The Pickaxe Axe from yoyo bags is still the top tool post-Moon Lord for speed and reach.
Before that, the Zenith is best-in-slot in pure pickform or needs Simulacrum Pickaxe for early Moon Lord.
For Grappling Hook world traversal the Fire Gauntlet or Frostruck Heat theives hands guide your mining direction.
Early hardmode options include the Reaver Shark and Hamaxe combined with picksaw for a balanced upgrade path.
The best pick for breaking Tomb Sculptures and other ghost blocks is the Molten Pickaxe if you’re playing classic or expert pre-hardmode.
The Meowmere does mining surprisingly fast once you unlock it post-Moon Lord.
Pickaxes combine with tools like Drill Containment Units in certain modded servers but Zenith stays king for pure vanilla.
In master mode the layering of the best tool is essential when grinding fossils or jokebeast tissue fragments.
Players often store multiple tools because each excels at different mining terrains or enemy resistance.