Flare Gun

Flare Gun*

Statistics

Sounds

* Internal Item ID: **930**

The **Flare Gun** is a ranged weapon that provides a ranged method of illuminating areas. It fires Flares, Blue Flares, and Shimmer Flares, which provide light and stick to the blocks they hit. They also deal minimal damage, and inflict the On Fire! debuff. The Flare Gun is found randomly in Gold Chests underground.

Flares travel in a slight arc and stick to blocks (similar to Sticky Glowsticks), but have greater velocity and range. They are waterproof, and can be fired into and out of water. Once fired, Flares emit low-level, flickering, tinted light (red or blue, depending on the type fired) that lasts for 10 minutes. They stick to the blocks they impacted and will function underwater. Flares cannot be recovered once they burn out.

When held, the muzzle of the Flare Gun will continually emit a flare effect, as long as at least one Flare is in the player's inventory.

The Flare Gun cannot be reforged, and therefore cannot have modifiers.

## Flares

Flares*

Statistics

* Internal Item ID: **931, 1614, 5377, 5378, 5379, 5380**

**Flares** are used as ammunition for the Flare Gun. There are two variants that work identically, but do not stack together: Flares (red) and Blue Flares. They can be purchased from the Merchant for 7 each, while a Flare Gun is in the player's inventory. 25–50 red Flares are also found in Gold Chests that contain a Flare Gun.

Both types of Flare deal the On Fire! debuff, causing the afflicted enemy or player to lose 4 health per second. There is a ~~66.67\*~~2/3 (66.67%) chance that the debuff will last 5 seconds, and a ~~33.33\*~~1/3 (33.33%) chance that it will last 10 seconds.

## Types

There are currently 6  / 2  different types of Flares.

## Notes

* The Flare Gun will equip when the player holds `⇧ Shift` with the Flare Gun and at least one Flare in their inventory, while also having their cursor out of Torch placement range, or when the player has no Torches or Glowsticks in their inventory.
* Similar to Glowsticks, Flares do not actually become placed as blocks, and are not saved with the world.
* The Flare Gun will not fulfill the spawn criteria for the Arms Dealer.
* The Flare Gun does not belong to any damage type, and its damage will not be affected by any factors, including those for all types of damage (like the Avenger Emblem or the Wrath buff). However, the Flare and Blue Flare deal Ranged damage.

## Tips

* If playing in multiplayer, a player can use the Flare Gun much like a real-world flare gun, to signal other players for help. Due to its high range, it can shoot relatively far and can fairly easily reach the area of another player (barring obstacles).
* The Flare Gun's shots will pierce targets. Since they inflict the On Fire! debuff, the weapon can prove very useful for fighting off groups of enemies, such as during the Blood Moon, as well as keeping track of bosses and enemies in dark environments.
* The Flare Gun can be especially useful against worm-like enemies (and bosses like the Eater of Worlds), or even the Brain of Cthulhu's Creeper minions. Surprisingly, the Flare Gun is also useful against Wyverns, being able to kill one with a single, well landed shot and a few seconds.
* While mining downward, firing a Flare where the player is mining will allow it to fall with the player as they mine.
* On the Old Chinese version and tModLoader 1.3-Legacy version, with Flower Boots, farming fishing bait becomes easy; Wearing the boots, shoot the ground under the player with the Flare Gun while swinging a Bug Net or auto-swinging a Golden Bug Net. This method is significantly faster than using the net and Flower Boots combination alone, as the Flare will break plants far faster than either net. On Jungle grass, around 25–40+ Buggy drops per Flare duration can be expected using this method. Pure or Hallowed grass will instead yield Grasshoppers and (especially if raining) Worms, a few of which will be golden critters.

## History

PC version
* Desktop 1.4.4: Added the Spelunker Flare, Cursed Flare, Rainbow Flare and Shimmer Flare.

* Desktop 1.4.0.1: Blue Flare sprite updated.

* Desktop 1.3.2: Flare Gun and Flare sprites updated.

* Desktop 1.2.0.2:
	+ Added Blue Flare.
	+ The Flare Gun will no longer light up when the player has no Flares.

* Desktop 1.2: Introduced with Flare.

Console version
* Console 1.17: Sprites updated to match Desktop 1.3.2.

* Console 1.02: Introduced with mechanics from Desktop 1.2.0.2 and the Blue Flare.

Nintendo Switch version
* Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced.

Mobile version
* Mobile 1.2.6508: Introduced with mechanics from Desktop 1.2.0.2 and the Blue Flare.

Nintendo 3DSversion
* 3DS-Release: Introduced with mechanics from Desktop 1.2.0.2 and the Blue Flare.