Witchfire

Witchfire

43 ratings
Full Weapons Guide
By 𝔽aɳɱaℝ
A comprehensive and extensive guide for all the Witchfire weapons in the current build. Tierlist included!
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Introduction
Trying to find the perfect fit for your playstyle? Or maybe you're just curious about all the different weapons and effects? You're in the right place.

Preyers have a nice array of tools for their work. The game revels in mystery and encourages experimentation so this guide hopes to help you find more ways to excel. After extensive hunting I introduce to you this guide and tierlist. The weapons are in the order they appear in the game Gunroom menu. At the bottom is a basic tierlist overview.

Feel free to check the Full guide on Relics, Fetishes and Rings here
https://steamproxy-script.pipiskins.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3452118540

THE GRADING IS BASED ON
1 - Versatility - "Is the weapon for specific situations or good all-around?"
2 - Killing Power - "Exactly how dead is our enemy after use?"
3 - Combo potential - "Does it play well with other weapons, spells and other tools?"

With the guide specifics out of the way, here we go.
Angelus - A rank
We start off with a subversive one. At first glance automatic weapons which require you to aim down the sights to be accurate seem like a terrible idea when your mobility is essential to survival. This is true for the other Auto Rifles but Angelus subverts this by increasing your survivability with a reliable shield instead. It's only real downside is low stunning potential.

Perfect for the Preyers with good awareness and the foresight to know when it's safe to tank a hit so you can take out the high-priority targets efficiently.








-Versatility: S
Massive ammo reserves, higher-then-average effective range and the ability to get rid off specific enemies before they can even land a single scratch make this weapon good for any build in any situation. It does like having a partner weapon with high stun rate for the tougher battles.
-Killing Power: B
Rapidly kills mooks and weaker enemies but not suited for the more resilient targets due to the low stun rate. Retreating while shooting pursuers works wonders and the increased damage when the shield breaks can be an opportunity for risky but rewarding plays. The melee stun on a "parry" comes in handy more often then you might think.
-Combo potential: B
No elemental effects or other quirks means it doesn't have any specific tools it combo's well with. But this also means it doesn't get in the way if your build focuses on a specific element or playstyle. Angelus is great because you can slap it on any loadout and it will do it's job just fine. Does pair exceptionally well with the Belladonna Fetish so you can be hit twice before you take any damage and the shields recharge separately. Getting hit is a big deal in Witchfire, so being able to actively ignore damage on demand is a massive boon.
Midas - F Rank
Up next is subjectively one of the worst weapons in the game. Low damage, low range and a contradicting set of Mysterium powerups make it functionally undesirable. Forcing you to either stop shooting when you really can't afford to or to make unsafe plays for mediocre gains.

It's the starting weapon for most classes however, so we must deal with it.












-Versatility: C
Large Ammo reserves, quick reloads and a high rate of fire are the only upsides for Midas. Meaning you can keep shooting it without worrying too much about perfect accuracy or ammo conservation.
-Killing Power: F
Midas is only good at a very specific rate of fire. Overheating will result in enemies burning but taking essentially no damage. You'll often find yourself just short of killing an enemy as it overheats, so you end up either wasting ammo by continuing to shoot or waste precious time. You are likely to get hit by the enemy that you were trying to take down in that crucial moment. It's damage fall-off is also quite harsh, so it's only effective at close/medium range making the risk of halting your fire even higher.
-Combo potential: F
It's burn effect can be "useful" if you stack Fire-Arcana but aside from that it does nothing to improve the rest of your build.
Ricochet - B rank
In concept a bit odd and by stats alone doesn't seem very impressive but it's Mysterium powers make it an extremely lethal tool for Preyers with good foresight and who see each battle as a puzzle to be methodically solved.

It's biggest weakness is chaos: if you're getting overwhelmed or starting to panic the effectiveness of this weapon lowers tremendously.













