Ubisoft Paris released Wildlands on 7 March 2017 and handed players an open Bolivia divided into 21 provinces, all of them reachable from the first hour. The Santa Blanca cartel runs the country under El Sueno, and your four man Ghost team of Nomad, Holt, Midas and Weaver works through its structure from the bottom up. You can bring three AI teammates or three other players, and either way the sync shot is the mechanic the whole game is built around.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| P416 | S | Sync shot play at medium range, and any player who wants one rifle for the entire campaign | The starting assault rifle and, awkwardly for every other rifle in the game, still one of the best. |
| 805 Bren A2 | A | Provinces with heavy Unidad presence where per-shot damage matters more than rate of fire | Found in Villa Verde, the Bren hits harder per shot than the P416 at the cost of noticeably more climb. |
| Vector .45 ACP | A | Building interiors, mine tunnels and any fight that starts inside 20 metres | Located in Media Luna, the Vector has the highest rate of fire of any submachine gun in the game, trading accuracy and per-shot damage for it. |
| HTI | B | Overwatch on vehicle-heavy bases and Unidad convoy interception | The . |
| MSR | B | Suppressed sniping that has to stay silent, particularly clearing watchtowers before a sync shot | Also found in Montuyoc, the MSR is the quiet counterpart to the HTI: lower damage, far better handling, and it accepts a suppressor without becoming useless. |
S-Tier: P416
The starting assault rifle and, awkwardly for every other rifle in the game, still one of the best. Balanced damage, low recoil and full attachment support mean a suppressed P416 with a 4x scope covers everything between 50 and 250 metres without complaint.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Sync shot play at medium range, and any player who wants one rifle for the entire campaign |
| Key Mechanic | Sync Shot and the four man team |
| Recommended Role | Sync Shot Marksman |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using P416: Pairs naturally with Sync Shot Marksman thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: 805 Bren A2
Found in Villa Verde, the Bren hits harder per shot than the P416 at the cost of noticeably more climb. It is the rifle to carry when you expect to be shooting through cover or at Unidad armour rather than at unarmoured sicarios.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Provinces with heavy Unidad presence where per-shot damage matters more than rate of fire |
| Key Mechanic | The Santa Blanca hierarchy |
| Recommended Role | Drone Operator |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using 805 Bren A2: Pairs naturally with Drone Operator thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Vector .45 ACP
Located in Media Luna, the Vector has the highest rate of fire of any submachine gun in the game, trading accuracy and per-shot damage for it. Suppressed, it stays quiet enough for interior work while emptying a magazine faster than anything else you can carry.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Building interiors, mine tunnels and any fight that starts inside 20 metres |
| Key Mechanic | Drone tagging and recon |
| Recommended Role | Sniper Overwatch |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Vector .45 ACP: Pairs naturally with Sniper Overwatch thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: HTI
The .50 calibre anti-materiel rifle found in Montuyoc, and the heaviest hitting weapon available to a Ghost. It kills through light cover, disables vehicles in one or two shots and drops helicopter pilots through the canopy, at the cost of a tiny magazine and a very slow follow-up.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Overwatch on vehicle-heavy bases and Unidad convoy interception |
| Key Mechanic | Rebel support from the Kataris 26 |
| Recommended Role | Close Quarters Breacher |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using HTI: Pairs naturally with Close Quarters Breacher thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: MSR
Also found in Montuyoc, the MSR is the quiet counterpart to the HTI: lower damage, far better handling, and it accepts a suppressor without becoming useless. For picking off tower guards while the rest of the camp stays unaware, it is the better of the two.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Suppressed sniping that has to stay silent, particularly clearing watchtowers before a sync shot |
| Key Mechanic | Six skill trees and province collectibles |
| Recommended Role | Rebel Support Specialist |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using MSR: Pairs naturally with Rebel Support Specialist thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
Weapons Progression Path
The order you should acquire weapons as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Itacua
- 805 Bren A2 → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Vector .45 ACP → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- P416 → 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.
- Provinces are not level scaled. Their one to five star ratings are fixed, so a five star province at level 5 is exactly as dangerous as it will be at level 30. That fixed difficulty is what makes early collectible raids viable, since the guards do not get tougher just because you did.
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Guides
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Overview
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Best Builds
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Tier List
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Walkthrough
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Beginner's Guide
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Tips & Tricks
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Combat Guide
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Boss Guide
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Maps & Locations
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Crafting Guide
- Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands Classes & Characters
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