Difficulty

The Difficulty mode is a character setting selected during character creation. On the versions, there are three options: Journey, Classic, Mediumcore and Hardcore, all changing the penalty upon death. Once a character has been created, its difficulty cannot be changed.

On the, there are no options, and all characters are created as Classic characters.

On, there is also a choice between Normal and Expert mode when creating a new world. This is a separate setting that applies to the world, rather than the character, and similarly cannot be changed once the world has begun generating.

A third form of difficulty is the transition from Pre-Hardmode to Hardmode, which also applies to the world. This is a gameplay advancement and is thus non-optional.

Journey
Journey is a mode easier different than the others, as the player may choose and change difficulty whenever they wish. It also includes additional tools like godmode, item duplication, time and weather control and the ability to control enemy spawns. The player must choose Journey on both the character and world creation menus to utilize it.

Classic
Classic is the default / only  character mode, and is generally considered the easiest. It is the standard Terraria experience.

Classic characters drop half of their coins when killed by an enemy, which can be retrieved upon respawning, but may also be collected by other players in multiplayer or by enemies in. Classic characters respawn at their spawn point, 7 / 15 seconds after death, on singleplayer / multiplayer, respectively.

Mediumcore
Mediumcore characters drop all of their items upon death, including all coins and ammo. These can be retrieved upon respawning, but any items may also be collected by other players in multiplayer and coins by enemies in Expert. Mediumcore characters still respawn at their spawn point, 7 / 15 seconds after death, on singleplayer / multiplayer, respectively.

There is no reward for playing in Mediumcore, other than increased difficulty for its own sake.

Hardcore
Hardcore characters die permanently, and drop all of their items upon death, including coins and ammo, which other players can then collect in multiplayer.

Death causes a Hardcore character to become a Ghost that can continue to observe the world but not affect it. Ghosts can fly, pass through walls, and continue to chat with other multiplayer users, but cannot interact with the environment in any way and cannot open a world. Other players are not able to see Ghosts.

Once a dead Hardcore character quits the current world, that character is permanently deleted. Items the character placed in chests will not be deleted, but items the character had in portable storage will be deleted.

There is only one Hardcore-exclusive item, which is also Expert-exclusive:.

World modes

 * Normal mode: This is the regular world mode.
 *  Expert mode: Intended for experienced players, Expert mode worlds contain the same enemies, but with increased stats, and some have altered behavior patterns that make them more difficult to defeat. Loot drops are more frequent, however. As a special reward, bosses drop Treasure Bags which, in addition to the normal boss loot, also contain special items only available in Expert mode.
 * Master mode: A harder version of Expert mode, with no new AI s but increased health and damage. It also includes 2 new drops per boss, and an extra accessory slot.

''Expert mode brings numerous other changes. See Expert mode for a more complete list.''

Tips

 * Mediumcore characters may want to keep their second-best equipment in a chest in case of death.
 * Hardcore mode can be utilized to freely explore a world by dying and flying through the ground and sky as a Ghost.

History
Schwierigkeit 难度