Attack speed

Attack Speed in Terraria is handled like movement speed; Additive bonuses, except the cap, are at quadruple the original speed. However use time, or the time it takes to swing (attack) or use an item, is reduced instead of increased (see that page for a more detailed formula). In addition, for melee weapon with a projectile, the Attack Speed also increase the Velocity of that projectile by that many percent. 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 +158.1% using Monk's Bushy Brow Bald Cap (20%), Shinobi Infiltrator's Torso (20%), Solar Flare Leggings (15%), Exquisitely Stuffed (buff) (10%), Tipsy (buff) (10%), and the five accessories Feral Claws (12%), Power Glove (12%), Mechanical Glove (12%), Celestial Shell (15.1% at night) and Berserker's Glove (12%), each reforged to Violent (20%). In Expert Mode Violent Fire Gauntlet can be worn for an extra 16%, with +174.1% total; In Master Mode an additional Violent accessory (note, as of 1.4, the stones' effect no long stacks) can be worn for an extra 4%, with +178.1% total. When combined with the fastest melee weapon, the Fetid Baghnakhs, a player may execute a full melee attack in roughly 0.033 seconds, or thirty times per second (note:as of 1.4, it can only receive up to +25% speed bonus).