Tier list · ranked by max damage
Best Weapons in Palworld
All 26 craftable weapons ranked by the damage value of their highest tier — verified directly against the game's data files. We list Common → Legendary attack values per tier so the ranking matches what you'll actually wield, not a tier you don't have the schematic for yet.
- 26 weapons covered
- 5 rarity tiers per weapon
- Verified from extracted game files
- Updated v0.7
14,000 ATK Legendary · pricey, slow, one-shots midlate alphas
560 ATK Legendary · high fire rate + cheap mag ammo
540 ATK Legendary · only melee with full Common→Leg progression
750 ATK · stacks 50, opens boss fights
Top 10 by Legendary damage
Damage shown is the Legendary-tier attack value when available; otherwise the highest tier the weapon ships at. Per-tier progression appears below — Common is what your first craft looks like.
Best ranged weapons
Ranged covers rifles, handguns, shotguns, and bow variants — the workhorses of mid-to-late-game encounter damage. Pick by the ammo type you already farm + tech tier you've unlocked.
Best launchers (burst)
Launcher-class weapons trade DPS for raw single-shot damage. Each round consumes a pricey sphere or rocket — keep one slotted for alpha openers, not for clearing trash.
Best melee weapons
Melee in Palworld trails ranged late-game, but the Sword stays viable because it's the only melee piece with a real Common → Legendary curve. Stone Pickaxe / Stone Axe top this list early-game only.
Throwables
All four grenade variants hit identically at 750 ATK — pick by status effect, not by damage. Ice slows, Incendiary burns, Shock paralyzes, Frag is pure damage.
Tech progression — what to craft when
Each weapon unlocks at a specific Technology level in the tech tree. Skip the wooden-club stage as soon as you can — the Makeshift Handgun at Tech 14 carries through to the early bosses; jump to the Assault Rifle at Tech 45 once you've unlocked the Weapon Assembly Line. Higher tiers require their matching Schematic (Uncommon → Legendary) held in inventory — see All Schematics for where each one drops.
Full weapon reference — A to Z
All 26 weapons alphabetically with Common and Legendary attack values for quick comparison.
| Weapon | Class | Common ATK | Legendary ATK | Tiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | Ranged | 320 | 560 | 5 |
| Crossbow | Ranged | 280 | 490 | 5 |
| Fire Arrow Crossbow | Ranged | 280 | 490 | 5 |
| Fire Bow | Ranged | 65 | 65 | 1 |
| Five Shot Bow | Ranged | 30 | 30 | 1 |
| Frag Grenade | Throwable | 750 | 750 | 1 |
| Handgun | Ranged | 250 | 625 | 5 |
| Ice Grenade | Throwable | 750 | 750 | 1 |
| Incendiary Grenade | Throwable | 750 | 750 | 1 |
| Makeshift Handgun | Ranged | 320 | 800 | 5 |
| Metal Axe | Tool | 30 | 30 | 1 |
| Metal Pickaxe | Tool | 30 | 30 | 1 |
| Musket | Ranged | 1,000 | 2,000 | 5 |
| Old Bow | Ranged | 65 | 247 | 5 |
| Poison Arrow Crossbow | Ranged | 280 | 490 | 5 |
| Poison Bow | Ranged | 65 | 65 | 1 |
| Refined Metal Axe | Tool | 60 | 60 | 1 |
| Refined Metal Pickaxe | Tool | 60 | 60 | 1 |
| Rocket Launcher | Launcher | 10,000 | 14,000 | 5 |
| Shock Grenade | Throwable | 750 | 750 | 1 |
| Stone Axe | Tool | 20 | 20 | 1 |
| Stone Pickaxe | Tool | 20 | 20 | 1 |
| Stun Baton | Melee | 10 | 10 | 1 |
| Sword | Melee | 360 | 540 | 5 |
| Three Shot Bow | Ranged | 40 | 40 | 1 |
| Wooden Club | Melee | 25 | 25 | 1 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best weapon in Palworld?▾
By raw damage, the Rocket Launcher hits hardest at 14,000 attack on its Legendary tier — but it has long cooldowns, costly ammo, and is best used as an alpha-fight burst. For sustained damage the Assault Rifle (560 Legendary attack) wins — it has the highest fire rate among ranged guns and the easiest Tech unlock (Lv 45) for the late-game.
What's the best melee weapon in Palworld?▾
The Sword is the only melee weapon with a full Common → Legendary progression (360 → 540 attack). Other melee options (Stun Baton, Wooden Club) cap at single-tier 25 attack and serve as early-game placeholders. For mining you'll want the Refined Metal Pickaxe (60 attack + best mining stat) but it's a tool, not a combat option.
Which gun should I craft first in Palworld?▾
The Makeshift Handgun is your first real firearm at Tech Lv 14 — 320 base attack, cheap to craft, accepts standard handgun ammo. Build it as soon as you can spare 5 Ingots; it'll carry you through the Sea Breeze and Twilight Dunes regions until the Crossbow (Tech 20) or Assault Rifle (Tech 45) takes over.
Are Pal weapons better than regular weapons?▾
Pal weapons (Tanzee's Assault Rifle, Pengullet's Rocket Launcher, etc.) are Partner Skill activations — only fire while that Pal is in your party and not on its own cooldown. They complement regular weapons; they don't replace them. Always pair a player-craft Tier 3+ weapon with a damage-buff Partner Skill (Anubis, Faleris, Beakon).
How do I get Legendary-tier weapons in Palworld?▾
Each weapon has a Schematic Lv 4 (Legendary) that unlocks the highest-rarity recipe at the Weapon Assembly Line. Legendary Schematics drop from boss-tower fights, Cursed Tyrant Blazamut, end-game dungeons, and oilrig chests. See our /palworld/schematics index for the full schematic family + tier roadmap.
Do throwable grenades count as weapons?▾
Yes — Frag, Ice, Incendiary, and Shock Grenades each carry 750 attack and a status effect (slow, burn, paralyze) but stack to a fixed inventory limit. They're not a primary DPS option but excellent for boss openers (Frag for raw damage, Shock for crowd control).