Dead Cells offers a huge selection of weapons and gear to players. The placement of each one is changed with every run you make, so it’s almost impossible to get the same loadout twice.
Some weapons are more useful than others and will only be of use to skilled players. In this guide, we’ll cover the ten best weapons in Dead Cells 2022. This means that all weapons in this guide are relevant in the current game state of 2021.
10. Alchemic Carbine
This weapon can shoot huge projectiles which will explode upon hitting their target. The projectiles also explode into toxic clouds which cause long-lasting damage.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | AlchemicGun |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One Hit Every 1.1 Seconds |
| Time | 4 Seconds of Poisoning Effect |
| Timing for AoE | 3 Seconds of poison cloud |
| Basis Price | 2000 |
The damage will eviscerate many enemies over time that poison cloud can deal, so it’s well worth having in your loadout. These are the general damage stats for this weapon.
| Stat | Injuries |
| DPS Base | 9 |
| Base Hit | 10 |
| DPS Base DoT | 13 + Poison Damage |
You’ll uncover the blueprint for this weapon in the secret area of the Toxic Sewers – just above a wide pool of poisonous water. However, this area doesn’t always spawn, so you may need to try a few times to find it.
Special Effects The weapon fires a small, but deadly flask that inflicts damage on contact and disperses a poisonous cloud before shattering itself.
This weapon works well if you are aiming at enemies and then letting the poison do its job. It’s also brilliant for any sort of Tactics Build that you might be making on your character.
The legendary version of this ability has a Hemlock ability that allows you to double stack instead of default 1. Both the base and legendary versions have a breach bonus equal to -0.7 which allows you gain the following stats.
- Base Breach Damage: 3
- Base Breach DPS: 3
Weapon Synergies
Alchemic Carbine does not deal a lot of damage despite being extremely powerful. Therefore, you need to balance it out with the Hokuto’s Bow to have the poison bonus tick on each successful hit.
Consequently, you can also use the Alchemic Carbine with Sadist’s Stiletto, Hemorrhage, or even Snake Fangs to inflict crit on poisoned enemies.
While this can also be done with the Acrobatipack, it’s only really worthwhile if you’re not planning to use the actual weapon for combat.
9. Assault Shield
Many players only use the Assault Shield. For most, shields don’t come into play because this game is about big combat moments and a fast pace.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | DashShield |
| Type | Shield |
| Basis Price | 2000 |
This shield will allow you to push forward against enemies, parrying attacks and blocking projectiles. You’ll find the blueprint for this weapon in the timed door room that leads to the Promenade of the Condemned.
Having said that, here’s how the weapon’s damage numbers work:
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base Block Damage | 33 (66) |
| Base Absorbed Damage | 75% |
The best part about the shield is that it actually responds to your parry moves as if you were using weapons. Enemies can be sent flying, and parrying is possible in a much wider window. Overall, it’s a great way to protect yourself whilst keeping up the damage output.
Special Effects The shield can be detached from the dash ability, which allows you to hold it without needing to dash. Additionally, you will be able to knock back enemies and deal block damage. You can also use the dash to parry enemies and deal block damage.
The Legendary Version includes a ability called Heavy Stun, which does exactly what it sounds. This weapon has a breach bonus of 1 that allows you to do the following:
- Base Breach Damage: 0
- Base Breach DPS: 0
Weapon Synergies
To push your enemies to the wall, you can combine the Impaler and Assault Shield. Kill Rhythm lets you increase your attack speed, while pushing enemies as far back and as far as possible.
This allows for breathing room and also gives you the opportunity to gain momentum against your opponent.
8. Lightning Bolt
The Lightning Bolt is one of the most powerful weapons for dealing damage. It will deal constant damage over five hits, and it’s extremely punishing to all enemies caught in the path.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | Lightning |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One Hit per 0.45 Seconds |
| Base Price | 1750 |
The only caveat is that it’ll start to damage you if you use it for longer than those five ticks. This blueprint can be purchased from Inquisitors, or any ranged and robed enemies.
Having said that, here’s how the Injuries distribution works:
| Stat | Damage |
| Base Damage per Second | 111 (392) |
| Base Absorbed Damage | 30 (93) |
This weapon is great for anything that slows down or pins enemies. It’ll also make mincemeat of a group of smaller mobs, meaning that you can smash through some areas without any issues whatsoever.
