Steelrising guide - What are the best weapons in the game?

French developer Spiders’ latest offering, Steelrising, has many thematic and outstanding weapons that players can pick up. Thankfully, some have the potential to be better than others. While the French Revolution was a bloody, violent affair, players will have access to several tools to shift the outcome in their favor in this alternate history.

Players control Aegis in this soulslike title and can equip her with two weapons at the same time, but some are better than others. What weapons should players be seeking in Steelrising? Here are some choice options.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the writer's opinion.

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What weapons should players focus their time on in Steelrising?

1) Body of Work (Power)

Sometimes, the earliest weapons in the game will be the best. In this case, the Warhammer known as Body of Work is an excellent option in Steelrising. While it’s a slow Warhammer, the spiked scroll weapon has the chance to be a player’s best friend.

If a player builds around this weapon and upgrades it thoroughly, it will be a satisfying weapon. Yes, it’s slow, but it also does incredibly high damage and has the power to stun or knock down even large, terrifying foes.

It also comes with the Shield special ability, which, as its name implies, creates a shield to block incoming attacks. It’s a wonderful, satisfying weapon to use.

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2) Charleville 1789 Shield Mustket (Alchemy)

The first area of Steelrising, as it turns out, is home to a handy alchemical weapon, the Charleville 1789 Shield Musket. It can be found in a chest in the first area after climbing through the gardens, and it’s worth going out of the way for.

The Charleville 1789 Shield Musket is a frost-damage ranged weapon, and it can freeze foes by damaging them enough times with it and filling up the frost meter. The musket works on regular enemies and bosses alike. It’s worth noting that enemies that also use Frost attacks will be resistant and likely cannot be frozen.

Even without an Alchemy build, the Shield Musket is worth having for its ability to freeze enemies. The weapon requires Alchemical Capsules, so bear that in mind.

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3) Falchion and Sabre (Agility)

Sometimes, Steelrising players will want to strike fast but also hard. The Falchion and Sabre, found in the first area of the game, can do just that. Players can find the weapon before reaching the dock that leads to Paris.

It has incredible extra moves that synergize well with fast attacks, such as Dash and Sprint Attack. But what makes it shine is Blade Tornado, which is a charge attack, but when it's activated, the player spins, swords out, striking like a whirling dervish.

While it will likely drain your stamina meter, it’s going to hit incredibly often, devastating whatever happens to be the target. It’s easily one of the best weapons to pick up.

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4) Nemesis Claws (Agility)

Players can also find Nemesis Claws early in the game as an agility option. This pair of massive claws are located in the first area, in a chest, before the dirt path heads into the forest. Steelrising players will appreciate the swift strikes and reasonable damage from these.

Nemesis Claws also help close the gap between you and your foes, thanks to their lunge attacks. They can inflict Immobilization, which can be done by filling up a meter. Each enemy has a meter that fills when these are equipped, and when it fills, they become Immobilized. It also works on bosses, allowing players to land serious critical strikes on virtually anything.

Nemesis Claws are also home to the Counterattack ability, which reverses an enemy strike to deal lots of damage. It requires precise timing, though, so be ready to use it.

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5) Fire Chain (Power, Agility, Alchemy)

Players can find the best chain weapon in this soulslike game at the second level. After an encounter with the Assault Acolyte in the church graveyard, players will find an open courtyard. Aegis will encounter an enemy pack of Light Jaguars and Assault Acolytes here.

What makes this Steelrising weapon so great is its solid damage and excellent range. It can even extend its reach further during certain attacks. On top of that, it scales with Power, Agility, and Alchemy. Not every player is going to go with just one stat, so it can be the perfect Hybrid build weapon.

Fire Chain's special attack, Invocation of Fire, is the real winner. It sets the chain on fire, dealing extra fire damage to anyone that gets struck. The chain can also light enemies on fire, adding a DOT to your attacks. It takes some practice, but it’s great at all ranges, making it an excellent selection.

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Steelrising launched on September 8, 2022, and has a number of awesome weapons to pick up, but these are the best options and are even found relatively early in the game. This is useful, so players of a variety of classes can find them early on and begin focusing on their upgrades to create devastating tools of war.