Other than its challenging gameplay and adorable sprite-based graphics, the game shines for the massive amount of weapons you can find in the Gungeon. I mean, it’s called “The Gungeon” for a reason. But not all guns are made the same. Some are better than others, and it’ll take a while before you get a feel for what works and what doesn’t. In the end, the Gungeon is randomized, and the best weapon is the one you actually get – but a man can fantasize. Let’s take a look at the most potent and bad-ass weapons in this bullet hell!
25. Mass Shotgun
The Mass Shotgun is powerful but hard to wield. This B-tier weapon shoots large, slow-moving projectiles that split into 12 smaller ones at a distance. The larger shots don’t do that much damage by themselves, but you’ll be working with over double the damage if you shoot from the proper distance and land all 12 pellets once it bursts. Holding this weapon together with the Badge will turn the police officer companion into Robocop. Unlocked by: Buying it from Ox and Cadence for 9 Hegemony Credits.
24. Marine Sidearm
The Marine Sidearm can’t hold a light to most other weapons in this list in terms of damage potential. But it’s by far the best starter weapon of the four base characters. It has excellent accuracy, a large magazine, and fast reload times – especially with the Marine’s Military Training. Moreover, it has noticeably more knockback than other starting guns, helping you keep enemies at bay and pushing them into bottomless pits.
23. Hyper Light Blaster
One of the best weapons you can get from a green chest is the Hyper Light Blaster, modeled after the gun from Hyper Light Drifter (2016). Expert players will get a lot of use out of this weapon thanks to its special ability: It returns any bullet that connects with a target to your ammo. What makes this seemingly OP weapon B-tier is its modest ammo pool of only 12 bullets. Unlocked by: Buying it from Doug for 22 Hegemony Credits.
22. Rubenstein’s Monster
One of my favorite synergies in the Gungeon is Rubenstein’s Monster, created by fusing the RUBE-ADYNE Prototype and the RUBE-ADYNE MK. II. Together, these two guns will rapid-fire pink lasers that ricochet off walls to hit enemies behind cover. That’s not too impressive in and of itself. But with this damage and fire rate, it can be brutal for your foes. It also has a massive pool of 900 ammo, making it a reliable weapon to tackle any floor.
21. Particulator
The Particulator is a futuristic weapon that shoots a giant bullet that deals a lot of damage by itself, then splits into ten smaller projectiles that home in on nearby enemies. It’s a fair bit of damage even against bosses, and it can get even better with any bullet enhancements. This S-tier weapon can also synergize with the seemingly useless Laser Sight. This will make a powerful laser shot follow any projectile impact, increasing your damage substantially.
20. AK-47
The AK-47 is one of my all-time favorite weapons in the Gungeon. There’s something about a regular old Kalashnikov that simply works – with no need to charge up shots or get creative. This is the kind of weapon you open green chests for. It’s automatic, reasonably accurate, and strong enough to carry you up to the High Dragun – if you find enough bullets. Fans of classic weapons like myself will love the Regular Old Guns synergy, which gives the AK-47 a 400% fire rate increase when you’re also holding the Regular Shotgun.
19. Megahand
Fans of the blue bomber will undoubtedly recognize his Mega Buster – known in the Gungeon as the Megahand. This B-tier weapon doesn’t do much if you just rapid-fire it, but its charged shots can be devastating. According to my calculations, you should be able to kill most rank and file enemies with a single shot up until the Hollow! Much like Mega Man’s buster can change modes after defeating enemy bosses, the Megahand has alternate shot types you can activate through synergies with the Balloon Gun, the Hot Lead, and many others.
18. Heroine
Fans of Nintendo’s Metroid franchise will find the Heroine oddly familiar. Samus Aran’s Arm Cannon works just the same in Enter the Gungeon as it does in most Metroid games, letting you shoot pellets or charge shots. Charge them fully, and you’ll deal massive damage that could carry you well into the Forge. Other than that, the Heroine has some excellent alternate fire modes, activated through synergies with the Frost Bullets, Hot Lead, and Plasma Beam. As you may have guessed, the B-tier weapon’s name refers to the fact that Samus Aran was one of the very first female heroines in gaming – and a total badass at that.
