RimWorld Weapon Tier List
The RimWorld weapon tier list most colonies end up converging on: charge rifle and chain shotgun rule ranged combat, persona zeushammer and monosword lead melee — plus the mid-game picks that carry you there.
Short answer: the safest picks — S: Charge Rifle, Chain Shotgun, Persona Zeushammer, Monosword. A: Assault Rifle, Heavy SMG, LMG, Longsword, Plasmasword. Everything else is niche or vendor trash.
Ranged weapons
| Tier | Weapons | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S | Charge Rifle, Chain Shotgun | Best sustained DPS — charge rifle dominates at range, chain shotgun deletes anything close |
| A | Assault Rifle, Heavy SMG, LMG, Sniper Rifle | Reliable mid-game backbone; LMG for crowds, sniper for picks |
| B | Bolt-Action Rifle, Pump Shotgun, Machine Pistol | Solid early craftable stops |
| C | Revolver, Autopistol, Short Bow, Great Bow | Starter gear — upgrade out of them |
Melee weapons
| Tier | Weapons | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S | Persona Zeushammer, Monosword | Zeushammer's EMP shuts down mechs; monosword cuts through anything |
| A | Plasmasword, Longsword, Gladius | Plasmasword burns, quality steel blades are the dependable standard |
| B | Mace, Spear, War Hammer | Blunt options for downing pawns you want alive |
| C | Knife, Club, Ikwa | Tribal-era stops |
Colony rules of thumb
Early game
Bolt-action rifles and pump shotguns are cheap and effective — don't overinvest in melee yet.
Mid game
Assault rifles and heavy SMGs bridge you to charge weapons; one LMG helps with packs.
Late game
Charge rifles on shooters, zeushammers on melee — EMP mechs, cut the rest.
Situationals
Grenades for sieges, EMP launchers vs mech clusters, incendiary only if you like collateral damage.
FAQ
What's the single best gun in RimWorld?
Charge rifle for ranged DPS, chain shotgun for point-blank — most colonies run a mix of both.
Best melee weapon against mechs?
Persona zeushammer — its EMP effect disables mechanoids, which is why melee hunters carry it even on ranged pawns' backups.
Is the monosword still top tier?
Yes — highest single-target melee DPS with armor penetration. Zeushammer wins specifically vs mechs.