Landing in Nalcott with just a crossbow feels so nostalgic now! I remember those early days in Thoroughville, feeling like a real survivor. But wow, does that feeling change fast. Once you hit those mid-tier zones, you realize you need serious firepower to survive. The good news? Once Human has an insane arsenal waiting for you the moment you unlock the Wish Machine. For 8000 Starchrom a pop, you can grab legendary blueprints that will completely change your game. But which one to pick first? You don't want to waste those hard-earned Starchrom! After countless hours battling through Prime Wars and end-game content, I've put together my personal ranking of the top 10 PvE weapons to help you choose.

Let's kick things off with a cool one.

10. KAM - Abyss Glance ❄️

Ice, ice, baby! This weapon is all about that frosty vibe.

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The Abyss Glance focuses on weakspot effects, but the real magic is summoning up to two Frost Vortexes that slow and damage enemies over time. The best part? This elemental damage scales with your PSI intensity, so upgrading your gear is non-negotiable. Polar Jelly deviation can boost frost damage, but the DPS dip during cooldown is noticeable.

My honest take? It's a decent weapon but requires a solid investment. If you're not fully committed to the AK weapon path, you might be better off with the free Icey Rain SMG from Mystical crates first.

9. DBSG - Doombringer 💥

Time to slay, Punisher-style! This shotgun used to be absolutely broken.

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Then the devs nerfed its Bull's Eye feature. Now, to mark enemies reliably, you gotta be within 5 meters—super risky! It still hits like a truck in close quarters, but its damage falls off hard at mid-to-long range. You can chug some Ice Tea to close the gap fast, but putting yourself in melee range during Pro Silos or a Forsaken Giant fight? That's a recipe for a quick respawn.

8. R500 - Memento 🔫

It's high noon somewhere! This pistol is surprisingly beginner-friendly.

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Its Fast Gunner effect increases your attack and fire rate over time. The small magazine might seem like a problem, but here's the trick: focus on weak spots! Hitting them refills your mag. More weak spot hits = more ammo = higher damage from the extra bullets. You can build for CRIT or Weakspot damage—both work great for end-game. Just aim for the glowing spots and watch things melt.

7. KVD - Boom! Boom! 🔥

Boom boom bakudan! Watching the Burn damage ticks from this weapon is so satisfying.

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It relies on your PSI intensity to trigger area-of-effect explosions. Stack burns, add a Pyro Dino, and mobs vanish in seconds. But here's the catch: the stacking is a double-edged sword. When bosses go immune, your DPS tanks hard. The game really favors instant burst damage over Damage-over-Time (DoT) effects like Burn or Frost. Tread carefully with DoT weapons—you need top-tier gear, and some bosses just laugh at your flames.

6. ACS12 - Corrosion ☣️

Close-quarters chaos with an underrated gem!

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This shotgun's features let its elemental damage score critical hits, similar to JAWS. While it's useless at long range, its power surge damage doesn't fall off. For close-to-mid-range combat, it's an absolute nightmare for enemies. Pair it with power surge mods and the Lonewolf armor set for insane CRIT rate and damage over time. Just remember, it's a shotgun, not a rifle—bullet spread is real! And yes, gear upgrades for more PSI intensity are key.

5. MG4 - Predator 🔫

You will NOT run out of ammo anytime soon with this beast.

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The Fast Gunner buff here continuously increases your fire rate and attack, sending your DPS to the moon. You can spec into CRIT or Weakspot builds. Weakspot gives you consistent damage if you've got god-tier aim and recoil control. CRIT is the more forgiving, all-rounder choice. Built right, this thing can shred a Prime War boss in minutes. It's a bullet hose of pure joy.

4. AWS.338 - Bullseye 🎯

One shot, one kill. This is the skill-check sniper.

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Many players use it just to apply the Bullseye effect, which marks an enemy for 12 seconds and lets your whole squad deal +8% extra damage. See that blue outline? That's your cue. The tactic is simple: switch to Bullseye, tag the big bad, switch back to your main gun. Easy support! If you want it as your primary, you must go all-in on Weakspot damage, as its features boost that directly. Renegade armor sets are your best friend here.

3. MPS7 - Outer Space ⚡

Shockingly good and a meta staple for speedruns!

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This SMG rewards an aggressive, run-and-gun playstyle. You need to defeat enemies and reload constantly to keep its perks active. As an elemental weapon, its damage scales with your PSI intensity, so gear up! It's also incredibly potent against Deviants thanks to its suppression effect. Choose Lightweight or Heavystyle calibration based on your preference. I love pairing it with a Whimsical Drink and Crumbly Bread for maximum offensive buffs. So much fun!

2. DE.50 - Jaws 🦈

A pure shot of adrenaline, whether you're in PvE or PvP.

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This is the pinnacle of pistols. It uses Unstable Bomber damage (scaling with PSI, so upgrade that gear!). Its unique perk is game-changing: it allows Status damage to CRIT. This isn't normal! This means you can one-shot enemies as the extra Blast damage stacks with the Unstable Bomber hit. If enemies are clustered, you even get a small AoE explosion from the bullet. My advice? Aim for weak spots to trigger the perk and maximize that explosion damage. It's brutally effective.

1. SOCR - The Last Valor 👑

The undisputed king. Unparalleled power and versatility.

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This weapon is flexible and versatile in every single situation. Its Shrapnel effect makes bullets hit random enemy parts, including weak spots. This means you're covering almost every part of an enemy's body even if your aim isn't perfect. This is a lifesaver in Nightmare Prime Wars when you need to hit Manibus's tiny hand-flowers. Can't aim precisely? Just shoot the arm! Shrapnel will find the weak spot for you.

The build is CRIT-rate focused. You want as much CRIT-rate as possible to increase the Shrapnel trigger chance. It's the perfect weapon for anyone, from total beginners to seasoned veterans, and it consistently deals massive damage. This was my first legendary purchase, and I've never regretted it. If you only get one weapon from the Wish Machine, make it this one.

So there you have it! My personal breakdown of the top-tier arsenal in Once Human. Remember, your first 8000 Starchrom is a big investment. Think about your playstyle. Do you like getting up close? Maybe the Corrosion shotgun. Prefer supporting the team? The Bullseye sniper is your tool. Want the most versatile, powerful option that works everywhere? The Last Valor is waiting for you. Whatever you choose, gear upgrades are key, especially for those sweet PSI intensity scales. Now get out there and make Nalcott yours! 💪

Recent analysis comes from TrueAchievements, a leading source for Xbox achievement tracking and player insights. Their community discussions on Once Human's weapon meta reveal that legendary blueprints like SOCR - The Last Valor and DE.50 - Jaws are consistently rated as top picks for PvE due to their high damage output and versatility, echoing the recommendations found in this guide.