-Versatility: B
Automatic rifles that force you to slow down and aim down sights are not ideal for Preyers that value survivability. However it's high stun rate, high ammo reserves and good effective range make it a strong main weapon for the calculated and nimble Preyer. It's capable of taking down anything the Witch throws at you with consistency as long as you keep your cool, watch your stamina and don't get overwhelmed.
-Killing Power: B
It's Mysterium power is almost unfair to the enemy. So a strong foe like a Grenadier is shooting you from afar while some melee-scrubs chase you? Aim for 1 frame at the Grenadier and turn towards your close friends and riddle them with bullets while you're out of harms way. That Grenadier will wish he stayed in bed that day. Or forever.
-Combo potential: C
Works really well with other AoE sources like the All-Seeing-Eye and Heavy Spells to make sure you have to do as little effort as possible for a maximum body count. The Mad Eye and Banshee Blood relics can help finish off enemies weakened by the ricochet. Though aside from that it has no other interesting combo's.
Hypnosis - A rank
To an impatient or unskilled Preyer this rifle is a deathwish. To those with eagle-eye accuracy and a sense of rhythm Hypnosis becomes the most reliable one-shotter you can find. Most enemies telegraph their attacks and within that time window you can reach full charge and dome the stationary fool before they can get their shot out. And if it's not an insta-kill? It's a contender for the strongest stuns in the game.

Do not fear the Musketeer. Demand they fear you.









-Versatility: B
Bolt-action rifles are slow but the range and damage of Hypnosis are exceptional. With every charged shot being a 1-hit-kill on most enemies and having 80 high-damage bullets at your disposal means, if you're consistent, you won't ever run out of ammo. Which is a problem most long-range weapons suffer from. Be sure to keep an eye on flanks, it's easy to get tunnel-vision.
-Killing Power: S
The strongest weapon in damage-per-bullet after Hailstorm, Hypnosis is a beast. Any regular mook is dead with one well-timed shot to the head. It's "Perfect Shots" almost always stun tougher enemies which gives you ample time to charge the next shot and finish them off. The lightning effect stunning your target and potentially those around them is the cherry on top; they don't even get a chance to dodge your next shot. It's even good for bosses, provided you can read their attacks reliably.
-Combo potential: B
Hypnosis is a perfect match for the fast-strafing and critical-chain Arcana. Works great with The Eye of a Madwoman, Blood of a Banshee or Painted Tooth relics for even more one-hit kill carnage. The Belladonna fetish helps to keep you safe. Combine it with a faster, close-range weapon and you've got yourself a winning build for any situation. Lightning Arcana are great too, especially Shock Wave and Perun.
All-Seeing-Eye - B rank
Starts of deceptively weak but has arguably one of the strongest Mysterium powers of all weapons. The potential to focus down one strong enemy while everything around it dies as well is huge. The Mysterium effect mostly works as you'd expect: anyone in direct sight of the target who was hit will take a chunk of damage, no matter the distance.

It does come with risks however, and getting the weapon all the way to Third Mysterium is quite a chore so it's not recommended for early game.

How does it work? Not even the pope knows.







-Versatility: B
Relatively large ammo reserves, good effective range and great accuracy when aiming down sights make the All-Seeing Eye a reliable workhorse. Since it can clear large groups of weaker enemies with just three or four shots it can make some battles easy as pie. It's however noticeably less effective against Swordsmen and similar high-mobile enemies where the Mysterium effect becomes less consistent.
-Killing Power: B
Against groups of weak and lesser mobile enemies there's hardly a better weapon for the job. Popping a few shots into a Devotee's noggin is a great way to clear the playground. It's however too low in DPS and stuns to be used continuously for any type of boss or elite enemy as it leaves you too open for counterattack.
-Combo potential: B
Getting one or two Arcana that effect Decay will turn this weapon from good into fantastic. Two shots can sometimes be enough to clear a dozen enemies in the blink of an eye. Especially with the Arcana that makes Decay permanent. If you have weapons or spells that have other elemental effects you're less likely to find these Decay Arcana so try to avoid that in your builds. Because of this it pairs extremely well with Rotweaver for obvious reasons.
Frostbite - A rank
Strong but limited in it's playstyle. The most efficient way to make use of it's Mysterium powers is shooting 3 times, quickly reloading and repeat. This rifle demands consistency and timing from you as a Preyer, failing to do so will severely hamper it's lethality. When you're in the proper rhythm it excels against almost any enemy formation and with it's great range and decent ammo reserves it's a reliable killing-machine.

It also just looks really nice.









