Highguard shadow drops with intense 3v3 action, where players can choose between a variety of characters and compete to raid each other’s base, with the first base falling granting the opposing team the victory. With a mix of competitive shooter elements and fantasy gimmicks, Highguard is definitely a unique entry in the shooter market.
As many might expect, players have a wide selection of weapons they can wield, each secured through looting or trading at the vendor. While all weapons are viable in Highguar d, some are definitely better than others. Here is a tier list ranking all of Highguard’ s weapons, from absolute meta picks to ones you should probably avoid.
Should You Play Highguard With a Keyboard or Controller?
With guns, character abilities, and mounts all jumbled together, is it best to use a controller or keyboard in Highguard?
S-Tier: God Tier Weapons
Saber Rifle
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Assault Rifle |
Legs: 18x3 (54 max) Body: 18x3 (54 max) Head: 27x3 (81 max) |
N/A |
One of the top weapons in the game right now is actually a burst weapon, one that is currently dominating the battlefield in Highguard. The Saber Rifle is an excellent weapon, boasting the highest damage potential of all Assault Rifles, with 81 being the max damage per shot if players land all three bullets to the head. This grants the gun the ability to kill in as few as three shots to the head against anything above Level 1 Armor.
Though a little more reliant on accuracy, the Saber Rifle is excellent up close and at range, and is incredibly easy to control. If players can land their shots consistently, it is easily the best primary weapon to use in the game right now.
Kraken
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Shotgun |
Legs: 9.9x10 (99 max) Body: 9.9x10 (99 max) Head: 14.8x10 (148 max) |
Fires Two Burst Shots |
When it comes to the best close-range weapon in the game, no weapon is as powerful as the Kraken. This pump-action Shotgun is an absolute powerhouse, boasting the ability to kill in two shots if at least one shot is a headshot and all of its pellets hit their mark. However, from afar, the gun’s damage is reduced drastically, since fewer pellets are likely to hit a player.
The Kraken is ideal when used as a secondary option, great for either opening close-quarters fights or quickly swapping to when enemies get too close for comfort. Its Legendary variant only makes the gun even stronger, as at Legendary rarity, it fires two shots with a single pull of the trigger. The Legendary variant is technically the only weapon in the game that can one-shot kill, regardless of the player’s armor level, so long as every pellet hits and at least one of the shots is a headshot.
Longhorn
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Marksman Weapon |
Legs: 65 (25 Repeater) Body: 65 (25 Repeater) Head: 97 (37 Repeater) |
Greatly damages structures (Basebreaker) Fire a burst shot of two bullets (Double Shot) Full-auto alteration (Repeater) |
The Longhorn is an interesting weapon, and is currently the only true Pistol in the game. At its base state, from Uncommon to Rare, it boasts an incredible level of damage per shot, being a two-shot headshot for Level 2 Armor and below, along with killing in as few as three shots for Level 3 and 4 Armor if at least one is a headshot. Its range is also incredible, but the gun is notably much slower in its rate of fire than any other weapon in the game.
What makes the Longhorn a true S-Tier weapon, however, is its Legendary variants, for which it has three. The Basebreaker gives players an epic siege item for breaking into bases, but the standouts have to be the Double Shot and Repeater. The Double Shot fires two shots at once, essentially doubling the gun’s TTK, while the Repeater retains a heavy-hitting damage output but rapidly increases the gun’s fire rate, killing opponents incredibly quickly.
A-Tier: Great Meta Weapons
Dynasty
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Assault Rifle |
Legs: 14 Body: 14 Head: 25 |
Greatly damages structures |
The Dynasty is yet another Assault Rifle, this time a fully automatic one. Of the two fully auto options, it boasts the highest damage per shot, though with noticeably more recoil when firing from a distance. At medium range, the weapon is dependable, boasting clean iron sights, and if players pull down slightly when firing, its recoil is barely noticeable until long range.
What really pushes the Dynasty to A-Tier status is its Legendary buff. When at Legendary, the Dynasty is capable of destroying walls incredibly quickly, even if they are reinforced. This makes it a vital tool for breaching late game, cutting down on the need to switch to your Raid Item.
Viper
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
SMG |
Legs: 10 (23 Legendary) Body: 10 (23 Legendary) Head: 15 (46 Legendary) |
Increased Damage but Reduced Firerate |
Next up is the Viper, by far the best option out of the two SMGs. This weapon boasts a blistering fire rate for an excellent TTK, along with a tight hipfire spread for those looking for pure run and gun capabilities. Of course, this does come with the downside of relatively poor accuracy even at mid-range, but it can still be viable if players are only slightly outside close-range engagements.
The Viper shines in one-on-one encounters, but in 2v1 situations, players are often required to pull off a quick reload. Its Legendary variant is definitely a force to be reckoned with, however. At Legendary, the Viper’s TTK is increased slightly, and it becomes much easier to control, extending its usability at a distance.
Ranger
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Marksman Weapon |
Legs: 85 (25 Legendary) Body: 85 (25 Legendary) Head: 148 (43 Legendary) |
Full-Auto Alteration |
The Ranger is definitely a weapon that some players may struggle with right off the bat, because it is a Sniper Rifle that is heavily reliant on accuracy. However, put that aside, and players have arguably one of the strongest guns in their arsenal. Ideal and adept for long-range encounters, and with a whopping 148 damage potential for headshots, players really cannot go wrong with the Ranger.
