In Terraria, having the right pickaxe is crucial for efficient progression through the game, as it affects your ability to mine various materials and shapes your overall gameplay experience. Here’s a guide to some of the best pickaxes you can acquire at different stages of Terraria, including their stats and how to obtain them:

Early Game

1. Reaver Shark
   • Pickaxe Power: 100%
   • How to Obtain: Fishing in the Ocean biome. Despite being an early game tool, it has the strength to mine the first three Hardmode ores (Cobalt/Palladium, Mythril/Orichalcum, Adamantite/Titanium).
   • Notable Features: Can be obtained very early if you focus on fishing, giving you a significant early advantage.

Pre-Hardmode

2. Nightmare Pickaxe or Deathbringer Pickaxe
   • Pickaxe Power: 65%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Demonite/Crimtane ores and Shadow Scales/Tissue Samples, which are dropped by the Eater of Worlds/Brain of Cthulhu.
   • Notable Features: These are the first pickaxes that can mine Hellstone, essential for advancing to Hardmode.

Hardmode

3. Cobalt Pickaxe or Palladium Pickaxe
   • Pickaxe Power: 110%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Cobalt or Palladium Bars, which are obtained from their respective ores after breaking a Demon/Crimson Altar.
   • Notable Features: Fast mining speed, enabling the mining of higher-tier Hardmode ores.
4. Orichalcum Pickaxe or Mythril Pickaxe
   • Pickaxe Power: 165%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Orichalcum or Mythril Bars.
   • Notable Features: These can mine Adamantite and Titanium, the highest tier ores before Chlorophyte.

Late Hardmode

5. Drax or Pickaxe Axe
   • Pickaxe Power: 200%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Hallowed Bars (dropped by Hardmode bosses) and Souls of Might, Fright, and Sight.
   • Notable Features: Capable of mining Chlorophyte, found in the Underground Jungle.
6. Shroomite Digging Claw
   • Pickaxe Power: 200%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Shroomite Bars, which are made from Glowing Mushrooms and Chlorophyte Bars at an Autohammer.
   • Notable Features: The fastest mining speed in the game, although it doesn’t reach the Luminite.

Endgame

7. Luminite Pickaxes (Solar Flare, Vortex, Nebula, Stardust)
   • Pickaxe Power: 225%
   • How to Obtain: Crafted from Luminite (dropped by the Moon Lord) and fragments from their respective celestial pillars.
   • Notable Features: Can mine any block in the game and each comes with unique secondary bonuses according to their celestial theme.

Each pickaxe serves a different purpose and becomes optimal at different stages of the game. While some players may skip certain pickaxes depending on their gameplay style or how quickly they progress, having the right pickaxe at the right time can greatly enhance your efficiency in gathering resources and preparing for Terraria’s challenges.