Fatshark released Vermintide 2 on 8 March 2018 and it still runs on the same five heroes: Markus Kruber, Bardin Goreksson, Kerillian, Victor Saltzpyre and Sienna Fuegonasus. Each has four careers, three unlocked through levelling and one sold separately, which gives 20 loadouts built on one first person melee system. Difficulty climbs through Recruit, Veteran, Champion and Legend, with Cataclysm added by the Winds of Magic expansion in August 2019.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halberd | S | Kruber holding a front line against mixed hordes and armour | Kruber's long reach polearm, with a light attack chain that cleaves infantry and a heavy that punches through armour. |
| Drakefire Pistols | A | Bardin players who keep running out of ammunition on long maps | Bardin's ranged weapon that fires fire damage instead of ammunition and overheats instead of running dry. |
| Dual Daggers | A | Shade burst damage on monsters and elites | Kerillian's fastest melee option, with the best dodge count in the game and enormous critical damage against a single target. |
| Rapier | B | Witch Hunter Captain duelling elites and finishing tagged targets | Saltzpyre's starting melee weapon and still one of his best, with fast thrusts, a strong push attack and a pistol shot bound to the special attack. |
| Conflagration Staff | B | Holding a corridor and breaking up horde momentum | Sienna's crowd control staff, dropping a fire pillar that staggers and burns everything caught in it. |
S-Tier: Halberd
Kruber's long reach polearm, with a light attack chain that cleaves infantry and a heavy that punches through armour. It handles both jobs adequately, which is why it stays in loadouts long after players have unlocked flashier options.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Kruber holding a front line against mixed hordes and armour |
| Key Mechanic | Temporary health from damage dealt |
| Recommended Role | Markus Kruber |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using Halberd: Pairs naturally with Markus Kruber thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Drakefire Pistols
Bardin's ranged weapon that fires fire damage instead of ammunition and overheats instead of running dry. Venting the heat costs health, so the pistols never leave you empty but they can kill you if you ignore the gauge.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Bardin players who keep running out of ammunition on long maps |
| Key Mechanic | Stamina shields and push attacks |
| Recommended Role | Bardin Goreksson |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Drakefire Pistols: Pairs naturally with Bardin Goreksson thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Dual Daggers
Kerillian's fastest melee option, with the best dodge count in the game and enormous critical damage against a single target. Cleave is almost nonexistent, so a Shade caught in a horde with daggers has no good answer.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Shade burst damage on monsters and elites |
| Key Mechanic | Dodge count per weapon |
| Recommended Role | Kerillian |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Dual Daggers: Pairs naturally with Kerillian thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Rapier
Saltzpyre's starting melee weapon and still one of his best, with fast thrusts, a strong push attack and a pistol shot bound to the special attack. Its low cleave means it wants a career that kills quickly rather than one that grinds.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Witch Hunter Captain duelling elites and finishing tagged targets |
| Key Mechanic | Tomes and grimoires as loot penalties |
| Recommended Role | Victor Saltzpyre |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Rapier: Pairs naturally with Victor Saltzpyre thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Conflagration Staff
Sienna's crowd control staff, dropping a fire pillar that staggers and burns everything caught in it. Damage per second is lower than the alternatives, but stopping a horde before it reaches the line is worth more than damage on most runs.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Holding a corridor and breaking up horde momentum |
| Key Mechanic | Specials and monster spawns |
| Recommended Role | Sienna Fuegonasus |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Conflagration Staff: Pairs naturally with Sienna Fuegonasus 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 Righteous Stand
- Drakefire Pistols → Your first real upgrade, available early
- Dual Daggers → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- Halberd → 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.
- Block, push, then heavy attack is the core loop of the entire game. Pushing costs stamina but staggers everything in an arc in front of you, and the heavy attack that follows lands before anything recovers, which is how one player holds a corridor against a horde.
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Guides
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Overview
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Best Builds
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Tier List
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Walkthrough
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Beginner's Guide
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Tips & Tricks
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Combat Guide
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Boss Guide
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Maps & Locations
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Crafting Guide
- Warhammer: Vermintide 2 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Warhammer: Vermintide 2, check out these related guides:
- Helldivers 2 Weapons Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Black Myth: Wukong Weapons Guide: action game with similar mechanics
- Monster Hunter Wilds Weapons Guide: action game with similar mechanics