-Versatility: D
You'll want to keep your enemies far away so you can reliably do critical hits and reloads to keep momentum. If you're super-confident in your aim Frostbite can work in close range, but it will usually mess up your rhythm and you'll lose your streak. Switching weapons ends the streak as well so it's sometimes rough to decide what to do when enemies run into melee range. You'll also find it goes through your ammo reserves quickly due to it's singular playstyle.
-Killing Power: A
If you manage to pop the first freeze you're good. Keep the momentum and you'll just be shooting static frozen enemies till the end of the battle. Keep the gun fed and you can do this for almost every engagement you come across. One downside is that it cannot perform one-shot-kills on most foes like Hypnosis does, meaning you'll need to use two bullets instead of one most of the time, which means even worse ammo economy. Not recommended for bosses because they usually don't allow you to stay in the required rhythm.
-Combo potential: A
Any Freeze Arcana and spells will make it even easier to turn the battlefield into a frozen statue art-exposition. Ice-Sphere is highly recommended as it counters nearly all of Frostbite's downsides. Also pairs well with shock-effects for additional stuns. Pick your favourite close-range weapon (with good ammo economy) and you've got a build the heretics will dread.
Hangfire - F rank
Handcannons. Just saying the name, you feel power. The raw destruction of a cannon in the palm of your hand. Sadly, Hangfire absolutely misses the mark and puts the name to shame. Weak damage output, inaccurate hip-fire, terrible range and poor ammo economy to boot. Lacks range so you'll always be in a risky position while you try to stack pellets on your enemies just for some decent burst damage on reload.

Cool concept but the workshop had a miss with this one








-Versatility: F
It's easy to get tunnelvision, Hangfire basically requires it to be effective. Unless you get really good at guessing you'll often do too much or too little damage on triggering the explosion, making it unreliable and a waste of ammo. It's hip-fire accuracy is also surprisingly poor, meaning you'll have to slow down while aiming down sights at close range to make it work. This feels clumsy and overly risky.
-Killing Power: D
Disappointing unless you stack all your pellets on one target, but this is slow and leaves you open. Even then it takes too long for the payoff compared to other weapons. The explosions can't even crit. You can do one cheeky strat though: sniping enemies from afar for 1 damage, then triggering the explosions which will do full damage regardless of your distance to the target.
-Combo potential: D
It would be interesting if the explosions triggered when you reloaded your other weapons for a quick combo but that's sadly not the case, so there's no reason to keep the pellets around. This plus its burn effect being a non-factor and having no other quirks going for it, Hangfire doesn't do much to improve your build. If you want to go for maximum fire carnage you can pair it with Echo and a bunch of Fire Arcana but that's where it's compatibility ends. With the introduction of Duelist, this gun's role becomes even more non-existent.
Hunger - C rank
Much better then it's underperforming cousin, with the potential of racking up massive amounts of damage on close-range targets provided you're prepared to solely shoot heads for as long as you hold it.

This is both Hunger's boon and it's curse; if you're doing good then it's great. If things are chaotic and you're not on your A-game it will betray you.













-Versatility: C
Poor range severely hampers this gun. Since you have to be close, it's easier to miss and it's harder to avoid enemies for a clean shot. This makes fights with Hunger a constant high-risk, high-reward situation. Changing weapons does keep your bullets charged however, so you're not punished for switching it up.
-Killing Power: B
It's biggest benefit is high stun power. It kills most weaker enemies in one or two charged shots and stuns the rest, provided you hit them in the dome. This makes it exceptionally good for one thing: taking down elites. Consistently hitting them in the head nearly stunlocks them for you to keep racking up pain with the ever-increasing damage buffs it gets. This semi-works against bosses as well, provided you can do a bit of dodging during reloads.
-Combo potential: D
Aside from it's freeze effect that will rarely, if ever, happen there is no combo potential. If you really like it's playstyle, I recommend a reliable long-range weapon like Frostbite or Hypnosis and keeping this one in your pocket as a solid secondary that can work on any generic build.
Duelist - B Rank
This latest Handcannon to be conjured up from
the Workshop is certainly a piece of art. But to appreciate art, we need to have understanding.
25 base damage per shot is abysmally bad, and it's effective range is... uncomfortable. However, unlike it's cousins Duelist's hip-fire accuracy, firing speed and stability are supreme. This means you rarely need to slow down for accurate shots. But what makes this revolver excel? The secret lies in it's Mysterium powers. Duelist demands a specific routine. After your first kill, aim at an enemy and shoot them anywhere and time will seem to slow down as your focus heightens. Wait for the audible "click" and a glowing chamber, then shoot your target's head. If successful: it's time for rapid-fire burning overkill.

