Best weapons in The Forest, listed

In The Forest, where danger lurks around every corner, knowing which best weapons will keep you alive is crucial. Whether you need the raw power of the Modern Axe, the speed of the Katana, or the stunning power of the Crafted Club, each weapon has a unique role in your arsenal.

This list highlights the best weapons in The Forest, focusing on their damage, utility, and unique traits that make them essential for survival.

Note: The article is subjective and reflects the writer's views. The entries are ranked in no particular order.

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Listing 9 best weapons in The Forest

1) Modern Axe

Modern Axe is made from carbon steel + fiberglass shaft (Image via Endnight Games)

First up is the Modern Axe, which is one of the best weapons in The Forest. Found in the Hanging Cave (Cave 2), this tool is not just a tree chopper but a deadly combat weapon. It deals heavy damage — more than three times that of the katana —making it an excellent choice for dispatching enemies.

It swings slower than the Plane Axe but packs a punch, and with nine bars of block, it’s great for defense too. While it’s a bit of a trek to get, once you do, it’s a game-changer.

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2) Incendiary Spear

Incendiary Spear in the list of Best weapons (Image via Endnight Games)

Take a spear and add fire, and you get the Incendiary Spear. It’s just like the Upgraded Spear but with the added benefit of setting enemies on fire. This weapon is excellent for both ranged and melee combat, and since it doesn’t require a lighter to ignite, it’s quick and efficient.

You can craft it by combining an upgraded spear, booze, and cloth. In multiplayer, a group of players wielding incendiary spears can easily defeat large hordes of enemies or bosses.

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3) Modern Bow

Modern Bow is perfect for landing headshots (Image via Endnight Games)

For those who prefer to take enemies out from a distance, the Modern Bow is a solid pick. Located in Cave 7 (Chasm Cave), this bow delivers the highest damage for a chopping tool, offers precision, and can be used with various arrows, including fire and poison-tipped ones.

Mastering it takes some practice, but once you do, you can land headshots for instant kills. It's also a reliable stealth weapon that allows you to pick off enemies without alerting others, making it one of the best weapons for both combat and gathering resources.

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4) Molotov Cocktail

Molotov Cocktail can be stored in Explosives holder and Catapult (Image via Endnight Games)

When it comes to burning things down, the Molotov is one of the best weapons bets in the game. It creates an area of fire that deals damage over time and can hit multiple enemies if they wander in. While not the safest to use in tight spaces (you might burn yourself), it’s a great tool for wiping out groups of cannibals or mutants.

You can craft Molotovs using booze and cloth and carry up to nine Molotovs in your inventory, making it a reliable weapon.

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5) Flare Gun

The Flare Gun in The Forest is based on Orion 12 Gauge (Image via Endnight Games)

The Flare Gun is another powerful ranged weapon, especially for dealing with mutants. Found in the cockpit of a plane in the snow biome, this gun shoots flares that set enemies on fire, causing them to take continuous damage. The main downside is that the reload animation has slowed down the firing rate significantly since v0.65, which means you must plan your shots carefully.

However, its fire damage and ability to light trees on fire (destroying them completely, including the stump) makes it one of the best weapons for both offense and survival.

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6) Dynamite

You can carry up to 5 sticks of Dynamite and can be found in Hanging Caves and cannibal villages (Image via Endnight Games)

Dynamite is one of the most destructive weapons in The Forest. It’s a throwable explosive that can blow up enemies like cannibals, trees, and obstacles with ease. The explosive radius is large enough to take out multiple enemies at once, and it can be placed directly on trees to make them collapse, providing you with logs.

You can also use it to blow open secret caches or rock walls in caves. However, Dynamite has a short fuse (around three seconds), and it can be tricky to use without hitting yourself or your structures.

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7) Upgraded Spear

Upgraded Spear is a great stump remover in The Forest (Image via Endnight Games)

If you like to fight on the move, the Upgraded Spear is a great choice in this list of best weapons. It’s one of the few weapons in The Forest that lets you sprint while swinging, which makes it perfect for hit-and-run tactics. However, it’s not as effective in group fights because it can’t block, leaving you vulnerable to attacks from multiple cannibals.

Its area damage is limited compared to other weapons like the Modern axe or katana. However, when properly lined up, it can pierce through multiple enemies. The weapon can be crafted or found in cannibal huts.

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8) Crafted Club

The Crafted Club is mostly used by Cannibals (Image via Endnight Games)

The Crafted Club is a slow but powerful weapon, offering the highest block stat in the game. Crafted from one stick and one skull, it deals significant damage and provides a great block against incoming attacks, similar to the Modern Axe and Crafted Axe. While the Crafted Club has short range, its heavy swing can knock enemies back, particularly when used in multiplayer.

A single hit is often enough to stagger or knock down an enemy, leaving them vulnerable to a second strike. The club is especially powerful in groups, where one player’s strike can disrupt enemies and set up the rest of the team for follow-up attacks.

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9) Katana

The Katana found in Cave 1 (Dead Cave) in The Forest (Image via Endnight Games)

The Katana is one of the fastest melee weapons in the game, allowing you to continuously attack an enemy, preventing retaliation. Though it has low damage output compared to other best weapons like the Modern Axe, its speed provides adequate compensation, as more hits equal more opportunities to deal damage.

The Katana has a wide arc for attacks, making it especially useful for dealing with crowds of enemies. However, this weapon has limited blocking capabilities (rated 0), making it difficult to defend against stronger enemies.

Also check out: How to get rock bag in The Forest