Valve released Portal 2 in April 2011 as a first person puzzle game with no combat, no health bar and exactly one device: the portal gun. The single player campaign runs nine chapters through Aperture Science, and a separate two player campaign hands ATLAS and P-Body a portal gun each, putting four portals on the field at once. Everything you pick up is a testing element rather than a weapon, from the three paint gels to the Excursion Funnels and Hard Light Bridges.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portal Gun | S | Every puzzle in the game. Portal 2 has no other weapon, and the gun exists to move you and cubes rather than to fight. | The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device fires one blue and one orange portal onto white portal conducting surfaces. |
| Repulsion Gel | A | Reaching ledges no portal can see, and converting a fatal drop into a controlled climb. | The blue paint. |
| Propulsion Gel | A | Long horizontal gaps, and feeding extra speed into a momentum chain that would otherwise fall short. | The orange paint. |
| Conversion Gel | B | Chambers where every useful surface refuses portals, and the Wheatley confrontation in Chapter 9. | The white paint, made from ground moon rock. |
| Excursion Funnel | B | Moving a cube and yourself at the same time, and crossing acid pits that have no floor at all. | A tractor beam that carries players and cubes along its length and passes through portals without breaking. |
S-Tier: Portal Gun
The Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device fires one blue and one orange portal onto white portal conducting surfaces. It has no damage value, no ammunition and no fire mode that harms anything.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Every puzzle in the game. Portal 2 has no other weapon, and the gun exists to move you and cubes rather than to fight. |
| Key Mechanic | Portals only stick to white surfaces |
| Recommended Build | ATLAS, the co-op sphere |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Portal Gun: Pairs naturally with ATLAS, the co-op sphere thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Repulsion Gel
The blue paint. Anything landing on a coated surface bounces, and repeated bounces on the same patch build height instead of losing it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Reaching ledges no portal can see, and converting a fatal drop into a controlled climb. |
| Key Mechanic | Momentum carries through portals |
| Recommended Build | P-Body, the co-op turret |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Repulsion Gel: Pairs naturally with P-Body, the co-op turret thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Propulsion Gel
The orange paint. Running across it roughly doubles your speed, and that speed carries through a portal placed at the end of the strip.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Long horizontal gaps, and feeding extra speed into a momentum chain that would otherwise fall short. |
| Key Mechanic | The three paint gels |
| Recommended Build | Momentum first solver |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Propulsion Gel: Pairs naturally with Momentum first solver thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Conversion Gel
The white paint, made from ground moon rock. It coats a surface and makes it accept portals, which turns Aperture's deliberate black panelling from a wall into an option.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Chambers where every useful surface refuses portals, and the Wheatley confrontation in Chapter 9. |
| Key Mechanic | Excursion Funnels and Hard Light Bridges |
| Recommended Build | Gel router |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Conversion Gel: Pairs naturally with Gel router thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Excursion Funnel
A tractor beam that carries players and cubes along its length and passes through portals without breaking. Some emitters come with a button that reverses the flow.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Moving a cube and yourself at the same time, and crossing acid pits that have no floor at all. |
| Key Mechanic | Four portals in two player co-op |
| Recommended Build | Funnel and bridge planner |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Excursion Funnel: Pairs naturally with Funnel and bridge planner thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Chapter 1: The Courtesy Call
- Repulsion Gel → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Propulsion Gel → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Portal Gun → 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.
- Portal 2 has no combat, no health bar and no permanent failure state. Turrets and acid simply reset you to the start of the room, so experimenting costs nothing except time.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Portal 2 Guides
- Portal 2 Portal 2 Overview
- Portal 2 Best Builds
- Portal 2 Tier List
- Portal 2 Walkthrough
- Portal 2 Beginner's Guide
- Portal 2 Tips & Tricks
- Portal 2 Combat Guide
- Portal 2 Boss Guide
- Portal 2 Maps & Locations
- Portal 2 Crafting Guide
- Portal 2 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Portal 2, check out these related guides:
- Escape Simulator Weapons Guide: puzzle game with similar mechanics
- Pico Park Weapons Guide: puzzle game with similar mechanics
- Portal Weapons Guide: puzzle game with similar mechanics
