Last Updated: August 23, 2026
Terraria 1.4.5.7 gives the yoyo subclass one of its biggest shake-ups yet. 11 of the game's 21 yoyos were changed, with several weapons receiving completely new mechanics rather than simple damage buffs. Re-Logic specifically set out to make yoyos more interesting and unique, and the final update delivers that goal with explosions, crystal bursts, whirlpools, critical-hit bonuses, and a new Eye of Cthulhu projectile.
If you're looking for a general loadout, check our Terraria 1.4.5 Best Yoyo Build guide. This article has a different purpose: it breaks down the 1.4.5.7 yoyo reworks, explains what each new effect actually does, and identifies which weapons are worth using at different stages of progression.
📋 Table of Contents
- What's New With Yoyos
- Every Yoyo Changed
- Cascade Rework
- Format:C Rework
- Kraken Rework
- Chik Rework
- The Eye of Cthulhu Rework
- Yelets Rework
- Gradient Changes
- Amarok and Hel-Fire Buffs
- Malaise and Artery Changes
- Yoyo Glove and Magic Yoyo Bag Synergy
- Best Reworked Yoyos Ranked
- Best Yoyos by Progression
- Are the Reworks Worth It?
- FAQ
- Final Verdict
- Related Guides
What's New With Yoyos in 1.4.5.7?
Before 1.4.5.7, many yoyos had little reason to exist beyond their position in the progression chain. Some had debuffs, while others were essentially variations on the same basic attack.
That was one of the problems Re-Logic wanted to address. The developers had previously acknowledged community feedback that yoyos needed more interesting and unique identities.
The result is a much more varied yoyo lineup.
Some of the most important changes include:
- Cascade now triggers explosions every two hits.
- Format:C has a huge critical-hit identity.
- Kraken creates a whirlpool and fires waves.
- Chik creates crystal explosions.
- The Eye of Cthulhu summons an Eye after repeated hits.
- Yelets now inflicts Acid Venom.
- Amarok received a damage increase.
- Hel-Fire received a damage increase.
- Gradient received a speed increase and visual effect.
- Malaise and Artery are cheaper to craft.
The changes are significant enough that the subclass now has considerably more variety.
Every Yoyo Changed in 1.4.5.7
Here is the quick-reference list before we get into the individual weapons:
The important distinction is that not every change is a complete rework. Cascade, Format:C, Kraken, Chik and The Eye of Cthulhu receive the most substantial mechanical changes, while several others receive buffs or recipe adjustments.
Cascade Rework
Cascade might be the most interesting pre-Hardmode change.
Previously, Cascade mainly stood out because it could inflict On Fire!. In 1.4.5.7, it gains a completely new attack mechanic.
What does Cascade do now? Every second yoyo hit, Cascade fires a fiery explosion toward the nearest enemy within range. The explosion: Deals 200% of Cascade's damage, Has full knockback, Does not pierce, Can target another nearby enemy, and Can also inflict On Fire!.
The current Cascade has 54 base damage, and the explosion deals double that base damage.
Why Cascade is better now: This gives Cascade an actual crowd-control role. Instead of simply keeping the yoyo on one target, repeated hits can produce additional damage against nearby enemies. That makes it particularly useful when fighting groups.
Best use: Pre-Hardmode crowd control and the Wall of Flesh's Hungry enemies.
How to get Cascade: Cascade remains a post-Skeletron, pre-Hardmode yoyo. It has a 1/400 chance to drop from eligible enemies in or near the Underworld. Once Hardmode begins, Cascade stops dropping and is replaced by Hel-Fire.
Tip: If you're planning a yoyo-focused run, don't wait until Hardmode to farm it.
Format:C Rework
Format:C has gone from an easily overlooked Hardmode yoyo to a weapon with a very specific build identity.
Format:C stats in 1.4.5.7: 40 base damage, 24% critical strike chance, 250% damage on critical hits. Normal Terraria critical hits use a 200% damage multiplier, so Format:C's critical hits are significantly stronger. It also received a visual effect when landing critical hits.
