Warhammer Survivors has 79 weapon entries across its two universes, including base weapons and their evolved forms. But the strongest weapons aren't necessarily those with the highest damage numbers. Attack coverage, survivability, upgrade requirements, and how weapons work together all influence their effectiveness.
Best Weapons Explained
Special Weapon Evolutions
Best Weapon Combinations
Best Weapons Ranked in Warhammer Survivors
Shield of Faith is our best overall defensive weapon in Warhammer Survivors, while Whirlwind Battery is an excellent option for ranged crowd clearing. Tempest Axes leads our Age of Sigmar recommendations, and Lasgun remains particularly valuable for follower-focused builds.
Our ranking evaluates complete weapon paths rather than treating every evolution as a separate starting choice. That means a weapon's base performance, required upgrades, and eventual evolution all contribute to its placement.
The 79 catalog entries comprise 39 base weapon paths and 40 distinct evolved forms, including an additional evolution stage for Stormcharged Warhammer. The tables below cover every path.
Warhammer 40,000 Weapons Tier List
| Tier | Weapon | Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| S | Shield of Faith | Emperor's Wrath |
| S | Whirlwind Battery | Orbital Bombardment |
| S | Lasgun | Meltagun |
| S | Fidelis | Purgator Mirabilis |
| A | Battle Cannon | Side Sponsons |
| A | Boltgun | Heavy Bolter |
| A | Chainsword | Eviscerator Chainsword |
| A | Flamer | Heavy Flamer |
| A | Power Fist | Gauntlets of Ultramar |
| A | Smite | Fury of the Ancients |
| A | Storm Bolter | Assault Cannon |
| A | Ardent Blade | Weapon of the Matriarch |
| B | Combat Shotgun | Executioner Shotgun |
| B | Spear of the Faithful | Thorn of the White Rose |
| B | Crozius Arcanum | Benediction of Fury |
| B | Power Klaw | Bale Eye |
| B | Frag Grenade | Ripper Pistol |
| B | Mechanical Bite | Remote Detonation |
| C | Storm Eagle Rocket | Deathstrike Missile |
| Utility | Archeotech | Reliquary |
The Warhammer 40,000 arsenal offers several different approaches to surviving enemy waves. Shield of Faith emphasizes protection, Whirlwind Battery spreads attacks across multiple targets, and Lasgun expands your fighting force through additional troopers.
Storm Eagle Rocket has an unusually powerful instant-kill role, but its lengthy cooldown makes it difficult to recommend as a primary source of consistent damage. Its placement reflects that limitation, not a lack of destructive potential.
Age of Sigmar Weapons Tier List
| Tier | Weapon | Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| S | Tempest Axes | Whirlwind Axes |
| S | Nebulous Sea-Fog | Aquatic Illusions |
| A | Stormcharged Warhammer | Uskavar the Sunderer, then Ghal Maraz |
| A | Rope & Grapnel | Ghost of Rhea |
| A | Grandblade | Celestial Greatsword |
| A | Mystical Ward | Warding Lantern |
| A | Boltstorm Pistol | Typhoon Crossbow |
| A | Blade of the High Heavens | Thengavar |
| B | Brace of Pistols | Duelling Pistols |
| B | Cyclone Sword | Voice of the God-King |
| B | Flintlock Pistols | Aqshian Firestakes |
| B | Fyrestorm Greataxe | Zangrom-Thaz |
| B | Poisoned Throwing Knives | Bladed Vortex |
| B | Brazier Staff | Master of Runes |
| B | Twin-Tailed Cat | Enchanted Glove |
| C | Fusil-Cannon | Long-Fusil (special acquisition) |
| Utility | Exotic Weaponry | Artefacts of Power |
Age of Sigmar has several weapons that provide strong protection through area coverage or enemy control. Tempest Axes offers reliable slashing attacks, while Nebulous Sea-Fog slows nearby opponents.
Stormcharged Warhammer has one of the most interesting long-term upgrade paths, although its additional requirements make it less straightforward than the S-tier choices.
