In XCOM 2, selecting the right weapons is an important factor in making sure all the squad members make it safely back to the Avenger after a mission. Other factors help, like employing the proper tactics, and armor starts playing a role in soldier survivability later in the game; however, it all starts with the weapons.
It's not only about picking the right weapons but knowing which weapon to avoid. Equipping the wrong weapons will make fights much more difficult. This leads to dead soldiers, which leads to higher expense costs as the player must rehire new recruits. This list will include weapons from the War Of The Chosen expansion, in addition to those in the base game of XCOM 2.
Updated on August 12th, 2022, by Jeff Drake: One of the most exciting parts about playing any of the XCOM games is when a player has researched a new weapon, had their engineers build enough for a squad, and then equipping the best soldiers with those new weapons before a mission. It almost feels like the squad has transitioned from normal humans to superheroes; or rather, in the space of only a few days (game time) the squad has gone from using modern technology to using Star Wars level tech. The original list had the best of the best when it comes to weapons in XCOM 2, this update will add five weapons that didn't quite make the original list, but are still among the best weapons in the game.
15 Plasma Rifle
- Type: Rifle
- Damage: 7-9
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: 4
The Plasma Rifle has been a part of the XCOM series from the beginning, and even in the first XCOM game it was one of the best weapons. This weapon does a lot of damage, has great accuracy, carries enough ammo to forgo constant reloading, and is not too expensive to manufacture.
The best thing about the Plasma Rifle is its ability to be used by multiple classes. Many primary weapons are tied to a specific class; sniper rifles, for example, can only be used by Sharpshooters. Towards the end of this game, many players will find this weapon indispensable.
14 Arashi
- Type: Shotgun
- Damage: 8-10
- Range: Short
- Ammo: 4
This is a unique weapon carried by the Chosen Assassin, and is the best standard-sized shotgun in the game. The Shredstorm Cannon is better than the Arashi; it's also a heavy weapon that requires power armor, and only does one more point of damage than the Arashi.
As a unique weapon, the Arashi comes with a long list of upgrades. These include; increased clip size (+3), a +15% chance of a critical hit (+5 damage), a 15% chance of a bonus action, extra damage (+3) on missed shots, a greater range than other shotguns. This weapon makes a Ranger a one-person army.
13 Katana
- Type: Melee
- Damage: 8-9
- Range: Close
- Ammo: N/A
Melee weapons play a larger role in XCOM 2 than they did in previous XCOM games. A veteran ranger with a high-quality melee weapon can do significant damage to an enemy - as much as a Plasma Rifle. A ranger with the Bladestorm ability and a high-tier melee weapon can hold off an entire squad of enemies solo if they're guarding a narrow passage.
When it comes to melee weapons, a player's first pick should be the Katana. It may not have any secondary effects, but it still has numerous bonuses that make it the preferred choice. It always hits and hits fully - no glancing blows with the Katana. The Katana also ignores up to five armor points.
12 Shredstorm Cannon
- Type: Heavy
- Damage: 8-11
- Range: Close to Medium
- Ammo: 1
The Shredstorm Cannon is the final evolution of the shotgun in XCOM 2. This is a heavy weapon; meaning it needs to be attached to powered armor. Expect to see more heavy weapons further down this list. The Shredstorm Cannon fires sharp metal shrapnel in a cone shape. The width of this cone at the end gives this weapon enough coverage to kill numerous enemies with a single shot.
This weapon's magazine only holds one shot. Honestly, though, one shot is usually all that's needed; anything left can be easily finished-off with Plasma Rifles or explosives.
11 Darkclaw
- Type: Pistol
- Damage: 4-7
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: N/A
The Darkclaw sounds like it should be a melee weapon of some sort, but it's not. The Darkclaw, part of the War of the Chosen DLC, is arguably the best pistol in XCOM 2. This sidearm has the damage output of a sniper rifle, and can only be used by the Sharpshooter class of soldier.
One benefit possessed by the Darkclaw that puts it on this list is its ability to ignore up to five armor points. With the Fan Fire ability, a Sharpshooter increases the number of shots per use to three. This makes the damage potential of the Darkclaw 12-21; which can be increased further with the right research.
10 Hellfire Projector
- Type: Heavy
- Damage: 6-9
- Range: Close to Medium
- Ammo: 1
The Hellfire Projector, when researched, is an improved version of the Flamethrower heavy weapon. The two have nearly identical stats; however, the Hellfire Projector does two more points of damage than the Flamethrower (on average). The biggest difference between the two is that the Hellfire Projector leaves the area in flames.
The persistent flames left behind by the Hellfire Projector are perfect for creating zones of control. Enemies that need to get close to attack, like the much-feared Chryssalid, are kept at a distance by these flames. This weapon also has a chance of making enemies panic.
9 Plasma Bolt Caster
- Type: Rifle
- Damage: 10-12
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: 1
When it comes to damage per shot, the Plasma Bolt Caster is at the top of the list in XCOM 2; at least among the standard (non-heavy) weapons. The drawback for such a powerful shot is that the weapon needs to reloaded after each shot. This effectively makes the soldier using a Bolt Caster less mobile, since movement (normally) must be sacrificed in order to reload.
In addition to its impressive damage, the Bolt Caster series of weapons also have a chance of stunning the target with each shot. Aliens with increased genetic manipulation are more susceptible to being stunned.
