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With much higher damage than their standard counterparts and powerful unique effects to boot, Mk6 Unique weapons are the very best weapons in Dune Awakening. After the introduction of Overland Testing Stations, the weapons in this Tier List can now be found at higher Grades (with increased damage) and fitted with Augments that improve their stats.
This tier list considers both PVE and PVP content and has been created to help you think about which Schematics are worth pushing for in the Overland Testing Stations, Deep Desert, or the Landsraad.
Note: This Tier List will be a living Tier List, updated as new Chapters of content are released and balance patches change the meta.
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Dune Awakening Best Weapons - Tier List
The following Tier List is focused solely on Mk6 Unique weapons, the highest tier, and most powerful weapons in the game. The power of these weapons can be seen at all Grades, however some require at least one Augment to truly reach their peak.
S-Tier Discussion
The best items in the game, universally useful and a top priority in the Landsraad.
Perforator
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Perforator database page.
The Perforator is an incredibly powerful shotgun (scattergun) with massive burst damage and incredible sustained damage. It can stagger targets with every shot and apply Bleed, the strongest damage-over-time effect. At high grades it can one-shot an unshielded player and decimate boss health bars. This gun really shines when paired with the Attractor Field Skill and Center of Mass Technique, enabling you to crush the Overland Testing Stations.
Regis Tripleshot Repeating Rifle
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Regis Tripleshot Repeating Rifle database page.
The Regis Tripleshot Repeating Rifle ironically performs best after expanding the Clip Size with Jabal Spitdart Expander, allowing you to fire up to 12 times before reloading. The damage output is amazing at mid-range, making it the perfect companion to take with a Perforator or Shellburster. Its shots apply poison, which doesn't scale as well as bleed, but can still be useful in PVP.
Shellburster
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Shellburster database page.
The Shellburster is a shotgun (scattergun) that has comparable sustained DPS and stagger to the Perforator, but lacks the burst damage. It can fire six times before reloading, compared to the Perforator's four shots, but instead of bleed the Shellburster fires incendiary rounds which apply Fire Damage on hit. The burning effect applied by the Shellburster can go through shields, however the fire damage is most valued in Testing Station 195 (Poison), because it can be used to clear poison clouds.
Static Needle
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Static Needle database page.
Static Needle has a unique effect that drains an additional 25 Power (Shield) on hit. Melee weapons aren't very efficient for breaking shields, so this effect is essentially useless in endgame content. The reason Static Needle still gets placed in S-Tier is because rapiers are just that good. Rapier heavy attacks have the furthest reach out of all the melee weapons, allowing you to chain heavy attacks together and not miss. The rapier moveset has a higher skill floor than the other melee weapons, and the parry window takes some time to adjust to, but it is one of the most rewarding weapons to master.
In PVP melee weapons have fallen out of favour and the Static Needle's parry timing makes it very difficult to use.
Replica Pulse-sword
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Replica Pulse-sword database page.
The Replica Pulse-sword is the equal highest damage melee weapon in the game and provides a small Stamina boost on its parry. Sword parries trigger an AoE stagger, making them the best choice for engaging two or more enemies at once. The Replica Pulse-sword is one of the most beginner friendly melee weapons and remains a strong choice in the hands of veteran players.
Swords in PVP struggle to match up against the current ranged meta and the Replica Pulse-sword is no exception. The unique effect of this sword provides the most value in PVE, where parries can be performed more frequently.
Replica Pulse-knife
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Replica Pulse-knife database page.
The Replica Pulse-knife's unique effect grants a minor stamina boost on each successful hit, allowing attack spammers to mash away without quickly depleting their stamina bar. Knife heavy attacks have longer reach than swords, making the Replica Pulse-knife a nice compromise between the sword and rapier. In some PVE scenarios the Replica Pulse-sword's AoE parry will be better, but if you'd like a little more reach and rapiers aren't for you, then the Replica Pulse-knife is a solid choice.
