Gatligator

Traveling merchant wares and chaotic bullet spray

Sold intermittently by the Traveling Merchant in Hardmode for 35 gold coins. This reptilian firearm fires at an Insanely fast attack rate with a use time of 7, while featuring an innate 50% chance to conserve ammunition on each shot. It inflicts 21 base ranged damage per round. However, the weapon suffers from heavy bullet spread, spraying ammunition in an erratic cone across the screen rather than maintaining pinpoint accuracy.

Homing bullet synergy and early Hardmode boss melting

The wild bullet spread makes standard ammunition ineffective at long range, but the weapon becomes deadly when loaded with Chlorophyte Bullets, which home in on targets and negate the accuracy penalty. Alternatively, firing Crystal Bullets at point-blank range against broad boss hitboxes like The Destroyer generates heavy burst DPS. It serves as an early alternative to the Megashark or Clockwork Assault Rifle before mechanical bosses are conquered. Unreal is the optimal modifier, boosting damage, velocity, and critical strike chance.

Trivia

• The weapon playfully combines the mechanical structure of a Gatling gun with the snout and teeth of an alligator.
• Its built-in 50% ammo conservation stacks with the Ammo Box buff and ranger armor set bonuses.