Weapons Available in Both Universes
| Tier | Weapon | Evolution |
|---|---|---|
| A | Nuln Oil | Mordant Earth |
| B | D6 Dice | Sustained Fire Dice |
Nuln Oil and D6 Dice are especially convenient because both appear in Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar. Nuln Oil is our preferred option for controlling groups and supporting other attacks, while D6 Dice is more dependent on its projectile upgrades and eventual evolution.
What Makes These the Best Weapons?
Shield of Faith: Best Overall Defensive Weapon
Shield of Faith takes our top recommendation because it directly addresses the danger of enemies getting too close.
Its holy aura damages and pushes back nearby enemies, making it useful without demanding precise targeting. As the weapon levels, its attack area increases and it gains the ability to inflict Burning.
The evolution is even more valuable. Combining Shield of Faith with Bugman's Tankard produces Emperor's Wrath, replacing the original weapon with an expanded burning aura that also heals the character.
That combination of damage, protection, and recovery gives Shield of Faith a compelling advantage over weapons designed exclusively to deal damage.
Whirlwind Battery: Best for Clearing Large Groups
Whirlwind Battery is our favorite ranged option for damaging enemies without constantly lining up individual shots.
It launches missiles at random enemies, with upgrades substantially increasing its damage, projectile count, and attack area. At maximum level, the base weapon reaches 70 listed damage and fires six projectiles per attack cycle.
Liquid Green Stuff allows it to evolve into Orbital Bombardment, replacing the original missile attack with a more advanced artillery weapon.
I'd recommend Whirlwind Battery for builds that need widespread offensive coverage alongside a separate weapon for immediate protection.
Lasgun: Best for Follower Scaling
Lasgun earns its S-tier placement for a reason that goes beyond individual weapon damage.
Upgrading the weapon recruits additional troopers. Those extra allies make Lasgun especially attractive when building around the game's follower system, including characters that become stronger as they recruit companions.
Lasgun upgrades also improve its damage, attack size, and reload time. With Gauntlet, the weapon evolves into Meltagun.
It isn't necessarily the strongest option for protecting yourself from enemies already surrounding your character. However, its ability to expand your squad makes it valuable for more than just direct damage.
Fidelis: Best for Additional Offensive Scaling
Fidelis is one of the most unusual S-tier weapons because its evolution doesn't replace the original attack.
The heavy bolter fires multiple projectiles and can trigger a miracle that increases its attacks. It also gains additional projectiles, damage, and piercing through upgrades.
At Level 6, holding Golden Demon allows Fidelis to unlock Purgator Mirabilis through an eligible evolution chest.
Rather than losing Fidelis, you keep the original weapon and gain missile salvos from Purgator Mirabilis. Collecting coins also increases the next missile volley.
That extra offensive layer gives the complete weapon path excellent long-term potential, especially for players who can consistently reach its evolution.
Tempest Axes: Best Age of Sigmar Starting Weapon
Tempest Axes are our strongest Age of Sigmar recommendation for straightforward offense.
The weapon performs a series of horizontal attacks at increasing distances. As it levels, additional projectiles and damage improve its effectiveness against larger groups.
Its evolution requires Sabaton, producing Whirlwind Axes after reaching maximum weapon level and opening an eligible evolution chest.
The pairing is particularly appealing because Sabaton contributes movement speed, which complements a weapon that benefits from staying mobile while attacking.
Neave Blacktalon begins with Tempest Axes, making this a practical weapon path to pursue early in the game.
Nebulous Sea-Fog: Best for Slowing Nearby Enemies
Nebulous Sea-Fog is an unusual S-tier choice because its most valuable contribution isn't its low starting damage.
The weapon surrounds the character with a damaging fog that slows nearby enemies. Its area becomes larger as the weapon improves, while its reload time gradually decreases.
For characters that struggle with enemies closing the distance, slowing an approaching group can create more opportunities to reposition and attack.
With Bugman's Tankard, Nebulous Sea-Fog evolves into Aquatic Illusions. It's an excellent complementary weapon for builds that already have a strong damage source but need additional space to survive.
Stormcharged Warhammer: Best Advanced Evolution Path
Stormcharged Warhammer is particularly interesting for players who enjoy building toward powerful late-run combinations.
