Starfield The 7 best weapons, ranked by tier

Starfield is about many things. At its core, it is about humanity's aspiration to reach the stars, leave our mark in the vast galaxy, and achieve what has not been achieved before. However, humanity has never been a peaceful species. Therefore, it's not surprising that Starfield often revolves around shooting holes into the bad guys with really big weapons.

Of course, really big weapons are not the only great weapons. There are also simply big weapons, fairly small weapons, really small weapons, fearsome blades, and much more. Here are our favorites, a few weeks after the monumental launch of Starfield.

7 Keelhauler

To obtain the "Keelhauler," one must make it into the Crimson Fleet, which in turn means either committing a crime and getting a second chance as an undercover spy... or voluntarily opting for espionage in the midst of the UC Vanguard quests. We love it for its dramatic red paint job and its overall uncompromising appearance.

But the rate of fire and the physical damage per hit mean that the Keelhauler will bring many things to a halt. Its fully automatic nature only enhances the Keelhauler's natural speed, and the low chance of causing the frenzy status can be surprisingly useful when dealing with a group of hostile alien creatures.

6 Experiment A-7

If we were to equip Ellen Ripley from the Alien film series for a tour through the most hostile worlds of Starfield, we would give her the Experiment A-7 Shotgun and never doubt it. Each shot deals 131 damage, and it even inflicts 30 percent more damage to aliens - do you understand what we're getting at? You will want this weapon by your side, whether it's against Terrormorphs or those six-legged monsters.

To obtain this weapon, you need to pass a persuasion check against a certain Ethan during the main quest "Entangled," and boy, you might want to reload your save file if you don't get the weapon.

5 Elemental Bridger

You can find Bridger's Rare - or should we say, legendary? - during your Starfield loot quests, but when we discovered this particular setup, we quickly fell in love. The Elemental Bridger combines solid range and high damage with a chance to inflict a variety of separate additional damage effects. It's certainly not the most precise weapon, but that also means you're more likely to hit limbs than heads - which pairs well with the 30 percent damage bonus.

4 Deadeye

Similar to the Keelhauler, a significant part of the Deadeye's appeal lies in its design. When you join the Freestar Rangers, you quickly acquire this incredibly sleek pistol that has room for four additional modifications and comes pre-equipped with four great modifications. It is lightweight but offers excellent penetration power thanks to the Penetrator Rounds.

The Deadeye is the kind of weapon that positions you against aggressive patrons in a bar duel. If we can label a weapon on this list as sexy, it would be this one.

3 Unmitigated Violence

There is much to admire about Unbridled Fury. Uh, maybe that's not the best wording, but you surely understand what is meant. You will obtain it very late in the main storyline, and only if you fight against a specific opponent known as the Hunter. (You won't receive this reward if you persuade them through conversation. Unbridled Fury is indeed the best approach.)

A comprehensive list of helpful modifications secures this weapon the title of the best laser rifle in Starfield by far, but it's the "Instigating" feature that propels this thing to new heights. Consider that it deals 125 damage and has a range of 52. Now, imagine that the first hit on your target inflicts double the damage. 250 is not just a wake-up call for unsuspecting spacefarers and fanatics. Sometimes, it's simply the only thing needed to put an end to resistance.

2 The Last Priest

If melee combat is your bread and butter, then the Last Priest is the best bread and butter you've ever tasted. Each strike deals 90 damage, and it has that aforementioned fantastic elemental twist that offers a chance for a mix of additional damage. The Last Priest can only be yours if you follow the orders of a character named the Hunter in the late game. However, if you pass a challenging persuasion check, it will still be your reward.

There is no weapon in Starfield that is better suited for those who enjoy close combat. Even if that's not your style, consider that your enemies won't always give you a choice, so keep this blade as a favorite for unexpected encounters.

1 Magshot

Once you've defeated impressive boss-like enemies with a few quick shots from a well-modified Magshot, you'll be tempted to never use anything else again. Perhaps you shouldn't do that – Magshot ammunition isn't particularly abundant – but definitely draw it out when you need it. If you come across an Angry Magshot and increase the fire rate to something outstanding, as we have in our above picture of a modified calibrated Magshot, you'll practically penetrate anything in Starfield.

You'll want a specialized variant to truly make the Magshot shine, but once you're equipped with something clever, you'll have the best weapon in the game.