Unturned is Nelson Sexton's free-to-play zombie survival game with blocky visuals that belie its surprisingly deep mechanics. Built in Unity with a single developer, the game features crafting, base building, vehicles, farming, and PvP across multiple official and community maps. Despite its simple graphics, Unturned offers complex survival systems including skill trees, vehicle repair, and raids. The game's modding community has created thousands of custom maps, weapons, and servers.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maplestrike | S | Spec Ops / PvP combat | The best automatic rifle with high damage, controllable recoil, and common military-grade ammo. |
| Grizzly | A | Sniper / long-range PvP | A high-caliber sniper rifle dealing the most damage per shot of any conventional weapon. |
| Eaglefire | A | Civilian / mid-game transition weapon | A semi-automatic civilian rifle with decent damage and common ammo. |
| Timberwolf | B | Sniper / budget long-range option | A bolt-action sniper rifle with excellent damage and accuracy. |
| Dragonfang | B | Base defense / suppressive fire | A light machine gun with a 100-round magazine and sustained fire capability. |
S-Tier: Maplestrike
The best automatic rifle with high damage, controllable recoil, and common military-grade ammo. Found at military locations. The standard endgame weapon for PvP. Accepts all NATO attachments including suppressors and 100-round drums.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Spec Ops / PvP combat |
| Key Mechanic | zombie types |
| Recommended Build | Offense Tree |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Maplestrike: Pairs naturally with Offense Tree thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Grizzly
A high-caliber sniper rifle dealing the most damage per shot of any conventional weapon. One-shots through most armor at any range. Extremely rare, found only at specific military spawns. The most feared weapon on any server.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Sniper / long-range PvP |
| Key Mechanic | vehicle repair |
| Recommended Build | Defense Tree |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Grizzly: Pairs naturally with Defense Tree thanks to stat scaling synergies.
A-Tier: Eaglefire
A semi-automatic civilian rifle with decent damage and common ammo. Available at ranger stations and some military spawns. More accessible than military weapons. Good for mid-range engagements.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Civilian / mid-game transition weapon |
| Key Mechanic | farming |
| Recommended Build | Support Tree |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Eaglefire: Pairs naturally with Support Tree thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Timberwolf
A bolt-action sniper rifle with excellent damage and accuracy. Found at military locations. Slower fire rate than the Grizzly but more common and still one-shots most targets at range.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Sniper / budget long-range option |
| Key Mechanic | base raiding |
| Recommended Build | Civilian |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Timberwolf: Pairs naturally with Civilian thanks to stat scaling synergies.
B-Tier: Dragonfang
A light machine gun with a 100-round magazine and sustained fire capability. Found at military bases. Devastating for base defense and suppressive fire. High ammo consumption is the main drawback.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Base defense / suppressive fire |
| Key Mechanic | skill trees |
| Recommended Build | Spec Ops |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Dragonfang: Pairs naturally with Spec Ops thanks to stat scaling synergies.
Equipment Progression Path
The order you should acquire equipment as you progress:
- Starting gear → Enough to clear PEI
- Grizzly → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Eaglefire → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Maplestrike → 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 metal walls early for a secure base — wooden structures can be destroyed with basic tools, but metal requires explosives or significant effort.
- Check our tier list for how equipment rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Unturned Guides
- Unturned Unturned Overview
- Unturned Best Builds
- Unturned Tier List
- Unturned Walkthrough
- Unturned Beginner's Guide
- Unturned Tips & Tricks
- Unturned Combat Guide
- Unturned Boss Guide
- Unturned Maps & Locations
- Unturned Crafting Guide
- Unturned Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Unturned, 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
