Starfield: 10 BEST Weapons [Expert’s Choice]

Starfield features more than a dozen weapons, including shooters and laser rifles. But the question arises: Which is the best weapon? That’s what we’re here to discuss. This guide details the 10 best weapons and where to find them.

Unrestrained Vengeance

Best Weapon for Precise-Long Range & High Damage with Hitman Perk.

Unrestrained Vengeance is one of Starfield’s best weapons regarding the firing rate and range. As a Laser Rifle, the Unrestrained Vengeance is the perfect choice for Crowd Controlling enemies and shooting from a safe distance.

It has the most extended range out of any Laser Rifle. And the best part is that its long range doesn’t even interfere with its high accuracy. Additionally, as a Rare weapon, Unrestrained Vengeance features a Weapon Perk called Hitman, which increases your damage by 15% whenever you aim down the sight.

It doesn’t come with any sight equipped, unfortunately. But you get seven Mod slots, ensuring you can equip any sight you want. I recommend the Recon Laser Sight paired with the Long Barrel for the best performance.

How To Unlock

You’ll find the Unrestrained Vengeance when you defeat the Hunter while completing the “High Price to Pay” mission. You only need to defeat him once to receive the Unrestrained Vengeance.

Razorback

Best Weapon for powerful single-target damage with mod customization.

The Razorback is the first Pistol on this list. This high-power Pistol has a decent firing rate, though its low magazine capacity prevents it from exploiting it.

This weapon is unique because it can be equipped with up to eight Mods, a whopping number, considering its small size and low mass. However, it doesn’t come equipped with any Mods and doesn’t have any Perks, being a Common weapon.

I highly suggest the Razorback for dealing with incredible levels of single-target damage at a medium range. It doesn’t perform well at both long and short ranges.

How To Unlock

You’ll need to find the Razorback randomly in crates and loot dropped by enemies when you defeat them. Additionally, the Razorback can randomly spawn in NPC inventories.

Solstice

Best Weapon for Quick Takedowns with Energy-Based Attacks.

The Solstice is a Laser Pistol that uses 1.5 kilo Volt Lazer Ammo. It has a decent firing rate and a small magazine size, so you can quickly take down enemies in one go.

However, the Solstice has tons of recoil, meaning unless you’re up close and personal with the enemy, it will be hectic to shoot with this thing. However, given its shallow mass and its ability to be equipped with seven Mods, you should be able to master the recoil in no time.

As a Common weapon, it doesn’t feature any Perks. But you can upgrade it to the Advanced version to gain a more than four-fold boost in Energy output.

How To Unlock

You’ll find the Solstice randomly when looting crates or enemy corpses as a Regular weapon. It’s not precisely what increases your odds of finding it. But keep farming for weapons, and you’ll find it soon enough.

Big Bang

Best Weapon for Devastating Close-Quarters Damage.

One of the more potent weapons on this list, the Big Bang, is a Particle Beam Shotgun. It deals incredible damage and can shoot longer distances than other weapons.

As a shotgun, you can expect the firing rate to be meager. But you won’t need speed or recoil control when even one shot from the Big Bang packs power and punch. However, this also means that it weighs a lot.

Despite its power, it’s still a Common weapon, meaning you get no additional Weapon Pekrs. You can, however, equip up to seven Mods. I recommend the Laser Sight and Ergonomic Stock.

How To Unlock

The Big Bang is a unique weapon found only in specific Starfield merchants’ inventory. You’ll need to explore and acquire the weapon once you’re at a higher level.

Heller’s Cutter

Best Weapon for Dealing Massive Damage to Robots.

Another Rare weapon on this list, Heller’s Cutter, is a Rare Heavy Weapon that deals incredible amounts of damage in a short amount of time. This is an ionizing laser that uses the super-rare Cutter Ammo.

The firing rate of Heller’s Cutter is relatively low, as is the range. The range is even worse than most Pistols. However, it makes up for that with practically non-existent recoil and negligible mass.

