Dead Rails Weapon Tier List: All Weapons Ranked
Dead Rails has become one of the most popular zombie survival games, challenging players to survive in a post-apocalyptic western setting. With a variety of weapons available throughout your journey, choosing the right weapons for zombie slaying is important to your survival. This Dead Rails weapon tier list will help you decide which weapons are worth investing in, in the current meta.
In this guide, we’ll rank all weapons in Dead Rails from S-tier to D-tier, based on their overall performance in both solo and multiplayer gameplay.
Table of Contents
Here’s how all available weapons currently rank in Dead Rails:
Electrocutioner
The Electrocutioner stands unchallenged as themost powerful weapon. This lightning-powered gun delivers instant death to nearly any enemy it touches, with only a fewmobs in Dead Railsbeing an exception.
What makes the Electrocutioner truly special is itsincredible damage outputcombined with its large magazine size. When facing the Tesla boss, this weapon reduces what would otherwise be a challenging fight into a manageable encounter.
The onlypotential drawback is its reloading mechanism—you’ll need lightning strikes, crucifixes, or lightning rods to reload. However, this limitation is easily overcome by carrying crucifixes or using lightning rods strategically.
The standard Rifle is the backbone of any successful Dead Rails run, and for good reason. Thisreliable weapondelivers consistentone-shot headshots to most zombieswhile keeping you safely out of harm’s way.
The Rifle’s perfect balance of damage, range, and ammo availability makes it a must-have weapon. You can comfortablysnipe enemies from distanceswhere they pose no threat to you, andrifle ammunition is both affordableand widely available.
When facing hordes up close,nothing beats the raw stopping power of the Shotgun. This close-range powerhouse excels at clearing groups of enemies with its impressive spread and damage output.
While itseffective range is shorter than the Rifle, its spread pattern allows you to hit multiple enemies simultaneously, creating space when surrounded. In our opinion, Shotgun might just be the best weapon to take down a Werewolf!
Bolt-Action Rifle
The Bolt-Action Rifle offers analternative to the standard Rifle with its enhanced headshot damage. This weapon truly shines when facing tougher enemies like werewolves and vampires where its superior headshot multiplier makes a noticeable difference.
The tradeoff comes in the form of aslightly smaller magazine. Against standard zombies and outlaws, other Rifle performs better in our opinion, although it’s high headshot damage still makes us add it in S-tier.
Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 stands out among pistols because of its generous10-round magazine capacity. This pistol offers a balance of firepower and sustained shooting that other handguns simply can’t match.
While itdoesn’t deal as much damage per shot as the Navy Revolver, the Mauser’slarger magazine means fewer reloads. This advantage becomes particularly evident when facing multiple enemies. While it requires a Game Pass purchase,the Mauser proves its worth as soon as you start using it.
Holy Water
Holy Water isprobably the best throwable weapon in Dead Rails.Once used, it calls down multiple lightning strikes upon impact, capable of dealingmassive damage to groups of zombiesinstantly. The lightning strikes it produces cover a decent area, making it ideal for clearing towns or escaping when surrounded.
The only factor keeping Holy Water from S-tier status is itssingle-use naturecombined with itsrelatively high cost. At$45 per bottle,it represents a significant investment.Many players find themselves selling Holy Water for profit($30 each) rather than using it, but when money isn’t a concern, its battlefield impact is undeniable.
Vampire Knife
The Vampire Knife earns its A-tier position throughspecialized utility rather than raw damage output. This melee weapondrains life from enemieswith each successful hit, returning health per strike.
For the Vampire class, this weapon becomes particularly effectivedue to class-specific bonuses to melee damage and movement speed. While the Vampire Knife struggles in the hands of other classes due to their lack of mobility bonuses, itshigh sell value ($100)makes it a valuable find regardless of your playstyle.
Navy Revolver
The Navy Revolver has power with itshigh damage per shot.This heavy-hitting handguncan eliminate zombies with just two body shots, making it efficient with ammo when your aim is true.
The major drawback keeping this weapon from higher tiers is itspainfully slow reload speed—approximately 5 seconds to fully reload. This limitation becomes particularly problematic when facing multiple enemies or during intense encounters where every second counts.
TheNavy Revolver performs well against high-health targets like werewolves and vampires, but its reload issues make it less suitable for general zombie clearing compared to faster-firing alternatives.
The standard Revolver represents thebalanced middle ground of Dead Rails handguns. While itdoesn’t excel in any particular category, it delivers consistent performance with its reasonable damage output.
As one of the most affordable firearms available for purchase, the Revolver offersexcellent value for early-game survival. It serves as a reliable sidearm until you can acquire a better higher tier weapon.
Sawed-Off Shotgun
The Sawed-Off Shotguntrades capacity for improved handling and reload speed. This compact version of the standard Shotgun deals nearly identical damage per pellet but holds only half the ammunition.
Itsadvantages include quicker reloads, making it more forgiving if you miss your first shot. However, with only three shells before needing to reload, the Sawed-Offstruggles against multiple enemies or high-health targets like werewolves.
The Maxim Turret offersunmatched firepower at the cost of mobility. This stationary weapon unleashes a hail of bullets thatcan quickly eliminate groups of enemies, especially when they’re funneled into its line of fire. The primary drawback remains its immobilizing effect on the user, making you vulnerable while operating it.
The Molotov cocktail deliverssubstantial area damage that can clear entire groups when properly used. The key to maximizing Molotov effectiveness lies in “zombie training”—the practice of gathering multiple enemies into a tight groupbefore igniting them all simultaneously.
Jade Sword
The Jade Swordoffers a mechanic not found elsewhere in Dead Rails—the ability toturn your enemies into allies. With each successful kill, there’s a50% chance the enemy will be reanimatedas a friendly that fights alongside you.
What keeps theJade Sword relevant is its high sell value ($250). Many players choose to sell it immediately rather than trying to build a zombie army. For those who enjoy experimental playstyles, however, it can create some entertaining moments when the reanimations chain successfully.
These weapons have significant limitations but can be useful in specific situations. While not recommended for general use, they each have niche applications that make them worth considering in certain scenarios.
The lowest tier contains weapons that should not be preferred in our opinion:
Remember that Dead Rails rewards adaptability and smart resource management. The best survivors know not just which weapons to use, but when to use them and when to sell them for more critical supplies. Happy hunting in the wastelands!
Karan is a gaming writer at TechWiser. You can find him playing Chess and indie games when he is not writing articles.
