What pickaxe do I need to mine Hellstone in Terraria?

Hellstone (and Ebonstone, Crimstone and Dungeon Brick) needs at least 65% pickaxe power — the Nightmare or Deathbringer Pickaxe is the earliest option, though any stronger pickaxe works too.

What pickaxe mines Cobalt and the other Hardmode ores?

You need 100% pickaxe power to mine Cobalt or Palladium, which the Molten Pickaxe provides. From there each Hardmode ore needs more: Mythril/Orichalcum 110%, Adamantite/Titanium 150%, and Chlorophyte 200%.

What is the strongest pickaxe in Terraria?

The Laser Drill has the highest pickaxe power at 230%, enough to mine every block in the game including Lihzahrd Brick.

Pickaxe Power & Mining Progression

Every pickaxe and drill ranked by mining power, with exactly which ores and blocks each one can break — and the earliest tool that clears any gate you pick.

What do you want to mine?

Pick a block to highlight every pickaxe strong enough — the earliest one is flagged.

Pickaxe	Power	Mines up to	Type	Speed
Cactus Pickaxe	35%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Slow
Copper Pickaxe	35%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Slow
Tin Pickaxe	35%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Average
Iron Pickaxe	40%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Average
Lead Pickaxe	43%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Average
Silver Pickaxe	45%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Average
Tungsten Pickaxe	50%	Dirt, sand, wood and other soft blocks	Pickaxe	Slow
Bone Pickaxe	55%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Average
Candy Cane Pickaxe	55%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Slow
Fossil Pickaxe	55%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Average
Gold Pickaxe	55%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Slow
Platinum Pickaxe	59%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Slow
Reaver Shark	59%	Demonite / Crimtane Ore and Obsidian	Pickaxe	Average
Nightmare Pickaxe	65%	Ebonstone, Crimstone, Hellstone and Dungeon Bricks	Pickaxe	Slow
Deathbringer Pickaxe	70%	Ebonstone, Crimstone, Hellstone and Dungeon Bricks	Pickaxe	Average
Molten Pickaxe	100%	Cobalt / Palladium Ore and ordinary stone	Pickaxe	Slow
Cobalt Drill	110%	Mythril / Orichalcum Ore	Drill	Average
Cobalt Pickaxe	110%	Mythril / Orichalcum Ore	Pickaxe	Average
Palladium Drill	130%	Mythril / Orichalcum Ore	Drill	Average
Palladium Pickaxe	130%	Mythril / Orichalcum Ore	Pickaxe	Average
Mythril Drill	150%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Drill	Average
Mythril Pickaxe	150%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Pickaxe	Average
Orichalcum Drill	165%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Drill	Fast
Orichalcum Pickaxe	165%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Adamantite Drill	180%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Drill	Fast
Adamantite Pickaxe	180%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Titanium Drill	190%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Drill	Fast
Titanium Pickaxe	190%	Adamantite / Titanium Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Chlorophyte Drill	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Drill	Fast
Chlorophyte Pickaxe	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Drax	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Pickaxe Axe	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Shroomite Digging Claw	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Pickaxe	Very fast
Spectre Pickaxe	200%	Chlorophyte Ore	Pickaxe	Fast
Picksaw	210%	Lihzahrd Brick and Altars	Pickaxe	Fast
Vortex Drill	225%	Lihzahrd Brick and Altars	Drill	Very fast
Vortex Pickaxe	225%	Lihzahrd Brick and Altars	Pickaxe	Fast
Laser Drill	230%	Lihzahrd Brick and Altars	Drill	Fast

How pickaxe power works

Every pickaxe has a pickaxe power rating, and every ore or block has a power requirement. You can only mine a block if your pickaxe meets or beats its requirement — so mining gear is the real gate on Terraria progression, not just your weapons.

The single biggest wall is 100% power: the Molten Pickaxe is the last pre-Hardmode pickaxe, and it is exactly what lets you mine the first Hardmode ore (Cobalt or Palladium) once you defeat the Wall of Flesh. From there each new ore tier needs a stronger pickaxe crafted from the tier below it, all the way up to Chlorophyte and the endgame drills that can break every block in the game.

Drills mine in a continuous beam and ignore knockback, while pickaxes swing in an arc; at the same tier they share the same power, so the choice comes down to feel and reach. Click any pickaxe to see its full stats, recipe and where to get it.