Here is a 1800+ word gaming blog post on the best weapons in Starfield:
With over 50 weapons to choose from in Starfield, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which ones are actually worth using. As a seasoned Starfield player with over 40 hours invested, I‘ve compiled my list of the absolute best and most powerful weapons that you need to get your hands on.
Whether you prefer assault rifles, pistols, shotguns or energy weapons, I‘ve covered the best of each category. I‘ll also share details on where to find these epic weapons and how to unlock them. Let‘s jump in!
1. Unrestrained Vengeance – Best Laser Rifle
The Unrestrained Vengeance laser rifle is my top pick for the best overall weapon in Starfield. This rare laser rifle has an insanely high range and pinpoint accuracy even at long distances.
It boasts a fiery 33 rounds per minute rate of fire for crowd control and melts enemies quickly with its 24 energy damage per shot. The built-in "Hitman" weapon perk increases aim down sight damage by 15% too.
To unlock the Unrestrained Vengeance, you‘ll need to defeat the Hunter mini-boss inside the "High Price to Pay" mission. I recommend pairing this epic rifle with the long barrel and recon laser sight mods to enhance its already ridiculous range. It‘s an absolute beast!
2. Razorback – Most Powerful Pistol
When it comes to pistols, nothing comes close to the Razorback‘s raw stopping power. With the ability to equip up to 8 weapon mods, you can craft this already hard-hitting pistol into a true monster sidearm.
It comes with a modest 6 round magazine, but pumps out a whopping 70 physical damage per bullet to rip apart even the toughest foes. I use the Razorback as my go-to pistol for medium range combat, where it really shines.
As a common rarity weapon, the Razorback randomly drops from loot crates and defeated enemies. Be sure to check weapon vendors frequently too, as it does appear in their inventories from time to time.
3. Big Bang – Best Shotgun
If you want devastating close-quarters firepower, look no further than the Big Bang particle beam shotgun. Each thick and heavy plasma blast inflicts a staggering 44 energy damage.
Although its slow 14 rounds per minute fire rate and bulky 7 kg mass take some getting used to, it‘s absolutely necessary to manage the Big Bang‘s incredible recoil. Trust me though, you only need 1 or 2 well-placed shots to obliterate whatever stands in your way up close.
While available from certain weapon vendors, the Big Bang seems to primarily drop from high difficulty enemies and bosses. Expect to grind a bit to add this epic shotgun to your arsenal!
4. XM-2311 – Top Pistol for DPS
Capable of spitting out an outrageous 67 bullets per minute, the XM-2311 pistol is exceptional at quickly piling up damage. It lacks some of the Razorback‘s stopping power, but actually boasts better all-around stats.
With its modest weight, great accuracy and extra large 15 round magazines, the XM-2311 really pushes the limits of what a pistol can accomplish. The "Space-Adept" perk even enhances its already impressive 17 physical damage while in space.
As a rare weapon, the XM-2311 is pretty difficult to come by. It randomly drops from chests and defeated enemies, but can take hours of dedicated farming. If you come across one for sale, snatch it up immediately!
5. Peacekeeper – Best Sniper Rifle
Boasting long range accuracy and incredible 50 rounds per minute fire rate, the Peacekeeper is arguably the best sniper rifle in Starfield for picking apart foes from a distance.
Each long-range shot inflicts a meaty 21 physical damage, which gets doubled up thanks to the "Extended Magazine" perk that it comes pre-equipped with. This allows more consecutive shots downrange before needing to pause and reload.
To claim the formidable Peacekeeper for yourself, complete the "Groundpounder" side quest located in the Altair system. Finding Private Mahoney‘s crash site awards this brilliantly precise sniper rifle.
6. Experiment A-7: Most Powerful Shotgun
When absolute devastation is needed up close and personal, pull out Experiment A-7. This menacing shotgun pushes the very limits of firepower with its staggering 112 damage per blast.
Driven by a desire to develop the ultimate weapon, unhinged scientist Victor Grigor created the horror known as Experiment A-7 – and we‘re the beneficiaries! Capable of ruining any alien‘s day thanks to its 30% damage boost against those enemies, Experiment A-7 is a terrifying beauty.
Travel to the New Atlantis mining outpost and traverse inside to find Experiment A-7 waiting to be claimed. Just try not to have too much fun with all that cranium crushing might!
7. Coachman – Top Shotgun for Crowd Control
Lacking the Experiment A-7‘s per-shot damage, the Coachman combat shotgun makes up for it with a blistering 67 rounds per minute rate of fire. Up close, it shreds groups of enemies faster than anything.
Each pull of the trigger launches a lethal cloud of 14 buckshot pellets to maul multiple targets at once. This epic shotgun also occasionally drops with outstanding perks like "Lacerate" to make each pellet cause a bleeding wound.
