Windrose Weapon Tier List: 10 Best Picks for Surviving the High Seas

The waters of Windrose are not forgiving. Take the wrong loadout and Davy Jones's locker is waiting. Before you set sail, line up the right armament. This tier list ranks ten of Windrose's strongest weapons, covering everything from explosive blunderbusses to soul-draining greatswords, along with the damage stats, scaling, and crafting paths that matter most.

Reading the Tier List

There is no single "best weapon" in Windrose. The right pick depends on your build, your crew, and the boss on the menu that night. Still, the ten weapons below stand out for their effects, damage profiles, and overall utility. Each entry includes damage type, damage score, scaling stat, and the materials needed to craft and upgrade it.

Tip: Hop into another player's server and ask them to drop the weapon you want. Picking it up unlocks its recipe for you, which spares a long hunt for the relevant Plans.

10. Dragon's Breath

• Description: A single-shot blunderbuss that releases a cone of fire, sweeping aside anything caught in front of it.
• Bonus effect: 60% chance on damage to trigger a fire explosion around the target.
• Damage type: Pierce
• Damage score: 160
• Scaling: Agility (C)

Dragon's Breath shines against bunched-up mobs. The on-hit ignition makes it a stronger crowd-clearing tool than many higher-rarity firearms. Its raw single-target output is unremarkable, so do not rely on it during boss duels. Use it to burn down hordes, then swap to something heavier.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Dragon's Breath".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Dragon's Breath at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 7x Copper Ingot, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 7x Foothills Iron Ingot, 10x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 7x Mire Metal Ingot, 7x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.

9. Reliable Blunderbuss (Epic)

• Description: A practical short-barrel blunderbuss meant for cramped quarters. Its only purpose is to throw a hail of shot in the enemy's direction.
• Bonus effects: Close-range shots have a small chance to knock enemies down. Shots consume less gunpowder.
• Damage type: Pierce
• Damage score: 180
• Scaling: Agility (B)

The Reliable Blunderbuss is built for support roles. Its lower powder cost stretches a single pouch across longer fights, and the knockdown chance can save a teammate caught in melee. The trade-off is poor burst damage and almost no usefulness at range. It earns its place in crew loadouts more than solo runs.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Reliable Blunderbuss".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Reliable Blunderbuss (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 7x Copper Ingot, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 7x Foothills Iron Ingot, 10x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 7x Mire Metal Ingot, 7x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.

8. Infantry Musket (Epic)

• Description: A French infantry-square musket tuned for drills rather than duels. Keep moving, keep aiming, and let the bayonet handle anyone who gets too close.
• Bonus effects: Special bayonet attack via [F]. Damage scales with Agility. Movement while aiming does not affect spread.
• Damage type: Pierce
• Damage score: 575
• Scaling: Agility (A)

Muskets in Windrose come with a wide spread and a slow reload. The Infantry Musket solves half of that: you can strafe and aim without losing precision, which is rare for the weapon class. The reload remains a liability, so think twice before bringing it into longer boss fights where the dead time is dangerous.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Infantry Musket".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Infantry Musket (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 7x Copper Ingot, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 7x Foothills Iron Ingot, 10x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 7x Mire Metal Ingot, 7x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.

7. Cutlass (Epic)

• Description: An oversized cutlass decorated with engravings shaped like ocean waves.
• Bonus effects: Hits apply Take Aim! up to 9 stacks. Your next shot deals 10% bonus damage per stack. Attacks cost 10% less Stamina.
• Damage type: Slash
• Damage score: 215
• Scaling: Agility (A)

The Cutlass rewards pirates who refuse to slow down. Every hit stacks Take Aim!, and at nine stacks your next firearm shot lands with an extra 90% damage. Pair it with a sidearm and you have a hybrid setup that punishes targets at any distance. The 10% stamina discount on swings keeps the pressure on without burning your bar.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Cutlass".
• Crafting: 7x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Cutlass (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 7x Copper Ingot, 2x Rough Hide.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 7x Foothills Iron Ingot, 2x Rough Hide, 3x Smithing Flux.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 7x Mire Metal Ingot, 2x Crocodile Hide Piece, 3x Smithing Flux.

6. Drake's Double-Barreled Pistol (Epic)

• Description: A finely engraved pistol. The top barrel reads "Head," the bottom reads "Eyes."
• Bonus effects: Fires two quick shots in succession. Shots apply Vulnerability, increasing all damage dealt to the target by 15%.
• Damage type: Pierce
• Damage score: 420
• Scaling: Precision (B)

Drake's pistol works less like a finisher and more like a primer. Land both shots, watch Vulnerability stick, then move in with whatever blade or blunt weapon you brought. The 15% modifier applies to all damage, so teammates also benefit from the debuff. It is one of the cleanest setup tools available before late-game gear arrives.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Drake's Double-Barreled Pistol".
• Crafting: 7x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Drake's Double-Barreled Pistol (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 5x Copper Ingot, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 5x Foothills Iron Ingot, 10x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 5x Mire Metal Ingot, 7x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.

