Best equipment in Risk of Rain 2 is a question about value across a run, not raw damage on a single press. This tier list ranks each active tool on uptime, timing, and how well it covers a gap a build cannot fill on its own.
How this tier list is ranked
Each tool earns its tier from three questions. How often can you fire it? How much does timing matter? How well does it patch a weak build?
A tool climbs when it works alone, needs no teammate, and pays off on a short cooldown. A tool falls when it asks for a narrow situation or drains a resource you need elsewhere.
Uptime matters because you carry one slot at a time. A tool you can fire often beats a stronger one that sits cold for most of a stage.
The full equipment tier list
The table ranks each active tool from the strongest all-round picks down to the ones that need a narrow reason to carry.
| Tier | Equipment | Why it ranks there |
|---|---|---|
| S | Royal Capacitor | A targeted lightning strike on a short cooldown, so it works alone and fires often. |
| S | Disposable Missile Launcher | A burst of homing missiles that clears a crowd and dents a boss in one press. |
| S | Preon Accumulator | A huge burst that deletes a boss or a dense wave at the moment you need it. |
| S | Foreign Fruit | An instant heal that rescues a run at the second it matters most. |
| S | Ocular HUD | A short window of guaranteed crits, which turns the teleporter fight into a quick kill. |
| A | Milky Chrysalis | Flight for a stretch of time, which opens routes and dodges ground attacks. |
| A | Primordial Cube | A black hole that pulls a crowd into one spot for your damage. |
| A | Blast Shower | Clears debuffs and nearby projectiles, which cancels the worst elite effects. |
| A | Gorag’s Opus | A team-wide frenzy that speeds up a whole squad for one push. |
| A | Super Massive Leech | Turns damage into healing for a short burst, strong on a high-damage build. |
| A | The Back-up | Calls drones that add damage and soak hits while they fight for you. |
| A | Jade Elephant | A burst of armor that shrugs off a heavy hit when you cannot dodge it. |
| B | Volcanic Egg | A rolling fireball that damages on contact and moves you across a fight. |
| B | Sawmerang | Blades that cut and bleed across a crowd, with value on the return trip. |
| B | Molotov (6-Pack) | Burning zones that punish a crowd standing in one place. |
| B | Gnarled Woodsprite | Steady healing over time, and it can be sent to help an ally. |
| B | Recycler | Rerolls one item or a piece of equipment, which fixes a bad pickup. |
| B | Executive Card | Returns part of what you spend, which stretches your gold across a stage. |
| C | Radar Scanner | Reveals interactables, which is convenience rather than combat power. |
| C | The Crowdfunder | Fires gold as bullets, so its damage drains the currency you need for chests. |
| C | Eccentric Vase | Opens a tunnel between two points, a movement trick with a narrow use. |
| C | Fuel Array | Detonates on its own below half health, which is a risk rather than a tool you steer. |
S-tier equipment
These tools earn a slot in almost any build, because each one works without setup.
Royal Capacitor calls a lightning strike on a target you choose, and the cooldown is short enough to fire it again in the same fight. Disposable Missile Launcher answers a crowd with a burst of homing missiles.
Preon Accumulator trades uptime for a single huge hit, which suits a boss or a dense wave. Foreign Fruit heals you at once, so it covers the moment a dodge fails.
Ocular HUD grants a short window of guaranteed crits. Used on a teleporter boss, that window shortens the fight before adds pile up.
A-tier equipment
These tools are strong with one condition attached.
Milky Chrysalis grants flight for a stretch of time, which opens routes and dodges ground attacks. Primordial Cube pulls a crowd into one spot, so your area damage lands on every enemy at once.
Blast Shower clears debuffs and nearby projectiles, which cancels the worst elite effects. Gorag’s Opus speeds up a whole team for one push, and Super Massive Leech turns your damage into healing for a short burst.
The Back-up adds drones that fight and soak hits. Jade Elephant grants a burst of armor that absorbs a heavy blow you could not dodge.
B-tier equipment
These tools are useful, but each one asks for a situation before it pays off.
Volcanic Egg rolls you across a fight as a fireball, which doubles as damage and movement. Sawmerang cuts and bleeds a crowd, and the return trip adds a second pass.
Molotov (6-Pack) leaves burning zones that punish enemies packed together. Gnarled Woodsprite heals over time and can be sent to help an ally.
Recycler rerolls a bad pickup, and Executive Card returns part of what you spend. Both reward a plan more than a reflex.
C-tier equipment
These tools are narrow, risky, or weaker than the slot they take.
Radar Scanner reveals interactables, which saves time but adds no combat power. The Crowdfunder turns gold into bullets, so its damage competes with the chests you want to open.
Eccentric Vase opens a tunnel between two points, a movement trick that few fights need. Fuel Array fires on its own below half health, so the burst is a hazard you cannot steer.
Best equipment for beginners
New players want a tool that works without a plan. Foreign Fruit and Royal Capacitor fit that need.
Foreign Fruit heals a mistake, and the lightning strike adds damage with a short cooldown. Neither one asks you to aim a setup or track a resource.
Skip the tools that need tight timing or a fixed partner until the basics feel steady.
Equipment to skip
A wasted slot costs more than a weak item, because you carry one tool at a time.
Skip The Crowdfunder unless your build already out-earns its cost. Skip Fuel Array unless you want a burst that fires on its own schedule.
A search for the best equipment in Risk of Rain 2 leads to the same follow-ups. Which tool covers your build? Which one covers the boss? The answer shifts once your items fill the gaps a tool would patch.
Pair this list with the item tier list and the equipment guide. For the blue tools, see the lunar item tier list.