So you just beat the Wall of Flesh. The screen flashes that "spirits of light and dark" message, and suddenly, everything in your world wants to murder you twice as fast. You're probably tired of grappling onto cave ceilings like a desperate spider. You want to fly. But if you look at the wiki, there are dozens of wings. Some look like butterfly wings, others like literal jetpacks, and a few are just... weird developer capes.
Honestly, most players trap themselves in "progression hell" by grinding for wings that are barely better than the ones they already have. You don't need a spreadsheet. You need to know what’s actually worth the inventory slot. This terraria wing tier list isn't about every single item; it's about the ones that actually change how you play the game.
The Early Hardmode Scramble
Most people rush for Leaf Wings. It makes sense. You just move the Witch Doctor to a Jungle house, wait for night, and cough up some platinum. In older versions of the game, Leaf Wings were a "God Tier" skip. Now? They’ve been nerfed into the ground. They’re basically a Tier 2 wing masquerading as a late-game item.
If you want real airtime early on, go for Frozen Wings. You just need to hang out in the Snow Biome during a blizzard and kill an Ice Golem. It’s a 33% drop for the Ice Feather. Combine that with some Souls of Flight from Wyverns, and you’ve got wings that soar 67 tiles high. Compare that to the 53 tiles you get from Leaf Wings or the basic Angel/Demon wings. It’s a no-brainer.
The "I'm Lazy" Tier
- Fledgling Wings: These are the only pre-Hardmode wings. You find them in Skyware Chests. They're better than nothing, but barely.
- Fairy Wings: 100 Pixie Dust and 20 Souls of Flight. If you spend five minutes in the Hallow, you’ve basically earned these. They match the Frozen Wings for height (67 tiles) but are much easier to farm if you hate the cold.
Mid-Game: The Plantera and Golem Wall
Once you’ve knocked out the mechanical bosses, the game opens up. But here’s the thing: most of the wings in this bracket are "sidegrades."
Butterfly Wings and Bee Wings are fine. They’ll get you about 81 tiles up. But if you’ve already beaten the bosses, you should be looking at the Hoverboard. Technically, it's not "wings," but it fits the slot. The ability to hover horizontally by holding down and jump is a literal lifesaver against Plantera’s second phase.
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Why horizontal speed matters more than height
In Terraria, bosses don't just sit there. They charge. Being able to zip left or right at 50+ mph is often more important than how high you can go. This is why Betsy’s Wings from the Old One's Army are so polarizing. They only fly for 2.5 seconds, which feels short, but their horizontal hover speed is a ridiculous 61 mph. If you can handle the event, these are arguably better than anything until the very end of the game.
The S-Tier: The Final Flight
We're talking post-Golem now. This is where the terraria wing tier list gets crowded with "best in slot" contenders.
- Fishron Wings: Dropped by Duke Fishron. These are the gold standard. 143 tiles of height and, crucially, they ignore water. If you’re fighting in the ocean or a flooded cave, you move at full speed.
- Empress Wings: Dropped by the Empress of Light. These have a special "ascent boost." Hold the Up key, and you skyrocket. It’s the best vertical mobility in the game until you hit the literal end credits.
- Steampunk Wings: If you can't be bothered to farm bosses, just buy these from the Steampunker for 3 Platinum after Golem is dead. They fly 107 tiles high. They aren't flashy, but they’re reliable.
The Developer Wings Trap
You might get a Treasure Bag in Expert or Master mode that drops "Red's Wings" or "Cenx's Wings." They look cool. They have unique trails. But stat-wise? They’re middle of the pack. They usually fly around 77 tiles high. Use them for vanity, but don't rely on them for the Moon Lord fight unless you're a gladiator who likes a challenge.
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Endgame: The Absolute Best
When the Moon Lord goes down, the tier list basically ends. You have two main choices, plus one "cheat code" item if you’re playing on Expert Mode.
Solar Wings vs. Stardust Wings
These are almost identical. Both hit 167 tiles in height. Both have a 50% ascent speed bonus. The only difference is aesthetic. Solar looks like burning fire; Stardust looks like a cosmic cape. Pick the one that matches your armor.
The Celestial Starboard
This is it. The peak. It only drops from the Moon Lord’s Treasure Bag (Expert/Master only). It combines the best of everything:
- Highest flight height (201 tiles).
- Horizontal hovering (like the Hoverboard/Vortex Booster).
- Massive vertical speed (hold Up to zoom).
Basically, once you get the Starboard, every other wing in the game becomes obsolete. It’s the reward for conquering the world.
How to actually choose
If you're stuck, follow this path:
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- Start of Hardmode: Get Frozen Wings (Snow Biome) or Fairy Wings (Hallow).
- Post-Mech: Stick with what you have or grab a Hoverboard for the utility.
- Post-Plantera: Try for Fishron Wings if you can kill the Duke.
- Post-Moon Lord: Celestial Starboard.
Don't spend hours grinding for a 5-tile height increase. Focus on how the wings feel. If you like hovering, go for the Booster or Hoverboard. If you like dodging vertically, go for the Empress or Solar wings.
The best way to test your new flight gear is to set up a long runway of asphalt blocks. Run at full speed, take off, and see how much ground you cover. You'll find that for most players, the "mid-tier" wings like Spectre Wings or Spooky Wings are more than enough to beat the game. You don't need the "best" to be a legend in Terraria; you just need enough airtime to not get hit.
Go farm some Wyverns. Those Souls of Flight aren't going to collect themselves.