The game Terraria on the Android platform is a full-fledged sandbox, where the player's progress directly depends on the quality of the tool used. To mine valuable minerals such as meteorite or hellstone, a standard pickaxe is no longer enough, and this is where drills come into the picture. These mechanical devices allow you not only to destroy blocks faster, but also to dig entire tunnels in a matter of seconds, which is critical for survival in complex biomes.
Many beginners confuse the concepts of “pickaxe” and “drill”, considering them interchangeable, but in the mechanics Terraria there are significant differences between them that affect the efficiency of mining. On the mobile version, touchscreen controls require a special approach to choosing a tool, since the attack speed and range of the drill can greatly simplify navigation through caves. In this article, we'll take a detailed look at the crafting process for each available drill, from entry-level to end-game devices, so that you can make the most of your world's resources.
Before you start crafting, you need to make sure that you have found the appropriate ores and created the necessary workbenches, since creating a drill is a multi-step process. Mistakes in the early stages can lead to the loss of rare materials, so it is important to strictly follow the recipes and understand what tool you need right now to complete a particular stage of the game.
Basic understanding of the mechanics of drills
Unlike pickaxes, drills Terraria have a unique property: they do not damage enemies, but dig blocks with incredible speed, especially when the player stands still. The mechanics of the tool are based on the so-called “acceleration”: the longer you hold the production button without looking up from the block, the higher the drilling speed becomes. This makes them an ideal choice for digging long shafts or clearing large areas of earth and stone.
However, it is worth remembering that using any drill requires a certain level of pickaxe strength, which is determined by the material of manufacture. For example, to mine demonite or crimtan, you will need a tool with at least 55% strength, which corresponds to the level of a silver or tungsten pickaxe, but drills appear in the game a little later. Mobile version The game automatically adapts the range of some advanced drills, which makes them even more useful for playing on a smartphone without a mouse and keyboard.
The first drill you can create will only become available after defeating certain bosses or reaching Hardmode, depending on the type of device. This serves as a progression barrier, forcing the player to first explore the world using classic tools. However, once you get access to the recipe, you will appreciate the difference in the speed of completing dungeons.
⚠️ Attention: Drills cannot be used to attack monsters, their damage to enemies is zero. Always carry a spare weapon or a second pickaxe with you so as not to find yourself defenseless in a dark cave in case of a surprise attack.
On the touch screen it is more convenient to use drills with a longer range, as they allow you to dig without getting close to dangerous blocks like lava or spikes.
Creating the first drill: Drill on bones
The first mechanical tool available for crafting in pre-hardmode is Drill on bones (Bone Drill). This tool has a pickaxe strength of 65%, allowing it to mine all ores available before entering Hard Modes, including Meteorite. The main feature of this drill lies in its source: it is not created on a workbench from ore, but drops from a specific enemy in dungeons.
To get this item you need to go to the dungeon (Dungeon) and find a special type of skeletons, which are called “Skeleton Diggers” or simply appear in the deep layers dungeons after you defeat Skeletron. The drop rate is not 100%, so it may take some time to farm. An alternative way is to create a drill from ore, but in the classic version of the game the first real drill appears from bones.
If you are playing in a version where crafting from ore is available (for example, through mods or specific world settings), you will need Lead Ingot or Demonite Ingot. However, in the standard vanilla version on Android, the path to the first drill is through defeating the boss and exploring the danger zone. After receiving the item, you will be able to dig much faster than with a regular gold or platinum pickaxe.
It is important to note that Bone Drill has a digging speed of 9, which makes it noticeably faster than any pickaxes of the same level. This allows you to quickly break through hard rocks that conventional tools are slow to cut through. Use it to create horizontal tunnels to collect resources or vertical mines to descend into hell.
Hardmode Tools: Cobalt and Mithril Drills
After the destruction of the Altar of Demons and entering Hardmode, the world is filled with new, stronger ores, for the extraction of which will require improved tools. First in line to be created Cobalt Drilling Rig (Cobalt Drill). This tool is necessary to start mining mithril and orichalcum, as its pickaxe strength is 110%, which is enough to overcome the hardness of these new metals.
To craft this device you will need 15 cobalt ingots and a mithril or orichalcum workbench. The process of smelting ore requires a furnace, and the creation of the drill itself requires an advanced workbench. The cobalt drill allows you not only to mine new ores, but also significantly speeds up the penetration through stone layers, which in Hardmode become more dense and frequent.
The next stage in the evolution of your arsenal will be Mithril Drill (Mythril Drill). It requires 15 Mithril Ingots and has a pickaxe strength of 150%. This is a critical tool, as it opens up access to the mining of Adamantite and Titanium, metals needed to create armor and weapons before the final battles. Without this drill, you will be stuck at the cobalt stage and will not be able to progress further.
☑️ Preparing to craft the Hardmode Drill
It is worth considering that depending on what kind of ore was generated in your world (Mithril or Orichalcum), the recipe may change slightly in name, but the essence remains the same. If you have Orichalcum, you will create Orichalcum drilling rigwhich is identical in characteristics to mithril. You can check the type of ore by simply looking at the color of the veins in the caves.
The pinnacle of engineering: Chlorophyte and Greenite drills
When you master the extraction of Adamantite or Titan, the next goal will be Chlorophyte drilling rig (Chlorophyte Drill). This tool is one of the most powerful in the game before the Moon Lord. To create it you will need 18 chlorophyte ingotswhich, in turn, is mined in the underground jungle using the previous drill.
