Best weapons in No Rest for the Wicked, ranked

Any weapon can be great in your hands, but some are just a bit more powerful.

An enemy attacking a player with a large, crude hammer in No Rest for the Wicked.
Image via Moon Studios

After early exploring in No Rest for the Wicked, you’re going to find a few different weapon types that have a lasting effect on the kind of playthrough you’re about to have. Everyone has their preferences, but what are the best weapons?

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In general, we’re looking for weapons that are not too cumbersome, deal plenty of damage, and can turn the tide of an encounter with tough enemies. As a note, we’re still very early into our playthrough of No Rest for the Wicked, and the game’s still in early access, so this list of the best weapons is subject to changes later on.

Best weapon types in No Rest for the Wicked

6) Two-handed Staff

A player equipped with a Two handed Staff in No Rest for the Wicked.
You wouldn’t part an old man from his walking stick, would you? Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Intelligence

If you end up getting a secondary weapon slot for switching, I cannot recommend any other weapon than the Two-handed Staff. On its own, it provides decent hitting power and a relatively inexpensive ranged Rune ability in Fireball. But its secondary Rune, Channel, can fill your Focus bar at the cost of your health.

And if you have plenty of healing items, or even gear that provides health regeneration, you can effectively go into every battle with a full Focus bar.

5) One-handed Sword

A player equipped with a One Handed Sword in No Rest for the Wicked.
Ol’ reliable. Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Strength

The One-handed Sword is a reliable classic, and when paired with a shield gives you the versatility and damage capabilities to take on virtually any enemy. Early on you’ll mostly find straight swords only, but eventually, you’ll come across all kinds of special swords like Curved Swords and Katanas.

4) Two-handed Sword

A player equipped with a Two Handed Sword in No Rest for the Wicked.
If the sword is bigger than you then it’s a good sword. Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Strength

You are certainly going to endure growing pains if you want to pursue a proper Two-handed Sword build. Early on, before you put serious upgrades into Stamina and Strength, you’ll tire quickly and inevitably get killed when you try and string too many attacks together. But over time this build really gets going, and if you master the parry window, you can stagger enemies long enough to crush them with a fully charged power attack or Rune attack. Building into Two-handed Sword also lets you easily pivot to other two-handed weapons later on.

3) One-handed Club

A player equipped with a One Handed Club in No Rest for the Wicked.
And it’s on fire! Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Dexterity and Faith

One-handed Club, with shield, of course, is a personal preference of mine. Its built-in flurry Rune attack has been crucial in fights against bosses and tougher enemies, and its backstab animation is incredibly satisfying.

2) One-handed Hammer

A player equipped with a One Handed Hammer in No Rest for the Wicked.
It’s hammer time. Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Strength and Faith

There’s no shortage of one-handed blunt weapons between the Hammer, the Club, and the Mace. The reason the Hammer stands out is because of its special Rune ability, Fire Throw. No Rest for the Wicked doesn’t feel favorable to those who prefer ranged combat, so having a hammer toss that can connect with multiple enemies and deal damage going out and coming back is a great advantage to have.

1) Dual-wielding Double Daggers

A player equipped with a Two Handed Double Daggers in No Rest for the Wicked.
Get behind them and finish the fight. Screenshot by Dot Esports.
  • Scales with Dexterity

Against Risen and other humanoid enemies, the Dual-wielding Double Daggers are without question the best weapon to use, primarily due to how easy it is to get behind an enemy and backstab them during combat. For some reason, the window to backstab during combat just feels so much bigger with the Double Daggers equipped.

On top of that, the Double Daggers are capable of a lot of quick damage at a low stamina cost with the right build, and the Dual Breaker Rune ability is great for closing the distance against pesky ranged enemies.

Author
Image of Scott Robertson
Scott Robertson
VALORANT lead staff writer, also covering CS:GO, FPS games, other titles, and the wider esports industry. Watching and writing esports since 2014. Previously wrote for Dexerto, Upcomer, Splyce, and somehow MySpace. Jack of all games, master of none.