenty times per second.

The Celestial Stone and Sun Stone/Moon Stone also boost pickaxe speed by 15% each, which will boost the attack speed of weapons like the Shroomite Digging Claw even further.

Most tools are also melee weapons, increasing "melee attack speed" via accessories, armor and reforges will increase tool speed with the exception of drills, chainsaws, and jackhammers.