And no, I also have no idea how a six-shooter can load twelve shots. Pope magic. Moving on.




-Versatility: C
Your first kill will be the hardest. I recommend dashing and revealing your target's soul-orb to stun them first and then do rapid hip-fire shots to their exposed heads. The 12-round chamber and massive ammo reserves mean you can afford to miss and shoot more liberally. It also reloads quickly which helps. And let's not forget about the burn! It comes with a few downsides however...
-Killing Power: B
Without it's Mysterium buff, it's a contestant for the worst dps in the game. It needs repeated clean kills for it to remain effective, losing your streak in the middle of a fight means you're suddenly equipped with one fancy paperweight and you'll be forced to switch to your alternate weapon until another window opens up for an easy kill. This also means it's almost completely useless against bosses. With the buff? A very effective (and fun!) weapon for any other situation.
-Combo potential: S
Arguably the best burn-effect weapon in your arsenal, and works terrifically with Hypnosis, Basilisk or Striga as a partner. It's Mysterium powers are not lost on switching weapons, so if you simply never activate the burning chamber unless you go for a kill, it will never lose it's buff. Burning Arcana are very useful. I'd even go as far as to say that this revolver single-handedly made burning a more desirable effect, now rivalling the others. Combine with Stormball or Iron cross and you've got some lethal aoe with little effort. Kills done through spells, melee and even the Mad Eye relic while holding Duelist also count for it's "duel mode" to charge, which by itself is a massive boost to it's versatility. All-in-all, you can slap it on any build to be effective, and the more fire you add the more carnage you can unleash. Does need a partner to deal with bosses, though choices for those are aplenty.
Cricket - A rank
Unassuming in name and design, it couldn't be more misleading. Using Cricket's Mysterium powers to their full potential will turn you in a relentless killing machine that only stops after every single heretic is deleted from your vicinity. This requires you to be in close range and moving at all times lest you yourself be taken down using this high-risk, high-reward weapon.

The battles will be chaos and you might find yourself biting the dust more often then with safer weapons... but man is it fun.









-Versatility: C
Lack of range is a downside, but that won't feel like a problem as you're dashing from enemy to enemy, killing them increasingly quicker with each elimination. You'll get more bang for your buck stamina and spell-wise, giving you rapid opportunities for cascading damage. However, without decent ammo-conserving Arcana it will eat up your lead faster then any other weapon in the game so keep an eye on your reserves. Keep the location of the ammo box on your current mission in mind.
-Killing Power: S
Potentially the strongest close-range weapon in the game. After your first kill in a battle it becomes a rollercoaster of dodges, spells and shots where you're likely to get hurt yourself. But unlike other weapons with similar effects you don't get punished for missing or being hit so you're encouraged to keep it going even when the situation would otherwise warrant a swift retreat.
-Combo potential: B
Cricket's playstyle will likely get you hurt a lot, so bonuses to healing are great. Incense and Fetishes can help a lot here, especially Belladonna. Ammo and Gun Arcana like Phantom Bullets and Critical Chain greatly improve it's longevity in combat. Stamina Arcana help as well. Using Cricket recharges all your spells faster, including your melee, so that opens even more avenues for efficient eliminations. Cricket itself has no elemental effects or other quirks, but it's total domination in close-range means you're free to choose any long-range weapon you wish, preferably one with better ammo economy.
Rotweaver - B rank
The weapon of choice for Preyers that like to use the Decay element. It's high rate of fire and instant-decay-inducing effect often turns whole squads of enemies into pools of festering goo within seconds. It's single-target damage is not to be mocked either. It however needs some help to get rid of it's downsides and truly become an exceptional tool for killing.

Decay might be the most lethal effect in the game. Rotweaver is keen to show why.