Knives in PVP suffer the same weakness as other melee weapons in this meta and attacks hit a lot less reliably. If you were determined to use a knife in PVP, a Cauterizer with its burning effect would be a better choice.
Regis Disruptor Pistol
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Regis Disruptor Pistol database page.
Don't let this pistol's damage stat fool you, this gun is a shield breaker and is best used in PVP. The Regis Disruptor Pistol fires charged shots that have the potential to one-shot enemy shields, creating an opening for you to switch to a secondary weapon and finish them off. The Regis Disruptor Pistol functions well as a mid-range shield breaker, but for close range engagements there's A Dart For Every Man.
A Dart For Every Man
Source, stats & crafting info available at our A Dart For Every Man database page.
The Dart For Every Man SMG deals high shield damage per shot and can obliterate shields in close quarters. It's commonly used as part of a combo in PVP executed by using Weirding Step, dropping a Gravity Mine, and firing at your opponent while they're unable to dodge.
In PVE A Dart For Every Man requires you to be uncomfortably close to your enemy and its damage output and shield breaking capabilities don't make up for that added danger.
Black Market K-28 Lasgun
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Black Market K-28 Lasgun database page.
For its intended purpose, the Black Market K-28 Lasgun cannot be matched. The Lasgun is the best weapon in the game for dealing structural damage and is essential for raiding bases in PVP. It also has strong vehicle damage, which many players have capitalised on by "surfing" a friend's ornithoptor and Lasgunning carriers out of the sky.
In PVE, the Lasgun's damage against bosses is not very strong. However, it offers a unique playstyle and when compared to other heavy weapons, deals decent damage.
The Ancient Way
Source, stats & crafting info available at our The Ancient Way database page.
This missile launcher is an incredible weapon that fires rockets which can lock on, making it much easier to take down or seriously damage Ornithopters from the ground. High grade Ancient Ways can destroy Ornithopter components in a single rocket, elevating their threat from dangerous to deadly.
In PVE The Ancient Way's boss DPS isn't very impressive however its ability to deal with groups of enemies is unmatched. In Testing Station 89 (Radiation) it makes cleaning up boss adds a breeze and can even be used to take on the hordes in Testing Station 24 (Dark).
Ambition
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Ambition database page.
Ambition is one of a several weapons making its way into S-tier because of its power in PVP. Ambition can fire drillshots at long range with high accuracy, allowing you to apply pressure wherever your opponent is. Slotting an Augment like Drillshot FK7 Sprayer turns this weapon into a relentless harasser, letting you wear down your opponent's stamina until they are depleted and vulnerable.
The performance of drillshots like Ambition is disappointing in PVE, due to their low and unreliable damage. Ambition would be joining the other drillshots in C-Tier if not for its use case in PVP.
A-Tier Discussion
Powerful or useful items, but usually somewhat niche or situational.
Seethe
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Seethe database page.
Seethe is a three-round pistol capable of inflicting high headshot damage and gives other meta choices a run for their money. The base headshot multiplier of Seethe is 2x, whereas other weapons have a base headshot multiplier of 1.5x. Seethe doesn't rely on Attractor Field, staggering, or other gimmicks to deal damage. All the Seethe needs is a Rafiq Snubnose Heavy Kit Augment and it can put out some very respectable damage numbers. The Seethe requires consistent headshots for peak performance and can be more difficult to use than the shotgun or Tripleshot, but it offers a great change of pace.
Weapons that require headshots don't tend to fare as well in PVP and the Seethe is competing with a lot of high rate of fire, lower skill alternatives.
Experimental Lightning Gun
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Experimental Lightning Gun database page.
New in Chapter 3, the Experimental Lightning Gun is the weapon of choice for shield breaking in PVE. The Lightning Gun is an energy weapon that drains your power to shoot, firing in bursts and cracking enemy shields at mid-range. Its health damage is underwhelming and people typically pair it with a higher damage weapon to finish enemies off after breaking their shields.
