The bugs of Brookhollow Park in Grounded 2 are even deadlier than the backyard bugs from the first, but there are a bunch of early-game weapons that you can craft to defend yourself. Grounded 2 expands on the combat mechanics from the first game and gives you even more freedom than ever before, so these early game weapons can be exceptionally lethal in the right hands.
There are multiple combat archetypes to choose from in Grounded 2 with certain armor sets providing bonuses to specific weapons and playstyles, so you can lean really heavily into your favorite build in order to beat the bugs. Whether you want to be a stealthy rogue or a tanky fighter, there's an early-game Grounded 2 weapon for you.
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Best Early-Game Melee Weapons in Grounded 2
Spears are incredibly strong in the early stages of Grounded 2, which is why the Larvalance is the best early-game melee weapon for most players. It's a huge upgrade from the starting Pebblet Spear, and it's easy to unlock since you only have to reach Brainpower level 2.
You can equip a shield while using spears in Grounded 2, which makes combat much easier. Use the Weevil Shield or Crimson Buckler to protect yourself from incoming damage.
The Larvalance deals stabbing damage, though, which some enemies in the park are resistant to. If you're having a hard time dealing with Orb Weavers, you'll need to craft the Crimson Saber. It's a slicing shortsword unlocked by reaching Brainpower level 3 and analyzing Red Ant Mandibles, and it'll squash any bugs that resist your spear.
Best Early-Game Ranged Weapons in Grounded 2
Bows are the primary ranged weapons in Grounded 2, but it can be hard to find a strong one in the early stages of the game. You'll be stuck with the starting Sprig Bow for the first few hours the game, and you won't even be able to unlock special arrow types until you take down stronger insects like Stinkbugs or upgrade your Omni-Tool to harvest Crow Feather Pieces.
The best early-game bow in Grounded 2 is the Spider Stringer, but ranged players will have to go out of their way to unlock the recipe for it early on. You can unlock the Spider Stringer by analyzing an Orb Weaver Fang, which means you have to take down a full-sized spider.
That's a tough challenge in the opening hours of the game, but you can cheese it with the Sprig Bow and a little bit of luck. You only need to kill one Orb Weaver to get the parts for a Spider Stinger bow, and it's well-worth the effort. It's not that difficult with the help of a Buggy, either.
You'll eventually get multiple arrow blueprints in Grounded 2 as well, and these can greatly enhance your ranged damage output depending on the situation. In the meantime, though, you'll just have to keep farming Thistle Needles to keep your quiver filled with normal arrows.
- Released
- July 29, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
WHERE TO PLAY
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Prequel(s)
- Grounded
- Number of Players
- Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Early Access Release
- July 29, 2025
- Platform(s)
- Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
