[Top 10] RimWorld Best Weapons and How To Get Them

Updated:

01 Jul 2021

Have the best chance of surviving with these weapons!

Are you new to the Rimworld? Doesn’t it seem overwhelming at first with seemingly endless possibilities? I had so many questions when I first picked it up and I was lucky enough to have a friend walk me through the game. This handy guide will get you started on the right path to understanding this fantastic game or at least being capable of defending your humble colony.

10. Bolt-action Rifle-

Proud Kimbo sitting pretty for a picture mid hunting trip.

The bolt-action rifles of Rimworld are a valuable early game! These weapons have a considerable range and better than average damage perfect for hunting. In the hands of an accurate pawn, this gun will carry your colony until you’re able to get your hands on any of the better firearms.

What exactly sets the bolt-action rifle apart from the rest? Well:

You start the game with it in the standard Rimworld scenario.
High range, to keep your pawns out of melee.
Decent damage and armor penetration for a starting weapon.
Excellent for hunting.

Bolt-action rifle details/statistics: https://rimworld.fandom.com/wiki/Bolt-action_rifle

Getting this gun is fairly easy. You might:

Simply start with it.
Loot it from some fallen raiders!
Trade your precious resources for one when a caravan passes by.
You could go through the trouble of making it yourself, but by the time you’re able to, you’d have access to better guns anyway.

9. Chain Shotgun-

Proud Joker, demonstrating the power of the chain shotgun.

Chain Shotgun. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? If your pawn has some hearty armor you should definitely have one of these bad boys in your armory. Its short-range keeps your pawn close to the danger so it would be smart to use a mix of other ranged weapons for support. Don’t let that discourage you. With a 3-round shotgun blast, it’ll still tear through a charging Mega Sloth if your pawn is accurate.

Chain Shotgun can be devastating up-close!:

With a lucky shot or two, it’ll make short work of small raids.
When those scythers close the distance, you’ll see why you keep it around.
You’ll make a nice duster out of most manhunter animals in no time.

Chain Shotgun Details: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Chain_shotgun

How do I find a Chain Shotgun?:

One easy way is to trade for it, but you have to be lucky enough to get a good trader.
You could always have one brought to you by some brave raider. (Good Luck)
The Chain Shotgun is also a craftable item. You can make it with certain skills, materials, and research at a machining table.

8. Heavy SMG-

Not the best hunting weapon but it works against turkeys.

The Heavy SMG fires a respectable 3-round burst effective at close to medium range. It has a marginally lower armor penetration than some other guns but fires slightly faster as a trade-off. Out playing both the machine pistol and auto-pistol, the Heavy SMG is the superior submachine gun.

Heavy SMG:

Fair range, nearly equals the Assault Rifle.
Generally on the cheaper side of the list if your colony is strapped for silver.
Good DPS with the 3-round burst
Pawns are unencumbered using the Heavy SMG unlike some of the much heavier guns.

Heavy SMG Details and Stats: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Heavy_SMG

How you get it:

Heavy SMGs are one of the more common industrial firearms you might be able to trade for.
Raiders for Mercenary Gunners, Ancient Soldiers, and Town Guards will regularly equip Heavy SMGs
They’re a little cheaper to craft as well, also at the Machining table, with proper research.

7. LMG-

Heavy machinegun fire to suppress any enemy

‘Light machine gun’ is a relative term alright. Compared to some, sure, this is an LMG. But don’t let the name fool you into thinking this is a bad gun. No. This gun is great. A full rifle’s range, a 6-round burst, and high caliber to bore through armor! Its design causes it to be less reliable in very close range, but with the support of a Chain Shotgun, your colony defenses will be great.

Why LMG?:

Even the unskilled pawns can hit something if they fire enough shots.
In the hands of an expert shot, it’s amazing for crowd control.
They make great trade value when you upgrade to the Minigun!
Use the LMG to grid shooting levels on unskilled pawns

LMG Details: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/LMG

How do I get the LMG:

Similar to most other guns you can trade for this one quickly for an early game advantage.
Hopefully, you’re well equipped by the time you have raiders carrying this kind of firepower, but once you defeat them you’ll have a spare LMG or two!
Using more resources, research, and skills this gun can also be made at the machining table.

6. EMP Grenades-

Perfect for murderous robots.

Important for any colony’s arsenal is the EMP grenades. Well any grenade really, but especially EMPs. Necessary to keep around in case of mechanoids of any kind. Those robots don’t bleed like people do and having a way to stun them at close range is very comforting.

