How to Get the Cell Phone in Terraria — Crafting Guide
How to Get the Cell Phone in Terraria — Crafting Guide
⚡ QUICK ANSWER
The Cell Phone is crafted by combining a PDA + Magic Mirror at a Tinkerer’s Workshop. The PDA itself requires 5 sub-accessories combined in steps: GPS, Goblin Watch, DPS Meter, R.E.K. 3000, and Fish Finder. Most components are rare enemy drops or Angler NPC rewards — expect 5-15 hours of total farming across multiple biomes.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Final Recipe | PDA + Magic Mirror at Tinkerer’s Workshop |
| PDA Components | GPS + Goblin Watch + DPS Meter + R.E.K. 3000 + Fish Finder (combined in steps) |
| GPS Requires | Depth Meter (bats) + Compass (surface enemies) + Gold/Platinum Watch |
| R.E.K. 3000 | Tally Counter (Cave Bats) + Radar (Surface Slimes) + Lifeform Analyzer (Nymphs) |
| Fish Finder | Fisherman’s Pocket Guide + Weather Radio + Sextant — all from Angler NPC rewards |
| Total Farming | 5-15 hours across Dungeon, Underground, Hallow, Angler quests, and surface |
How to Get the Cell Phone in Terraria — Step by Step
Collect the 3 Angler NPC rewards (Fish Finder components)
The Fish Finder requires three items from the Angler NPC quest rewards: Fisherman’s Pocket Guide, Weather Radio, and Sextant. Complete Angler fishing quests daily — each reward has a ~1/30 chance. This can take 30-90 quests total. Start Angler quests early since the daily cap makes this the slowest component to obtain.
🎣 Angler quests: 1/30 chance each item per quest — start early, do daily questsFarm rare enemy drops for GPS and R.E.K. 3000
The GPS requires a Depth Meter (Cave Bats ~1%), Compass (surface or underground enemies ~0.5%), and a Gold/Platinum Watch (crafted from 10 Gold/Platinum Bars + 10 Chain). The R.E.K. 3000 needs a Tally Counter (Cave Bats ~1%), Radar (surface Slimes ~0.5%), and Lifeform Analyzer (Nymphs ~1% in Underground).
🎲 GPS: farm Cave Bats (Depth Meter) + surface enemies (Compass); Watches are craftedGet the DPS Meter from Mimics
The DPS Meter drops from Mimics (~1% chance) — enemies disguised as Gold Chests in Hardmode. Mimics are found in the Underground Cavern layer and jump out when approached. You can also summon Mimics using a Key of Light/Night (Hardmode). Farm Mimics in the Cavern layer with a Battle Potion for faster spawn rates.
🎭 DPS Meter: ~1% drop from Mimics in Cavern layer — Key of Night summons them on demandBuy the Goblin Watch from the Goblin Tinkerer
The Goblin Watch is purchased from the Goblin Tinkerer NPC for 10 Gold Coins. The Goblin Tinkerer spawns underground after the Goblin Army event has been defeated at least once. Rescue him underground (he spawns tied up in cave areas) and give him a valid house — then buy the Goblin Watch directly.
🛒 Goblin Watch = 10 Gold from Goblin Tinkerer NPC — he sells it in his shopCombine sub-accessories step by step at Tinkerer’s Workshop
Combine at Tinkerer’s in this order: Depth Meter + Compass + Gold Watch = GPS → GPS + more items = PDA steps → parallel: Tally Counter + Radar + Lifeform Analyzer = R.E.K. 3000 → Fisherman’s Pocket Guide + Weather Radio + Sextant = Fish Finder → all combined into PDA → PDA + Magic Mirror = Cell Phone. Check in-game crafting menu for exact current combination pairs.
⚗️ Combine step-by-step at Tinkerer’s — follow the in-game recipe chain to PDA, then add Magic MirrorCombine PDA + Magic Mirror for the Cell Phone
Once the PDA is complete, combine it with a Magic Mirror (found in underground Gold Chests) at the Tinkerer’s Workshop. The resulting Cell Phone displays real-time information: player stats, enemy count, fishing power, weather, coordinates, biome, time, and more — plus it teleports you to spawn like the Magic Mirror.
📱 PDA + Magic Mirror at Tinkerer’s = Cell Phone — the ultimate information + teleport itemPro Tips
Start Angler quests as early as possible since the Fish Finder components have a daily quest cap. The Angler farming is the longest bottleneck in the Cell Phone crafting chain.
The Goblin Tinkerer is found underground after the Goblin Army event. Rescue him from his bound state in cave areas and build him a house — he provides the Goblin Watch and also lets you reforge accessories.
The DPS Meter from Mimics is valuable on its own before combining — it shows your actual damage-per-second output, helping optimize weapon and accessory choices for boss fights.
The Cell Phone’s teleport function is identical to the Magic Mirror. Once crafted, you can put the original Magic Mirror in storage — the Cell Phone replaces it entirely.
Many players consider the Cell Phone one of the most satisfying crafting achievements in vanilla Terraria due to the breadth of biomes and enemy types involved in its 13+ component drops.
The Cell Phone is Terraria’s most complex crafting project — requiring 13+ distinct components from enemies across nearly every biome and game phase. The process spans pre-Hardmode (Magic Mirror, Watches, Compass) through early Hardmode (Mimics, Goblin Tinkerer) and ongoing fishing quests (Fish Finder). Despite the grind, the Cell Phone’s real-time information display and Magic Mirror teleport make it one of the most useful items in the game for active players.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Cell Phone do in Terraria?
The Cell Phone displays real-time information including player stats, coordinates, time, weather, moon phase, enemy count nearby, fishing power, and more. It also functions as a Magic Mirror, teleporting you to your spawn point when used.
How long does it take to craft the Cell Phone?
Expect 5-15 hours total depending on farming luck. The Angler NPC components (Fish Finder) are the slowest due to daily quest limits. The Nymph (Lifeform Analyzer) and surface Compass drops can also be slow. Starting Angler quests early is the single most important time-saving step.
What is a PDA in Terraria?
The PDA is an intermediate crafting result combining GPS, Goblin Watch, DPS Meter, R.E.K. 3000, and Fish Finder at a Tinkerer’s Workshop in a series of steps. It is the major sub-component of the Cell Phone.
Where do I find the Goblin Tinkerer in Terraria?
The Goblin Tinkerer appears underground after the Goblin Army event has been defeated at least once. He is found tied up in cave areas. Rescue him and build him a valid house — he then sells the Goblin Watch and offers accessory reforging services.