Stranded Deep puts you in the aftermath of a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, stranded with nothing but a life raft and a survival knife. You must island-hop across a procedurally generated archipelago, gathering resources, crafting tools, and building shelters while managing hunger, thirst, and health. The game features three massive boss creatures guarding the parts needed to build an escape vehicle. With realistic survival mechanics including sunstroke, poison, and bleeding, Stranded Deep offers a tense castaway experience that rewards careful planning and resource management.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refined Spear | S | All builds — the most versatile weapon for both land and underwater combat | Upgraded from the Crude Spear using a Refined Knife at the Crafting Station. |
| Crude Bow | A | Hunter build for safe ranged damage on land | Crafted from a stick and lashing, the Crude Bow fires stone or bone arrows at moderate damage. |
| Refined Axe | A | Island Hopper and Base Builder for efficient resource gathering | The upgraded axe cuts trees in 3 hits instead of 8 and deals decent melee damage. |
| Refined Knife | B | All builds — doubles animal resource yield | Essential for skinning animals (double resources vs. |
| Speargun | B | Hunter build and boss fight preparation — best underwater weapon in the game | Found in shipwrecks (not craftable), the Speargun is the strongest ranged weapon for underwater combat. |
S-Tier: Refined Spear
Upgraded from the Crude Spear using a Refined Knife at the Crafting Station. Deals solid damage to both land and sea creatures. Can be thrown for ranged damage but risks losing it if it sinks in deep water. Your primary weapon for most of the game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | All builds — the most versatile weapon for both land and underwater combat |
| Key Mechanic | raft building |
| Recommended Build | Island Hopper |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Refined Spear: Pairs naturally with Island Hopper thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Crude Bow
Crafted from a stick and lashing, the Crude Bow fires stone or bone arrows at moderate damage. It's the safest weapon for land combat since you can kite boars and crabs. Arrow crafting requires additional resources, so conserve shots. Essential for boss preparation.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Hunter build for safe ranged damage on land |
| Key Mechanic | island resources |
| Recommended Build | Base Builder |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Crude Bow: Pairs naturally with Base Builder thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Refined Axe
The upgraded axe cuts trees in 3 hits instead of 8 and deals decent melee damage. Since trees are finite, using the Refined Axe saves enormous time and preserves your Crude Axes for when you can't find materials. Also the best tool for destroying structures to reclaim materials.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Island Hopper and Base Builder for efficient resource gathering |
| Key Mechanic | boss creatures |
| Recommended Build | Hunter |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Refined Axe: Pairs naturally with Hunter thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Refined Knife
Essential for skinning animals (double resources vs. other tools) and as a crafting ingredient for other refined tools. The Skinning Knife effect is crucial — a Refined Knife on a boar gives 2 leather instead of 1, and 3 meat instead of 2. Craft this before anything else.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | All builds — doubles animal resource yield |
| Key Mechanic | crafting progression |
| Recommended Build | Raft Designer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Refined Knife: Pairs naturally with Raft Designer thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Speargun
Found in shipwrecks (not craftable), the Speargun is the strongest ranged weapon for underwater combat. It fires spear-type projectiles that deal massive damage to sharks and boss creatures. Ammunition is craftable but requires metal salvage. Essential for boss fights.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Hunter build and boss fight preparation — best underwater weapon in the game |
| Key Mechanic | health management |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Speargun: Pairs naturally with Speedrunner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Starting Island
- Crude Bow → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Refined Axe → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Refined Spear → 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.
- Craft a Water Still immediately — dehydration kills faster than hunger. A Water Still uses Palm Fronds and Lashing to produce fresh water from fibrous leaves. One still isn't enough long-term; build two.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Stranded Deep Guides
- Stranded Deep Stranded Deep Overview
- Stranded Deep Best Builds
- Stranded Deep Tier List
- Stranded Deep Walkthrough
- Stranded Deep Beginner's Guide
- Stranded Deep Tips & Tricks
- Stranded Deep Combat Guide
- Stranded Deep Boss Guide
- Stranded Deep Maps & Locations
- Stranded Deep Crafting Guide
- Stranded Deep Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Stranded Deep, check out these related guides:
- Palworld Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- Rust Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
- ARK: Survival Evolved Weapons Guide — survival game with similar mechanics