17. Gunderfury
In the World of Guncraft, there are few weapons better than the Gunderfury. This A-tier weapon is a reference to a classic World of Warcraft weapon known as the Thunderfury, Blessed Blade of the Windseeker. References aside, the weapon is mighty. Like Thunderfury in WoW, Gunderfury gains experience with every kill, leveling up little by little. After you’ve gunned down enough Gundead, your Gunderfury will be dealing massive damage, with a mag size of 40 bullets and a total pool of 600 ammunition. Unlocked by: Buying it from Doug for 28 Hegemony Credits.
16. AU Gun
The AU Gun is a reference to a classic James Bond film. In The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), assassin Francisco Scaramanga is known for killing his enemies with a single shot – and he does it with a shiny golden firearm. This S-tier weapon can deal massive damage with just one bullet. What makes it so good is that it comes with a max ammo pool of 22 shots, which is plenty to kill most bosses.
15. Vulcan Cannon
The first floor’s Gatling Gull is indisputably the easiest boss in the entire game – but that’s no fault of their weapon. In your capable hands, the Vulcan Cannon can be devastating. It can clear rooms in an instant, and its tremendous fire rate can eat up a bosses’ health bar in a matter of seconds – especially if you get up close and personal. It also has impressive synergies with many great weapons and items, like the Com4nd0 and the Pig, so make sure you open those Synergy Chests whenever you’re carrying this S-tier weapon.
14. Finished Gun
The Unfinished Gun is a pretty lousy weapon, right? I mean, it deals minor damage, has mediocre range, and it’s not even accurate! Now, finish it, and we’re looking at one of the best guns in the game. The D-tier Unfinished Gun is replaced by the S-tier Finished Gun, which shoots powerful dark bullets that ricochet once. For a weapon with 500 max ammunition, each shot does tons of damage. Moreover, the last shot of every mag can reflect enemy bullets back to the shooter. This makes the Finished Gun a real treat against bosses like the Wallmonger and the High Dragun. Unlocked by: Completing the Ammonomicon.
13. Mourning Star
Fans of Gears of War will recognize the Mourning Star as a 2D copy of the Hammer of Dawn. Like the latter, this S-tier gun doesn’t do any damage by itself. Instead, it sends coordinates for the real weapon – a massive laser orbiting the planet – to get the job done. It feels terrific to call down divine retribution from the skies, and as expected, it deals massive damage. You can even continue to guide the laser while shooting so you can follow bosses around and keep up the pressure. Since they’re both Gears of War references, the Mourning Star synergizes with the Cog of Battle item for better damage. Unlocked by: Paying Doug 22 Hegemony Credits.
12. Elimentaler
Cheese enthusiasts will find a lot to love about the Elimentaler, an S-tier weapon capable of “encheesing” your enemies. By encheesing, I mean they get trapped inside a chunk of Emmenthal. Each enemy encased in cheese becomes a ticking time bomb, too. When the encheesed dies, they leave behind a puddle of melted cheese that’ll trap anyone who comes into contact with it. Free cheese! If you also manage to find the Partially-Eaten Cheese, the Resourceful Sack, and the Rat Boots, you’ll transform into the Resourceful Rat. They don’t do much, but there’s nobody left to steal unattended items. Unlocked by: Finding it in one of the Resourceful Rat’s chests.
11. AKEY-47
This S-tier gun’s motto reads “Ex Archa, Libertas,” meaning “freedom from chests” in Latin. That’s because this giant key shoots, well, more keys. A single shot is enough to defeat any lock in the Gungeon, making all of its treasure yours if you can reach it. While about as powerful as an AK-47 by itself, this gun really shines when synergized with the Shelleton Key – giving it more stopping power and, more importantly, infinite ammunition. Unlocked by: Talking to Tinker once you fix the last elevator.
10. Casey
The only thing more fun than shooting at Bullet Kin is batting them across the room with Casey. This fantastic D-tier weapon is the reason I still open brown chests from time to time. It deals a ton of damage up close, but it really shines for its ability to reflect bullets on swing. The bodies of your victims are also dangerous projectiles once hit by Casey. The clearest example is the Bullet King, who’ll die in one hit if you hit them with the chancellor’s body. Unlocked by: Getting it from Doug for 12 Hegemony Credits.
9. Makeshift Cannon
If you’re the kind of person who loves high-risk, high-reward situations, you’ll love the Makeshift Cannon. This S-tier weapon can only has one shot, but it’s powerful enough to deal with most bosses – or at least leave them on death’s door. The gun references a Star Trek episode where Captain Kirk makes a similar gun from bamboo and other unlikely items found on-site. Talk about resourceful! Unlocked by: Killing 30 Shroomers for Friffle and the Grey Mauser.
