Best weapons in Starfield: Rifle, Heavy, Melee, more

❘ Published: 2023-10-06T13:27:35

Bethesda

Starfield has a plethora of brilliantly designed, impeccably detailed, and increasingly deadly weapons that you can cause chaos with. To help you pick the right one, here’s a list of the best weapons in Starfield.

Starfield has a ton of variety and never stops surprising its loyal player base. The game offers over 1000 planets with each one having a unique biome, a solid number of supernatural Powers, and many unique ships. The same can be said about the game’s weapons.

Combat is one of the most important aspects of Starfield’s gameplay, and the game offers quite an armory of weapons for players to use. From Pistols and Shotguns to Sniper Rifles and Mag Weapons, the game has all bases covered.

Here are our picks for the best weapons in Starfield:

Starfield: Best Weapons
Best weapons for each class in Starfield
Best Melee weapon in Starfield
Best Pistol in Starfield
Best Shotgun in Starfield
Best Rifle in Starfield
Best Heavy in Starfield
Best Sniper in Starfield

Starfield: Best Weapons

While there are dozens of weapons to find in Starfield, there are certain picks that should appear in every player’s arsenal. The weapons listed below are earned through specific routes, including quest rewards, exploration, traits, and in-game vendors.

Eternity’s Gate is great for zero-gravity combat in Starfield.

Best weapons for each class in Starfield

If you’re hunting for the best weapons in each class in Starfield, look no further than our picks.
Here are the best weapons for each class in the game:

Best Melee weapon in Starfield – The Last Priest

The Last Priest is the best melee weapon in Starfield and to acquire it players have to complete the Infinity’s End side quest in Starfield. More specifically, they have to follow the Hunter’s instructions or successfully deceive him into believing that they did. The Last Preist packs decent base damage, although the real highlights are the various elemental status effects the weapons can randomly induce on enemies.

Best Pistol in Starfield – Magshot

The Magshot and its legendary variants are easily the pistols you can find in Starfield. The gun itself is a futuristic revolver operating on magnetic rails. It packs in hefty base damage, a decent fire rate, and a really satisfying reload animation. The Magshot does use one of the rarer ammo types in Starfield, so be sure to use it wisely.

Magshot in Starfield uses magnetic technology.

The Magshot can be purchased at various different vendors, and it should also drop frequently from enemies after reaching level 15.

Best Shotgun in Starfield – Experiment A-7

This rare Shotgun can be acquired during the Entangled main quest in Starfield. It is given to the player by a security guard named Ethan. The Experiment A-7 packs excellent base stats, and it excels while dealing with aliens. The Shotgun comes with a special perk named Exterminator, granting it an additional 30% damage against aliens.

The Experiment A-7 shotgun can be earned by progressing through Starfield’s main quest.

Best Rifle in Starfield – Magshear

The Magshear in Starfield is ideal for gunning down hordes of enemies without breaking a sweat. Another Mag Weapon, the Magshear pairs blistering fire rates with excellent ammo capacity. The result is a venerable ballistic rifle fit for any situation the game can offer. Its unique design and aesthetic make it visually appealing as well.

The Magshear is purchasable at select vendors in the game. It can be dropped by high-level enemies, such as Ecliptic Operators.

Magshear has one of the highest fire rates in Starfield.

Best Heavy in Starfield – Bridger

If you like weapons that make things go boom, you’ll love the Bridger in Starfield. The heavy weapon is essentially the game’s version of a grenade launcher, and it doesn’t disappoint. While the fire rate is pretty sluggish, the Bridger’s damage output compensates for it. Its damage radius is similarly noteworthy.

Legendary variants of the Bridger can be found while discovering the game’s hidden locations. Alternatively, players can acquire the Ashta Tamer, a unique version of the Bridger, by looting a crate during The Empty Nest quest in Starfield.

Best Sniper in Starfield – Hard Target

While snipers are classified as ‘Rifles’ in Starfield, there is one particular weapon that deserves a section of its own. Named Hard Target, the weapon is technically a ballistic sniper, and it packs quite the punch. All variants of this weapon come with a zoom optic, a small magazine size, and excellent base damage. The accuracy of the weapon all but reaffirms its utility as a precise sniper rifle.

Hard Target in Starfield is hard to find but worth the effort.

Hard Target is pretty tricky to acquire at lower levels, which is why we suggest reaching level 30 before hunting for it. After doing so, players can check out Centurion Arsenal in New Atlantis to purchase the weapon. Alternatively, it can also be obtained by farming high-level pirate enemies.

Those were the best weapons in Starfield. Keep an eye out for our other guides on the game to learn more about the best items.

For more on Starfield, check out our other guides: