Melee
Silent, unlimited and the only thing that works in rain without a blessing. Durability is the hidden cost: an Aged piece gives up 8–15% damage but far more durability, often a third or more.
| Weapon | Dmg | Durability | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halberd | 28 | 50 | 25c | 2 | — | The hardest-hitting melee in the game, tied with the axe, and the most durable of the pair. Axe blade plus spike: it answers both armour and reach. | |
| Francesca Axe | 28 | 43 | 15c | — | — | Top-tier damage with no rank lock — the single best value on the melee rack. Throwable, and you can pick it back up. | |
| Aged Halberd | 25 | 35 | 20c | 1 | ↑ Halberd (15t) | Five coin cheaper than the finished halberd but 3 damage and 15 durability worse. Buy it only if you intend to feed it the 15-token upgrade. | |
| Aged Francesca Axe | 25 | 29 | 10c | — | ↑ Francesca Axe (15t) | The cheapest route to a 28-damage axe: 10 coin now, 15 tokens later. Rank-free at both ends. | |
| Conquistador Side Sword | 24 | 38 | 20c | 2 | — | The workhorse blade — balanced cut and thrust, solid durability. Rank 2 gates it, and a Rapier trade reaches it for less. | |
| Dark Tizona Swordcosmetic — same stats as Conquistador Side Sword | 24 | 38 | 20c | 2 | — | Statistically identical to the Conquistador Side Sword — same 24 damage, same 38 durability, same price and rank. Pick on looks. | |
| Polehammer | 22 | 45 | 20c | 1 | ⇄ Halberd (20t) | Second-best durability in the game. Rank 1, so it's the earliest heavy option — and 20 tokens trades it straight into a Halberd. | |
| Machete | 22 | 43 | 5c | — | — | Five coin for 22 damage and 43 durability. Nothing else in the shop comes close on coin-per-swing; most crews never stop carrying one. | |
| Aged Conquistador Side Sword | 22 | 25 | 15c | 1 | ↑ Conquistador Side Sword (15t) | Rank 1 instead of rank 2 — this is how you get a side sword early. Durability is the real penalty: 25 against the finished blade's 38. | |
| Aged Dark Tizona Swordcosmetic — same stats as Aged Conquistador Side Sword | 22 | 25 | 15c | 1 | ↑ Dark Tizona Sword (15t) | The Tizona's aged rung — identical numbers to the aged side sword. | |
| Serpent Hilt Smallsword | 21 | 35 | 15c | — | ⇄ Dark Tizona Sword (20t) | A light thrusting sword with no rank lock — the rank-free path onto the 24-damage tier, via a 20-token trade into the Tizona. | |
| Rapiercosmetic — same stats as Serpent Hilt Smallsword | 21 | 35 | 15c | — | ⇄ Conquistador Side Sword (20t) | Same numbers as the Serpent Hilt Smallsword; the trade lands on the Conquistador Side Sword instead of the Tizona. | |
| Aged Polehammer | 20 | 30 | 10c | — | ↑ Polehammer (15t)⇄ Halberd (25t) | Rank-free entry to the polearm line. It can skip its own base weapon entirely: 25 tokens trades it directly into a Halberd. | |
| Aged Machete | 20 | 29 | 3c | — | ↑ Machete (15t) | Three coin. The cheapest weapon in the game that still does real damage — arm a broke crew with these. | |
| Aged Serpent Hilt Smallsword | 19 | 23 | 10c | — | ↑ Serpent Hilt Smallsword (15t)⇄ Dark Tizona Sword (25t) | Fragile at 23 durability, but it's a 10-coin doorway to the Tizona line. | |
| Aged Rapiercosmetic — same stats as Aged Serpent Hilt Smallsword | 19 | 23 | 10c | — | ↑ Rapier (15t)⇄ Conquistador Side Sword (25t) | The rapier's aged rung, same numbers — trades toward the Conquistador Side Sword. | |
| Spear | 17 | 38 | 10c | — | — | Lowest damage of the proper melee weapons, but the reach is the point: you hit first, from outside a swing. Throwable. | |
| Aged Spear | 15 | 25 | 5c | — | ↑ Spear (15t) | Five coin for reach. Worth it on a first landing purely so nothing closes on you for free. | |
| Spike Bayonet | — | — | — | — | — | Loot only, and it sells for 1–2 coin. No combat stats are published for it — treat it as a scrap pickup, not a weapon. | |
| Training Sword | — | — | — | — | — | A blunted wooden blade found aboard, worth 1–3 coin. Flavour, not armament. | |
Firearm (matchlock)
Cheap, loud and available at rank 1. The fuse cannot ignite wet powder, so every one of these is dead weight in rain.
| Weapon | Dmg | Range | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cthulhu Matchlock Musketcosmetic — same stats as Matchlock Arquebus | 63 | 5,800 | 30c | 1 | ⇄ Cthulhu Flintlock Musket (25t) | Deluxe Abyssal Gear cosmetic — the numbers are the Matchlock Arquebus's, to the digit. You are paying for engraving, not performance. | |
| Matchlock Arquebus | 63 | 5,800 | 30c | 1 | ⇄ Flintlock Musket (25t) | Rank 1 and 63 damage — the earliest serious killing power you can buy, and the loudest thing you can carry. Useless in rain. | |
| Matchlock Pistol | 60 | 3,900 | 20c | 1 | ⇄ Flintlock Pistol (25t) | Twenty coin for 60 damage at rank 1. Short range and rain-blind, but it ends a close encounter immediately. | |
| Aged Cthulhu Matchlock Musketcosmetic — same stats as Aged Matchlock Arquebus | 56 | 4,200 | 25c | — | ↑ Cthulhu Matchlock Musket (20t)⇄ Cthulhu Flintlock Musket (30t) | Cosmetic twin of the aged arquebus. Rank-free, which is the actual reason to buy either. | |
| Aged Matchlock Arquebus | 56 | 4,200 | 25c | — | ↑ Matchlock Arquebus (20t)⇄ Flintlock Musket (30t) | No rank lock at all — 25 coin buys 56 damage on your first landing. It can also jump the queue entirely: 30 tokens trades it into a Flintlock Musket. | |
| Aged Matchlock Pistol | 51 | 3,300 | 15c | — | ↑ Matchlock Pistol (20t)⇄ Flintlock Pistol (30t) | The cheapest gun in the game. Fifteen coin, no rank, 51 damage — the standard opening purchase for a new explorer. | |
| Decayed Matchlock Arquebus | — | — | — | — | — | A rung below Aged: rusted lock, rotting stock, prone to misfires. Loot only, worth 1–2 coin — the game's way of showing you what neglect costs. | |
| Decayed Matchlock Pistol | — | — | — | — | — | The pistol's decayed rung. Found, not bought; misfires are the defining trait. | |
Firearm (flintlock)
The rain-proof tier, and the damage ceiling. Rank 3 and roughly double the price of a matchlock — you are paying for weather insurance as much as damage.
| Weapon | Dmg | Range | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cthulhu Flintlock Musketcosmetic — same stats as Flintlock Musket | 66 | 6,000 | 50c | 3 | — | Highest damage in the game, tied with the plain Flintlock Musket — and identical to it in every published number. Deluxe cosmetic. | |
| Flintlock Musket | 66 | 6,000 | 50c | 3 | — | The ceiling: 66 damage at 6,000 range, and it fires in the rain when every matchlock is dead weight. Rank 3 and 50 coin is the price of that. | |
| Flintlock Pistol | 64 | 4,000 | 35c | 3 | — | Near-musket damage in a sidearm, rain-proof. The range is the trade — 4,000 against the musket's 6,000. | |
| Aged Cthulhu Flintlock Musketcosmetic — same stats as Aged Flintlock Musket | 60 | 5,100 | 40c | 2 | ↑ Cthulhu Flintlock Musket (20t) | Cosmetic twin of the aged flintlock musket, same numbers. | |
| Aged Flintlock Musket | 60 | 5,100 | 40c | 2 | ↑ Flintlock Musket (20t) | Rank 2 rather than rank 3 — this is the only way to hold a rain-proof musket before rank 3. Ten coin cheaper, six damage worse. | |
| Aged Flintlock Pistol | 57 | 3,400 | 30c | 2 | ↑ Flintlock Pistol (20t) | Rain-proof at rank 2 for 30 coin. The wet-weather answer for a crew that isn't rank 3 yet. | |
| Swivel-Breech Flintlock Musket | — | — | 50c | 3 | — | Twin-barrel, built for a fast second shot. It sells for 56–84 coin — the highest resale of any weapon — but no damage or range figures are published for it yet, so we're not guessing at one. | |
Crossbow
Silent damage at real range. Forty against a musket's 66 — about 60% of the damage, and no contribution to the forest's awakening timer, which is usually the better trade.
