Lethal Company is a co-op horror game where you and up to 3 coworkers are contract employees for The Company, harvesting scrap from abandoned moons to meet a profit quota. Each three-day cycle, you choose a moon, land, explore the facility interior for valuable junk, and try to extract before the monsters kill you. A ship radar operator guides teammates through the facility using cameras and map screens. The game's corporate horror premise — dying is fine as long as you meet quota — creates a darkly funny atmosphere where genuine terror and workplace comedy coexist.
Your choice of equipment defines your damage output and playstyle. This guide ranks every major option, explains what makes each one strong, and tells you which builds they pair best with.
Equipment Rankings
| Equipment | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shovel | S | Scout and Bait Runner for emergency self-defense against small threats | The only real weapon — a melee hit that stuns most small/medium creatures for 2-3 seconds. |
| Zap Gun | A | Scout for crowd control against mid-tier threats | A taser that continuously stuns a creature while you hold the trigger, draining battery. |
| Stun Grenade | A | Any role for emergency team-saving stun in overwhelming situations | A thrown device that stuns all creatures in its radius for several seconds. |
| Extension Ladder | B | Scout for creating alternative routes and accessing hidden scrap areas | A portable ladder that provides access to otherwise unreachable areas — facility rooftops, cliff shortcuts, and elevated escape routes. |
| Jetpack | B | Loot Goblin for accessing otherwise unreachable high-value scrap locations | Grants flight capability but with difficult controls and limited battery. |
S-Tier: Shovel
The only real weapon — a melee hit that stuns most small/medium creatures for 2-3 seconds. Two shovel hits kill some smaller enemies. The Shovel doesn't work against large creatures (Forest Keeper, Earth Leviathan). Carry one as insurance but don't rely on it against anything bigger than a Hoarding Bug.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Scout and Bait Runner for emergency self-defense against small threats |
| Key Mechanic | quota system |
| Recommended Build | Scout |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Shovel: Pairs naturally with Scout thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Zap Gun
A taser that continuously stuns a creature while you hold the trigger, draining battery. The Zap Gun doesn't kill but keeps a creature locked in place while teammates run past. Essential for Bracken encounters where you need time to escape without maintaining eye contact.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Scout for crowd control against mid-tier threats |
| Key Mechanic | moon selection |
| Recommended Build | Loot Goblin |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Zap Gun: Pairs naturally with Loot Goblin thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Stun Grenade
A thrown device that stuns all creatures in its radius for several seconds. Stun Grenades are consumable and expensive but can save the entire team in a bad situation. One grenade during a multi-creature encounter creates an escape window.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Any role for emergency team-saving stun in overwhelming situations |
| Key Mechanic | scrap collection |
| Recommended Build | Radar Operator |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Stun Grenade: Pairs naturally with Radar Operator thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Extension Ladder
A portable ladder that provides access to otherwise unreachable areas — facility rooftops, cliff shortcuts, and elevated escape routes. The Extension Ladder also blocks some creature pathing. Creative ladder placement creates safe zones and shortcuts.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Scout for creating alternative routes and accessing hidden scrap areas |
| Key Mechanic | creature AI |
| Recommended Build | Bait Runner |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Extension Ladder: Pairs naturally with Bait Runner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Jetpack
Grants flight capability but with difficult controls and limited battery. The Jetpack enables reaching elevated scrap, escaping ground-based creatures, and accessing facility areas from above. Crashing while using the Jetpack can damage or kill you.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Loot Goblin for accessing otherwise unreachable high-value scrap locations |
| Key Mechanic | ship upgrades |
| Recommended Build | Ship Manager |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Jetpack: Pairs naturally with Ship Manager thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Experimentation
- Zap Gun → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Stun Grenade → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Shovel → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Equipment Tips
- Always upgrade your primary equipment before diversifying — one strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Sell at exactly the quota amount to keep surplus credits for the next cycle. Selling everything wastes potential buffer for harder quota days.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Lethal Company Guides
- Lethal Company Lethal Company Overview
- Lethal Company Best Builds
- Lethal Company Tier List
- Lethal Company Walkthrough
- Lethal Company Beginner's Guide
- Lethal Company Tips & Tricks
- Lethal Company Combat Guide
- Lethal Company Boss Guide
- Lethal Company Maps & Locations
- Lethal Company Crafting Guide
- Lethal Company Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Lethal Company, check out these related guides:
- Phasmophobia Weapons Guide — horror game with similar mechanics
- Lethal Company Weapons Guide — horror game with similar mechanics
- Dead by Daylight Weapons Guide — horror game with similar mechanics