How to craft Format:C: At a Mythril or Orichalcum Anvil: 6 Any Adamantite Bars + 12 Any Gold Bars + 8 Souls of Night + 15 Souls of Fright. The recipe makes Format:C a post-Skeletron Prime weapon.
Is Format:C worth using? Yes—if you're building around critical hits. That's the important distinction. Rather than automatically replacing every other yoyo, Format:C gives you a reason to experiment with a high-crit accessory and modifier setup.
Best for: Critical-hit-focused yoyo builds.
Kraken Rework
The Kraken arguably received the biggest overall redesign. Its progression has also changed.
Kraken's new stats and mechanics: In 1.4.5.7: Damage increased from 95 to 120, Range increased, Throwing speed increased, A whirlpool surrounds the yoyo, The whirlpool significantly increases hit detection, Three waves fire after every fourth hit, The waves pierce infinitely, Each wave deals 50% of Kraken's base damage.
The Kraken now drops from Duke Fishron at a 1/7 (14.29%) rate rather than dropping from Dungeon enemies.
Why the whirlpool matters: This is more than a visual effect. The whirlpool increases the effective hit area around the yoyo, making it easier to maintain contact with enemies. That makes Kraken particularly good against targets that move unpredictably.
Kraken's fourth-hit waves: Every fourth hit produces three waves. These waves: Pass through blocks, Pierce infinitely, Have full knockback, Each deal 50% of Kraken's base damage. That gives the weapon both reliable single-target pressure and additional crowd control.
Kraken + Yoyo Glove: This is one of the most interesting combinations in the update. The Yoyo Glove gives you a second yoyo, increasing the number of hits you can generate while fighting. Because Kraken's special effect is triggered by hits, that can make its wave effect much more noticeable in actual combat. The official wiki also notes that the Yoyo Glove version of Kraken moves more slowly, increasing its area coverage.
Verdict: Kraken is one of the strongest reworked yoyos and absolutely worth testing after Duke Fishron.
Chik Rework
Chik is another weapon that now has a reason to exist.
New Chik effect: Every third hit creates a crystal explosion. The triggering hit also receives increased damage, while the explosion produces crystal shards. This gives Chik both direct-hit and area-damage potential.
Why Chik matters: Before the rework, Chik could easily be skipped in favor of other progression options. Its new effect gives it a much clearer identity: Repeated hits → crystal burst → extra area damage. That makes it worth considering during the earlier stages of Hardmode.
Best for: Crowd control and players who want a more active yoyo effect.
The Eye of Cthulhu Rework
Don't confuse The Eye of Cthulhu yoyo with the Eye of Cthulhu boss. This Hardmode yoyo now has one of the most recognizable special attacks in the game.
Every seven hits: After every 7 hits, the yoyo summons an image of the second form of the Eye of Cthulhu. The summoned Eye: Attacks the hit enemy, Dashes toward the target, Disappears shortly afterward, Uses local immunity.
Why this is important: The weapon finally feels like its name suggests. Instead of being another high-tier yoyo with mostly conventional behavior, it now has an additional source of damage that rewards sustained attacks.
Yoyo Glove synergy: This is another weapon where additional yoyo hits become particularly interesting. The Yoyo Glove's second yoyo helps generate hit events, which can make the seven-hit effect occur more frequently during sustained combat.
Best for: Post-Plantera yoyo players who want additional damage while maintaining contact with a target.
Yelets Rework
Yelets doesn't receive a complicated projectile effect, but its new debuff is extremely useful.
Yelets now inflicts Acid Venom: In 1.4.5.7, Yelets can inflict Acid Venom for 2 seconds. This gives Yelets an important progression advantage because Acid Venom is substantially more useful than a basic poison effect in situations where the target isn't immune.
Why Yelets is worth keeping: Yelets is obtainable well before the endgame, so adding Acid Venom gives it a stronger reason to remain in your inventory. It's particularly interesting when moving into Plantera progression.
Best for: Players who want damage-over-time support without waiting for an endgame yoyo.
