Class

Class and role are common, somewhat synonymous game terms which describe a character's playstyle and, in cooperative multiplayer settings, its "job". Archetypical classes/roles include damage dealer,, and. In Terraria, these concepts appear in the form of damage types and few items which enable tanking and healing. The Tavernkeep armors also somewhat cater to different classes/roles (see Tavernkeep § Tips).

Damage dealer
A damage dealer, also known as DPS (short for "damage per second") or simply damage, is a character that focuses on dealing high damage to enemies, usually at the expense of survivability.
 * Gameplay in Terraria revolves by default around the player gradually acquiring stronger weapons and more defensive armor, meaning there is, in general, no distinct damage dealer approach as in many other games. However, Terraria's damage types allow players to use different approaches to dealing damage.
 * Certain items like Putrid Scent decrease aggro, essentially facilitating a damage dealer role if used to help another player act as a tank.
 * Some late-game armor sets like the Shroomite armor both reduce aggro and has no Melee damage set variant (see Tank below for details), making them seem specifically designed for damage.

Tank
A tank is a character which protects other characters, usually by acting as "meat shields" and decoys.
 * Different armor sets correspond with different damage types, and armor corresponding to melee damage will usually surpass other armor in terms of defense. For example, the Wizard set is easily beaten by any ore armor (such as Copper armor), and the melee variant of Hardmode ore armors easily beats other damage type variants (such as Cobalt armor with Cobalt Helmet versus Cobalt Hat). As such, armor appropriate for melee damage will be the preferred choice for a tank role.
 * Beyond defense, characters may obtain additional protection through items like the Black Belt and Worm Scarf.
 * Certain items like the Flesh Knuckles allow the character to act as a decoy through increased aggro.
 * The Paladin's Shield accessory (and its upgrades) enables protecting players through damage transfer.
 * Some late-game armor sets like the Turtle armor provide both high defense and increased aggro, making them seem specifically designed for tanking.
 * Strong knockback may be used as a means to repel enemies away from vulnerable players.

Healer
A healer is a character able to heal their allies.
 * Only a single armor set in Terraria grants this function: the Spectre armor with the Spectre Hood bonus.
 * As with damage, healers may contribute from items that decrease aggro, although the Spectre armor favors accessories that increase damage output as healing is damage-based.