When used in PVP with a sufficiently high-grade and Augments, the Experimental Lightning Gun can kill a player in two to three bursts.
Spike Hilt Sword
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Spike Hilt Sword database page.
Spike Hilt Sword parries apply bleed to the attacker, dealing substantial damage to players in PVP. This sword is still strong in PVE, but the bleed effect does not scale well and is not as useful as the Replica Pulse-sword's stamina recovery. It still has the same high damage and AoE parry that makes swords so strong, so it keeps a place in A-tier.
In PVP the bleed effect is substantial, but the sword faces the same problem as other melee weapons in a ranged heavy meta.
Halleck's Pick
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Halleck's Pick database page.
Rapiers deal less damage than swords, but they make up for it other ways, providing substantial reach, speed, and a moveset that is rewarding to master. Halleck's Pick unique effect applies poison on hit however the poison damage doesn't scale very well into endgame content. The shield breaking effect of the Static Needle may be useless, but Halleck's Pick poison effect is sometimes seen as a negative because damage-over-time effects will interrupt crowd control skills like Compel.
The poison effect is nice to have in PVP, but the difficulty of parrying and overall poor state of melee in PVP right now makes this weapon not ideal.
Cauterizer
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Cauterizer database page.
The Cauterizer shares the same stats as the Replica Pulse-knife, but with a different unique effect that applies fire damage on hit. It has all the advantages of other knives in its class, speed, decent reach, and single target parry.
As with poison, once applied, a Fire Damage DoT bypasses shields, which can be incredibly useful in all content types but especially in PVP.
B-Tier Discussion
Decent items, situationally useful but probably not worth going out of your way for.
Burning Blades
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Burning Blades database page.
Burning Blades might be one of the most fun melee weapons in the game, but their short reach and lower damage output make them difficult to place above B-Tier. They can perform fast, sweeping attacks, allowing you to dive into enemies applying burn damage on hit with their unique effect. However, as with Halleck's Pick, the burning damage can work against you by canceling crowd control effects such as Compel.
For PVP the reach is a huge problem, especially in a meta that is already struggling to find a place for melee weapons. Against a competent opponent, you will feel this weapon's shortcomings a lot more noticeably.
Plasma Cannon
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Plasma Cannon database page.
Plasma Cannon is an energy heavy weapon that flies under the radar for a lot of players, and with the nerf to energy weapons against bosses the Plasma Cannon has almost been left out of the conversation entirely. Plasma Cannon makes it into B-Tier, primarily for its use in PVP, where it finds a niche in group fights for situations where you can take advantage of its high rate of fire and damage. If you can reduce a Plasma Cannon's energy usage to 17 with Augments, you can fire it indefinitely without running out of energy. It can also be fun to use in PVE, but its boss damage is fairly disappointing.
Sardaukar Intimidator
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Sardaukar Intimidator database page.
The Sardaukar Intimidator is an SMG similar to A Dart For Every Man, with the main difference being its effective clip size. The Sardaukar Intimidator consumes two darts per shot, effectively halving its clip size, so you'll be spending more time reloading. SMGs are mostly used for PVP and for that purpose A Dart For Every Man is the preferred choice.
Dunewatcher
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Dunewatcher database page.
Dunewatcher is a scoped sniper rifle that fires high damage darts that apply poison on hit. This weapon was once a favourite in PVP for applying poison to targets at long range, but since Chapter 3 the meta has shifted away from damage-over-time effects in favour of upfront damage. The scope and high effective range still make the Dunewatcher a fun choice in PVE, but its damage doesn't compete with other close range weapons.
Feyd's Drinker
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Feyd's Drinker database page.