A unique feature of the chlorophyte drill is its ability to dig blocks with tremendous speed and, more importantly, it has a built-in mining speed bonus. The strength of the pickaxe is 200%, which allows you to destroy almost any blocks in the game, with the exception of the strongest ones, such as bricks from the observatory or blocks created by the server administration (if you play online). Next comes (Drax), which is often confused with a drill, although technically it is a hybrid. In some versions of the game on Android, Drax can only be obtained from shadow chests in the Hardmode world, but in current updates it can often be crafted. It requires
What follows Greenite drill (Drax), which is often confused with borax, although technically it is a hybrid. In some versions of the game on Android, Drax can only be obtained from shadow chests in the Hardmode world, but in current updates it can often be crafted. He demands 18 chlorophyte ingots, 1 soul of a species (from mechanical bosses) and 1 soul of horror. This device has a pickaxe strength of 210% and digs even faster than a pure chlorophyte drill.
⚠️ Attention: To craft a Greenite installation (Drax), you must defeat at least one of the three mechanical bosses in order to get the necessary souls. Without them, the workbench will not accept resources.
The difference between Drax and Chlorophyte Drill
Drax has a slightly higher pickaxe strength (210% versus 200%) and a slightly higher digging speed, but requires boss souls for crafting. The Chlorophyte Drill is easier to get if you haven't defeated the mechanical bosses yet but want to dig through the jungle quickly.
Both of these tools allow you to tunnel through jungle and hellstone almost instantly. If you plan on building large-scale bases or boss arenas, having one of these drills is a must to save time. On a mobile device, the speed of these tools is especially noticeable, as they compensate for the lack of shortcut keys.
Laser drill and endgame tools
The absolute leader among earthmoving machines is Laser Drill (Laser Drill). This futuristic tool drops from the Martian ship during the Martian Madness event. Its pickaxe strength is 230%, and its digging speed is so high that blocks are destroyed almost the moment it touches, without the need for “overclocking.”
Getting the Laser Drill is not easy: the Martian Madness event occurs randomly after you kill a certain number of monsters in the space layer, or can be triggered manually using Signal of Martian Madness. The chance of a drill dropping from a raider engineer or from the ship itself is quite low, so several attempts to participate in the event may be required.
In addition to the Laser Drill, there are other powerful tools in the game, such as Worm Digger (Worm Scarf - no, this is an accessory, confusion often arises) or Pixel Pickaxe. However, it is the laser drill that is considered the standard of speed. It allows you to traverse entire biomes in seconds, making map exploration a trivial task even on large generation worlds.
| Drill Name | Power of the Pickaxe (%). data-i="125">Cobalt drill | Crafting materials | Required workbench |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drill on bones | 65% | Dropped by enemies | Not required |
| Cobalt drill | 110% | 15 cobalt ingots | Mithril anvil |
| Mithril drill | 150% | 15 mithril ingots | Mithril anvil |
| Chlorophyte drill | 200% | 18 chlorophyte ingots | Mithril anvil |
| Laser Drill | 230% | Drops from the Mars Ship | Not required |
The Laser Drill is the only tool that does not require overclocking for maximum speed and has the Highest pickaxe strength in the game.
Tips for optimization and use
When playing on Android, it is important to properly configure the controls for the effective use of drills. In the game settings, you can enable the “Auto-repeat” mode for the action button, which will allow you to drill blocks by simply holding your finger on the screen, without making multiple taps. This significantly reduces finger fatigue when digging long tunnels.
It is also recommended to use potions that increase mining speed, such as Potion of Mining (Mining Potion). When combined with high-level drills, especially Laser or Chlorophyte, the potion's effect makes the digging process instantaneous. Don't forget about armor with bonuses to digging speed, such as snowsuit armor or specific accessories.
If you're building, use drills to quickly remove large volumes of dirt, but switch to picks or hammers for precise work on blocks that need to be preserved. Drills often have a longer range, which can lead to accidental destruction of desired structures if you are not careful.
⚠️ Attention: The interface and crafting recipes may vary slightly depending on the version of the Terraria update on your device. Always check the current recipe in the game's crafting menu by clicking on the book or magnifying glass icon in your inventory.
Use the Gravity Ball accessory or wings with a drill: this will allow you to quickly climb up the vertical shaft that you just drilled without wasting time on construction stairs.
Frequently asked questions about drills in Terraria
Is it possible to enchant a drill to increase damage?
No, drills in Terraria do not damage enemies, so damage enchantments (for example, “Light”, “Rough”) do not work on them or do not make sense. However, they can be equipped with modifiers that increase digging speed, such as “Light” or “Insane”, which will make resource extraction even more efficient.
What is the difference between a Pickaxe and a Drill in the mobile version?
The main difference is in the “acceleration” mechanic: the drill accelerates over time with continuous drilling, while the pick operates at a constant speed. In addition, drills usually have a larger range in the later stages of the game, which is more convenient for touch controls.
How to get a Laser Drill if the event does not start?
The “Martian Madness” event has a chance to start randomly after destroying 100+ monsters in the “Space” layer. If it doesn't happen for a long time, you can create the item "Martian Madness Signal", which drops from the Martian probe, to force the event.
Do I need a drill if I use explosives?
Explosives are effective for clearing large caves, but they destroy all ores, turning them into regular blocks or scattering objects if the explosion is too powerful. A drill is necessary to accurately mine specific veins of ore without the risk of losing valuable resources.
Why doesn't my drill dig some blocks?
This means that the pickaxe strength of your tool is not high enough for this type of block. For example, Adamantite cannot be mined with a regular drill. Check the pickaxe strength requirements for a specific ore and craft the next level tool.