The long nights in Terraria invite the most dangerous elements. Aside from the Moon are monsters that want you lying on the ground. Beginners may stumble and fumble, especially if unfamiliar with how the game works.
However, it’s no shortage of light sources in Terraria. There are basic torches, sure, but decorative lanterns exist. From common Living Wood Lantern to rare and non-craftable Oil Rag Sconce, read more to learn how to get them all.
Lanterns – Overview
A Lantern is a piece of furniture that hangs from the ceiling (under the block). They typically provide a small light source and occupy lesser space than Chandeliers. Because of their properties, Lanterns are ideal for smaller areas.
Lanterns aren’t created equally in Terraria. While most of them can be toggled on and off with a Wire, there are exceptions. These are Firefly in a Bottle, Lightning Bug in a Bottle, Lavafly in a Bottle, and every “soul” in a Bottle. Moreover, the Chinese Lantern occupies more space (two tiles wide and high) but is placeable underwater.
Different Types of Lanterns
Terraria has a diverse collection of this light source. There are craftable, non-craftable, and special Lantern types. The following items are categorized into the three mentioned distinct types:
Craftable
| Item | Ingredients | Ancient Manipulator | Bone Welder | By Hand | Decay Chamber | Flesh Cloning Vat | Glass Kiln | Honey Dispenser | Ice Machine | Lihzahrd Furnace | Living Room | Sky Mill | Solidifier | Steampunk Boiler | Work Bench |
| Bamboo Lantern | • Bamboo (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Bone Lantern | • Bone (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Boreal Wood Lantern | • Boreal Wood (6) • Ice Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Cactus Lantern | • Cactus (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Chinese Lantern | • Silk (5) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Crystal Lantern | • Crystal Block (15) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Dynasty Lantern | • Dynasty Wood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Ebonwood Lantern | • Ebonwood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Firefly in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Firefly (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Flesh Lantern | • Flesh Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Frozen Lantern | • Ice Block (6) • Ice Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Glass Lantern | • Glass (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Granite Lantern | • Smooth Granite Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Hanging Jack ‘O Lantern | • Pumpkin (4) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Heart Lantern | • Life Crystal (1) • Chain (4) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Honey Lantern | • Honey Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Lavafly in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Lavafly (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Lesion Lantern | • Lesion Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Lightning Bug in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Lightning Bug (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Lihzahrd Lantern | • Lihzahrd Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Living Wood Lantern | • Wood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Marble Lantern | • Smooth Marble Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Martian Lantern | • Martian Conduit Plating (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Meteorite Lantern | • Meteorite Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Mushroom Lantern | • Glowing Mushroom (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Nebula Lantern | • Nebula Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Palm Wood Lantern | • Palm Wood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Pearlwood Lantern | • Pearlwood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Pumpkin Lantern | • Pumpkin (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Rich Mahogany Lantern | • Rich Mahogany (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Sandstone Lantern | • Smooth Sandstone (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Shadewood Lantern | • Shadewood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Skyware Lantern | • Sunplate Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Slime Lantern | • Slime Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Solar Lantern | • Solar Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Flight in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Flight (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Fright in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Fright (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Light in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Light (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Might in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Might (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Night in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Night (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Soul of Sight in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Soul of Sight (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Spider Lantern | • Spider Nest Block (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Spooky Lantern | • Spooky Wood (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Star in a Bottle | • Bottle (1) • Fallen Star (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Stardust Lantern | • Stardust Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Steampunk Lantern | • Cog (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ | |||||||||||||
| Vortex Lantern | • Vortex Brick (6) • Torch (1) | ✓ |
Noncraftable
| Item | Source |
| Alchemy Lantern | Dungeon |
| Brass Lantern | Dungeon |
| Caged Lantern | Dungeon |
| Carriage Lantern | Dungeon |
| Chain Lantern | Dungeon |
| Diabolist Lamp | Dungeon |
| Golden Lantern | Pirates |
| Obsidian Lantern | Ruined Houses |
| Oil Rag Sconce | Dungeon |
Special
The Star in a Bottle and Heart Lantern are two unique light sources in Terraria. Once placed (even turned off) will increase mana and health regeneration, respectively. As a result, these two have high value in combat and are used often.