| Weapon | Dmg | Range | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossbow | 40 | 4,400 | 30c | 2 | ⇄ Latchet Crossbow (15t) | Longest reach of the two crossbows at 4,400, and silent. Forty against a musket's 66 — about 60% of the damage, and none of the noise, which is the whole argument. | |
| Latchet Crossbow | 40 | 4,000 | 40c | 3 | — | Same 40 damage as the standard crossbow with 400 less range; you pay 10 more coin and a rank for a lever that readies it faster. | |
| Aged Crossbow | 34 | 3,400 | 20c | 1 | ↑ Crossbow (20t)⇄ Latchet Crossbow (25t) | Rank 1 silent damage for 20 coin — the earliest stealth weapon in the game, and the reason a quiet crew can function before rank 2. | |
| Aged Latchet Crossbowcosmetic — same stats as Aged Crossbow | 34 | 3,400 | 20c | 2 | ↑ Latchet Crossbow (20t) | Identical numbers to the aged crossbow but locked a rank higher — there is no reason to prefer it except the upgrade target. | |
Bow
The highest silent damage in the game and no rank lock on the Longbow. The cost is draw time and arrow drop.
| Weapon | Dmg | Range | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Longbow | 60 | 4,000 | 15c | — | ⇄ Recurve Bow (10t) | Sixty damage, silent, no rank lock, fifteen coin. On paper the best-value weapon in the game — the cost is draw time and arrow drop. | |
| Recurve Bow | 57 | 3,600 | 25c | 2 | — | Three less damage and 400 less range than the Longbow, in exchange for a faster draw. A 10-token trade from a Longbow is the cheap way in. | |
Knife
All ten knives share one published line: worth 1–2 coin, with no damage, cost or rank figures at all. They are loot and flavour — a knife is not an answer to anything upright.
| Weapon | Dmg | — | Cost | Rank | Anvil | Field note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sailor's Knife | — | — | — | — | — | Every explorer lands with one. It cuts rope and finishes something already on the ground; against anything upright, find a real weapon. | |
| Serpent Dagger | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Bollock Dagger | — | — | — | — | — | A period-accurate civilian dagger. Loot-tier, 1–2 coin. | |
| Cthulhu Dagger | — | — | — | — | — | Deluxe cosmetic knife. Same loot tier as the rest — the engraving does not make it hit harder. | |
| Ceremonial Khanjar | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Ivory Knife | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Khanjar Dagger | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Rigging Knife | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Shepherd's Knife | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
| Parrying Dagger | — | — | — | — | — | Loot-tier blade, 1–2 coin. | |
Field notes — how weapons actually behave
- Guns kill common undead in one body or head shot; the Crawling Canopy takes about three musket rounds.
- Gunfire is loud and the forest keeps score — every shot accelerates the awakening timer. The arquebus is the loudest thing you can carry.
- Matchlock (fuse) guns cannot ignite gunpowder in the rain. Flintlocks can. Saint Eulalia's blessing stops the rain entirely.
- Melee has a backstab bonus, and an overhead stab to the head deals double damage.
- Shove (spacebar) staggers enemies and breaks their attacks — it costs nothing and saves lives.
- Enemies can parry and knock the weapon out of your hands. Thrown axes can be picked up by enemies and thrown back.
- Ammo is scarce by design. The demo patch made undead drop powder more often, but you still count every charge.
- There's a training dummy aboard the Tempestad — melee timing is worth practicing before you're doing it in the dark.
- Live since the launch update: the Weapon Upgrade Anvil spends tokens to upgrade contract weapons. Still in development: a block & counterattack system for certain weapons.
- Every number on this page is cross-checked across two independent community databases; where they disagreed we say so instead of picking one. The Aged damage penalty is 8–15%, computed across all seventeen aged/finished pairs in the table rather than sampled.
The Anvil: two ladders, not one
The launch update added the Weapon Upgrade Anvil to the Tempestad, and it runs two separate ladders that are easy to confuse.
- Upgrading (↑) walks a piece up its own family: an Aged weapon becomes its finished version for 15 tokens (melee) or 20 tokens (ranged). Below Aged sits a Decayed tier that you can only find, never buy.
- Trading (⇄) jumps sideways into a different, better weapon — Polehammer into Halberd for 20, Longbow into Recurve Bow for 10, Matchlock Arquebus into Flintlock Musket for 25.
The trade ladder is where the real value hides, because it bypasses rank locks. An Aged Matchlock Arquebus costs 25 coin with no rank requirement at all; 30 tokens trades it straight into a Flintlock Musket, a weapon the shop won't sell you until rank 3. Same for the Aged Polehammer at 10 coin, which reaches a rank-2 Halberd for 25 tokens.
