There are a variety of weapons for Lara to wield in Shadow Of The Tomb Raider and each come with its own distinct uses and advantages. Which weapons are best will generally depend on the player, their preferred playstyle, and other subjective tastes.
That being said there are some weapons that most players gravitate to as they tend to be powerful for a variety of playstyles. What weapon the player will use depends on the combat scenario, but these seem to be the best choices for anything the game might throw at them.
Updated September 19, 2022 By Ben Jessey: It has been several years since the world has seen a new great Tomb Raider title. Thankfully, the last big Lara Croft adventure was Shadow Of The Tomb Raider, and that game certainly still holds up.
If you’re hopping into that world, though, you may want to know about the best weapons beforehand. Thankfully, we had already created a list that shone a light on the greatest in the game. Yet, it was a little old and needed freshening up. In the process, we added a few extra guns that deserve to be mentioned.
13 J&D Model 27
Lara Croft isn’t among the most famous revolver users in gaming, but with the J&D Model 27, she can be one of the most deadly. This is because the weapon is an absolute beast that deals an insane amount of damage. In fact, it’s one of the most powerful guns in the game. It’s also pretty accurate, so expect plenty of your hard-hitting shots to hit the target.
Admittedly, the weapon isn’t great in other areas. For instance, its lack of speed is an issue. But if you’re all about damage output, it’s a good choice.
12 GF RAL
The rifles in Shadow of the Tomb Raider vary in style, and there’s something for everyone. For example, if you’re a person who prefers power and accuracy over fire rate, then the GF RAL is the one for you.
The in-game description says this gun hits like a truck. That is perhaps a bit of an exaggeration, but it certainly packs a punch. And it’s the most powerful rifle in the game. While it’s perhaps a little too slow for when chaos ensures, the weapon is great for picking people off at a distance.
11 Bishop 600
You may look down on the Bishop 600 because it’s the first shotgun you acquire during your adventure. However, the secret about boomsticks in Shadow of the Tomb Raider is that they’re all great, including the Bishop 600. So, don’t be afraid to continue using it throughout most of the game.
There isn’t anything particularly special about the gun, as it’s just a standard pump-action shotty. This means it deals out a lot of damage and is well-balanced in all the other areas.
10 AB .45
Surprisingly this weapon that Lara gets her hands on in the early part of the game is rather powerful for the rest of the story. It has well-balanced stats, decent damage, and with the right upgrades can be a force to be reckoned with.
Part of its strength lies in the attached suppressor. With a high rate of fire and near silent gunshots, the player can quickly eliminate a group of enemies before anyone becomes aware of what’s happening. It’s a great stealth weapon that can put holes in enemies when stealth goes out the window.
9 Atlatl Bow
The Atlatl bow is the sniper rifle of bows in this game and a great choice for the best archers. It has a lower than average drop-off rate meaning arrows will farther than others without suffering a loss in damage. This makes it ideal for taking down enemies from afar silently with arrows.
Of course, the downside to this bow is that the fire rate is abysmal, meaning it’s not well suited for midrange fights. But for those looking for a long-range stealth weapon, this is it.
8 PN-TF 627
The PN-TF 627 is a light machine gun that does a great job at mowing down hordes of enemies. It has a large clip holding 60 rounds, an incredible rate of fire, and does excellent damage in a short amount of time. The only downside is that the recoil is a bit obnoxious making accuracy an issue.
Of course, the purpose of this gun makes this a bit irrelevant as the player will be firing this into a group of enemies where accuracy isn’t terribly important. It is a bit niche, but many players will get a lot of utility out of this weapon throughout the game.
7 River Hawk
The River Hawk is a beloved pistol by many players and it’s not hard to see why. Each shot packs quite the punch doing tremendous damage. The recoil has quite the kick however so it’s important to make those shots count.
This is the kind of weapon the player will want when downing a single tough enemy or quickly removing an obstacle or two before dealing with the rest of the group. Just be warned it does take some practice to master the recoil.
6 Exiled Fox
The Exiled Fox is available in the DLC of the same name and is a strong weapon in Lara’s arsenal. It does about the same damage and range as other bows, but it boasts a much higher fire rate. This allows the player to quickly pepper the area with arrows and down multiple enemies stealthily.
Alongside the stealth takedowns, it’s also handy when facing groups of alerted enemies. The high fire rate is enough to quickly plant an arrow into each attacking enemy before they can get too dangerous. It’s a handy bow in a variety of situations.
5 WHWS-16
Many players highly value shotguns and the WHWS-16 is one of the best. It’s a semi-automatic shotgun that deals high damage at close range. When combined with an upgrade like the Shotgun Spreader Choke the shots will be tight and blow holes in anything that gets too close.
It does have high recoil which can lead to the player missing several shots if the enemy is at midrange or if the player doesn’t account for this when firing multiple times consecutively. But if the player takes the time to learn the recoil or if the enemy is close enough this thing is deadly.
4 Viper Bite
Probably the best all-around bow in the game is the Viper Bite Bow. It bears similar stats as a few other bows, but has the advantage of being able to fire poisonous arrows at opponents. These poisoned arrows will quickly down enemies and allow the player to utilize more guerrilla-style tactics.
It may not have the range of the Atlatl or the fire rate of the Exiled Fox, but it can be used in a wider variety of combat scenarios. That poisonous touch will also help with some of the stronger enemies in the game.
3 Wasp 11
The Wasp 11 is a wicked weapon. It’s a sub-machine gun with a high rate of fire, great handling, and deals decent damage at close ranges. This is a great weapon for groups of charging enemies or when targeting a single tough enemy.
Its damage drops off as the range increases making it only really effective at close range. But it is unique in that it comes with a grenade launcher attachment. For crowd control, this is a tough weapon to beat.
2 Taev 16
The Taev 16 is easily the best shotgun in the game. It has the best balance of stats giving it great damage and fire rate. The other advantage to this shotgun over others is that while the recoil is obnoxious it can be upgraded significantly making it more manageable.
This balanced shotgun makes it viable in plenty of close-quarter combat scenarios as well as a few mid-range encounters. Whether it’s groups of enemies or a few tough foes the Taev 16 will keep Lara alive.
1 Vicar Mark II
When it comes to all-around survival the Vicar Mark II is the best weapon to have. It may not outperform other weapons in particular situations, but it is capable of handling any and all situations making it a useful tool in Lara’s arsenal.
It’s ideally used in the mid-range, though it can handle long-range and close-range just as effectively and its combination of fire rate of damage makes it handy for groups, single tough targets, and everything in between. The best thing is that this weapon can be obtained early on and it scales well into the endgame with upgrades.
NEXT: Shadow Of The Tomb Raider: The Hardest Puzzles (& How To Beat Them)
