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Enshrouded

EDITORIAL TIER LIST

Weapon Tier List

Every weapon family ranked after Update 8's focus specials and heavy attacks. Armor is not ranked.

Game version:
Update 8 / v0.9.1.2
Reviewed:
Sep 9, 2026
10 entries

Tier board

S

Best in class. Build around these first.

A

Strong and reliable in most situations.

B

Useful in specific situations or party roles.

Scope

The ten weapon families you can craft or find, judged for general progression and boss fights. Named weapons are listed as examples of each family. Armor and shields as gear are excluded because this site does not rank armor sets.

How we rank

Ranks weigh safety, consistency across enemy types, stun-bar pressure, and how quickly a weapon recovers after a miss. Update 8 added a focus bar with weapon-specific specials and heavy attacks to every melee weapon, so families that gained both rank higher than before.

SS TierBest in class. Build around these first.

SRanged · Piercing

Bows (Shortbow / Longbow)

  • Ranged
  • Safe
  • Solo
  • Focus special

The safest weapon family in Enshrouded: pick fights from range, add 10% piercing damage on every hit, and finish with the Update 8 focus special.

Why it ranks here

  • The Ranger tree (Marksman, Sharpshooter, Multi Shot) scales it hard
  • Special arrows add elemental answers without a staff

Tradeoffs

  • Arrow supply matters on long expeditions
  • Weak once enemies close in unless you swap weapons
Damage type
Piercing (+10% on hit)
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Draconian Bow, Dragon's Wing, Forsaken

How to get

Crafted and upgraded through the Huntress; strong loot from bosses and chests.

SMelee · Cutting

One-handed Swords (+ Shield)

  • Melee
  • Forgiving
  • Co-op
  • Focus special

Quick recovery, a heavy attack, a focus special, and a shield in the other hand: the most forgiving melee kit for learning bosses.

Why it ranks here

  • Blocking gives a clean answer to every mistake
  • Swift Blades (Warrior) speeds up one-handed attacks

Tradeoffs

  • Less reach and burst than any two-handed weapon
Damage type
Cutting
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Bronze Sword, Dragon Sword, Aurora Sword

How to get

Blacksmith crafting and upgrades; shields became rune-upgradable in Update 8.

AA TierStrong and reliable in most situations.

ATwo-handed · Cutting / Piercing

Greatswords

  • Burst
  • Stun
  • Focus special

Update 8 rebuilt the greatsword chain and gave it a heavy attack that doubles damage and stun: a huge payoff for players who commit to timing.

Why it ranks here

  • Reach plus penetration handles groups and armored foes
  • Barbarian finishers (Whirlwind Crescendo) reward the long chain

Tradeoffs

  • Long animations punish mistimed swings
Damage type
Cutting / Piercing
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Fool's Demise, Fine Copperblade Greatsword

How to get

Blacksmith; the attack chain was rebuilt in Update 8.

ATwo-handed · Blunt

Two-handed Hammers

  • Stun
  • Defense breaker
  • Focus special

The defense breaker: blunt hits fill stun bars fastest, and the Update 8 heavy attack doubles that impact.

Why it ranks here

  • Stuns open shielded and armored enemies

Tradeoffs

  • Slowest recovery in the game after a miss
Damage type
Blunt
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Dreadbane, Chieftain's Hammer, Aerostriker

How to get

Blacksmith; attack chain reworked in Update 8.

ATwo-handed · Cutting

Two-handed Axes

  • Sustained DPS
  • Focus special

Sustained cutting damage through the reworked Update 8 chain: the two-hander for players who want damage without the hammer's stun focus.

Why it ranks here

  • Steady damage across the whole chain

Tradeoffs

  • Commitment without the hammer's stun payoff
Damage type
Cutting
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Champion's Axe, Deeproot Axe, Executioner's Axe

How to get

Blacksmith; attack chain reworked in Update 8.

ADual-wield · Cutting

Daggers

  • Burst
  • High skill
  • Focus special

Fast, mobile, and built for Sneak Attack's +900% backstabs. Devastating openers, thin margins once you are seen.

Why it ranks here

  • Quick attacks recover instantly after a miss
  • Slice And Dice boosts bow damage after a dagger crit

Tradeoffs

  • Short reach makes groups dangerous
Damage type
Cutting
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Adorned Drakling Daggers, Circus Knives, Crystal Knives

How to get

Blacksmith crafting; Assassin skills define the playstyle.

AMagic · Shock bonus on hit

Wands

  • Ranged
  • No charges
  • Focus special

Charge-free magic damage at range. Update 8 raised wand range and gave wands a focus special, closing the gap to staffs for everyday fights.

Why it ranks here

  • Battlemage's Wand Master adds a 30% extra-projectile chance
  • Element choice per wand covers resistances

Tradeoffs

  • Lower peak damage than a staff loaded with Eternal spells
Damage type
Magic (+10% shock on hit)
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Cryptic Wand, Darya's Wand, Blizzard Wand

How to get

Alchemist crafting and upgrades; no spell charges required.

BB TierUseful in specific situations or party roles.

BMelee · Cutting

One-handed Axes

  • Crits
  • Backstab
  • Focus special

Fast axes tuned for critical hits and backstabs. Fun with Assassin or Warrior crit skills, but swords do the same job with a safer profile.

Why it ranks here

  • High crit ceilings with Veteran and Sneak Attack

Tradeoffs

  • Same reach limits as swords with less consistency
Damage type
Cutting
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Celestial Axe, Dragonsbane, Final Gambit

How to get

Blacksmith crafting and upgrades.

BMelee · Blunt

One-handed Maces & Clubs

  • Stun
  • Crowd control
  • Focus special

Blunt one-handers bring stun pressure to a shield build. Solid, but they sit between swords (speed) and hammers (impact) without owning either.

Why it ranks here

  • Stun-bar damage while keeping a shield up

Tradeoffs

  • Slower than swords, weaker stuns than two-handed hammers
Damage type
Blunt
Focus special
Yes (Update 8)
Notable weapons
Bright Morningstar, Fearsome Club, Freshblood Mace

How to get

Blacksmith crafting and upgrades.

BMagic · Fire / Ice / Shock / Shroud via charges

Staffs

  • Spellcaster
  • No focus special

The most versatile damage platform once Eternal spells are online, but the one weapon family that still has no focus special after Update 8. Keen Games says staff changes are coming.

Why it ranks here

  • Swap elements per fight by changing charges
  • Healing and utility spells only work from a staff

Tradeoffs

  • No focus special, and charge management for non-Eternal spells
Damage type
Depends on the loaded spell
Focus special
Not yet (planned)
Notable weapons
Darya's Staff, Dark Staff, Clearwater Staff

How to get

Alchemist crafting; damage comes from the spell charges you load (see the Magic Tier).

Sources checked

Update 8: Forging the PathHotfix #42 / v0.9.1.2Official Enshrouded Wiki (spells, weapons, skills)