Copper Shortsword

The Copper Shortsword is the weakest of the shortswords and arguably the weakest weapon in the game. It has a slightly stronger counterpart, the Tin Shortsword, except in the, where the Copper Shortsword is equivalent.

All newly created characters will always spawn with a Copper Shortsword in their first inventory slot, and it is possible that it can have a modifier already applied to it.

On Mobile and 3DS, newly created players will always start with a Wooden Sword instead of a Copper Shortsword, giving the player a significant advantage.

Like all shortswords, this sword has a very limited range and attacks with a horizontal stabbing motion instead of an arc. This makes it impractical to use against flying or jumping enemies, although its high attack rate makes it somewhat effective against weak fighter type enemies. It is, however, highly recommended that new players use a Wooden Sword, Copper Pickaxe or a Bow at the earliest opportunity instead of a Copper Shortsword.

Trivia

 * The uselessness of the Copper Shortsword, even at the beginning of the game which it is supposedly suited for, has earned it memetic status within the Terraria community. On videos of people successfully completing challenges in Terraria such as unusual boss fights or speedruns, for example, it is common to see comments saying "Now do it with a copper shortsword!", to make the seemingly impossible challenge even more ridiculous. However, there have been videos where bosses have been defeated with a Copper Shortsword.
 * A Tiny Copper Shortsword is the smallest possible sword in the game.
 * It is possible to spawn with a Broken Copper Shortsword. This reduces the damage to 3, which makes the early game even harder. This makes it the second lowest damage weapon in the game, as the lowest damage weapon in the game is the Broken Wooden Hammer, which does 1 damage. However, a player in this condition can simply make a new sword, which is generally accepted as the best course of action for a new character anyways.

History
Kupferkurzschwert Épée Courte en Cuivre‎ 구리 단검 Krótki Miecz z Miedzi Медный кинжал 铜短剑