5. Crusher (Epic)

• Description: A heavy mace. A well-placed swing can put a target to sleep for hours.
• Bonus effects: Hits have a small chance to knock enemies down, scaling with Strength. Deals 10% bonus damage to pirates, outlaws, and other cutthroats.
• Damage type: Crude
• Damage score: 290
• Scaling: Strength (B)

Not every pirate captain wants to slice. Some want to dent. The Crusher is the one-handed blunt option built around Strength scaling. The knockdown chance climbs alongside your Strength stat, and the bonus damage against humanoid enemies makes bandit camps and PvP encounters far quicker than they should be.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Crusher".
• Crafting: 7x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Crusher (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 5x Copper Ingot, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 5x Foothills Iron Ingot, 12x Hardwood, 3x Smithing Flux.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 5x Mire Metal Ingot, 8x Hardwood, 3x Smithing Flux.

4. Plague Pistol

• Description: It feels like this pistol's bullets carry an unnatural thirst for someone else's blood.
• Bonus effect: Restores 40% of dealt Damage as Health.
• Damage type: Pierce
• Damage score: 400
• Scaling: Precision (B)

The Plague Pistol turns ranged combat into a self-sustain loop. Forty percent of every bullet's damage comes back as health, which means a pirate with steady aim can leave most bandages at camp. Pair it with a Precision build and you can clear a beach while staying topped up. As long as bullets and gunpowder keep flowing, this is a survival kit shaped like a sidearm.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Plague Pistol".
• Crafting: N/A
• Crafting Station: N/A

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 3x Copper Ingot, 5x Ingot Arborum, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 3x Foothills Iron Ingot, 7x Ingot Arborum, 10x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 3x Mire Metal Ingot, 8x Ingot Arborum, 7x Hardwood, 3x Master's Tools.

3. Soul Eater (Epic)

• Description: Said to have belonged to the Ghost Captain. Its blade is as dark as the waters waiting to claim its next owner.
• Bonus effects: Special [F] attack drains health from nearby enemies. 2-minute cooldown. Special attack damage also scales with Vitality.
• Damage type: Slash
• Damage score: 325
• Scaling: Agility (B)

Soul Eater would sit higher on this list if it were easier to obtain. You have to clear the late-game Ghost Captain to unlock its recipe, and that boss is no warm-up. Once it is in your hands, the [F] drain attack chews through crowds and refills your health bar. Hybrid Agility and Vitality builds get the most value, turning every cooldown into a sustain spike.

• How to unlock: Defeat the Ghost Captain boss and obtain "Plans: Soul Eater".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Soul Eater (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 10x Copper Ingot, 2x Rough Hide, 7x Undead Essence.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 10x Foothills Iron Ingot, 2x Rough Hide, 10x Undead Essence, 3x Smithing Flux.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 10x Mire Metal Ingot, 2x Crocodile Hide Piece, 10x Undead Essence, 3x Smithing Flux.

2. Plague Halberd (Epic)

• Description: Wounds the body, destroys the soul. It also smells like a ship's hold after a long voyage.
• Bonus effects: Hits grant Plague Echoes stacks. At 5 stacks the [F] special unlocks. Using the special restores 35% of your maximum Health.
• Damage type: Crude
• Damage score: 355
• Scaling: Strength (B)

The Plague Halberd is a survivalist's polearm. Five solid hits unlock a special attack that wipes the surrounding crowd and refunds more than a third of your health bar in one swing. For Strength builds that live in the thick of melee brawls, that built-in heal keeps aggression sustainable when retreating is not an option.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Plague Halberd".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Plague Halberd (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 3x Copper Ingot, 5x Ingot Arborum, 10x Wood.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 3x Foothils Iron Ingot, 8x Ingot Arborum, 12x Hardwood, 3x Smithing Flux.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 3x Mire Metal Ingot, 8x Ingot Arborum, 8x Hardwood, 3x Smithing Flux.

1. Dueling Greatsword (Epic)

• Description: A long, straight greatsword that looks ceremonial until you notice the edge. Captains of the Old World relied on these blades to defend their convictions.
• Bonus effects: Each successful Perfect Block applies Retaliation, increasing Melee Damage by 10%. Stacks up to 3 times. Taking damage removes the effect. Perfect Blocks at max stacks restore 10% Health.
• Damage type: Slash
• Damage score: 315
• Scaling: Agility (A)

The Dueling Greatsword crowns the list because it rewards skill in a way nothing else here does. Master the Perfect Block window and you stack up to 30% bonus melee damage while patching yourself up at the cap. The sword breaks enemy poise on its own, so reactive play opens into a punishing offensive cycle. In Windrose Early Access, no other weapon scales as well with the player behind it.

• How to unlock: Find and use "Plans: Dueling Two-Handed Sword".
• Crafting: 9x Tumbaga Ingot + 1x Dueling Greatsword (Rare) at any Weaponsmith Workshop.

Upgrade requirements

• Levels 1 to 4: Weaponsmith Workshop. 10x Copper Ingot, 2x Rough Hide.
• Levels 6 to 9: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil. 10x Foothills Iron Ingot, 2x Rough Hide, 3x Smithing Flux.
• Levels 11 to 14: Weaponsmith Workshop + Anvil + Bellows. 10x Mire Metal Ingot, 2x Crocodile Hide Piece, 3x Smithing Flux.