The cheapest route to each damage tier
Buying the finished weapon outright is almost never the efficient path. Three routes worth memorising: Aged Machete 3c → 15 tokens for a 22-damage machete; Aged Francesca Axe 10c → 15 tokens for a 28-damage axe, the joint-highest melee in the game with no rank lock anywhere on the path; and Longbow 15c → 10 tokens for a Recurve Bow. The Longbow itself deserves a second look — 60 damage, silent, rank-free, fifteen coin.
"Cthulhu" weapons are cosmetics
Every Cthulhu-engraved piece we could find data for is a stat-identical reskin: the Cthulhu Flintlock Musket is 66 damage at 6,000 range — exactly the plain Flintlock Musket; the Cthulhu Matchlock Musket is 63 at 5,800 — exactly the Matchlock Arquebus. That matches what the Deluxe Edition promises: the Abyssal Gear pack sells engraving, not power. Dark Tizona Sword vs Conquistador Side Sword and Rapier vs Serpent Hilt Smallsword are the same story within the base game.
Contracts also issue a fixed weapon pool for the run, so check the contract table before planning a loadout around a favourite gun.
Variant kinds at a glance
| Variant | Kind | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Decayed tier | Condition | One rung below Aged: rusted lock, rotting stock, and a real misfire chance. Found in the field, never sold — the shop's cheapest rung is Aged. |
| Aged tier | Condition | The shop's budget rung. Measured across all seventeen aged/finished pairs the damage penalty runs 8–15% — tight enough to plan around — while durability or range drops much harder than damage does. |
| Francesca Axe | Throwable | Throw it and pick it back up — but so can the enemy that's standing over it. It cannot chop firewood; that's the machete's job. |
| Spear | Throwable | Also throwable, and the reach means you often strike before a swing can land. Lowest damage of the real melee weapons. |
| Matchlock family | Weather-locked | The burning fuse cannot ignite wet powder. In rain every matchlock is a club until Saint Eulalia's blessing clears the sky. |
| Training Sword | Practice | Blunted wood for the sparring dummy aboard the Tempestad, where the launch update added a combat guidebook page. |
| Contract-issued loadouts | Loaned | Contracts hand you a fixed weapon pool for the run regardless of what you own — the Anvil upgrades those issued weapons, which is what the token economy is actually for. |
How these numbers were checked
Nothing here is guessed. Every figure was pulled from two independent community databases and compared field by field; a value is published only where both agree, and the handful of entries with no published damage — the Swivel-Breech Flintlock, the loot-tier knives — are shown as — rather than filled in with an estimate.
The check earned its keep twice. It caught three errors in our own earlier table, where an Aged variant's numbers had been recorded under its base weapon (the Conquistador Side Sword is 24 damage at 20 coin and rank 2; the 22/15/rank-1 figures we previously showed belong to the Agedversion). And it caught a third-party "weapons list" circulating online that is entirely fabricated — five weapons that do not exist, rated on a Strength/Dexterity/Insight stat-scaling system this game does not have. If a guide gives The Mound stat scaling, close the tab.
Rain changes the answer
The single most important purchase decision in the armory: matchlock guns are cheap and hit hard, but their fuse cannot ignite gunpowder in rain. If the sky turns, your firing line is flintlocks, crossbows and bows — or the blessing of Saint Eulalia, who stops the rain outright.
Where to next
The four roles a crew settles into, and what each one carries.
HP, damage multipliers and which creatures shrug off bullets.
How weapons unlock, and the Weapon Upgrade Anvil the launch patch added.
Affording the tier-3 guns without grinding Basic contracts.
Michael for blades, Barbara for guns — matching the blessing to the build.
Weapon balance changes since launch.
Weapon questions
What is the best weapon in The Mound?
By raw damage it is the Flintlock Musket at 66, which also fires in rain — but it costs 50c and needs rank 3. The Matchlock Arquebus is the early answer: 63 damage at rank 1 for 30c, at the price of being the loudest thing you can carry and useless in rain. The Longbow is the best all-weather value: 60 damage, silent, no rank lock, 15c, and Saint Sebastian can bless it.
Why won't my gun fire in The Mound?
You're probably holding a matchlock in the rain — fuse-fired guns can't ignite wet powder. Switch to a flintlock, crossbow or bow, or get Saint Eulalia's blessing to stop the rain.
Do weapons have damage stats?
Yes — the game hides them in-game, but the community codex has measured them and they're in the Dmg column above (e.g. Matchlock Arquebus 63, Flintlock Musket 66, Machete 22). Also true regardless of numbers: guns one-shot common undead, overhead head stabs do double damage, and backstabs get a bonus.