As an avid horror and shooter fan with over 200 hours combined playing the Soulsborne games and titles like Dead Space, I‘ve been eagerly anticipating Striking Distance Studios‘ The Callisto Protocol. Now having fully completed the hardcore mode campagin in Callisto Protocol, I wanted to provide the definitive breakdown and tier list ranking the most potent weapons available in the game.
Through extensive testing and factoring in damage output, range versatility, ammo capacity, handling, and more – these are the absolute best weapons you need to upgrade and utilize to conquer the outbreak on Callisto.
How I Evaluated Weapons Performance
Before getting into the individual weapons breakdown, I wanted to quickly summarize my testing methodology and criteria used for evaluation:
- Total Damage Per Second (DPS) – Calculated using average damage per shot x rate of fire per second with maximum upgrades
- Practical DPS – Adjusted DPS taking into account reload times, range limitations, etc.
- Ammo Efficiency – Damage dealt per ammo used/total ammo capacity
- Handling/Accuracy – Recoil control and range engagement ability
- Crowd Control Capacity – How well the weapon thins out multiple enemies
- Stun/Debuff Potential – Auxiliary effects like stunning or damage over time
I determined rankings based on a combination of raw stats, actual in-game performance, and synergy with other gear. These aren‘t just theoretical grades – they are forged from blood and tears earned escaping Callisto‘s horrors first-hand.
Now – onto the list!
5. Stun Baton
| Damage | Attack Speed | DPS | Stun | Crowd Control | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 | 11 swings/5 sec | 242 | High | Medium | ⭐⭐⭐ |
Kicking things off with a reliable fallback from the early game – the Stun Baton offers solid mid-tier melee damage through the entire campaign. It lacks raw power, but makes up for it with:
- Stunning – Electrical shocks immobilize enemies, allowing for extended combos
- Shield Piercing – Ignores enemy defenses to damage directly
- Spam Swings – Wild flailing lets you output good DPS
Upgraded with maxed out circuit breaker mods, I could spam the Stun Baton on smaller enemies to sustain over 200 damage per second. It‘s great against biomechs that have temporarily downed you as dashes + mashes let you re-establish space.
However, its short range requires risky close encounters with less crowd control than heavier weapons. But it‘s extremely ammo efficient, fitting nicely as an emergency last resort.
4. Riot Gun
| Damage | Fire Rate | DPS | Ammo | Reload Time | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 480 | 65 RPM | 691 | 7 Shells | 5.2 Seconds | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The Riot Gun shotgun fills the brutish badass role – turning biomechs into chunky salsa with its raw stopping power. Up close, nothing shreds through enemies faster with its meaty 480 damage shots.
It truly shines once upgraded with the following:
- Explosive Rounds – Enable devastating area damage
- Increased Capacity – Reduces need to reload as often
- Faster Pump – Decreases downtime between blasts
In practice though, its practical DPS dips closer to 400 factoring in all the pumping and reloading downtime. While great against individual tankier enemies, the Riot Gun lacks the crowd control to manage groups on its own.
3. Skunk Gun
| Damage | Fire Rate | DPS | Range | Ammo | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 520 | 75 RPM | 702 | Short | 6 Shells | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
The aptly named Skunk Gun hits enemies with the force of a foul odor – aka melted flesh and acidic bile. Unloading 6 shells of pure CQC destruction, it edges out the Riot Gun in both damage per shot and DPS.
Its acid rounds cause lingering damage, while poison ammo sticks enemies with nasty DOT. Even against armored enemies, the Skunk Gun‘s corrosive blasts eat through defenses with ease.
I favored running this with stability and fast reload upgrades to quickly cycle between targets. The tighter spread and increased range let me eliminate packs of biomechs rapidly without needing to get as close.
Upgraded Skunk Gun was my ol‘ reliable primary for the majority of mid to late game. It absolutely decimates any enemy within close-medium range.
2. Hand Cannon
| Damage | Fire Rate | DPS | Range | Ammo | Reload | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 220 | 45 RPM | 264 | Very Long | 12 Rounds | 2.3 Seconds | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Boasting the longest range of any weapon in The Callisto Protocol, the Hand Cannon lives up to its powerful moniker. Each thunderous magnum blast hits with a whopping 220 damage – enough to down most common enemies in 2 clean shots even on hardcore difficulty.
Nailing back to back headshots lets you delete biomechs before they can close distance. And thanks to its excellent handling and accuracy, scoring those crispy crits feels very consistent.
Extended mags and a quick reloading chamber means you aren‘t left defenseless too often either. I used Hand Cannon liberally to soften up enemies approaching from afar or finish off the last remnants of a crowd weakened by other weapons. It might lack raw DPS, but the Hand Cannon‘s versatility cemented it as a core piece of my arsenal.
1. GRP Glove
| Range | Force | Recharge Rate | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45m | Can Hurl Average Enemy | ~8 seconds | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Claiming the crown as Callisto Protocol‘s undisputed best weapon is the Gravity Reach Projector (GRP) Glove. Harnessing manipulated gravity, it enables lifting and ragdolling enemies from a distance – setting up creative kills or crowd control.
Once acquired in Aftermath, the GRP became my new best friend, allowing strategies like:
- Ragdoll Groups – Pull distant enemies into environmental hazards
- Interrupt Charges – Shut down rush attacks with timely grabs
- Remove Threats – Isolate dangerous biomechs away from the pack
- Cheese Bosses – Manipulate specific enemies into insta-kill spots
No other weapon enables this level of control and domination. Even small upgrades to its range and recharge rate make the GRP glove ludicrously flexible. Veteran Callisto Protocol player Bloodthirsty often cites it as "the most useful tool for Nightmare runs."
While still constrained by line-of-sight requirements, a maxed out GRP peripheral essentially allows easy mode clears once mastered.
Other Weapons Worth Using
These last pieces of gear didn‘t quite make the top 5, but are still solid options that served me well at times:
Tactical Pistol – Available early as a rapid-firing sidearm. Upgraded shots interrupt and stun enemies. Fantastic supplementary DPS.
Assault Rifle – Bulldoze groups with a hailstorm of lead. Stability upgrades control its recoil nicely. Lacks damage per bullet to be great though.
Shiv – Last resort melee early on and useful for breaking crates/doors. Very fast equip speed to emergency stunned attackers. But pathetic end-game damage.
While eclipsed by top tier weapons, these alternates inject some versatility when you need to conserve ammo or deal with enemies resistant to your main firearms‘ damage type.
Closing Thoughts
I hope this ranked guide to Callisto Protocol‘s most lethal weapons gives you insight into gearing up effectively across your playthrough! Let me know which weapons ended up overperforming for you or any creative armament combinations you‘ve discovered on Callisto.
Prioritizing upgrading and mastering these hard-hitting implements of destruction paved my road to survival. Now get out there and shred some mutants!
