Dying Light boasts a large array of weapons ranging from Baseball Bat to Assault Rifles. You will often come across these weapons scattered in the game’s open-world, but not openly as random crafting components.
Weapons are mostly locked inside vehicles and buildings.
You can equip four weapons at the same time and switch among them. It is a good idea to have a combination of different weapons – an Assault Rifle, a Two-Handed Weapon, a One-Handed Weapon, and something of your own choice.
For more help on Dying Light, read our Dying Light Blueprints Locations, Dying Light Crafting and Character Progression Guide.
Dying Light Weapons and Equipment
In this guide, I will provide a quick overview of every weapon along with some important concepts that will enable you understand your weapons in a more effective manner.
Weapon Rarity
Not all weapons in Dying Light are alike. Weapons are categorized according to their quality/rarity. A rare weapon will always have better stats (damage, durability, handling, upgrades, repairs, and value).
Following is a quick overview of different rarities:
- White – Most common weapons
- Green – Weapons with improved stats
- Blue – Uncommon weapons with higher stats
- Violet – Most uncommon weapons with even higher stats
- Orange – Best weapons in the game
Breaking Weapons to Receive Crafting Components
After you are done using a weapon, you can visit your Inventory and decide to dismantle a weapon. Doing so will grant you with crafting component (Metal Parts). The acquired Metal Parts can be used to repair other items. Although this method is not as good as selling a weapon, sometimes you will need Metal Parts on the go and this where it comes in handy.
Upgrading Weapons
Weapons are upgraded in two ways: Blueprints and Upgrade Slots – both of which can be found scattered across the game’s open-world. Every weapon in the game has Upgrade Slots. A weapon of higher quality will have more Upgrade Slots than a weapon of low quality.
If the weapon you wish to upgrade has an empty Upgrade Slot, go to your Inventory and select the Upgrade Mod you wish to apply. Different Upgrade Mods increase different stats (Damage, RoF, Handling, etc.) and some even increase multiple stats.
Following is a list of all Upgrade Mods that can be found in the game along with their respective upgrades:
- Assassin – Handling (Level 1)
- Barbarian – Damage (Level 2), Durability (Level 2)
- Berserker – Damage (Level 1), Handling (Level 1)
- Brawler – Damage (Level 2), Handling (Level 2)
- Bruiser – Damage (Level 2), Handling (Level 1)
- Brute – Damage (Level 2), Durability (Level 1)
- Champion – All Weapon Stats (Level 1)
- Clicker – All Weapon Stats (Level 2)
- Crusader – Durability (Level 1), Handling (Level 1)
- Duelist – Damage (Level 1), Handling (Level 2)
- Enforcer – Damage (Level 1)
- Fencer – Handling (Level 2)
- Gladiator – Damage (Level 2)
- Juggernaut – Durability (Level 1)
- King – All Weapon Stats (Level 2)
- Knight – Durability (Level 2), Handling (Level 1)
- Mercenary – Damage (Level 1), Durability (Level 2)
- Paladin – Durability (Level 2), Handling (Level 2)
- Pit Fighter – Damage (Level 1), Handling (Level 1)
- Templar – Durability (Level 1), Handling (Level 2)
- Titan – Durability (Level 2)
Blueprints, on the other hand, do not require an Upgrade Slot, but different crafting components. You can refer to my Dying Light Blueprint Locations and Crafting Recipes for more information.
Similar to Upgrade Mods, Blueprints also add different modifications to a weapon:
- Burning – Damage over Time to living or infected characters
- Toxicity – Damage over Time to living or infected characters
- Bleeding – Increased damage output
- Electricity – Increased chances of stunning an enemy
- Impact – Increased damage output
Types of Weapons
One-Handed Axe
These weapons deal decent damage at medium-range. You will find yourself using them during early game. I would recommend aiming for the heads when using these.
Two-Handed Axe
These are similar to One-Handed Axe, but deal increased amount of damage and take a longer to swing. These weapons are better-suited for enemies with increased HP.
Baseball Bat
This is the only weapon that can be acquired for free from the quartermaster. I would recommend aiming for the heads and disposing them off once you are done.
Blade
Blades are generally slower than Knives, but are pretty decent against agile monster. One thing that you need to keep in mind is to be precise and accurate with your shots.