Special effects: These special effects can be applied to this weapon:
- There’s a 0.2-second wind-up time between each channel.
- The tick takes place right after the end time of wind-up.
- The ticks that cause the most damage are the first four, which is normal. The rest of the ticks can do 3.1x more damage from electrocution effects.
- The number of ticks that have been directed to a target will affect the damage amount.
- The ticks will end and the player will regain control. After a 0.25-second break, the player should be back in control.
The Legendary Version of Lightning can be called Divine Sarcasm. This weapon can generate a shield when used. This weapon also has a breach bonus of -1, meaning there’s no additional damage on the following stats:
- Base Breach Damage: 0 (0)
- Base Breach DPS: 0 (0)
Weapon Synergies
Lightning’s colorless version goes hand in hand with the Vengeance skill. It increases a player’s overall DPS, and Lightning deals damage over time. Combining both of them together will result in insane damage numbers, which can feel quite broken.
Vengeance can absorb 30% of all incoming damage, while still causing high damage.
7. Marksman’s Bow
This is one the most popular weapons in Dead Cells 20,21. It’s for those players who like to stand back and hit enemies with a sniper shot rather than getting up close. It’s also great for starting an encounter from far away.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | LongBow |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One hit every 0.75 seconds |
| Base Price | 2250 |
Most of the time, you can end the encounter in the same amount of time as the enemies approach. The blueprint can found between the Ossuary and the Promenade of the Condemned in the timed door. Grab it if you are in dire need.
Having said that, here’s how Marksman’s Bow’s damage scaling works:
| Stat | Injuries |
| DPS Base | 55 (327) |
| Base Hit | 30 (180) |
You can end an encounter by using this weapon if your shots are perfect. Fire off in the distance to end your enemies’ lives.
Special Effects This weapon can do six times as much damage as normal crits. Only one condition: enemies must be at least six times the distance of the player when the fire is lit.
The legendary version of the weapon is called Haste, and possesses a Heavy Stun that – as the name suggests – stuns the enemy. You will receive a breach bonus worth -0.7 which does the following:
- Base Breach Damage: 9 (54)
- Base Breach DPS: 16 (98)
Weapon Synergies
This weapon acts like a glass canon and doesn’t pair up with most weapons or abilities in-game. To increase damage, Tranquility can be used.
6. Hokuto’s Bow
This entry is on the best weapons list for Dead Cells 2021. This weapon marks enemies rather than damages them.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | MarkBow |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One hit every 0.4 seconds |
| Time | 15 Seconds (Due to Mark Boost). |
| Base Price | 2250 |
This mark will increase your damage. If you’ve got a turret going, throwing it out and firing away with this will see enemies take more and more damage over time.
This weapon can be used as a pairing with any other weapon. The blueprint for this weapon can be found in Clock Tower. This was dropped by cannibal enemy.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 25 |
| Base Hit | 10 |
| Base Bonus Hit | +48 DPS (Due to Mark Boost). |
The bow is best used with a Tactics Build. This allows you to make the most of all the tools at your disposal.
Special Effects These special effects are available with this weapon:
- For the next 15 seconds, 48 base damage is taken from all sources by damaged enemies.
- If the primary infected person is killed, this debuff will spread to others.
- Extra damage effects have a cooldown time of 0.33 seconds
Mass Sanction, the Legendary Version of this bow, has a Super Pierce ability which allows the arrows through enemies to strike their backs.
Like most bows, it also has a Breach Bonus 0.7. This allows it gain the following:
- Base Breach Damage: 17
- Base Breach DPS: 34
Weapon Synergies
Hokuto’s Bow has insanely low damage by its lonesome. Therefore, it’s usually used as a supporting weapon instead of the main one. It is beneficial because it can buff the main weapon to a slight degree.
It takes about 15 seconds for the damage debuff to wear off. This is enough time to allow you to use your Acrobatipack. Just keep re-applying it, and you’re good to go.
Any damage over time weapon works great with Hokuto’s Bow. Firebrands, Throwing Knife or the Alchemic Carbine are all options. Anything goes as long as it can utilize the bow’s passive.