8. BSG
The Big Shooty Gun is a fantastic weapon that guarantees a good run if you get it early on. This S-tier gun can charge up super-potent shots that damage all enemies in the room. You don’t even have to aim! A couple of shots should be enough to clear any room, but even just one can often get the job done. One of the most brutal synergies in the game has to be the BSG + Big Shotgun, which creates five charged shots instead of one – instantly decimating any army of foes.
7. Prototype Railgun
A rail gun is a powerful linear motor device that uses electromagnetic force to launch metal slugs at their target. It has made many appearances in video games like Quake and Metal Gear Solid. Much like in real life, this railgun remains a prototype – but that doesn’t stop it from being lethal. Any rank and file enemy on the receiving end of this high voltage gun has reached the end of the line, and even bosses won’t survive a handful of shots. This A-tier weapon is excellent against bosses that attack you as a team, such as the Bullet Bros. and the Kill Pillars. Not only can you hit them all at the same time, but it makes it easier to kill them simultaneously and avoid the last phase of the fight (in both cases).
6. Blasphemy
If you want to play Enter the Gungeon differently, The Bullet’s starting weapon is the way to go. This B-tier weapon is called Blasphemy for how outrageous it is to wield a blade in a place with “Gun” in its name – especially if you’re a bullet. You wouldn’t usually bring a sword to a gunfight, but Blasphemy can cut through bullets, rendering you invulnerable as long as you swing fast enough. It also deals massive damage per slash. Just like the Master Sword from the original Legend of Zelda (1986), Blasphemy can shoot beams of light shaped like swords to reach far-away enemies – but only if you’re at full health! Unlocked by: Killing the High Dragun playing as The Bullet.
5. The Exotic
Named after an Exotic rarity weapon from Bungie’s Destiny, this A-tier weapon will blow up your foes to smithereens. The Exotic deals massive explosive damage thanks to a rocket that splits into seven smaller homing projectiles on impact. It also summons a Ghost Shell companion that reveals what’s inside chests before you open them. It has an incredible synergy with the Ice Breaker that can double its already significant damage potential Unlocked by: Buying it from Doug for 26 Hegemony Credits.
4. Fightsabre
If you’ve always wanted to be a Jedi (like everyone who’s ever watched a Star Wars movie), you’ll love the Fightsabre. It won’t let you do Jedi mind tricks on the bosses or stop their bullets with the Force. But it does allow you to reflect shots back to the sender upon reloading like a proper Lightsaber. By itself, the gun doesn’t do that much damage – but if you’re constantly reflecting shots, it adds up quickly. Plus, it helps you overcome some extra tough situations in some boss fights. It doesn’t have the highest DPS, but it’s reliable, and it looks super cool.
3. Yari Launcher
One of the most over-the-top weapons in the Gungeon is the Yari Launcher, capable of firing barrages of 20 homing rockets in the space of a few seconds. It takes a bit to reload, but the sheer firepower of 20 rockets will usually give you enough time. Despite being one of the very best weapons against bosses, you really don’t want to rely on it to clear standard rooms. Cramped spaces don’t let this S-tier weapon’s shots reach their target, and it has way too little ammo. This can be improved by the Oiled Cylinder, which gives it 50% more bullets on top of a 20% damage increase. Unlocked by: Buying it from Ox and Cadence for 25 Hegemony Credits.
2. Black Hole Gun
Black holes are the most fearsome physical phenomena waiting for us in outer space. What do we do with frightening physical phenomena? We weaponize it. This badass A-tier weapon shoots black holes that move slowly through the screen, absorbing any bullets and enemies. If you keep shooting, you’re almost untouchable – making this a reliable way to get Master Rounds on the harder floors. Just keep in mind that many enemies won’t drop money when crushed by the gravitational pull of the black hole. Use it in moderation! Unlocked by: Buying it from Ox and Cadence for 20 Hegemony Credits.
1. Gunther
More than a weapon, Gunther is a friend – a faithful companion who’ll lend you his power once you’ve impressed him with your performance out in the field. Each time you clear a room, you’ll earn some credibility with Gunther. The more he believes in you, the more powerful it becomes. Once you’ve become inseparable pals he’ll be dealing ridiculous damage and shooting homing bullets. Even if this S-tier weapon wasn’t so damn powerful, I’d consider using it just for the dialogue and its hilarious comments on your performance. Go Team Gungeon! Unlocked by: Defeating the High Dragun after receiving a blessing from the Sorceress.
