Amphibian boots is not as good as people say it is in my opinion. I almost never felt the effects of the amphibian. I still have no idea what auto jumping does, and extra jump height is simply unnoticeable to me.
The Ascent speed is much more of an advantage and allows you more maneuverability to avoid attacks, escape situations, and general traveling. (Although flying mounts can do better for long distance travel)
That is not even mentioning the fact that you never really wander in the ground in hardmode. In hardmode, you always fly with wings, and that is why "Quick" reforge becomes useless. The movement speed buffs only affect the speed on ground, so every "boots" accessory becomes almost useless in hardmode.
What goes up must come down, staying airborne is optimal but unless you have a soaring insignia, you're going to have to be able to make a quick landing, repositioning and takeoff. With Soaring Insignia, situations can still force you to the ground, where your horizontal speed goes down the drain if you lose all speed at the ground (Unless you have horizontal boost wings equipped). When you are on the ground, with no mobility outside of taking off, a horde of mobs or even a boss can ravage you in a moment of immobility
(TL
R what goes up must come down you can't escape the ground)
Combine it with a "Quick" reforge and your mobility is beatiful. Movement speed is important in Pre-Hardmode, so Quick reforge and stuff like Terraspark boots are your best friends the whole time before the Wall of Flesh.
Any pair of fast running shoes (along with a dash item) allows you to dominate any enemy in horizontal speed. Those that can still outrun you are too fast for Terraspark Boots. Amphibian boots allow you much better vertical maneuverability and ascent speed, combine that with a few bottles or balloons and both height and speed are covered much better than the boots can provide. What the Boots
DO improve is the quality of life effects such as water walking and ice control. Dodging these hazards normally is possible and Terraspark boots cushion the fall. Although, in a world of min-maxing you may have to make the sacrifice for more power
Wings are not affected by movement speed buffs, and due to you basically always flying all the time, movement speed buffs become obselete. Its a whole different story in Post-Plantera, where Soaring insignia exists.
Wings are however affected by the horizontal movement speed buff. Until post plantera amphibian boots do a crucial job well
I think if Terraspark boots had upgrades that functioned as both wings (flying mobility) and boots (flat ground mobility) throughout the game like they do in Calamity mod (I love Seraph Tracers, spiky wings go hard) then they would be absolutely worth getting. Being able to fly and get nice mobility on the ground from one accessory is something everyone would want. I dont know if something like this could actually exist on the base game, because unlike the mod I gave example of, Base Terraria does not seem like a place where some mobility accessory like that could be balanced.
Calamity there just combines the two's function, they do not have to merge. Terraspark boots are nice, however the function of amphibian boots are more important to keep on you, and thus in boot hierarchy they take center stage
(edit bruh how do I turn off this auto emoji correct)
MN. FULLY. GROWN. FIRE BLOSSOM.