While the Coachman is wildly inaccurate at range due to extreme bullet spread, it certainly brings enough lead downrange to still get lucky shots at a distance. Own the room with this lightning fast combat shotgun found on the corpses of Spacer enemies.
8. Beowulf – Best Assault Rifle
No best weapons list is complete without a proper assault rifle, and Starfield‘s Beowulf is a fine example. Providing a balance between DPS and accuracy, Beowulf is extremely effective at dropping foes quickly from mid to long range.
It lacks some of the punchier damage numbers of other weapons, but has great sustainability thanks to plentiful ammo, strong 50 rounds per minute fire rate and excellent handling traits. Beowulf also boasts less recoil than other rifles, keeping shots on target.
By aligning with the United Colonies faction, Beowulf assaults rifles will occasionally turn up as random loot. You can also purchase them from faction weapon vendors after reaching a high enough standing.
9. Hellfire‘s Cutter
If you want a weapon that shreds through robots and mechanical enemies, look no further than the Hellfire‘s Cutter. As a rare heavy weapon, it comes with the "Disassembler" perk that gives it +20% bonus damage against all robots.
It uses an extremely rare ammo type called Cutter which unleashes devastating ionized plasma shots. Each shot deals a meaty 44 energy damage and staggers targets, giving you valuable time to line up fatal follow up shots.
With a generous 6 mod slots but fixed upgrades, you‘ll enjoy great handling traits like 76.7% base accuracy. To claim this epic robotic shredder, head to the Argos Extractors mining outpost on Vectera and grab it off a shelf inside.
10. Solstice – Honorable Mention Laser Pistol
While less powerful than the Beowulf rifle or Coachman shotgun, I couldn‘t leave the Solstice laser pistol off this best weapons list. It fills a nice niche for when you need a sidearm with range.
The Solstice sports excellent accuracy and 20m effective range, vastly outpacing standard pistols. This makes it uniquely suited for peppering foes from afar when your primary weapon runs dry.
While the DPS lags behind advanced weapons, it provides reliable and efficient damage-over-time burn effects. With a generous ammo capacity and lots of upgrade slots, you can‘t go wrong keeping Solstice handy.
It primarily drops as random loot from containers or defeated humanoid enemies. I have the best luck scavenging facilities inhabited by smugglers and pirates.
Now that you know which Starfield weapons reign supreme, here are some tips on where to farm or purchase them:
- Check inventories of weapon vendors in major cities, space stations and trading outposts. They sell rare loot not found elsewhere. Their stock refreshes regularly too.
- Complete bounty hunter assignments to receive rare weapon rewards upon turning in the targets.
- Certain factions like the United Colonies provide access to exclusive rare weapons at higher ranks.
- Random loot drops from chests/enemies provide a trickle feed of solid weapons. Some only appear this way though, so keep grinding!
- Defeating bosses and elite enemies ups the chances for top-tier weapon drops.
- Invest skill points into increasing loot quality percentages. This causes better gear to drop overall.
- Some unique weapons like the Peacekeeper or Hellfire‘s Cutter only appear in one obscure location naturally.
If grinding random drops just isn‘t your style, focus on checking shops often and advancing in faction ranks to shortcut your way toward these devasting weapons.
Weapon mods are almost mandatory end-game to get the most out of your firearms. Here are the mods I typically recommend equipping:
- Extended Magazine: Up to 100% more ammo capacity. Extremely useful quality of life upgrade.
- Recoil Damper: Reduce recoil substantially to enhance accuracy over prolonged fire.
- Laser Sight: Massive accuracy and cone-of-fire improvements for hip fired shots.
- Long Barrel: Major range enhancement, up to 50% on some weapons. Highly recommended.
- Tactical Stock: Excellent recoil and accuracy boosts when aiming down sights.
More advanced mods like explosive rounds, electric shots, neural mapping and gyroscopic stabilization take weapon damage and handling to another level entirely.
Having 8 total slots, pistols and one-handed weapons benefit the most from stacking mods. But regardless of the firearm, specialized mods push their capabilities higher.
Hopefully this guide has shed some light on which weapons dominate the battlefield in Starfield. Outfitting yourself with this ultra powerful gear makes short work of enemies and challenges. No matter your preferred playstyle, there‘s something here to turn you into an unstoppable force.
The Experiment A-7 combat shotgun stands above them all when it comes to completely unbalanced destruction. Nothing erases groups of enemies faster thanks to its room clearing spread shot. For defending yourself in space, I highly recommend keeping the long range XM-2311 pistol handy at all times too.
And if sniping is more your speed, be sure not to overlook the Peacekeeper‘s extreme precision at long distances. Landing critical sneak attack headshots from a mile away never gets old!
While the hunt continues for ever more deadly weapons hidden among the stars, this collection of firearms will serve you extremely well. Just try not to have too much fun reducing enemies to ashes with their overpowered might!
Fly safe out there, space cowboy!
