A screenshot from Deep Rock Galactic Survivor showing the dreadnought, a giant insectoid alien, approaching the gunner class.
Image via Funday Games

Best weapons in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

Decimate the swarms and mine the Nitra with these fantastic weapons.

Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor throws you into the mining operations all alone, and you’ll need the optimal loadout to, well, survive the onslaught of bugs emerging from every corner. So, here are the best weapons in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor which will ensure your drilling remains profitable.

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How many weapons are in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor?

DRG: Survivor has 40 weapons players can choose from, all divided up into damage types and belonging to one of the four dwarves. From regular bullet-spewing rifles to weird plasma ball generators to fire and ice, DRG: Survivor has it all. But, as with any game featuring a vast roster of weaponry, some are better than others, so we’ve collected the best of the best here for your convenience.

Best guns in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor

7) Voltaic Stun Sweeper

  • One of the best early-game options
  • Does Electrical damage
  • Goes through enemies twice

The Scout boasts one of the more robust arsenals of all the classes, and the Voltaic Stun Sweeper is a fantastic example. This throwable boomerang has a nice range and passes through enemies on its way to and from the highest HP target, electrocuting everything it touches. This weapon appears in the earliest stages of the game and can be an exceptional early choice until you reach high enough levels to unlock the rest of the weapons in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor. Paired with other electrical sources of damage, such as a change damage type on the Deepcore, it can be a deadly tool like no other for taking down large swarms.

6) Deepcore GK2

  • Easy to upgrade
  • Good Overclock options
  • Starts with the Scout

The Deepcore GK2 is a default weapon of the Scout dwarf in DRG: Survivor, and is the first weapon the player uses upon starting the game. The Deepcore is a kinetic damage-type weapon, meaning it relies on regular bullets for damage and does not apply status effects. Though it is a burst-fire weapon, with proper upgrades it basically becomes a fully automatic rifle that can even pierce through enemies if you know which power-ups to choose. For Overclocks, it has amazing options, with the best ones increasing its base damage, fire rate, and reload speed drastically.

5) Jury-Rigged Boomstick

  • Fantastic AOE damage
  • Available early
  • Great for handling swarms

One of the best weapons in the game, despite its drawbacks, is the trusty hand-cannon, the Jury-Rigged Boomstick. It’s available to the Scout during the early stages of the game and shoots in a wide cone for maximum AOE damage. With the proper upgrades its initially abysmal reload speed and fire rate can drastically improve and produce a formidable weapon capable of taking down the biggest of swarms. The Boomstick’s low ammo is another setback, though easily mitigated with the reload speed upgrades mentioned above. It may also be a smart option to switch its damage type to combine with some other status effect-oriented weapons.

4) CRSPR Flamethrower

  • Impressive swarm-killing potential
  • High damage
  • Exceptionally fun to use

Just like in the main game, the CRSPR Flamethrower is a phenomenal weapon and perfect for curbing swarms of any size and any difficulty. In DRG: Survivor, with its auto-shooting combat, the Flamethrower casts an infernal stream that circles around the player and deals continuous damage, as well as applying the burning status effect. With a few upgrades, specifically ones centered around boosting status effect damage (which can reach very high levels), the CRSPR Flamethrower becomes one of, if not the best, weapons in the game. It can also be paired with the Cryo Cannon for awe-inspiring AOE damage.

3) Cryo Cannon

Driller using the Cryo Cannon in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
The Cryo Cannon emanates an incessant beam of ice. Image via SteamCommunity/MaTsuYama
  • Can freeze an entire swarm
  • Fantastic damage
  • Covers all sides, making it perfect for tight situations

Think of the Cryo Cannon as the cold damage counterpart to the CRSPR Flamethrower. It functions essentially in the same manner by shooting a continuous and spinning ray of ice which slows down or stuns swarming bugs. Combined with other cold damage weapons, such as the Cryo Grenade throwable, it can freeze and stun an entire swarm and allow you to maneuver better around them since late game swarms can cover basically the entire map. Its damage is also fantastic, especially when upgraded, and you can expect high kill counts when using this weapon.

2) “Lead Storm” Powered Minigun

Gunner using the Minigun in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
The Minigun only shoots in one direction. Screenshot by Dot Esports
  • Fantastic rate of fire
  • Even better magazine size
  • Can only shoot in one direction and requires some maneuvering

The Gunner’s primary weapon, the Minigun is a fantastic kinetic damage weapon that fires at very high speeds and has so many bullets you’ll basically never run out. However, it’s very slow on the reload and can shoot only in the direction you’re facing, making it a challenging weapon to use, but not at all a weak one. With the right maneuvering skills and some upgrades and Overclock, the “Lead Storm” Powered Minigun can become a bug-slaughtering superweapon with a high rate of fire and reload speeds which, alongside its piercing and unexpendable magazine, will mow through swarms of any size and strength and take you to new personal records.

1) Nishanka Boltshark X-80

Scout using the Nishanka Boltshark X-80 crossbow in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor.
Nishanka’s default damage is great and only gets better. Image via Reidan/YouTube
  • Does damage of all types
  • Highly versatile
  • Synergizes with any other weapon

The Nishanka gives you the best of all damage types by cycling between electrical and acid damage types by default. This allows the weapon to do a ton of diverse damage and combine with basically any other weapon present in the game. With particular upgrades it is even given an additional two damage types to cycle through, cold and fire, making it especially useful to combine with the Cryo Grenade, Cryo Cannon, or the CRSPR Flamethrower for maximum cold and fire damage output. Also, status effect upgrades will see the Nishanka doing consistent and fantastic damage to enemies of all power levels and is a must-take weapon if you happen upon it during a playthrough.


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Author
Andrej Barovic
Strategic Content Writer, English Major. Been in writing for 3 years. Focused mostly on the world of gaming as a whole, with particular interest in RPGs, MOBAs, FPS, and Grand Strategies. Favorite titles include Counter-Strike, The Witcher 3, Bloodborne, Sekrio, and Kenshi. Cormac McCarthy apologetic.