Whether you want to build a clunky tank-like class or a swift archer, there are some weapons which stand out from the rest in terms of there effectiveness. It just so happens that they are also relatively easy to acquire fairly early on in the game. Below is a list of three melee weapons and three ranged weapons which will make your life much easier in combat.

Melee Weapons¶

If you enjoy melee combat and want to focus on building a class which revolves around inflicting heavy damage at close quarters, the weapons below will serve you well.

Tuanosaur Greataxe¶

This axe can be obtained more easily than the Worldedge Greataxe or Starchild Claymore, and will aid you greatly in acquiring either for the first time. Unlike the two above, it is a craftable weapon. All you need are the following ingredients:

• x2 Alpha Tuanosaur Tail

• Brutal Greataxe

• Palladium Scrap

The Alpha Tuanosaur Tails are acquired from any Alpha Tuanosaur, with a 100% drop rate. They can be found roaming throughout the region of Hallowed Marsh, especially near the Huge Tree in the centre of the marsh. A Brutal Greataxe can be acquired from any blacksmith. If you visit a blacksmith and find that there isn’t one for sale, wait three days, after which time the inventory will reset, offering new items for purchase. The Brutal Greataxe is guaranteed to spawn after a few cycles. For the Palladium Scrap you will need to mine a Palladium Ore Vein. This can be found in any dungeon throughout Aurai. Alternatively you can purchase them from the giant named Iron Sides, who resides in Giants’ Village in Hallowed Marsh. There is also a chance that they will drop from Ash Giants, Troglodytes, Rock Mantis, Golden Minions and Specters.

Worldedge Greataxe¶

As noted in the stats for this axe, its real value is found in the fact that it deals Decay damage in addition to Physical damage. The Decay damage will negate the armour value of any mob that you encounter, inflicting devastating damage to those which are vulnerable. However, you should be careful to check the resistances of mobs that you’re fighting as some will be highly resistant to Decay damage, such as Troglodytes, Hive, and Troglodyte creatures. On almost anything else, this axe will prove extremely effective. The 48 impact is an additional bonus which will result in most mobs being overwhelmed and knocked down after a few chained heavy attacks.

To find the axe, you will need to defeat the Toxic Hive Lord, located in the Forest Hives within Enmerkar Forest. It is recommended that you fight the mob with the Tuanosaur Greataxe or a similarly high impact weapon if possible, to ensure that you can chain heavy attacks and finish it off swiftly. The Hive Lord will summon Hornet clouds which deal 7 Physical damage every 0.75 seconds, so it is important that you focus on defeating it quickly before all your health is drained. Note that the Hive Lord will explode a few seconds after you’ve defeated it, so be sure to run from the corpse before looting.

Starchild Claymore¶

This sword is one of the most powerful weapons in the game, due to the fact that it deals Lightning damage in addition to Physical damage. Some of the most powerful enemies in the game are vulnerable to Lightning damage, such as Scourge creatures and most of the major bosses, including Unknown Arena bosses. It also inflicts high impact damage, ensuring that you can frequently knock down most enemies when heavy attacks are chained or combined with light attacks. It has the standard attack speed of 1.1 for weapons of its type, but also a low Stamina cost at 6.7. You can imbue the weapon with Lightning rags and varnishes to enhance its total Lightning damage, making it extremely effective against most bosses.

To acquire the sword you will need to defeat the Royal Manticore. This mob is located in the south west of Enmerkar Forest. It can be a difficult opponent to defeat, combining quick speed, high impact damage, long-ranged attacks with its tail, and frequent firing of projectiles. In addition, there is a chance that it will apply a poison debuff with each attack, which must be cured immediately to avoid a swift death. The main weakness of the Royal Manticore is Fire, which it has -40% vulnerability to. You should therefore make use of any fire rags and varnishes that you can. It is advised that you acquire the Tuanosaur Greataxe to fight this mob, as it will provide relatively high impact damage which you can utilise to keep the Royal Manticore out of action for as long as possible as you chain attacks.

Ranged Weapons¶

If inflicting ranged damage fits more with your playstyle, the three bows below will allow you to inflict the most damage and impact, while also applying useful debuffs.

War Bow¶

If you’re dedicated to the ranged archer build, the War Bow is your first step into the higher damaging bows. It isn’t cheap at 1,000 silver from a blacksmith, but it is a required ingredient to craft the Horror Bow. Until you have the ingredients for the Horror Bow, the War Bow will serve you well with its high damage. However, the main advantage of this bow is its superior impact damage at 35, while the Horror Bow and Coralhorn Bow offer only 21 and 16 impact respectively. The applied debuff of Confusion adds to this by reducing Impact Resistance by -25%. There is a chance that you will find the War Bow in various Ornate Chests or Junk Piles scattered throughout Aurai, but if you’d rather not leave it to chance, you will find it in stock from the blacksmith in Berg (Quikiza), the blacksmith in Levant (Tokuga), or the Kazite Archer in Cierzo.

Horror Bow¶

The Horror Bow offers the most damage from any other bow in Outward, and is therefore ideal for burst damage in tight situations. If you’d rather focus on killing enemies as swiftly as possible rather than tactfully kite them, this is the bow for you. It has less impact than the War Bow, but this shouldn’t be an issue if you’re planning on obliterating everything before it reaches you. In addition to its high damage, the Horror Bow offers a useful Poison effect, which will be applied upon impact to any mob that isn’t immune. To craft the bow you will need the following:

• x2 Horror Chitin

• War Bow

• Occult Remains

To obtain the Horror Chitin you will need to defeat a Shell Horror. See here for a guide detailing how to find and defeat them. The War Bow will need to be purchased from a blacksmith for 1,000 silver if you aren’t lucky enough to find one from randomly generated loot of Ornate Chests or Junk Piles. The Occult Remains can be obtained from an alchemist in any of the major cities; Berg, Cierzo, Levant and Monsoon. Laine the Alchemist of Monsoon will always have them in stock, while the others have a chance of stocking them depending on the day.

Coralhorn Bow¶

The Coralhorn Bow is cheaper to craft than the Horror Bow, and arguably easier to obtain. As a result it provides 5 less base damage, but it does inflict the Pain debuff, creating a weakness to Physical resistance for any mob which isn’t immune to it. You may want to carry this bow for specific fights where this debuff might prove useful, but in reality it will probably function as an intermediate between a Recurve Bow and the War Bow. To craft it you will need the following:

• x2 Coralhorn Antler

• Recurve Bow

• Crystal Powder

The Coralhorn Antlers can be acquired from any Alpha Coralhorn. These are found only in the Enmerkar Forest region, but are fairly common throughout the forest. They shouldn’t prove much of a challenge in the fight, but you should avoid their incoming charges, which can knock you down with ease. They are highly resistant to Frost damage, but equally vulnerable to Fire damage. The Recurve Bow can be purchased from any blacksmith in Berg, Levant or Monsoon, but is rare to be found from the blacksmith in Cierzo. Finally, the Crystal Powder can be crafted by combining 4 Mana stones, looted from a Ghost Plant, or looted from most Golem creatures in Enmerkar Forest or Abrassar. Alternatively, you can purchase some from the lost merchant in the slums of Levant, Tamara.