Just mechanoids? Still worth keeping the EMPs around:

Stop a swarm of scythers charging your defensive line!
Shut down the lancers long enough to get to cover!
Disable the hulking centipede long enough to blow it up!

EMP Information: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/EMP_grenades

EMPs? How do you get them?:

They are craftable at the machining table.
You can always loot them off a raider, although they aren’t likely to have the EMP grenades.
They’re also not expensive in trade.

5. Minigun-

A storm of lead thrown downrange.

If you thought the LMG was cool then you’re sure to enjoy the Minigun! Even the most useless pawns can cast a storm of bullets downrange at whatever enemy is foolish enough to run that way. Harder to get than most but worth having.

All-in-one Minigun!:

Fires a 15 round burst, bound to stagger anything running at you.
I suppose nothing is stopping you from hunting with it either.
One of the highest DPS in the game.

Minigun Detail: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Minigun

What you need to do to get one:

This gun requires more research than usual to craft, but it’s still possible to make one, or seven, at a machining table.
Luckily very few raiders carry Miniguns. They do exist so keep an eye out and be prepared!
As always it can be purchased but rest assured that it’s going to be expensive.

4. Doomsday Rocket Launcher-

Small nuke launcher!

Intimidating right? The name alone should give pause about even using it. This monster weapon is a single-use rocket launcher that fires a single explosive projectile. It causes a massive explosion for the highest single attack damage in the game.

Benefits of a one-off Nuke:

Great for defeating a late-game siege on your colony.
Any horde of enemies moving in a straight line is toast.
So much fun to fire off. You’ll be looking for excuses to use it.

Doomsday Rocket Launcher Details: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Doomsday_rocket_launcher

How do I get my hands out this WMD?:

Unfortunately, you can’t craft this weapon at all.
Raiders are RARELY equipped with these and you NEED to drop them before they’re able to fire one off at your base.
The Doomsday Rocket Launcher is also available for sale on occasion.

3. Charge Lance-

That poor guinea pig!

The Charge Lance is the super-advanced, energy-based Sniper Rifle. It has a great range, high damage, and top-notch armor penetration. The only shortcoming you might find with the Charge Lance is the slower fire rate, but with an expert pawn, you’ll be one-shotting most targets.

Charge Lance: Late game powerhouse!

Highest single-shot damage other than explosives
Awesome range.
Effective against mechanoids with high armor penetration.

Charge Lance Details/Stats: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Charge_lance

How do you find this advanced killer?:

They can be purchased from specialized vendors.
The Charge Lance can be crafted, with great skill and high-end resources, at a Fabrication Bench.
While raider mechanoids can carry them in a fight, they won’t drop them when defeated.

2. Charge Rifle-

Pew!Pew!Pew! Laser gun!

Similar to the Charge Lance, this is a burst fire rifle version of that. Sporting a much higher fire rate this gun is especially dangerous in skilled hands. Effective against all targets, the Charge Rifle should be the last gun you need.

Best gun in the game? But this is the number two slot?:

High armor penetration for your pesky mechanoids.
High damage for maximum stopping power.
3-round burst for the best and most well-rounded rifle.

Charge Rifle Information: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Charge_rifle

Charge Rifle acquisition:

In one standard RimScenario, you start with the Charge Rifle!
Thankfully raiders don’t spawn with this weapon, but some mechanoids might.
It can be crafted at the Fabrication bench similar to the Charge Lance.

1. Autocannon Turret-

Fully automated sentry gun to help defend your base.

While all the previous weapons were all good, they’re far from automated! Imagine! A colony advanced enough that you didn’t even need to worry about most raids! Your computer-controlled defense system gunned down the savage natives before they even reached your walled complex.

Why does the Autocannon deserve the number one slot?:

The mounted gun fires in a 3-round burst for good crowd control.
Well above average armor penetration, making it effective against mechanoids.
Good damage. The perfect mounted assistant for defending your colony.
Did I mention it’s fully automated?

Details about the Autocannon Turret: https://rimworldwiki.com/wiki/Autocannon_turret

Building the mighty security system:
Requires high-level research projects
Costs a lot of resources to build AND maintain.
Be wary, when heavily damaged, the turret might explode.

While the objective value of my words is questionable I do hope everyone got something from this. The value of each weapon is largely determined by how you use it and lots of chance. Strategy and planning play a huge role in how your RimColony develops. Combat is no different in many cases.