Streets of Rogue is a roguelite that plays like a top-down immersive sim — every level objective can be completed through combat, stealth, hacking, social manipulation, or pure chaos. Playing as a Gorilla lets you smash through walls, a Hacker opens electronic doors without keys, and a Vampire bites NPCs to convert them. The game's emergent systems interact hilariously: hack a ventilation system to release poison gas, hire a gang to attack a building, or just bribe everyone. With local/online co-op for up to 4 players, Streets of Rogue multiplies the chaos exponentially.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistol | S | Soldier and any class needing emergency ranged combat | The standard ranged weapon available from shops and enemy drops. |
| Sledgehammer | A | Gorilla and melee-focused Soldier builds | A massive melee weapon that deals huge damage and breaks objects. |
| Tranquilizer | A | Doctor and Hacker for non-lethal objective completion | Puts NPCs to sleep without killing them, perfect for pacifist or stealth approaches. |
| Boombox | B | Any stealth class for distraction and crowd clearing | Places a boombox that attracts nearby NPCs to dance, distracting them from their posts. |
| Banana Peel | B | Gorilla (bananas provide healing) and comedy-focused players | A thrown item that causes NPCs who step on it to slip and fall, stunning them briefly. |
S-Tier: Pistol
The standard ranged weapon available from shops and enemy drops. Moderate damage, common ammo, reliable accuracy. The pistol handles most combat situations adequately without the overkill (and noise) of heavier weapons.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Soldier and any class needing emergency ranged combat |
| Key Mechanic | class abilities |
| Recommended Build | Soldier |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Pistol: Pairs naturally with Soldier thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Sledgehammer
A massive melee weapon that deals huge damage and breaks objects. The Sledgehammer can break walls (slowly, unlike Gorilla's instant break), destroy furniture, and one-shot most NPCs. Slow swing speed makes you vulnerable between hits.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Gorilla and melee-focused Soldier builds |
| Key Mechanic | NPC interaction |
| Recommended Build | Doctor |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Sledgehammer: Pairs naturally with Doctor thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Tranquilizer
Puts NPCs to sleep without killing them, perfect for pacifist or stealth approaches. Tranqued NPCs wake up after a time, so you need to complete objectives quickly. The Tranquilizer doesn't trigger murder penalties.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Doctor and Hacker for non-lethal objective completion |
| Key Mechanic | environmental manipulation |
| Recommended Build | Hacker |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Tranquilizer: Pairs naturally with Hacker thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Boombox
Places a boombox that attracts nearby NPCs to dance, distracting them from their posts. The Boombox is a non-violent crowd control tool that clears areas for sneaking or theft. Creative players use it to lure guards away from objectives.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Any stealth class for distraction and crowd clearing |
| Key Mechanic | multiplayer chaos |
| Recommended Build | Gorilla |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Boombox: Pairs naturally with Gorilla thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Banana Peel
A thrown item that causes NPCs who step on it to slip and fall, stunning them briefly. The Banana Peel is comedic but tactically useful for creating escape opportunities or chain-stunning pursuers. The Gorilla heals from eating bananas, not the peels.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Gorilla (bananas provide healing) and comedy-focused players |
| Key Mechanic | mutator system |
| Recommended Build | Vampire |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Banana Peel: Pairs naturally with Vampire thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Slums
- Sledgehammer → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Tranquilizer → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Pistol → 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.
- Every class plays completely differently — the Gorilla experience and the Hacker experience share almost no gameplay in common. Try every class at least once.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Streets of Rogue Guides
- Streets of Rogue Streets of Rogue Overview
- Streets of Rogue Best Builds
- Streets of Rogue Tier List
- Streets of Rogue Walkthrough
- Streets of Rogue Beginner's Guide
- Streets of Rogue Tips & Tricks
- Streets of Rogue Combat Guide
- Streets of Rogue Boss Guide
- Streets of Rogue Maps & Locations
- Streets of Rogue Crafting Guide
- Streets of Rogue Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Streets of Rogue, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Weapons Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
