Lead Ore

Every world rolls one of two metals for this tier, and lead is the slightly stronger of the pair. Nothing else changes: the anvil, the bars, the tools and the armor all exist on both sides, so you are not behind for having drawn either one. Slimes occasionally cough up a piece as a bonus drop, which is worth remembering on a fresh character who has not found a vein yet.

Underground and in the caverns mostly, with the odd deposit breaking the surface. If all you need is enough for a first anvil, sweeping the exposed surface veins is faster than digging. One exception: the Constant seed leaves it out of world generation completely, so on that seed stop hunting and go find Iron Ore instead.

• Real lead is soft, poisonous and would make a terrible pickaxe. What the game does with it behaves much more like steel.
• Lead and iron are the only two ores with no chandelier of their own.