When it comes to slaying behemoths in Dauntless, the weapon you choose significantly influences how efficient, fast, and stylish your hunts can be. The game offers a variety of weapons, each with its own unique playstyle, mechanics, and power potential. While personal preference and skill play a major role, some weapons clearly stand out above the rest in terms of versatility, damage output, and consistency. Identifying the best weapon in Dauntless depends on a combination of factors, but for many players, one weapon tends to rise above the rest due to its adaptability and high skill ceiling.
Understanding Weapon Tiers in Dauntless
Before deciding which weapon can be considered the best in Dauntless, it’s important to understand how weapon performance is typically measured. There are several key aspects that define a weapon’s value in combat:
- Damage Output: How much damage the weapon deals in a short and extended period
- Mobility: How easily a player can move while attacking
- Ease of Use: How beginner-friendly and intuitive the weapon is
- Utility: Ability to interrupt behemoths, apply status effects, or break parts
- Versatility: Suitability across various encounters and elemental matchups
Dauntless has six main weapon types: Sword, Axe, Hammer, Chain Blades, War Pike, and Repeaters. Each of them excels in different scenarios, but only one weapon combines high utility, strong damage, and agility into a well-balanced and powerful toolkit.
Why the Sword Is the Best Weapon in Dauntless
The sword has consistently remained at the top of many tier lists due to its balance between speed, damage, and flexibility. It is beginner-friendly but also offers advanced mechanics for experienced players. While other weapons shine in specific roles, the sword is arguably the best all-around weapon in Dauntless.
High DPS with Fluid Combos
The sword excels at sustained DPS through its quick and responsive combo chains. Players can weave between light and heavy attacks, quickly adapting to the behemoth’s movements. The special meter allows players to unleash even more damage through Overdrive mode, enhancing the sword’s power and attack speed for a limited time.
Ease of Use and Accessibility
New players often gravitate toward the sword because it’s intuitive and straightforward. There’s no need to memorize long charge times or complex inputs to be effective. The sword’s attack animations are fast, allowing for quick repositioning and evasion during combat.
Consistent Part Breaking
One of the key strategies in Dauntless is breaking parts off behemoths to weaken them and collect valuable resources. The sword’s rapid strikes make it ideal for focusing on specific limbs or heads, increasing the likelihood of part breaks over time.
Sword Mechanics and Special Abilities
What makes the sword especially deadly is its special meter and mod system. As players land attacks, the sword meter fills up. When full, it can be activated to enter Overdrive, a temporary mode that increases attack speed and unleashes shockwaves with each strike.
Core Mechanics
- Light Attacks: Fast slashes that build meter and allow quick movement
- Heavy Attacks: Slower, more powerful strikes that deal more stagger damage
- Overdrive Mode: Enhanced damage, faster swings, and shockwaves on attacks
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, you can experiment with different sword mods and cells to tailor your playstyle. Whether you prefer critical hit builds, elemental burst setups, or sustained DPS with attack speed bonuses, the sword allows for deep customization.
Comparing the Sword to Other Weapons
Each weapon in Dauntless has its strengths, but when compared side by side, the sword often comes out on top in most categories. Here’s a breakdown of how it compares to the rest:
Axe
The axe deals massive damage per hit and is excellent for part breaking, but it has slow animations and leaves the player vulnerable to behemoth attacks. While deadly in skilled hands, it lacks the sword’s flexibility and speed.
Hammer
The hammer combines melee and explosive damage and is great for staggering enemies. However, its movement is sluggish, and positioning is critical. Compared to the sword’s quick strikes, hammer users often struggle with mobility.
Chain Blades
These are agile and fun to use but deal lower consistent damage compared to the sword. Chain Blades rely heavily on hit-and-run tactics, and they don’t have the same sustained DPS or part-breaking capabilities.
War Pike
A technical weapon with piercing and ranged capability, the War Pike is ideal for applying status effects. However, it requires more precise timing and positioning, making it less forgiving than the sword for general use.
Repeaters
The only ranged weapon, repeaters are good for safety and mobility. While stylish, their damage output is highly dependent on loadouts and positioning. In close quarters, the sword still provides more reliable damage.
Best Sword Builds in Dauntless
To get the most out of the sword, players should equip the right gear, mods, and cells. Here’s a sample build that works well for most encounters:
High DPS Sword Build
- Weapon: Inferno’s Razor (Embermane-based sword for fire damage)
- Mod: Energized Hilt (boosts meter gain)
- Special: Valour Overdrive (enhanced Overdrive damage)
- Cells: Cunning (for crit chance), Overpower (for bonus damage to staggered behemoths)
- Armor Set: Blaze gear with attack speed bonuses
This build focuses on quickly entering Overdrive mode and maintaining pressure with fast, critical hits. Players should prioritize stamina management and practice positioning to avoid being interrupted mid-combo.
Tips for Mastering the Sword
Even though the sword is accessible to new players, mastery takes practice. These tips will help you maximize your effectiveness in hunts:
- Always aim for weak points or limbs to maximize damage and trigger part breaks
- Time Overdrive activation when you’re close to the behemoth and ready to commit to a combo
- Practice dodging and repositioning mid-combo to stay aggressive without taking hits
- Use mods and cells to tailor the sword to your playstyle try different builds!
- Learn behemoth patterns to maximize uptime during Overdrive
Dauntless provides a rich combat system with diverse weapon options, but when it comes to overall performance, the sword stands out as the best weapon in the game. It balances accessibility, raw power, and adaptability in a way that few other weapons can match. Whether you’re new to the Shattered Isles or a seasoned Slayer, the sword offers something valuable to every playstyle. Its combination of high DPS, mobility, and customization make it the ultimate choice for efficient and enjoyable behemoth hunting. If you’re looking to maximize your performance and have fun doing it, picking up the sword is one of the smartest decisions you can make in Dauntless.