Weapons in V Rising don’t follow the same rules as most other MMOs. Each weapon type gives you the same base damage, with the extra damage on top of that coming from your other skills and abilities. That means that you can focus on using the weapon that works best for your playstyle rather than one that is categorically better than the others.

Despite this system, some weapons perform better thanks to their unique skills and attack pattern. Particularly in PvP, when other players can exploit the slow speed or limitations of some weapons, some weapons do make life much easier.

V Rising weapons ranked, from best to worst — Weapon Tier List

Each weapon in V Rising falls into one of the following seven types, though each type has different equipment levels. Whatever your chosen weapon, you should always look to upgrade your equipment once you’ve unlocked the necessary material recipes, such as Gold Ingots. While most of the weapons in V Rising have their uses, here is our pick for a tier list in the game.

1) Slasher

  • Attack Combo: 27.5% / 27.5% / 35%Elusive Strike: Dash back and forth while slashing at your enemies, dealing massive damage and inflicting slow for two seconds per hitCamouflage: Disappear from view, increasing movement speed for six seconds. Your next attack deals massive physical damage and incapacitates the enemy for three seconds.Specialty: None

Sometimes two blades are better than one. That is the case for the Slasher, which provides quick attacks with low initial damage output. This weapon is easily at the top of the field when it comes to PvP, where its Camouflage ability can turn the tide in a fight, though other weapons might shine brighter when it comes to PvE combat.

2) Sword

  • Attack Combo: 35% / 35% / 40%Whirlwind: Spin in a wide circle, slicing enemies and dealing damage continually for the duration.Shockwave: Strike the ground and summon a shockwave that deals heavy physical damage and launches enemies into the air. Recasting it teleports the player to the enemy and strikes it three times.Specialty: Vegetation

The Sword is probably the best all-around weapon in V Rising, particularly when it comes to PvE combat. The combination of attacks with a wide range of attack and crowd control makes it the best option for attacking mobs.

3) Spear

  • Attack Combo: 40% / 40% / 50%A Thousand Spears: Thrust into the enemy multiple times, dealing physical damage over eight hits. Recast it during the animation and you’ll perform an extra thrust attack that deals heavy damage and knocks the enemy back.Harpoon: Throw the spear for heavy physical damage and pull the enemy toward youSpecialty: Creatures

The Spear is a more precise weapon, forcing players to focus more on control and aim than other weapons. However, it can strike quickly and pierce through enemies standing in a line, damaging multiple enemies at a time.

4) Axe

  • Attack Combo: 45% / 45% / 55%Frenzy: Dash forward and strike an enemy, dealing massive damage. Afterward, your movement and attack speed are both increased for a short period.X-Strike: Throw two axes in the shape of an X. Each hit deals massive physical damage and slows the enemy. Hitting an enemy where both axes meet incapacitates them for 2 seconds.Specialty: Wood

Axes are a balanced weapon with a reasonable attack rate and damage, and the skills offer some decent movement around the battlefield, but they are very repetitive, and getting the most out of the X-Strike ability requires some precise aim.

5) Mace

  • Attack Combo: 50% / 50% / 60%Crushing Blow: Leap toward the cursor and slam your mace onto the ground, dealing huge damage to enemies in the area and inflicting fading snare for two secondsSmack: Hit enemies in front of you and knock them back. Also incapacitates them for a short periodSpecialty: Mining

The Mace deals the most damage per hit in the game, but its slow speed makes it less than ideal against groups of enemies. Crushing Blow can damage enemies in a wide area and help you move around the battlefield, but Smack does little more than a regular hit while knocking back an enemy.

6) Reaper

  • Attack Combo: 50% / 50% / 55%Tendon Swing: Deals massive damage to nearby enemies, knocking them back and hitting them with a fading snare for two seconds.Howling Reaper: Throw your Reaper and make it spin in place, dealing low damage over time. Also slows enemies briefly.Specialty: Undead

This weapon hits very hard but is incredibly slow. It is great against undead enemies, but the Howling Reaper ability has limited usefulness outside of planting it in a chokepoint for enemies.

7) Crossbow

  • Attack Combo: 110%Rain of Bolts: Fire a group of five bolts into the air, dealing moderate damage to enemies in the area and inflicting fading snare on themSnapshot: Fire a quick bolt that hits for heavy damage, interrupts castings, and inflicts fading snareSpecialty: None

The Crossbow allows you to keep at a distance; something shouldn’t be sniffed at in V Rising. However, it has a very low rate of fire and relies heavily on good aim, making it a poor choice for the main weapon in most situations. The interrupt ability of Snapshot can be useful in PvP, but only when engaging as part of a group of players.