Cleaver
Cleavers have pretty decent damage and work best at medium-range. You will find yourself using these weapons during the early game. Do note that Cleavers have low durability; therefore, I would not recommend using Upgrade Mods on them.
Crowbar
This weapon is only suitable during the early game when you do not have access to more advanced gear. During later game, it is better to salvage them to receive Metal Parts instead of using them.
Hammers
Hammers range from Small Hammers to Two-Handed Hammers and deal damage accordingly. When using Two-Handed Weapons, you need to be precise with your shots since these weapons are extremely difficult to use properly.
Furthermore, Two-Handed Weapons take a long time to swing which is another drawbacks.
Khopesh
These weapons appear when you are almost halfway through the game. These have pretty high stats compared to weapons that you acquire early in the game and can cut through almost anything.
Knife
Both Long and Short Knives work almost identically. These are extremely fast weapons with overall low damage output. However, the DoT of these weapons makes them ideal for close-quarter combat scenarios.
If you can get Dodge Skill with Knives, you will shine at close-combat.
Machete
Similar to Khopesh, these weapons appear near the end of the game. These have great speed, high damage output, and average swing time. I would highly recommend keeping one of these in your arsenal.
Military Shovel
I would not recommend using these weapons. These do have a high swing time, but a lack of decent damage asks for equipping better weapons out there.
Pick & Pickaxe
These are One-Handed Weapon which combines a high damage and decent swing speed. You may stumble upon one of these during the early game which will make things go smoothly. As for Pickaxe, I would recommend using them on weak mutants as stronger foes will tore you into pieces.
Pipe
Pipes are found during the early game and if you have nothing else to save your life then why not?
Pistols
These weapons allow you to engage enemies from a distance without having to engage them from a melee distance. I would not recommend wasting ammo on all sorts of creatures. Instead, use these to bring down stronger foes with a couple of headshots.
Police Baton
Do you love cracking zombie skulls? This weapon is definitely made for you! Nothing feels more satisfying than cracking a mutant’s head with a Police Baton.
Rifles
These are clearly the strongest weapons overall – the only downside is limited ammunition. When firing from a long range, I would recommend firing in short bursts to conserve ammunition. Aim for the head and watch zombie drop!
Shotgun
Shotguns have insane damage output and one-shot nearly every enemy in the game. If you do not worry about scarcity of ammunition and hassle of reloading every now and then, these weapons are made for you!
Sickle
Sickles have extremely short swing time and can deal massive amount of damage to slash down any target in your way. Upgrade these weapons to overcome any weakness and no zombie shall stand in your path.
Swords
Swords can be both One-Handed and Two-Handed and possess a high damage output and low swinging time. These weapons can be used against any type of enemy without a problem.
Wrench
Wrenches are another type of weapon that is found during the early game. These are low-tier weapons when it comes to damage output, but once again, if you have got nothing then why not take advantage of them?
Like with other weapons, I would recommend aiming for the head when using these weapons.
Equipment
Outfits
During the early game, Rahim will ask you to change your outfit. This is where you will learn to change your appearance. Throughout the game, you will unlock new outfits and change them at will.
Aside from changing your character’s appearance, there is nothing these outfits do.
Medkits and Boosters
You will learn to craft Medkits during the early game. These are used to regenerate +100 HP and must be kept with you during a quest. A Medkit can be crafted on the go using Alcohol and Gauze.
Therefore, make sure to salvage supplies and continue to craft these items.
Speaking of Boosters, these are specialized potions which enable you to receive certain boosts such as improved sight in the darkness and removing fatigue. Similar to Medkits, Boosters can also be crafted using appropriate crafting components.
Explosives and Throwable Items
Dying Light contains a good amount of Explosives or Throwable Items. You can craft Molotov, Freezing Grenades, and many more items of the same sort. In order to craft these items, you will require appropriate crafting components and a Blueprint which can be found scattered throughout the game’s open-world.
Other Equipment
The game has a full day-night cycle and you will be forced to survive both. UV Flashlight and Flares will help improve your sight in the darkness and can even disrupt and temporarily disable some infected creatures.
For example, creatures such as Volatiles which only come during the night cannot stand the sight of UV Flashlight and Flares.
Lastly, you will also salvage items of no particular use, such as Coffee, Cigarettes, Jewels, and more. These items are not used in any sort of crafting, but can be sold to different shopkeepers to earn some extra bit of coin.