Its Legendary variant is equally good, though it does transform the gun into a different weapon entirely. In its Legendary state, the Ranger becomes a full-auto Marksman Rifle, trading damage per shot for a fast fire rate and increased magazine capacity. It is incredibly strong in this state, but it does lose the heavy one-shot damage the gun is known for.
Big Rig
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Special Weapons |
Legs: 30 Body: 30 Head: 37 |
N/A |
Last up for A-Tier is the Big Rig, the only Special Weapon that players can get through Supply Drops. This gun is easily one of the strongest full-auto weapons in the game, taking down players incredibly quickly even when they are wearing Level 4 Armor. When used up close from the hip, the Big Rig decimates enemies, but it can also be semi-decent from afar if players can control its kick.
With a large magazine but a slow movement speed penalty, the Big Rig is best deployed as a siege weapon, clearing out areas at close range during a Raid. Of course, its use is limited, as it only spawns in later rounds and has limited ammo. The gun also does not carry through rounds, so if you lose it, you will have to wait until the next Supply Drop descends.
How to Fix 'Fail to Launch' Error in Highguard
Want to play Highguard but the game fails to start? Here are all the possible solutions for launch errors, including how to activate Secure Boot.
B-Tier: Good Meta Weapons
Vanguard
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Assault Rifle |
Legs: 9 Body: 9 Head: 14 |
N/A |
The Vanguard, though arguably the weakest AR when looking at pure damage per shot, still has a place in Highguard’s meta. Of all the Assault Rifles, it boasts the fastest RPM in the game, giving it a competitive overall TTK, and is actually much more stable than the Dynasty. This gives it an edge for players who value accuracy. Solid for run and gun engagements with a little more versatility than pure close-range options, players can’t go wrong with the Vanguard.
Paladin
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Shotgun |
Legs: 7x5 (35 max) Body: 7x5 (35 max) Head: 10.4 (52 max) |
Greatly damages structures (Basebreaker) Increased magazine size but slower reload (Drum Magazine) |
The Paladin is definitely a worthy weapon to have in a player’s arsenal. As the second Shotgun available, it is mostly viable for close-range encounters, dishing out solid damage while being much less reliant on accuracy thanks to its large magazine and full auto capabilities. It quickly falls off from afar, however. As for its Legendary variants, while neither actually increases damage, the Basebreaker is an epic siege weapon, while the Drum Magazine greatly buffs its magazine size.
Rocket Launcher
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Rare Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Raid Item |
Min: 50 per rocket Max: 137 per rocket |
Deal significantly more damage to structures (Thermite) Lock up to 3 targets and fire homing missiles (Multi-Lock) |
Last up in B-Tier is the Rocket Launcher, which is not inherently a weapon, but can still deal some damage when used against a player. On average, players can dish out a quick 125 damage if they fire it at an opponent, which is a massive chunk of damage when paired with another weapon. However, where the Rocket Launcher works best is as a raid tool for breaching bases.
One rocket from a Rocket Launcher can destroy a regular wall, while two rockets are needed to destroy a reinforced wall. The Thermite variant, however, is capable of taking down a reinforced wall in just a single shot, making it one of the standouts. The second Rare variant is also worth picking up, retaining the same use as the first, but this time capable of locking onto and destroying three walls at once.
C-Tier: Average Weapons
Corsair
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Legendary Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
SMG |
Legs: 12x6 (72 max) Body: 12x6 (72 max) Head: 18x6 (108 max) |
N/A |
The Corsair is not a bad gun by any means. In fact, it is actually a solid weapon up close if players are able to land their shots. Against Level 4 armored opponents, the Corsair has the potential to secure a three-burst kill if at least one burst is a headshot and all bullets land. This kill potential is definitely strong, but it falls short in comparison to the Viper’s spray potential. The Corsair also has a substantial amount of vertical kick leading into the second and third shots, requiring players to fire in slower bursts or pull down to manage the recoil.
Blast Hammer
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Rare Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Raid Item |
Direct Hit: 1,000 (75 with no ammo) Charged Hit: 1,000 |
Slam to create a wall in front of you (Earthquake) Slam to create a tall smokescreen (Smokebringer) |
The Blast Hammer is definitely an interesting weapon. While it is primarily used to destroy structures, it is also a guaranteed one-shot kill if players are able to land a charged hit or a direct hit while they have ammunition. The charged hit is also capable of taking out multiple players at once, but this is very situational. Of course, for its primary use as a raid weapon, the Blast Hammer is a no-brainer, especially for those looking to take down multiple walls at once.
Zipline
|
Weapon Type |
Damage |
Rare Variant Buff |
|---|---|---|
|
Raid Item |
N/A |
Unbreakable zipline and increased speed (Unbreakable) Turn invisible when ziplining (Invisible) |
The Zipline is an invaluable raid item in Highguard, and every team should have at least one player running one. This item functions as a portable zipline, the range at which it can deploy being immensely far. This allows players to travel fast to different locations and rapidly reposition, but players are very easy to shoot down while riding on one.
Highguard
- Released
- January 26, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Wildlight Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
