How this ranking works
Every weapon’s paper DPS is damage per projectile × shots per second. That number is the spine of the list, but three things move a gun up or down in real play:
- Blast radius — the Orb Launcher, Arcane Wand, Rocket and Cluster Launcher all hit multiple crabs per shot, so their group DPS is far above paper.
- Mag size and reload — a 6-round Sniper reloads far more than a 200-round Minigun.
- Two-clawed fire — Laser Cannons, Dual Pistols and Dual Shotguns fire from both claws, which doubles most perks.
All 17 weapons, ranked
| Rank | Weapon | Dmg/shot | Shots/s | DPS | Mag | Blast rad | Two-clawed | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orb Launcher | 8 | 15 | 120 | 36 | 33 | No | Best all-rounder; blast + fire rate |
| 2 | Sniper | 100 | 1.1 | 110 | 6 | 50 | No | Highest single hit, needs aim |
| 3 | Seagle | 25 | 4 | 100 | 12 | 50 | No | Safe, forgiving damage |
| 4 | Burst Pistol | 5 | 15 | 75 | 30 | 10 | No | Strong burst, easy to aim |
| 5 | Auto Rifle | 5 | 11 | 55 | 40 | 10 | No | Steady, ammo-hungry |
| 6 | Marksman Rifle | 15 | 3.5 | 53 | 16 | — | No | Sniper-lite, more ammo |
| 7 | Minigun | 2 | 25 | 50 | 200 | 10 | No | Sustained, never reloads |
| 8 | Arcane Wand | 20 | 2 | 40 | 8 | 550 | No | Blast-on-hit, pack clearer |
| 9 | Laser Cannons | 2 | 16 | 32 | 50 | 50 | Yes | Two-clawed beam |
| 10 | Crossbow | 12 | 2.5 | 30 | 12 | 25 | No | Fastest reload (0.66s) |
| 11 | Dual Pistols | 5 | 6 | 30 | 24 | 20 | Yes | Two-clawed sidearm |
| 12 | Rocket Launcher | 35 | 0.75 | 26 | 5 | 1250 | No | Screen-clearing blast |
| 13 | Cluster Launcher | 8 | 3 | 24 | 6 | 500 | No | Split-blast crowd control |
| 14 | Blade Launcher | 5 | 4 | 20 | 9 | 10 | No | Niche, melee-range |
| 15 | Auto Shotgun | 4 | 4 | 16 | 16 | 10 | No | Close-range spread |
| 16 | Flamethrower | 1 | 12 | 12 | 45 | — | No | Burn-stack only |
| 17 | Dual Shotguns | 6 | 1.2 | 7 | 6 | 10 | Yes | Point-blank delete |
The tiers that actually matter
S — Orb Launcher, Sniper. The Orb Launcher is the only gun that is both the highest fire rate and blast-capable, which is why it carries new players and end-game runs alike. The Sniper is the skill-expression pick: a 100-damage shot every ~0.9s rewards aim more than any other gun.
A — Seagle, Burst Pistol, Auto Rifle, Marksman Rifle, Minigun. Reliable damage that fits most upgrade lines. The Minigun’s 200-round mag is a survival tool more than a damage tool.
B — Arcane Wand, Laser Cannons, Crossbow, Dual Pistols, Rocket/Cluster Launcher. Strong in their lane: blast-clearing, two-clawed crit, or screen-wipe. You take these for the situation, not as a default.
C — Blade Launcher, Auto Shotgun, Flamethrower, Dual Shotguns. Situational or meme. Fun, but a tier below on raw output.
What this means for your run
Pick the highest tier whose playstyle you can actually execute. A 120-DPS Orb Launcher in the hands of someone kiting crabs is worth more than a 110-DPS Sniper they keep missing. Then read Weapon Builds for the upgrade types that push each gun further.
Related guides
- Weapon Builds — best upgrade types for every gun.
- Weapon Database — full stat blocks for all 17.
- Best Upgrades Tier List — which of the 146 upgrades compound.
- Build Guide — combine weapon, mods and upgrades into one trigger.