Feyd's Drinker is identical in stats to the Replica Pulse-knife, but worse since the unique effect is of no real value. Feyd's Drinker automatically harvests blood when you hit enemies, which can be stored in a blood bag. If you can afford to craft this weapon, you've probably surpassed the need for blood extraction and are relying on Windtraps or Deathstills for your water needs. Ignoring the effect, this weapon still functions well as a knife and has the same advantages of that weapon class. It has a nice attack speed, decent reach, and a strong single target parry.
C-Tier Discussion
Poor items which are of limited usefulness.
Penetrator
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Penetrator database page.
A high grade drillshot like the Penetrator can be useful for killing enemies in Hagga Basin to collect corpses for Death Stills. You can use it to quickly kill low level enemies by firing shield penetrating darts and applying bleed to finish them off after they go down. Unfortunately the Penetrator just doesn't cut it in higher level content, its low and sometimes inconsistent damage makes it a poor choice compared to other options.
Plastanium Pyrocket
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Plastanium Pyrocket database page.
The Plastanium Pyrocket lobs explosive balls that damage enemies in a small area and set them on fire. In theory this is great, but the area effect isn't big enough to use it effectively against groups and the damage isn't high enough to use it against single targets. The Pyrocket is competing with the high damage, larger area of effect Ancient Way and does not compare well to it at all.
Way of the Misr
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Way of the Misr database page.
Way of the Misr is an automatic Maula Pistol with decent damage and not much else going for it. It's serviceable as a sidearm, but doesn't really do anything well.
Shishakli's Bite
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Shishakli's Bite database page.
Shishakli's Bite is a Maula Pistol that fires in two-shot bursts but has poor ammo efficiency, consuming four darts for every burst. This gun's low damage, poor ammo economy, and awkward burst firing mechanism make it a poor choice whatever you're doing.
Regis Burst Drillshot
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Regis Burst Drillshot database page.
The Regis Burst Drillshot looks great at first glance — a Drillshot that fires a double burrow-dart shot. However, in reality it isn't actually all that impressive. The time it takes to charge is significant and your shield goes down from the moment you start charging. This makes you extremely vulnerable in both PVE and PVP scenarios.
When compared to its peers, like the Penetrator, which doesn't require charging, has higher damage per shot, and also applies a bleed effect, it fails to live up to it in almost every way.
Salusan Vengeance
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Salusan Vengeance database page.
The rifle Salusan Vengeance’s increased clip size is offset by its consumption of three darts per shot and the description’s reference to “explosive darts” sounds cool but the tiny AOE seems to end up damaging you with splash more than it ends up helping. The Salusan Vengeance performs rather poorly in combat and puts out disappointing damage numbers.
Indara's Lullaby
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Indara's Lullaby database page.
Indara's Lullaby has a triple-shot burst fire effect, with the final shot in the burst dealing extra damage. The DPS of this gun is poor and its unique effect doesn't provide a substantial boost in damage.
Bashar's Command
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Bashar's Command database page.
Light Machine Guns are generally much weaker than other weapon types in Dune Awakening. They are slow & cumbersome, take a long time to reload, struggle to deal with shields well, and leave you vulnerable to melee opponents. Bashar's Command does nothing to remedy these issues and as such, is relegated to the bottom of the Tier List.
Vaporizer
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Vaporizer database page.
Given how powerful fire damage can feel when used against you and how annoying those heavy flame-thrower wielding enemies are, you might think that a Vaporizer would be a great choice.
Unfortunately, flamethrowers suffer from the same issues as other heavy weapons, which makes them mostly unusable in endgame content. The Vaporizer's lack of mobility, range, and damage gives it a long list of downsides, with no upside other than how fun it is to shoot.
Glasser
Source, stats & crafting info available at our Glasser database page.
Another disappointing flamethrower that struggles to find any viable use case. Slowly moving around, dealing very little damage is not a strong lure for the prospective pyromaniac. Glasser makes its way to the very bottom of the Tier List because it has even less range than the Vaporizer.
Flamethrowers are some of the worst weapons in the game and are beaten out by almost all alternatives.