5. Symmetrical Lance
The Hand of the King, the boss of Dead Cells is the one who wields this weapon. The weapon has two blades at each end. They are equally effective in killing enemies and killing you when you are facing them.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | KingSpear |
| Type | Melee Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One 3-Hit Combo Per 1.82 Seconds |
| Time | 16 Seconds (Damage Buff) |
| Base Price | 2000 |
This weapon unlocks automatically when you kill the final boss in Dead Cells. Critical damage will be dealt to two enemies at once for six seconds. After that, you can re-activate the weapon.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 192 (288) |
| Base Combo Damage | 350 (526) |
| Base First Hit | 80 (120) |
| Base Second Hit | 105 (158) |
| Base Third Hit | 165 (248) |
This is on top if you can also smash your enemies behind you simultaneously.
The best thing about this weapon is the ability to eliminate enemies both in front and behind. Nothing else will let you do this, not without some tools, so it’s just a special power you can break the game with.
Special Effects This weapon has the following special effectss:
- Whenever you kill the second enemy within 1.5 seconds of the first one’s death, your attacks will be buffed to head 1.5x base damage for the next 6 seconds.
- The combo’s first hit has a weak knockback attached to it, whereas the final hit has a strong knockback. Therefore, the middle hit damages enemies behind you.
Legendary Symmetrical Lances have a quad damage-free and ignore global shield ability. This increases enemies’ damage by 30%. It can even break shields.
This weapon’s Breach bonus is 0.5 for the initial hit, 1 for each second, and 1.5 for final. This roughly corresponds to:
- Base Breach Damage (First Hit): 120 (180)
- Base Breach Damage (Second Hit): 210 (315)
- Base Breach Damage (3rd Hit) 412.5 (619)
- Base Breach DPS: 408 (612)
Weapon Synergies
There aren’t any particular weapons that go well with the Symmetrical Lance. It is a complete standalone weapon that’s intended to be used as a solo run.
4. Sadist’s Stiletto
This weapon is designed to inflict additional pain. It inflicts critical damage on any enemy who is bleeding or poisoned. The critical does double damage and it happens quickly, but the base attack is swift and brutal.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | BleedCrit |
| Type | Melee Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One 4-Hit Combo Per 1.15 Seconds |
| Base Price | 1500 |
The best use for this weapon is in killing bosses or tougher enemies; it’s not so great with crowds when you must focus on dealing lots of damage to multiple targets.
The Impaler enemies will give you the blueprint. They only spawn in the Ancient Sewers and Dilpidated Arboretum.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 109 (222) |
| Base Combo Damage | 125 (255) |
| Base First Hit | 25 (45) |
| Base Second Hit | 25 (45) |
| Base Third Hit | 25 (45) |
| Base Fourth Hit | 50 (120) |
This weapon is fantastic for a tactics build; it’s also generally easy to take advantage of when you have anything that causes bleeding or poison on an enemy.
Special effects: This weapon inflicts 2.04 times base damage on enemies that have been afflicted by Bleeding or Poison.
The Legendary version of the Sadist’s Stiletto has Super Back Damage that allows you to deal additional 75% damage to anyone you hit with it in the back.
It also has a breach bonus equal to 0. This roughly means that it will pay the following:
- Base Breach Damage – First Hit: 25 (45)
- Base Breach Damage – Second Hit: 25 (45)
- Base Breach Damage – Third Hit: 25 (45)
- Base Breach Damage – Fourth Hit: 50 (120)
- Base Breach DPS: 109 (222)
Weapon Synergies
To apply bleeding or poison effects, you can pair this weapon up with Open Wounds or the Alchemic Carbine.
Since the attack rate is pretty high, you’d be able to land a whole lot more in terms of critical hits.
Therefore, it’s pretty common to pair it up with Instinct of the Master of Arms to make full use of that advantage.
3. Ice Bow
This bow fires icy arrows at your enemies, inflicting a freezing effect. The main benefit is that enemies can be frozen at will. Although the damage is very minimal, it is extremely powerful.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | FrostBow |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One hit every 0.79 seconds |
| Base Price | 1750 |
It can be used as a secondary attack and will absolutely destroy your foes if you shoot them some icy arrows prior to engaging. This blueprint is from the Undead Archers who can be found in the first two areas of the game. It is easy to obtain.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 46 |
| Base Hit | 27 |
There’s no build that this is better for than any other. It’s just a great secondary weapon to use against anything. Bosses and other bosses can be frozen to give you the space you need to attack them with a more powerful weapon.