As a Rare weapon, it comes pre-equipped with the Disassembler Perk that deals an additional 20% damage to all robots. Unfortunately, you can’t equip any Mods to it.

How To Unlock

Head over to the Narion System and find Vectera, the moon of Anseion. Land on the Argos Extractors Mining Outpost and enter the right building. When you enter the second room, you’ll find the Heller’s Cutter near the right.

Beowulf

Best Weapon for Early-Game Farming & Versatile Combat Situations.

The Beowulf is arguably the best Rifle in Starfield. It features a moderate firing rate, high magazine capacity, and low mass. I highly suggest the Beowulf for early-game farming and melting enemies and bosses.

What makes this weapon stand out is its range. Its bullets travel for quite some distance. However, its low accuracy means you must utilize at least one recoil-correction Mod. Speaking of Mods, you can equip up to 8 Mods on the Beowulf. I recommend the Ergonomic Grip for its recoil control.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t feature any Weapon Perks. The consistent firing speed of Beowulf idealized it for use on enemy hordes and against bosses with fat health bars.

How To Unlock

You must join the United Colonies Faction and complete some Faction Quests to get the Beowulf Rifle randomly. Additionally, you can search for it in loot for Military Outposts controlled by the faction. You can also check to see if you can buy the Beowulf from the faction vendors or trade it.

Coachman

Best Weapon for Close-Quarters Combat & Less Precision Requiring Encounters.

The Coachman is the second Shotgun on my list. However, this Shotgun is one that I recommend for short-range combat only. It features a higher damage output than most weapons in Starfield. However, the magazine capacity and firing rate are deficient.

Additionally, although it does have some range, it has poor accuracy. This is why I only recommend it for close-range combat, where a bullet can never miss. However, players can use the Coachman as a medium-range weapon if they heavily modify it with accuracy-boosting Mods.

Additionally, you have a slight chance of finding the Legendary variant of this Shotun, which can have three Perks: Lacerate, Concussive, and Bashing.

How To Unlock

The Coachman can be farmed by defeating Spacers. These are found in several locations, such as the Abandoned Mines and Deserted Mineral Plants. You can also find them in Almagest and during some Bounty Quests.

XM-2311

Best Weapon for Quick & Deadly Shots in Space Combat.

The XM-2311 is my recommendation for the best Pistol in Starfield. It features a higher firing rate than most Pistols, allowing for quick, deadly shots. Additionally, the extensive magazine lets you quickly dish out more bullets.

However, I recommend using some recoil-correction Mods on the XM-2311 due to its moderate damage. It features light .45-caliber bullets that quickly penetrate through the enemy’s flesh and deal incredible amounts of damage.

One of the biggest cons of the XM-2311 is its limited Mod slots. At just five slots, you’ll need to choose your Mods carefully. It’s a Rare Pistol found with the Space-Adept Perk, which boosts damage while in space and reduces it while traveling on a planet.

How To Unlock

Unfortunately, there is no guaranteed method for acquiring the XM-2311. Finally, you’ll need to loot enemy corpses and find containers on various planets to get your hands on one of these Pistols.

Peacekeeper

Best Weapon for Rapid-Dire, Long-Range Engagements with Extended Magazine.

The Peacekeeper is by far one of the Starfield’s best weapons. It’s a high-caliber Rare Rifle with an incredible firing rate and will quickly melt through hordes of enemies. Additionally, its more extended range makes it the best for sneaking up on bosses and maintaining distance.

Moreover, the Peacekeeper features better accuracy than other Rifles, which becomes even better when you equip Mods like the Ergonomic Stock. Speaking of Mods, you get to equip up to eight Weapon Mods on the Peacekeeper. It’s a potent weapon that removes tons of damage quickly.

Additionally, being a Rare weapon, you get the Extended Magazine Perk that doubles your base magazine capacity. This allows for even quicker firing without needing to reload now and then.

How To Unlock

Stay within the Altair System, and you’ll eventually get a distress call from Private Mahoney. This will start the Groundpounder side quest. Long story short, you will receive the Peacekeeper once you complete the quest.

