Shield of Cthulhu

Type	ShieldAccessory
Damage	30 (Melee)
Knockback	9 (Very strong)
Defense	2
Critical chance	4%
Tooltip	Allows the player to dash into the enemy; Double tap a direction
Rarity
Sell	2 GC
Research	1 required

Expert and Master Mode-Only Content: This information applies only to Expert Mode, Master Mode, and worlds with these modes.

Desktop/Console/Mobile-Only Content: This information applies only to the Desktop, Console, and Mobile versions of Terraria.

A player using the dash ability against a Target Dummy.

The Shield of Cthulhu is a pre-Hardmode shield accessory that is always dropped from the Eye of Cthulhu's Treasure Bag in Expert Mode. While equipped, it grants 2 defense and allows the player to perform a dash attack by double-tapping either the ◀ Left or ▶ Right key. Dashing into an enemy deals 30 melee damage, causes the player to bounce backward, and grants 0.07 seconds of invincibility frames.

Notes

Unlike most shields, the Shield of Cthulhu does not grant knockback immunity.
The Shield of Cthulhu deals melee damage. However, not all melee bonuses can be applied to it.^[1]
- It can receive the following bonuses:
  - Melee damage and melee critical strike chance bonuses, including those from the Psycho Knife when in stealth.
  - Knockback bonuses from the Titan Glove or its upgrades and Titan Potion.
- It cannot receive the following bonuses:
  - The ability to inflict debuffs granted from flasks, the Magma Stone, and Frost armor.
  - The knockback bonus from the Psycho Knife when in stealth.
The damage dealt by the Shield of Cthulhu is not subject to the usual ±15% randomization. It will always do the same amount of damage to enemies with the same defense, apart from critical hits.
The Solar Flare armor's set bonus will override the Shield of Cthulhu's dash ability. The Master Ninja Gear and Tabi will only override it if they are equipped in an accessory slot below the Shield of Cthulhu.
The Shield of Cthulhu's dash works when afflicted with the Cursed debuff. This is because the debuff only applies to items from the inventory, not accessories.

Tips

Getting the Shield of Cthulhu early and using the dash defensively will greatly increase a player's survival during boss battles. It remains a very valuable mobility accessory until it is replaced with the Tabi.
- However, it should be noted that the Tabi is not a direct replacement for the Shield of Cthulhu, since it does not provide any invincibility frames while dashing – one of the Shield of Cthulhu's greatest strengths.
When dashing below a tile-wide hole and using the ▲ Up key (or otherwise, a hole below and pressing the ▼ Down key), the Shield of Cthulhu allows the player to move through tile-wide holes. This seems similar to a hoik effect and can be useful where there are a lot of these gaps, e.g. in the Dungeon.
The Shield of Cthulhu can be used to effectively defend oneself while fishing, as it is not a weapon that needs to be switched to in the hotbar to use.
The Shield of Cthulhu can be used as a form of reducing damage. Similar to the Slime Mount, dashing and hitting an enemy will grant the player temporary invincibility. Notably, bonking the Queen Bee's dashes head-on will completely negate her dash's damage.
The Shield of Cthulhu can synergize with the Brand of the Inferno to block attacks, granting the Striking Moment buff.
The Shield of Cthulhu can allow players to use the Jousting Lance and its upgrades relatively safely without a mount, since they will bounce before taking damage.
The Guide to Critter Companionship is a good complement to the Shield of Cthulhu, as it will allow the player to dash through critters without bumping into them.

Trivia

If the player is currently moving in one direction, and double taps the opposite direction key while still holding the previous direction key, they will dash in the same direction that they are moving in.
If the Shield of Cthulhu is equipped in a hidden accessory slot, it will still be visible while dashing.
When walking with the Shield of Cthulhu in a visible accessory slot, part of its sprite is cut off during the frame where it is most forward.
The Shield of Cthulhu also appears in Don't Starve Together as the Shield of Terror. However, it is instead dropped by the Twins of Terror, the harder variant of the Eye of Terror, and while functioning as a melee weapon, has a durability that can be restored by feeding it food.