Special Effects This bow can freeze enemies for up to 1.2 seconds when it fires arrows. After this time, the enemy will be slowed down for an additional 1.05 seconds.
The Legendary Version of the Ice Bow is called Frost, and its Strong Ice Ability ensures that the target can’t unfreeze itself while attacking.
The Ice Bow’s Breach Bonus of 1 means the following:
- Base Breach Damage: 0
- Base Breach DPS: 0
Weapon Synergies
This weapon is meant to be used alone, since it can theoretically be controlled by the player after 0.39 seconds of the initial fire window.
2. Infantry Bow
This bow is one of the first blueprints you’ll likely come across whilst playing this game. Undead Archers will drop the bow for you and you’ll face them before any other players. This bow can deal critical damage from close range, which is a perk.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | CloseCombatBow |
| Type | Ranged Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One hit every 0.6 seconds |
| Base Price | 2000 |
It is a good weapon to get up close and personal with enemies and hit them in the face, just before you cut them with a sword.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 78 (217) |
| Base Hit | 31 (87) |
This weapon is reliable, and it does the job. It can be used in an emergency anywhere and can be carried with you from the beginning of the game until the end.
Special Effects This weapon can deal critical damage as an AOE to the enemies near the Player’s position at the time of firing.
Barb, the Legendary Version of an Infantry Bow, is also known as the Infantry Bow. This version can deal Bleed on Hit which essentially applies the bleeding effect on the target hit.
It has a Breach Bonus of 0.7 – which is pretty high – even for a bow of this stature:
- Base Breach Damage: 52.7 (148)
- Base Breach DPS: 88 (246)
Weapon Synergies
Point Blank is an aggressive mutation that increases the weapon’s damage.
Consequently, you can also use Phaser to make the best use of Infantry Bow’s Critical bonus.
1. Frantic Sword
This best weapons in Dead Cells 2021 list isn’t in a particular order, but this is a pretty damn good sword. It relies on you playing badly, so if you’re not great at this game, this is a good weapon to use.
| Stat | Values |
| Name Internal | Low Health |
| Type | Melee Weapon |
| Combo Rate | One 5-Hit Combo Per 1.71 Seconds |
| Base Price | 1500 |
Critical hits will be dealt to you if your health is below 50%. This is great because you get a bonus boost that might help you finish off a tough enemy or boss right as they’re about to kill you.
| Stat | Injuries |
| Base DPS | 137 (277) |
| Base Combo Damage | 235 (474) |
| Base First Hit | 40 (64) |
| Base Second Hit | 40 (72) |
| Base Third Hit | 50 (100) |
| Base Fourth Hit | 35 (70) |
| Base Fifth Hit | 70 (168) |
It’s a fast sword to use, and the damage it deals is pretty good, even without the critical hit addition. It’s a good all-rounder and a great option that isn’t a weapon that will actively drain your health.
Special Effects Whenever the Player’s health reaches below the 50% mark, the weapon will start dealing 2.08x damage. This effect is also activated if the Malaise Counter exceeds 50%.
The Legendary Version of the Frantic Sword comes with an ability called “Heal Mid Life”, which allows you to recover up to 1% of your HP when you attack. This is only applicable to 50% HP.
The Breach Bonus is 0.4 for the first, third, and fourth hits. Then it’s 0.5 for the fourth one while reaching 1 for the final. This is roughly equivalent to:
- Base Breach Damage – First Hit: 56 (89.6)
- Base Breach Damage – Second Hit: 56 (100.8)
- Base Breach Damage – Third Hit: 70 (140)
- Base Breach Damage – Fourth Hit: 52.5 (105)
- Base Breach Damage – Fifth Hit: 140 (336)
- Base Breach DPS: 219 (467)
Weapon Synergies
The Frantic Sword, like many standalone powerhouses is meant to be used alone. Therefore, you can apply any mutations or weapon combinations you want – depending on your playstyle.
Conclusion
Overall, Dead Cells’ weapons are well balanced and can do a lot of damage if used correctly. The Frantic Sword currently holds the title of best weapon. It is highly recommended that you seek it out as often as possible.