Experiment A-7

Best Weapon for Dealing Massive Damage to Aliens with Each Shot.

Finally, we have Experiment A-7, a Rare Shotgun considered one of the most potent weapons in Starfield. It has a shorter magazine with a longer reloading time. But the amount of damage each bullet deals means you hardly need two to three shots to down an enemy.

Additionally, being a Rare weapon, you get a Weapon Perk called Exterminator. When fighting aliens, it deals 30% more damage, allowing you to melt through them quickly.

However, you will benefit from Mods like the Laser Sight and Tactical Stock, as it has poor accuracy. With those Mods, you can efficiently utilize the full range of this weapon.

How To Unlock

First, travel to the New Atlantis planet. Then, head to the Deadrock Mining Outpost and find the Experiment A-7 there. You can’t land on the Mining Outpost. Instead, use the Overlord Shuttle from the New Atlantis Spaceport to the Outpost.

Starfield has many weapons to explore, and these were just 10 of Starfield’s best weapons. I highly urge players to explore the vast universe of Starfied themselves and experiment with different weapons.

To recap, the best weapon in Starfield is the Experiment A-7, closely followed by the Peacekeeper and the XM-2311. Find and use these weapons and customize them with Mods to make the most of them.

Starfield Best Weapons Summary

Here are all the best Starfield Weapons; compared to each other:

Stats	Unrestrained Vengeance	Razorback	Solstice	Big Bang	Heller's Cutter	Beowulf	Coachman	XM-2311	Peacekeeper	Experiment A-7
Type	Laser Rifle	Pistol	Laser Pistol	Particle Beam Shotgun	Heavy Weapon	Rifle	Shotgun	Pistol	Rifle	Shotgun
Rarity	Rare	Common	Common	Common	Rare	Common	Common	Rare	Rare	Rare
Physical Attack	N/A	70	N/A	32	N/A	49	71	70	17	143
Energy	24	N/A	10	94	4	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Fire Rate	33	12	25	14	76	50	47	67	112	15
Range	66	40	30	20	3	40	20	20	48	20
Accuracy	81.5%	67.1%	69.3%	54.7%	76.7%	69.1%	38.4%	66.9%	72.2%	46.5%
Ammo	3KV LZR	7.5 MM	1.5KV LZR	Heavy Fuse	Cutter	7.77 MM	Caseless Shell	.45 Caliber	11 MM	15X25 CL Shell
Magazine	30	6	16	8	N/A	30	2	9	55	55
Mass	6.55	2.30	1.30	7.00	4.00	2.00	3.00	1.10	4.50	6.90
Mods	7	8	7	7	0	8	7	5	8	8
Perks	Hitman: Deal 15% more damage when aiming.	None	None	None	Disassembler: Deal 20% extra damage to robots.	None	None	Space-Adept: You deal 15% less damage when on a planet and 30% more damage when in space.	Extended Magazine: Base magazine capacity is doubled.	Exterminator: You deal 30% more damage to aliens.

What Would I Recommend?

As an experienced Starfield player with 40+ hours of gameplay, I would recommend the Unrestrained Vengeance for players who prefer a precise and long-range playstyle. With its exceptional firing rate, extended range, and the Hitman perk providing a 15% damage boost when aiming down sights, the Unrestrained Vengeance stands out as an ideal choice for crowd control and it helped me take down enemies from a safe distance. Its mod slots also allow for customization, adding versatility to suit different combat situations.

Additionally, the Peacekeeper is another top recommendation, especially for those who favor rapid-fire engagements and extended-range combat. As a high-caliber Rare Rifle, the Peacekeeper boasts an incredible firing rate, better accuracy than other rifles, and the Extended Magazine Perk, doubling its base magazine capacity. This feature allows for sustained firepower, making it highly effective in handling hordes of enemies or engaging in prolonged battles. With up to eight mod slots, players can further enhance the Peacekeeper’s performance to match their preferred playstyle.