8 Alien Psi Amp
- Type: Psi
- Damage: N/A
- Range: N/A
- Ammo: N/A
The Psi Operative class in XCOM 2 is a slightly overpowered class that has a selection of psionic abilities from which to choose. These abilities include, but are not limited to, mentally dominating an enemy soldier (turning them into an ally), creating a Void Rift that damages an area and can cause insanity on its victims, and remotely detonating an enemy's explosive device.
Psi Amps boost the user's Psi Talent, making a successful hit more likely. This bonus also negates any resistance to Psi attacks the target has. A well-trained Psi Operative with an Alien Psi Amp is a one-person army.
7 Darklance
- Type: Sniper
- Damage: 8-10
- Range: Long
- Ammo: 3
Sharpshooters play an important role. They are able to hit enemies from extremely long-range, and often kill with one shot. The Darklance is the ultimate sniper rifle in XCOM 2, provided the player has the War Of The Chosen expansion. The Darklance is the weapon carried by the Chosen Hunter - an elite sniper that is extremely difficult to kill.
The Darklance does the same damage as the inferior Plasma Lance, but it comes with four superior mods: Scope, Hair Trigger, Stock, and Auto Reload. This weapon does three points of damage to the target on a miss. To repeat, this weapon still causes damage if it misses the target.
6 Frag Grenade
- Type: Grenade
- Damage: 3-4 (Frag Grenade)
- Range: Somewhere between short and medium
- Ammo: N/A
Any longtime player of the XCOM games will not be surprised to see the Frag Grenade ranked so high on this list. This entry might as well be titled "Grenade" because any grenade that causes damage to the enemy applies. Enemies in XCOM 2 have a tendency to cluster in groups. This makes them susceptible to being wiped out by a couple of well-thrown grenades.
In the early part of the game, most of the damage a player inflicts throughout a mission will undoubtedly be caused by frag grenades. Relying on these during the early missions also allows the player time to research and build better weapons. These are also great for clearing away the enemy's cover.
5 Advanced Grenade Launcher
- Type: Grenade
- Damage: Determined by grenade type
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: N/A
Grenades are beyond useful in the XCOM games, that's why they are so highly ranked on this list. So, it stands to reason that a weapon that can increase the range and area of effect of grenades would also be on this list. The Advanced Grenade Launcher increases the range a grenade can be projected by five "squares" (on the invisible grid).
The boost this provides to grenades becomes more valuable in the later part of the game, when the enemies the player begins facing become tougher. These tougher enemies still have a habit of grouping; this behavior keeps explosives a viable option throughout the game.
4 Elerium Phase-Cannon
- Type: Heavy (for SPARK units)
- Damage: 8-10
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: 3
The robotic SPARK units are fun to use. They are basically small mechs; capable of taking massive amounts of damage, while being able to equip weapons no ordinary soldier could handle. Another benefit of SPARK units is they are immune to mind and emotion affecting attacks.
The Elerium Phase-Cannon is possibly the best direct-fire weapon in XCOM 2. With the Overdrive ability, a SPARK unit can fire this weapon three times in a turn. Three shots from the Elerium Phase-Cannon can clear an area of even the strongest enemies.
3 Plasma Blaster
- Type: Heavy
- Damage: 7-10
- Range: Long
- Ammo: 1
The Plasma Blaster is a heavy weapon that represents the height of personal beam weapon technology in XCOM 2. This weapon fires a long straight beam one tile wide and 25 tiles long. The beam pierces enemies - causing all enemies within the beam's area to take damage. Long, narrow passageways are perfect for the Plasma Blaster.
This doesn't do a lot of damage for a heavy weapon, but it has the potential to hit multiple scattered enemies. Up to four armor points are ignored by the Plasma Blaster. Another great aspect of this weapon is its ability to punch a useful passage through buildings.
2 Disruptor Rifle
- Type: Rifle
- Damage: 7-9
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: 4
The Disruptor Rifle is the top-tier assault rifle in XCOM 2 and is the weapon carried by the Chosen Warlock. Its stats are identical to the Plasma Rifle, but it comes with 4 superior mods: Stock, Hair Trigger, Magazine, and Scope. Enemies capable of Psi attacks are always critically hit by the Disruptor Rifle - making this among the best late-game weapons.
Much like the Plasma Rifle, the Disruptor Rifle is usable by multiple classes. This, combined with its excellent stats and guaranteed critical hits against psionic enemies, is why the Disruptor Rifle is so highly ranked. The only bad thing about this weapon is that it's part of the War Of The Chosen expansion.
1 Blaster Launcher
- Type: Heavy
- Damage: 7-10
- Range: Medium
- Ammo: 1
This has been the ultimate weapon in the XCOM franchise from its beginning. The Blaster Launcher launches a powerful explosive charge that will fly to its target location and explode. This isn't as simple as a grenade launcher or rocket launcher though, the projectile of the Blaster Launcher will carefully navigate its own way across the battlefield to the target. It's almost impossible to miss with the Blaster Launcher.
The blast radius of the explosive charge is also large enough to easily hit multiple enemies. As if all this isn't enough, the Blaster Launcher also shreds three armor points from those that it damages.
XCOM 2 was initially released on Feb. 5th, 2016, and is available for the PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, OS X, iOS, and Android.