Tunic is an isometric action-adventure starring a small fox in a world filled with cryptic secrets and a mysterious in-game instruction manual written in an indecipherable language. What appears to be a simple Zelda-like is actually one of the most intricate puzzle games ever made, with an entire layer of meta-puzzles hidden in the manual pages, environmental clues, and a fully decodable constructed language. Combat is Souls-inspired with stamina management, dodge rolling, and limited healing. The true depth reveals itself as you collect manual pages that reframe your understanding of the entire game world.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword | S | All playstyles, primary melee weapon | Your primary melee weapon found at the very beginning. |
| Shield | A | Defensive play, boss fights, stamina management | Blocks frontal attacks at the cost of stamina. |
| Magic Dagger | A | Magic builds, ranged poking, hitting hidden enemies | A throwing dagger that costs MP per use. |
| Shotgun | B | Boss burst damage, tank builds, secret weapon | A hidden ranged weapon with massive burst damage at close range. |
| Fire Wand | B | Magic builds, sustained ranged damage, safe play | A magic staff that fires a flame projectile with tracking. |
S-Tier: Sword
Your primary melee weapon found at the very beginning. Three-hit combo with moderate speed. Charged attack hits harder. Upgradeable through stat items. Reliable and available for the entire game.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | All playstyles, primary melee weapon |
| Key Mechanic | instruction manual discovery |
| Recommended Build | Sword and Shield |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Sword: Pairs naturally with Sword and Shield thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Shield
Blocks frontal attacks at the cost of stamina. Negates damage entirely if you have enough stamina to absorb the hit. Essential for bosses with fast combo attacks. No durability — it's permanent once found.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Defensive play, boss fights, stamina management |
| Key Mechanic | cryptic language system |
| Recommended Build | Magic Focus |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Shield: Pairs naturally with Magic Focus thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Magic Dagger
A throwing dagger that costs MP per use. Quick ranged option that can hit enemies through the isometric camera blind spots. Lower damage than melee but the safety of range makes up for it.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Magic builds, ranged poking, hitting hidden enemies |
| Key Mechanic | isometric combat |
| Recommended Build | Speedrunner |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Magic Dagger: Pairs naturally with Speedrunner thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Shotgun
A hidden ranged weapon with massive burst damage at close range. Uses a unique ammo resource. Found in a secret area accessible through careful exploration. Extremely effective against bosses when used at point-blank.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Boss burst damage, tank builds, secret weapon |
| Key Mechanic | holy cross system |
| Recommended Build | Tank Build |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Shotgun: Pairs naturally with Tank Build thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Fire Wand
A magic staff that fires a flame projectile with tracking. Costs MP per shot. The projectile curves slightly toward enemies, making it forgiving to aim from isometric perspective. Good sustained ranged damage.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Magic builds, sustained ranged damage, safe play |
| Key Mechanic | secret path exploration |
| Recommended Build | Completionist |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Fire Wand: Pairs naturally with Completionist thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear Overworld
- Shield → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Magic Dagger → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Sword → 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.
- Manual pages have hidden information in their borders, artwork, and 'decorative' patterns — study every page carefully
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Tunic Guides
- Tunic Tunic Overview
- Tunic Best Builds
- Tunic Tier List
- Tunic Walkthrough
- Tunic Beginner's Guide
- Tunic Tips & Tricks
- Tunic Combat Guide
- Tunic Boss Guide
- Tunic Maps & Locations
- Tunic Crafting Guide
- Tunic Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Tunic, check out these related guides:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 Weapons Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
- Sea of Thieves Weapons Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
- Dredge Weapons Guide — adventure game with similar mechanics
