Sifu is Sloclap's martial arts action game where your character ages every time they die — starting at 20 and becoming permanently dead after 70. Each of the five levels is a gauntlet of hand-to-hand combat inspired by kung fu cinema, with a structure/posture system reminiscent of Sekiro. The aging mechanic means your attack power increases but health decreases as you get older, creating a natural difficulty curve. Mastering parries, crowd control, and level shortcuts lets skilled players complete the game without aging at all. The detective board tracks clues about the five assassins you're hunting for revenge.
Your choice of weapons 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.
Weapons Rankings
| Weapon | Tier | Best For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bare Fists | S | Parry Master builds, all situations, consistent gameplay | Your default weapon with the full moveset available. |
| Bo Staff | A | Crowd control, multi-enemy rooms, reach advantage | Long-range melee weapon with sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies. |
| Baseball Bat | A | Raw damage, boss fights, thrown projectile | High-damage weapon with slightly slower swings than fists. |
| Knife | B | Single-target DPS, fast combos, thrown projectile | Fast weapon with lower range but adds bleed damage to attacks. |
| Thrown Objects | B | Interrupts, range engagement, crowd thinning | Bottles, bricks, and other items can be thrown at enemies to stagger them from range. |
S-Tier: Bare Fists
Your default weapon with the full moveset available. All skills work with bare fists and parry timing is most consistent without weapon modifiers. Structure damage from palm strikes and charged attacks is excellent. The most versatile option.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Parry Master builds, all situations, consistent gameplay |
| Key Mechanic | aging mechanic |
| Recommended Role | Rush Down |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Bare Fists: Pairs naturally with Rush Down thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Bo Staff
Long-range melee weapon with sweeping attacks that hit multiple enemies. Found in several levels and has the best crowd control of any weapon. Staff spin attack creates space when surrounded. Breaks after approximately 15 hits.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Crowd control, multi-enemy rooms, reach advantage |
| Key Mechanic | structure system |
| Recommended Role | Parry Master |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Bo Staff: Pairs naturally with Parry Master thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Baseball Bat
High-damage weapon with slightly slower swings than fists. Each hit deals significantly more damage and Structure than bare fists. Commonly found in early levels. Thrown bat is an excellent ranged option.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Raw damage, boss fights, thrown projectile |
| Key Mechanic | skill tree unlocks |
| Recommended Role | Sweep Specialist |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Baseball Bat: Pairs naturally with Sweep Specialist thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Knife
Fast weapon with lower range but adds bleed damage to attacks. Quick combo speed makes it excellent for stunlocking single enemies. Found primarily in The Club level. Throwable for significant ranged damage.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Single-target DPS, fast combos, thrown projectile |
| Key Mechanic | shortcut progression |
| Recommended Role | Weapon Focus |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Knife: Pairs naturally with Weapon Focus thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Thrown Objects
Bottles, bricks, and other items can be thrown at enemies to stagger them from range. Excellent for interrupting enemy attacks before they begin. No limit to what you can throw — everything in the environment is a potential projectile.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Interrupts, range engagement, crowd thinning |
| Key Mechanic | detective board |
| Recommended Role | Environmental Fighter |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Thrown Objects: Pairs naturally with Environmental Fighter thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Weapons Progression Path
The order you should acquire weapons as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear The Squats
- Bo Staff → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Baseball Bat → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Bare Fists → Best-in-slot, aim for this by late game
- Upgrade to max → The power spike from max upgrades is enormous
Weapons Tips
- Always upgrade your primary weapon before diversifying — one strong option beats three mediocre ones.
- Match your weapons to your build's stat priorities for maximum scaling.
- Permanently unlock Slide Kick and Environmental Mastery first — they're useful in every single level and fight
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Sifu Guides
- Sifu Sifu Overview
- Sifu Best Builds
- Sifu Tier List
- Sifu Walkthrough
- Sifu Beginner's Guide
- Sifu Tips & Tricks
- Sifu Combat Guide
- Sifu Boss Guide
- Sifu Maps & Locations
- Sifu Crafting Guide
- Sifu Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Sifu, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Weapons Guide — action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Weapons Guide — action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons Guide — action game with similar mechanics
