Best weapons in Ark Survival Ascended, ranked

In Ark Survival Ascended, your weapon will determine your success in combat and in the wild. Having the right tool will ensure your survival.

I’ve tried every weapon in the game, and can say for sure that the following list is a pretty accurate list of the best weapons in Ark Survival Ascended. Dinosaurs were harmed in the making of this list.

The top ten weapons in Ark Survival Ascended

Below is a list of the top ten weapons in Ark Survival Ascended, ranked from worst to best. Although it also works as a general list (in case you disagree with me).

Electric Prod

The Electric Prod is a one-time use weapon, which does limit its abilities and rankings, however, it’s on this list as it serves one fantastic purpose. Despite having one use, that’s all you’ll need when you want to topple a huge dinosaur to either tame it or save your life. In a pickle, the Electric Prod could save your skin from an otherwise lethal situation. Ultimately, however, you won’t really need to use this weapon unless you require a non-lethal takedown.

C4

I really wanted C4 to rank higher, but honestly, it’s a little clunky to use and not great for taking down large beasts. Naturally, it’s super fun to use and ranks highly on that chart, however its only use practically is to blow smaller and medium dinosaurs to smithereens. And that’s only if they are at the epicenter of the blast when it happens. Sure, it’s fun, but you won’t want to be relying on it much in combat unless you’re running away and lining your footprints with a get-out-of-jail-free card.

Longneck Rifle

The Longneck Rifle is an absolute blast to use. Yes, it is semi-automatic, but it delivers a ton of damage, especially if you get headshots. The range is great, and it’s relatively cheap to produce and supply. A great hunting companion, you’ll be relying on this weapon to aim for all manner of targets until you can get your hands on a better weapon. The ammunition isn’t too expensive to mass produce, either.

Related: Best armor in Ark Survival Ascended, ranked

Harpoon Launcher

The Harpoon Launcher is a good weapon that you can get relatively early, compared to the rest of the weapons. You’ll be loading it with Spear Bolts. For a semi-automatic weapon, the Harpoon Launcher allows you to have precise, damaging shots. Aiming for the head is always the way to go, and with this piece of kit, you’ll be able to fell beasts much larger than you. The edge that the Harpoon Launcher has, however, is that it works great for underwater warfare, and will probably be your go-to for those nautical beasts.

Fabricated Sniper Rifle

With fantastic range, the Fabricated Sniper Rifle deals great damage and also provides great range. With a scope, you’ll be able to take down opponents from a very safe range without them being able to close the distance and destroy you. Unlike the other before on this list, this powerful ranged weapon can shoot bullets without stopping to fix in another round, allowing you to sling off numerous shots in a row. Considering the scope and the range, this could easily be some players’ favorite weapon to use.

Assault Rifle

Finally, an automatic weapon! The Assault Rifle is an exceptionally good weapon. It does cost a lot as it eats up rounds at a very quick pace, but it deals damage. It can topple big beasts quickly and can dispatch many smaller miscreants in no time. It’ll be wise to strap up with the Assault Rifle for general use as you explore the island and gather resources. It’s dependable and will serve you well.

Compound Bow

Here we go, ladies and gentlemen, what I think is the greatest ranged power weapon: the Compound Bow. It deals brilliant damage and comes with a handy sight. You do need to charge it up and each bow needs to be loaded before firing, but it’s a hunting weapon more than a holy-cow-a-horde-of-raptors weapon. If you need to take down strong and large animals or want to go on a hunting session, bring the Compound Bow.

Related: How to use the fly cheat in Ark Survival Ascended

Rocket Launcher

The Rocket Launcher ranks very high for fun, but, unfortunately, not that high for effectiveness. Or at least not as high as I hoped it would be. I didn’t find it too practical, and the damage didn’t really seem fitting for what I was shooting. Now, it does deliver high damage with a high area of effect, as a clump of dinosaurs will be reduced to lumps of meat from one rocket. It isn’t as effective as you’d probably hope against large dinosaurs, so you’ll need to make a handful of rockets to take down the big ones.

Pump Action Rifle

I love a good shotgun, and Ark Survival Ascended hasn’t disappointed with the Pump Action Rifle. Each pellet deals good damage, so if all lands, you can wipe out many smaller animals as well as any charging threat. A raptor charging toward you? Not anymore, as this weapon makes for a great last-minute defense mechanism. You won’t need to be accurate, and you won’t need to aim for the head. Just start blasting. It’s fun and effective.

Tek Rifle

Here we go, the end-game weapon predictably is the greatest weapon in the game. The Tek Rifle is awesome and fun. A fully automatic gun that fires explosive rounds? Of course, it’s the best weapon. It’ll dispatch enemies big or small almost instantaneously. It does overheat, noticeably through the bars next to the site, but that isn’t a huge bother as threats won’t last long. The sight is unintuitive and not that handy, but it does zoom.

I hope this list serves you well, survivor, and that you’ll heed it for your amusement and to save your life.

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