Mass Effect: Andromeda has nearly 70 weapons to find, research, and craft, plus I–X upgrade tiers for each gun. With so many options — and not nearly enough research data in a single playthrough to upgrade every weapon — it can be difficult to tell which guns are actually worth the resources.
You’ll unlock the best weapon blueprints as you advance beyond Level 25, so keep plugging away at quests to grab access to the best of the best. That said, we’ve collected our picks for the most powerful and versatile weapons in the Andromeda galaxy, so you don’t waste time fighting Kett with a terrible weapon.
Whether you prefer a close-range shotgun, hyper-accurate sniper, or a hammer to bash foes, we recommend limiting yourself to these weapons.
Further reading
Assault rifles
Falcon Assault Rifle
The Falcon isn’t just an assault rifle: It’s a grenade launcher. There are actually quite a few guns that really shoot bombs in Andromeda, and that’s helpful for collateral damage when you’re shooting at Kett in cover and blasting away at the toughest enemies in the game.
Valkyrie Assault Rifle
When you want something more precise, the Valkyrie is your gun. It’s an assault rifle that only fires two-round bursts, making it great for headshots and other precision work. If you’re the kind of player that wants to stay in cover and drop enemies from afar, the Valkyrie is a handy option that won’t waste your time spraying bullets.
X5 Ghost
Grenade launchers and semi-auto rifles aside, the Ghost is the only “traditional” automatic assault rifle to make our list, just beating out the powerful but inaccurate Revenant. Its excellent accuracy and ammo capacity, plus a decent rate of fire and clip size, make it the perfect weapon for whittling enemies’ health down from afar. The main negative is its sponginess, making it too weak to work well on Insanity.
Shotguns
Reegar Carbine Shotgun
The Reegar packs a punch, as all shotguns must, but it’s also handy for breaking down enemy shields. This makes it great for front-line fighters who need something to make big baddies vulnerable in a hurry. The Reegar’s electrically-charged blasts also damage nearby enemies, so you’ll get a little more punch out of it against tightly grouped bad guys than a standard shotgun.
Dhan Shotgun
This Kett shotgun is more than a simple, close-range powerhouse. The Dhan unleashes a group of projectiles that stay packed during flight, making it comparatively effective at long range. They fly in a bit of an arc, which takes a minute to get used to, but it means you’ve got shotgun power you can use at midrange. Save your resources until you can research and build the top tier for this one to get the full effect.
Ruzad Shotgun
The Ruzad is slow-firing and low-capacity, but it packs a big punch. It’s designed to stagger enemies, and it’s powerful enough to slow even the toughest bad guys you’ll face in Andromeda. The fire rate is a trade-off, though, so make sure you’re prepared to use that stagger to dish out more damage or to get clear of danger.
Piranha Shotgun
An original trilogy classic, the Piranha is perfect for Vanguards who want to get up close and personal. It’s an automatic shotgun that can unload eight painful shots into an armored opponent before you warp away to reload. Add the plasma-seeking mod and extra damage while hovering, and you can float above enemies, fire at close range, and rip organic enemies apart.
Sniper rifles
Naladen Sniper Rifle
Sniper rifles don’t always need to be accurate to be effective. The Naladen fires rounds that explode on impact, which is great for tackling enemies behind cover you can’t quite get a bead on. You can also get some utility out of the Naladen against big enemies that like to close the gap and get in close on you. It’s great for a close-range blast to the chest when fired from the hip.
Isharay Sniper Rifle
The Andromedan Isharay rifle is slow to fire and reload, but that’s a small trade-off for a gun that’s insanely powerful when upgraded. The Isharay hits crazy hard, crushing enemies with its insane power. Just make sure you’re going to hit them, because if you’re not the most accurate shooter, you’re going to have a bad time.
Black Widow
Another Mass Effect classic, the Black Widow has four shots before each reload, making it more forgiving with misses. While not as powerful as the Isharay, the Black Widow lets you hit an enemy multiple times so they don’t have time to duck into cover or reload their shields. It’s the most reliable weapon for your Insanity playthrough.
Pistols and SMGs
Equalizer SMG
The Equalizer has a very specific function — it ravages enemies and eats shields at close range. The Remnant weapon also never runs out of ammo, as long as you don’t let it overheat, and it’s great for chewing up tough defenses on the front lines. Step out of range, though, and it becomes worthless, so only grab it if you like to get in close.
Scorpion Pistol
Slow-firing but big on damage, the Scorpion Pistol dishes out massive punishment with grenades. The blasts can damage multiple enemies at once, as well as baddies behind cover, so if the firing rate doesn’t bother you, it makes a great addition to your loadout — particularly when you want to switch from an empty gun and keep firing.
Sidewinder Pistol
Sometime you just want a gun that looks awesome. The Sidewinder, a massive, revolver-looking pistol, isn’t especially noteworthy, but packs a punch and makes you look like some kind of intergalactic bounty hunter when you use it.
Melee weapons
Remnant Cryo-Gauntlet
There are a few options for melee weapons in Andromeda, and while the Remnant option — A.K.A., the Cryo-Gauntlet — is one of the weaker ones, it has one big benefit: It freezes people you smack with it. This makes up for its low-damage rating compared with things like the default Omni-Tool, because freezing an enemy during a panic moment can save your life.
Asari Sword
At its strongest, the Asari Sword is devastating. It and the Krogan Hammer share the crown of the most powerful melee weapons out there, assuming you get its best version. What sets the sword apart, besides its damage potential, is its ability to blink forward when you strike. This allows you to avoid taking damage as you close the gap on enemies and wreak havoc.
Krogan Hammer
The Krogan Hammer is as powerful as the Asari Sword, and can bust enemies with a pretty big beatdown. Its primary difference from other weapons is that it smashes bad guys and knocks down unarmored, unshielded ones, much like the Concussive Shot or Biotic Throw. Like freezing enemies with the Cryo-Gauntlet, this can be a handy way to get yourself out of trouble.
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