Its hammer attacks target nearby enemy groups, and upgrades improve damage, projectile count, and the chance to trigger chain lightning damage.
The first evolution requires Level 8 Stormcharged Warhammer and Level 9 Tactical Rock, producing Uskavar the Sunderer while keeping the original hammer.
Uskavar can then unlock Ghal Maraz when it reaches Level 5 alongside a Level 5 Null Pendant.
That gives the weapon path two distinct evolution milestones. The requirements are substantial, which is why we rank the overall route in A-tier rather than automatically placing it above weapons that become useful much earlier.
Weapon Evolutions That Work Differently
Most evolutions replace their base weapon. However, several Warhammer Survivors weapons behave differently, and that distinction can change which upgrades are most valuable.
Evolutions That Keep the Original Weapon
These weapon paths allow their original attack to remain after the evolution is obtained:
- Fidelis evolves to add Purgator Mirabilis.
- Battle Cannon evolves to add Side Sponsons.
- Frag Grenade evolves to add Ripper Pistol.
- Power Klaw evolves to add Bale Eye.
- Stormcharged Warhammer evolves to add Uskavar the Sunderer, which can later add Ghal Maraz.
- Blade of the High Heavens evolves to add Thengavar.
- Cyclone Sword evolves to add Voice of the God-King.
- Rope & Grapnel evolves to add Ghost of Rhea.
These are appealing because evolution adds another attack rather than removing the original one. However, bonus attacks aren't automatically better than replacements. Their actual usefulness still depends on the resulting damage, attack behavior, and investment required.
Archeotech and Exotic Weaponry
Archeotech and Exotic Weaponry are listed separately in our rankings because they don't function like ordinary damaging weapons.
Archeotech allows you to choose an unlocked weapon in Warhammer 40,000 and makes Reliquary available through its special evolution interaction.
Exotic Weaponry serves a similar purpose in Age of Sigmar, allowing you to select an unlocked base weapon and adding Artefacts of Power to the evolution pool.
Neither belongs in a conventional damage ranking. Their main advantage is giving players more control over weapon selection rather than directly clearing enemies.
Why Fusil-Cannon Is a Special Case
Fusil-Cannon combines directional shooting with a shield-bash attack, providing both ranged offense and a close-range response.
Its listed evolved form is Long-Fusil, but this isn't obtained through the ordinary evolution selection from treasure chests.
That limitation matters when planning a run around predictable upgrade requirements. Fusil-Cannon isn't useless, but its progression is less straightforward than weapons with reliably documented chest evolutions.
Which Weapons Should You Use Together?
Our preferred approach is to combine weapons that perform different jobs rather than selecting several that all attack in the same direction.
Warhammer 40,000: Protection and Ranged Damage
For a balanced Warhammer 40,000 build, we'd prioritize Shield of Faith, Whirlwind Battery, and Lasgun when those weapons are available.
Shield of Faith protects your immediate surroundings, Whirlwind Battery adds wider ranged coverage, and Lasgun provides additional troopers.
Those weapons complement each other because each contributes something different. You aren't relying entirely on a single attack pattern to survive increasingly crowded encounters.
Age of Sigmar: Mobility and Enemy Control
For Age of Sigmar, Tempest Axes and Nebulous Sea-Fog make an appealing combination.
Tempest Axes handles nearby enemies through repeated slashing attacks, while Nebulous Sea-Fog slows opponents as they approach.
Adding a stronger ranged or boss-oriented weapon can help cover situations where short-range area damage alone isn't enough.
Choosing the Right Evolution
Before committing to a weapon, consider whether you can realistically obtain its required passive and reach its evolution level.
Most base weapons require Level 8, but some have unusual conditions. Fidelis only needs Level 6, while more advanced combinations can require specifically leveled passives.
You can find the complete recipes in our Warhammer Survivors Evolutions List.
For general use, Shield of Faith is our favorite defensive weapon, Whirlwind Battery excels at widespread attacks, and Tempest Axes offers a dependable Age of Sigmar option. More specialized weapons can outperform them in specific builds, but these choices provide strong foundations without relying entirely on complicated interactions.
