Depth Meter

Cave bat hunting and subterranean altitude tracking

Obtained as a 1% drop from subterranean winged monsters such as the Cave Bat, Jungle Bat, and frosty Ice Bat, doubling to 2% in Expert mode. Subterranean bats spawn constantly in dark caverns, making this instrument easy to acquire during early mining runs. Carrying the Depth Meter provides constant vertical tracking, displaying depth in feet relative to sea level and identifying current environmental layers spanning from outer Space down to the Underworld.

Subterranean surveying and GPS navigational assembly

Knowing vertical depth alerts miners to the boundary where shallow caves transition into the cavern layer where valuable lava reservoirs and glowing moss grottos begin. It also pinpoints optimal levels for gathering life crystals, hunting Tim, or farming souls in early Hardmode. It functions passively inside the inventory without occupying an equipment slot. At a Tinkerer's Workshop, it unites with the Compass and a Gold Watch to produce the GPS, serving as a core component of the Cell Phone.

Trivia

• The meter defines sea level as zero feet, with numbers counting upward into space or downward into cavern rock.
• Teammates within range share depth readings on their screens during multiplayer cooperative exploration.