Atomfall weapon tier list

The Quarantine Zone is dangerous in Atomfall, especially when you’re just starting out, so you’ll need to be equipped with the best weapons to survive.

When you first step out of the bunker and into the Cumbrian countryside, you’re given the freedom to go off and unravel the mystery in any way you choose. You can carefully search around for leads or brute force your way into The Interchange.

Either way, at some point you’re going to need some weapons if you want to keep the outlaws or radioactive monsters away. But with ammo tough to find and enemies that deal plenty of damage, it’s crucial to run the strongest firearms or melee tools.

So, here is our tier list of the best weapons to help you survive the early hours in Atomfall.

Best Atomfall weapon tier list

Our tiers

• S: The best
• A: Very good
• B: There might be situations where these can perform well
• C: Best to avoid unless you find yourself drawn to them

These are just our rankings based on the weapons you can find in the first few hours. Once you get out of the first area, a whole new range of options will become available that might serve you better towards the endgame.

S-tier weapons in Atomfall

Bow

Rebellion

The bow is comfortably the best weapon in Atomfall, especially when fighting against regular outlaws or druids. Combat can be punishing in the Quarantine Zone, so stealth is often the best way to approach an area if you don’t want to be overwhelmed.

Firing the bow makes virtually no noise, so you can easily pick off a few enemies without being seen. Plus, it’s a one-shot headshot from any range, which helps you conserve ammo.

Speaking of ammo, you’ve probably noticed that it can be hard to come by, but arrows are more common than most weapons as Druids tend to have at least one archer in their group. So, not only is it a great starter choice, but you’ll also find yourself falling back on it throughout your journey.

Lee No. 4

Rebellion

Any weapon that can one-shot is an absolute must in a survival game and the Lee No. 4 rifle is exactly that. Although it lacks the scope, it’s the closest thing to a proper sniper rifle you’re going to find and it’s perfect for quickly taking out any enemy.

In fact, not having a scope is actually its greatest strength, because it even makes it easy to use at closer ranges.

It makes short work of human targets with a shot to the head, and even the infected enemies go down after a few shots. Whenever I came across Ferals or the spongier Thalls and I needed to deal big damage quickly, this was always my go-to.

A-tier weapons in Atomfall

Leamington 12 Gauge

Rebellion

Most enemies in Atomfall tend to run directly at you with melee weapons, so the Leamington 12 Gauge is a great counter. Just like the options further up this list, it can kill most targets in one shot at close range, while a Feral might take a couple to defeat.

It’s a very reliable choice and you should always keep one on you just in case. However, the only drawback keeping it out of S-tier is that it only fires one shot before a lengthy reload animation. It’s not a deal-breaker if you time your shots well and use the kick to earn some breathing room, but it makes it less viable against more aggressive enemies.

Heavy Survival Knife

Rebellion

There are plenty of melee weapons you can pick up across the zone and most of them are serviceable. But when it comes to balance, the Heavy Survival Knife stands above the rest and should never leave your inventory.

Most melee options either hit hard but take an age to swing, or have less damage but can be swung repeatedly. This is the ideal middle ground, ensuring that every hit is a big one without leaving yourself exposed to a follow-up.

B-tier weapons in Atomfall

Terrier .22

Rebellion

The Terrier .22 rifle suffers from the opposite problem of the shotgun, boasting a forgiving fire rate but dealing little damage. Unless you’re hitting headshots every single time, most targets can withstand as many as four shots before going down.

However, if you’re low on health and want to take out a smaller group of outlaws from mid-range it’s a very solid pick. Just consider switching to something else if they start to close you down.

MK.VI Revolver

Rebellion

Chances are the MK.VI Revolver will be one of the first non-melee weapons you come across, but it only really works as a last resort until you find bigger and better guns. The semi-auto fire rate can get you out of tough situations if you’re accurate, and being able to fire six shots before reloading is extremely useful.

However, the reason it finds itself so far down on our tier list is its glaring lack of damage. Even a true marksman would struggle to kill any stronger enemy in less than six shots, so it’s best left behind after the opening hour or so.

C-tier weapons in Atomfall

Hatchet

Rebellion

The hatchet is the very first weapon you collect after waking up, so you might want to keep hold of it as long as possible. However, sticking with it for too long will place you at a major disadvantage, as it just doesn’t hit as hard as the Heavy Survival Knife.

Trying to fend off more than one enemy with it is an uphill battle, as you’ll land blow after blow with seemingly no reward. So, as soon as you spot a better melee weapon on the ground, don’t hesitate to upgrade.

Axe

Rebellion

To its credit, the axe does deal a ton of damage if you can land a direct hit but doing that is easier said than done. This weapon is big and very heavy, so it requires a long wind-up to swing, by which time you’ve probably already been hacked to death.

It’s tempting to pick it up, especially after a Druid takes down most of your health bar with it. But outside of the occasional one-on-one fight, the picks further up this list will serve you much better.

For more on Atomfall, be sure to check out how long it takes to beat the story and the best places to find Atomic Batteries.