Saber Interactive's four-player co-op shooter runs on the Swarm Engine, which pours hundreds of zombies down stairwells and lets them climb over each other into living ramps. The Aftermath release of 21 September 2021 folded in first-person mode, the Vanguard class and two extra episodes set in Rome and Kamchatka. Eight classes, a three-tier weapon system and difficulty steps that run up through Extreme, Insane and Extinction sit on top of missions that take roughly 25 to 40 minutes each.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARK-103 Assault Rifle | S | Gunslingers holding a mid-range lane and anyone who wants to avoid pulling extra spawns with muzzle noise | A Tier 2 rifle with heavy stopping power that stays controllable in long bursts. |
| Keris V10 Advanced SMG | A | Clearing dense packs inside buildings on Tokyo and Moscow, and for Medics who need to stay mobile | The Tier 3 submachine gun modelled on the KRISS Vector, with a fire rate rated at 90 and the magazine to back it. |
| S890 Combat Shotgun | A | Doorway defence, Lurker deletion, and Vanguards covering the gap when their shield expires | A Tier 2 pump that removes Lurkers in a single shell and knocks back anything that gets inside five metres. |
| Thumper GL Grenade Launcher | B | Breaking a stacked pyramid during a defence phase before it reaches the balcony | A heavy weapon that clears an entire pyramid in one shot and staggers Bulls. |
| Mk110 Sniper Rifle | B | Open sightlines in Jerusalem and Kamchatka where specials appear well before the horde does | A Tier 2 scoped rifle that kills Gasbags and Infectors before their attacks land. |
S-Tier: ARK-103 Assault Rifle
A Tier 2 rifle with heavy stopping power that stays controllable in long bursts. Taken with the Advanced User perk it arrives silenced and loaded with explosive rounds, which is why most Extreme lobbies treat it as the default.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | S |
| Best For | Gunslingers holding a mid-range lane and anyone who wants to avoid pulling extra spawns with muzzle noise |
| Key Mechanic | Swarm Engine zombie pyramids |
| Recommended Role | Gunslinger |
How to get it: Available from mid-game onward. See our walkthrough for the exact progression point.
Best builds using ARK-103 Assault Rifle: Pairs naturally with Gunslinger thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: Keris V10 Advanced SMG
The Tier 3 submachine gun modelled on the KRISS Vector, with a fire rate rated at 90 and the magazine to back it. Recoil climbs fast, so short bursts at the base of a stack work far better than holding the trigger.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Clearing dense packs inside buildings on Tokyo and Moscow, and for Medics who need to stay mobile |
| Key Mechanic | Eight classes with perk trees |
| Recommended Role | Hellraiser |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using Keris V10 Advanced SMG: Pairs naturally with Hellraiser thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
A-Tier: S890 Combat Shotgun
A Tier 2 pump that removes Lurkers in a single shell and knocks back anything that gets inside five metres. Reload speed is the weak point, so top it up between waves rather than mid-swarm.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | A |
| Best For | Doorway defence, Lurker deletion, and Vanguards covering the gap when their shield expires |
| Key Mechanic | Weapon tiers and Advanced User |
| Recommended Role | Medic |
How to get it: Accessible in the early-to-mid game. Check our maps guide for the location.
Best builds using S890 Combat Shotgun: Pairs naturally with Medic thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Thumper GL Grenade Launcher
A heavy weapon that clears an entire pyramid in one shot and staggers Bulls. Ammunition is scarce and shots too close to the team hurt allies, so it is a horde tool rather than a general purpose gun.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Breaking a stacked pyramid during a defence phase before it reaches the balcony |
| Key Mechanic | Defence phase fortifications |
| Recommended Role | Fixer |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Thumper GL Grenade Launcher: Pairs naturally with Fixer thanks to how their stat scaling lines up.
B-Tier: Mk110 Sniper Rifle
A Tier 2 scoped rifle that kills Gasbags and Infectors before their attacks land. It is close to useless in a swarm, so treat it as a special-killer and carry something automatic as a secondary.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tier | B |
| Best For | Open sightlines in Jerusalem and Kamchatka where specials appear well before the horde does |
| Key Mechanic | Special zombie roster |
| Recommended Role | Vanguard |
How to get it: Found in later areas. Our walkthrough covers when you can access this.
Best builds using Mk110 Sniper Rifle: Pairs naturally with Vanguard 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 New York
- Keris V10 Advanced SMG → Your first real upgrade, available early
- S890 Combat Shotgun → Mid-game upgrade with good scaling
- ARK-103 Assault Rifle → 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.
- Aim at the bottom of a climbing pyramid rather than the zombies already at the top. Removing three or four bodies at the base drops everything above them, while headshots on the upper layer just get replaced by the next climber.
- Check our tier list for how weapons rankings affect overall build effectiveness.
More World War Z Guides
- World War Z World War Z Overview
- World War Z Best Builds
- World War Z Tier List
- World War Z Walkthrough
- World War Z Beginner's Guide
- World War Z Tips & Tricks
- World War Z Combat Guide
- World War Z Boss Guide
- World War Z Maps & Locations
- World War Z Crafting Guide
- World War Z Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy World War Z, 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