Gradient Changes
Gradient receives a smaller but still welcome update.
The 1.4.5.7 version gets: Increased speed and a new gradient visual trail. Its current stats list a 53 base damage value, with the weapon remaining a Skeletron Merchant yoyo.
This isn't a complete mechanical rework like Kraken or Cascade. Instead, Gradient becomes a more attractive weapon to use while retaining its distinctive visual identity.
Amarok and Hel-Fire Buffs
Not every yoyo needed a completely new mechanic. Two classic Hardmode options instead received direct damage improvements.
Amarok: Amarok's damage increased from 43 to 47 in 1.4.5.7. It still has a chance to inflict Frostbite. Its Snow/Ice biome drop source also makes it a natural early-Hardmode farming target.
Hel-Fire: Hel-Fire's damage increased from 39 to 43. It remains an Underworld-area Hardmode drop and inflicts Hellfire.
This is important because Hel-Fire had already received a range improvement in 1.4.5.0. The 1.4.5.7 damage increase therefore builds on an earlier buff rather than being a brand-new rework.
Amarok vs Hel-Fire: For early Hardmode: Amarok has higher current base damage and Frostbite, while Hel-Fire has Hellfire plus its earlier range improvement. Neither completely invalidates the other.
Malaise and Artery Recipe Changes
These are easy to overlook because their mechanics didn't receive flashy new effects. Both evil-biome yoyos became cheaper to craft.
Malaise: Now requires 10 Demonite Bars instead of 12.
Artery: Now requires 10 Crimtane Bars instead of 12.
These changes make the two biome yoyos cheaper early-game crafting options.
Yoyo Glove and Magic Yoyo Bag Synergy
The yoyo reworks make yoyo accessories more interesting than ever.
The new yoyo effects also make accessory choices more interesting. Magic String and the Magic Yoyo Bag are particularly worth understanding because they add off-string attacks and additional yoyo projectiles to a subclass that now has several hit-triggered effects.
The Yoyo Glove creates an additional orbiting yoyo after hitting an enemy, while Magic String allows yoyos to remain deployed when you release the attack input.
Why this matters for reworked yoyos: Several new effects depend on hit counts: Cascade → every 2 hits, Chik → every 3 hits, Kraken → every 4 hits, The Eye of Cthulhu → every 7 hits. That makes sustained-hit accessories particularly interesting.
The Yoyo Bag combines the Yoyo Glove and counterweight functionality, while Magic Yoyo Bag builds on that system with Magic String.
Related guide: For a full explanation of off-string yoyo behavior and how to obtain Magic String, see our Terraria 1.4.5.7 Magic String Guide.
Best Reworked Yoyos Ranked
The answer depends on progression, but these are the standouts.
🥇 1. Kraken – Best overall rework: Why: Huge damage increase, Better range, Faster throwing, Whirlpool hit detection, Repeating wave attack, Excellent accessory synergy. Its Duke Fishron drop source also gives it a much clearer place in progression.
🥈 2. The Eye of Cthulhu – Best post-Plantera rework: The seven-hit Eye attack gives this weapon a unique identity and adds another damage source during sustained attacks.
🥉 3. Cascade – Best pre-Hardmode rework: The two-hit explosion gives Cascade a powerful crowd-control role without requiring Hardmode gear.
4. Format:C – Best critical-hit yoyo: The combination of 24% crit chance and 250% critical-hit damage makes Format:C the obvious choice when your build is designed around crits.
5. Chik – Best crystal/AoE-focused option: Its three-hit crystal effect gives it considerably more personality than its old version.
6. Yelets – Best debuff-focused progression option: Acid Venom gives Yelets a useful role before the final stages of the game.
Best Yoyos by Progression
Rather than asking which yoyo is universally best, it's more useful to look at when you can actually obtain them.
Pre-Hardmode: Cascade – Its new two-hit explosion makes it the standout reworked option before entering Hardmode.
Early Hardmode: Amarok or Hel-Fire – Both received damage improvements, while their existing debuffs and farming locations make them practical early upgrades.
