levels? also range completely ruins the point of a shortsword. Difficult to use but very good.
This doesn't solve any of the problems that shortswords have. In fact, it just suffers from them more. This is a weapon that asks you to
not get hit, but it's a shortsword, which makes not getting hit almost impossible. That is the problem inherent in shortswords. Terraria's combat - and more importantly, it's movement mechanics - don't make it realistic to dodge Hardmode bosses at close range. Where most close-range weapons make up for this is DPS – the Fetid Baghnakhs, the Starlight, and the Sky Dragon's Fury all have extremely high DPS in exchange for greater risk. And you'll notice that even these weapons have more range than a shortsword. What this means in practice is that lategame shortswords and other short-range weapons cannot function if you're expected to
not get hit to use them properly. They're built with the explicit expectation that you will get hit, but you'll be doing enough damage that it might not matter.
This suggested weapon doesn't work with this problem, it makes it worse. Rather than rewarding taking damage (or putting yourself at risk of taking damage) with immediate impressive DPS, it asks you to put yourself in danger and then will only ever be unimpressive if you get hit. And believe me, you
will get hit, because you are using a
damn shortsword. Answer me this, genuinely: do you
honestly believe you can fight Queen Slime with a shortsword and not ever get hit? What about Skeletron Prime? Plantera? Duke Fishron? Because if the answer is no, then this weapon will not be viable. Your idea would not be a weapon that's difficult to use, it would be a weapon that is impossible to use because it's running contrary to Terraria's design philosophy.
But, hey, maybe the TAS could use it.