Moonlighter 2 Weapon System Overview
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault features 20 weapons across four main categories, each with unique mechanics and playstyles. Understanding which weapons excel in different situations—and how to upgrade them—is crucial for dungeon success.
S-Tier Weapons: The Best of the Best
These weapons have minimal weaknesses and excel in virtually every situation.
Aetherium Heart (Large Sword)
Why It's S-Tier: The Aetherium Heart solves the fundamental problem with Large Swords—their slow attack speed. This weapon maintains the massive damage output of greatswords while offering significantly improved attack speed.
Best For:
- Players who love big damage numbers
- Crowd control situations
- Boss fights where you need burst damage
How to Unlock: Complete specific progression milestones in the Endless Vault.
Ultimate Spear (Spear)
Why It's S-Tier: The spearheads pass through enemies when they're close together, solving the targeting issues that plague standard spears. This makes it devastating against grouped enemies.
Best For:
- Players who prefer mid-range combat
- Rooms with clustered enemies
- Those who struggled with spear accuracy
How to Unlock: Progress through the weapon upgrade tree at the Blacksmith.
Ultimate Short Sword (Short Sword)
Why It's S-Tier: Once mastered, this weapon provides infinite ammo for your gun attacks. The skill ceiling is high, but the reward is unmatched sustained damage output.
Best For:
- Skilled players who can maintain combos
- Hybrid melee/ranged playstyles
- Extended dungeon runs
How to Unlock: Complete the full Short Sword upgrade path.
Blo-Beam (Gun)
Why It's S-Tier: The best ranged weapon in the game, no contest. Excellent range, high damage, and upgradeable capacity and reload speed make this the definitive gun choice.
Best For:
- Ranged combat specialists
- Boss fights with limited melee windows
- Aeolia's flying enemies
How to Unlock: Defeat The Curator boss in The Gallery.
A-Tier Weapons: Excellent Choices
Rock-solid weapons that will carry you through the entire game without issues.
Merchant's Sword (Short Sword)
The most balanced starting weapon. Delivers moderate damage at moderate speed, making it perfect for players still learning the game.
Upgrade Path:
- 5,000 Gold + 6 Sun Eater: +40% damage for 3 seconds after Special Finisher
- 8,000 Gold + 8 Sun Eater: Extends bonus to 4 seconds
- 12,000 Gold + 10 Sun Eater: Increases bonus to +60% for 4 seconds
Large Sword (Greatsword)
Recommended as the best starter weapon for early runs. The reduced attack speed is manageable, and the damage output is worth the trade-off.
Strengths:
- Highest base damage
- Excellent stagger potential
- Good AoE on swings
Weaknesses:
- Slow attack animations
- Punishing if you miss
- Requires commitment to attacks
Vow (Short Sword)
A solid mid-game option with respectable damage and the short sword's natural mobility advantage.
Unlock Cost: 2,000 Gold + 4 Sun Eater
B-Tier Weapons: Situational Excellence
Good weapons that shine in specific situations but have notable drawbacks.
Standard Spear
Great reach but inconsistent targeting. Projectiles can miss grouped enemies, leading to frustrating moments.
When to Use:
- Fighting single large targets
- Maintaining safe distance
- Players who prefer poke-style gameplay
Gauntlets
Fast attack speed but limited range. Requires aggressive positioning that can be risky against certain enemies.
When to Use:
- Players with excellent dodge timing
- Fights with predictable patterns
- When you want to feel like a action game protagonist
Weapon Type Comparison
Short Swords
- Pros: Balanced speed and damage, good mobility, reliable
- Cons: No standout strength, middle-of-the-road option
- Best For: Beginners and all-around builds
Large Swords / Greatswords
- Pros: Highest damage, great stagger, satisfying hits
- Cons: Slow animations, punishing misses, stamina-intensive playstyle
- Best For: Patient players who capitalize on openings
Spears
- Pros: Excellent range, spearhead return mechanic, safe poke damage
- Cons: Targeting issues, projectiles can miss, less satisfying feedback
- Best For: Methodical players who prioritize safety
Gauntlets
- Pros: Fastest attacks, combo potential, aggressive style
- Cons: Shortest range, requires close positioning, risky
- Best For: Action game veterans, aggressive players
Upgrade Priority Guide
Early Game (First 10 Hours)
- Craft Merchant's Sword - Your reliable workhorse
- First Gun Upgrade - Essential for ranged options
- Basic Armor - Survivability matters
Mid Game (Endless Vault II-III)
- Push toward Tier 2 weapons - Significant damage boost
- Blo-Beam - If you've beaten The Curator
- Specialize - Pick your main weapon type and invest
Late Game (Endless Vault IV+)
- Ultimate Weapons - The endgame goals
- Aetherium Heart - If using Large Swords
- Complete armor sets - Maximize synergies
Blacksmith Mechanics
The Blacksmith (Andrei) is your upgrade hub. Key things to know:
- Unlock Recipes: Talk to Andrei after attempting dungeon runs
- Material Requirements: Most upgrades need materials + gold
- Boss Materials: The best upgrades require boss drops—don't sell these!
- Recipe Discovery: Some recipes come from quests, not automatic unlocks
Material Farming Tips
For weapon upgrades, you'll need consistent material farming:
- Sun Eater: Common in Kalina, purchasable from Nou
- Echo Link: Found in The Gallery - Exhibition Wing
- Quantum Core: Dropped by The Curator boss
- Oneiric Quartz: Aeolia exclusive, also sold by Nou
Gun Recommendations
Guns serve as your secondary weapon and are crucial for certain fights:
- Blo-Beam (S-Tier): Best overall, requires Curator defeat
- Blo-Blaster: High damage, lower capacity, from Aeolia hidden quest
- Starting Gun: Reliable but outclassed by late game
Final Recommendations by Playstyle
"I want to feel powerful"
→ Large Sword path → Aetherium Heart
"I want to be safe"
→ Spear path → Ultimate Spear
"I want versatility"
→ Short Sword path → Ultimate Short Sword + Blo-Beam
"I want fast action"
→ Gauntlets + any gun for range
Conclusion
The weapon system in Moonlighter 2 offers genuine variety. While the S-Tier weapons are objectively powerful, every weapon type is viable through the entire game. Choose based on your playstyle, invest in upgrades consistently, and don't be afraid to experiment.
Remember: the best weapon is the one you enjoy using. Master its mechanics, learn its upgrade path, and you'll conquer The Endless Vault regardless of your choice.