Mechanical Boss Progression: Format:C – Its post-Skeletron Prime recipe and critical-hit identity make it a natural option for a crit-focused build.
Mid-to-Late Hardmode: Yelets – Acid Venom gives it a useful niche as you move toward Plantera.
Post-Plantera: The Eye of Cthulhu – The seven-hit Eye attack gives it a strong sustained-damage identity.
Duke Fishron: Kraken – This is where the reworked Kraken becomes the major target, with its 120 base damage, whirlpool and fourth-hit waves.
Are the 1.4.5.7 Yoyo Reworks Worth It?
Yes.
The most important change isn't simply that several yoyos received higher numbers. It's that they now give players actual reasons to choose between them.
Before the rework, the question was often: "Which yoyo has the highest stats?"
After 1.4.5.7, the better questions are: Do I want AoE? Do I want extra projectiles? Do I want critical-hit scaling? Do I want a debuff? Do I want better hit detection? Do I want to maximize hit-trigger effects with Yoyo Glove?
That's exactly the type of differentiation Re-Logic said it wanted when it announced the yoyo-focused balance work. And it makes the subclass much more interesting to build around.
1.4.5.7 Yoyo Changes FAQ
How many yoyos were changed in Terraria 1.4.5.7?
11 yoyos received changes in the update, ranging from major mechanical reworks to damage and recipe adjustments. The game's current yoyo roster contains 21 yoyos.
What is the best reworked yoyo?
Kraken is one of the strongest overall reworks because it combines high damage, improved range, a whirlpool hitbox and a repeating wave attack.
What yoyo explodes every two hits?
Cascade now launches a fiery explosion every second yoyo hit. The explosion deals 200% of Cascade's damage.
What yoyo has 250% critical-hit damage?
Format:C has a 24% critical strike chance and deals 250% damage on critical hits in 1.4.5.7.
What does the reworked Kraken do?
Kraken now creates a whirlpool around itself and fires three waves after every fourth hit. It also received major damage, range and throwing-speed improvements.
What does the new Eye of Cthulhu yoyo effect do?
The Eye of Cthulhu yoyo summons an afterimage of the Eye of Cthulhu every seven hits. The summoned Eye attacks the target before disappearing.
What changed about Yelets?
Yelets now inflicts Acid Venom for two seconds, giving it a new damage-over-time role.
Did Amarok get buffed?
Yes. Amarok's base damage increased from 43 to 47 in 1.4.5.7.
Did Hel-Fire get buffed?
Yes. Hel-Fire's damage increased from 39 to 43. This follows its earlier 1.4.5 range increase.
Does Yoyo Glove work with the new yoyo effects?
The additional yoyo provided by Yoyo Glove can interact with hit-trigger mechanics, making accessories that generate extra yoyo hits particularly interesting for weapons such as Kraken and The Eye of Cthulhu. The Format:C's critical-hit effect also applies to its Yoyo Glove copy.
Final Verdict
Terraria 1.4.5.7 successfully turns yoyos into a much more varied subclass.
If you only want the biggest upgrades, start with:
- Cascade for pre-Hardmode
- Format:C for critical builds
- Yelets for Acid Venom
- The Eye of Cthulhu for post-Plantera
- Kraken for the strongest overall rework
And if you're building around the subclass rather than a single weapon, combine these changes with the Yoyo Glove, Yoyo Bag, Magic String and Magic Yoyo Bag to take advantage of the new hit-trigger mechanics.
Related Terraria 1.4.5.7 Guides
- Chlorophyte Saber vs Claymore: Which Reworked Weapon Is Better?
- Best Yoyo Build: Every Yoyo Change, Accessories, Progression & Combos
- Magic String Guide: How to Get It & Magic Yoyo Bag Explained
- Melee Rework: Best Weapons, Changes & Builds
- New Items & How to Get Them
- Terraria 1.4.5.7 Patch Notes – Official Terraria Wiki
- Terraria Community Forums
Guide for Terraria 1.4.5.7
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