Grind Survivors
Weapons Guide
Every weapon class, affix type, and rarity tier in Grind Survivors — explained with build recommendations, Forge tips, and character synergies.
🔫 All Weapon Classes
Dual SMG
Spray-and-pray, status proc farming
High fire rate, low per-bullet damage. Ideal for applying status effects rapidly and shredding low-armor enemies. The Dual SMG excels in builds centered on Burn or Cold runes, stacking elemental procs faster than any other weapon class. Best paired with the Arsonist or Frostbite rune for maximum synergy.
✅ Strengths
- +Fastest fire rate in game
- +Excellent proc chance per second
- +Low reload downtime with right build
❌ Weaknesses
- −Low single-bullet damage
- −Poor against armored elites
- −Ash generation per kill is lower
Shotgun
Aggressive point-blank, high burst
God-tier close range destruction. Each shell fires multiple pellets, each capable of applying effects independently. A single Shotgun blast can proc Burn, crit, and lifesteal simultaneously. Widely considered the strongest weapon class for solo runs, particularly effective in tight biome corridors.
✅ Strengths
- +Multi-pellet = multi-proc potential
- +Best burst damage
- +Excellent with Bloodlust rune
❌ Weaknesses
- −Requires proximity to enemies
- −Reload timing is punishing at high wave counts
- −Weak vs fast-moving bosses at range
Revolver
Ricochet chain, precision burst
Precision, high-damage single shots with unique ricochet mechanics. The Legendary Revolver Bounce Build is considered one of the strongest end-game configurations — bullets bounce between enemies, generating massive chain damage. Optimal for clearing dense packs without needing to aim manually.
✅ Strengths
- +Highest per-shot damage
- +Bounce affixes clear entire screens
- +Great Ash income from chained kills
❌ Weaknesses
- −Lowest fire rate
- −Requires specific affixes to shine
- −High skill ceiling for manual aim at early stages
Tesla Gun
Sustained lightning chain, rune stacking
A unique weapon class with long reload sequences but exceptional chain-lightning damage. Because the Tesla Gun fires continuously before reloading, it stacks Bloodlust rune bonus damage to extreme levels. Pairing it with the Ascended trait and Firestorm makes it one of the highest-DPS configurations in the game.
✅ Strengths
- +Exceptional rune synergy (Bloodlust)
- +Chain damage pierces through enemy clusters
- +Very high ceiling with Legendary rarity
❌ Weaknesses
- −Very long reload window
- −Vulnerable during reload
- −Requires late-game affix support to function
🏆 Weapon Rarity Tiers
All weapons in Grind Survivors exist across five rarity tiers. Reach higher rarities exclusively through The Forge's Infuse system.
| Rarity | Max Affixes | Recycle Ash | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|---|
| ⚪ Common | 1 | 10–20 | In-run drops (wave 1–5) |
| 🟢 Uncommon | 1–2 | 30–60 | In-run drops (wave 3+) |
| 🔵 Rare | 2 | 80–150 | In-run drops or Infuse ×5 Common |
| 🟣 Epic | 2–3 | 200–350 | Infuse ×5 Uncommon/Rare only |
| 🟡 Legendary | 3 | 500–800 | Infuse ×5 Epic only |
⚡ Weapon Affixes Explained
Affixes define how a weapon behaves beyond its base stats. Understanding which affixes to target at The Forge is the core of high-level play.
Bounce
Bullets ricochet to nearby enemies after impact
Burn
Applies ignite DoT on hit
Cold
Slows enemy movement speed on hit
Crit Chance
Increases chance of landing critical hits
Crit Damage
Multiplies critical hit damage output
Lifesteal
Converts a percentage of damage dealt to HP
Piercing
Bullets pass through multiple enemies in a line
Chain
Damage jumps to additional nearby enemies
Attack Speed
Reduces time between shots
Reload Speed
Decreases weapon reload duration
AOE
Increases blast radius of explosive shots
🎬 Shotgun God-Tier Build in Action
Grind Survivors — Shotgun God-Tier Build Showcase