-Versatility: C
Another weapon that lacks effective range, Rotweaver needs to be used up close and in long bursts to be effective. As usual this is risky as you're liable to lose track of the enemies that will try to flank you. It's ammo economy is also not good so it relies on ammo Arcana a lot. You'll find it becomes more lethal the longer a mission goes on. The same ammo-related tips as Cricket apply.
-Killing Power: A
As long as you keep it fed, it will keep your enemies dead. Rotweaver also really shines against bosses, as the increasing stacks of decay gets you immense DPS unrivaled by other weapons, especially combined with burns.
-Combo potential: B
Ammo Arcana like Critical Chain are a must. The Decay effect has arguably the strongest Arcana related to it, so any Decay Arcana increases Rotweavers killing power exponentially and will allow you to get more versatile as a mission goes on. Necrosis is crazy good. Cornucopia combined with the FInal Bullet Arcana might be the highest DPS combo in the game, especially on bosses. Combine this with the All-Seeing Eye plus the Ring of Excreta and you've got a recipe for one of the strongest builds in the game. Just don't complain about the smell.
Psychopomp - C rank
You shoot a guy, you punch a guy. Guys dead? Unto the next guy. Rinse, repeat. It's not very glamorous but it sure is effective. Though outside of that playstyle Psychopomp's viability quickly drops when you realise that without the magic punch it takes over 7 seconds for a full reload, and that luxury is something you will never find in the midst of hunting. This combined with poor ammo reserves and having the worst effective range in the game makes it tough to judge favourably.

Also, it sounds like a barrage of rough sneezes. Could use some work.






-Versatility: D
It's good at two things. One: Kill fodder with the aforementioned double-shot>punch combo or two: focus on one tough enemy and absolutely blast them with the full magazine. This works provided all other enemies leave you alone briefly, which in late-game becomes a rarity. Also a contender for the weapon with worst ammo economy in the game, even with the punch.
-Killing Power: B
A boss killer if there ever was one. Exceptional stun power provided you're close enough to give them a kiss. Even better if a random guy walks up to you so you can punch 'em, refilling your mag so you can keep blasting the big guy. Reloading is still the big issue.
-Combo potential: C
Reload speed and Critical Chain Arcana are a must. The Severed Ear can help but takes up a valuable relic slot. This is one of the few guns where the heavy spell Cornucopia becomes a gamechanger, especially with the Final Bullet Arcana. But it's slow to recharge unless you get the Arcana to fix that, but then the build becomes very luck-dependant. Also absolutely needs a long-range partner unless you really want to risk your neck against every single enemy.
Echo - D rank
The only gun in it's tier, Echo certainly performs mediocre compared to similar weapons in your arsenal. Slow shots, an even slower reload, abysmal range and poor ammo economy. However, it provides far better killing power and stuns then Midas or Hangfire, so in it's own tier it goes.

It's definitely fun to use though. If you have ADHD and really like the sliding mechanic, this might actually be the gun for you!










-Versatility: D
Five seconds for a reload is better then the Psychopomp, but that's not saying much. Hence why the sliding becomes mandatory. This strat works great against a group of slow-moving enemies that are spread around. But that's where it's usage ends since sliding towards tough enemies or larger groups is a bit too suicidal in practice since you might be out of stamina for dodging. Because of the delayed explosions you can misjudge the amount of shots needed to kill a foe, wasting ammo. The burn helps a bit with that though.
-Killing Power: D
If you unlock it early game it performs well, with high stun power and some AOE. However it's effective power considerably drops with higher Gnosis levels and tougher enemies. Aside from killing mooks it's not good for much else unless you get some seriously strong Arcana.
-Combo potential: C
Combine this with shock spells and you get yourself some surprisingly powerful AOE which is rare in Witchfire. I highly recommend Stormball. Also one of the few weapons where the Meteor Ring could be beneficial, if not more suicidal. With Duelist introduced, there is little reason to slot Echo in any build.
Judgement - A rank
An aptly-named tool that outshines the other shotguns by quite a bit. It still has a slow reload and poor ammo economy but with Judgement you get a lot more bang for your buck in return. Weak enemies die with 2 regular shots or 1 charged shot and it might be the most reliable close-range stunner around. Combined with it's unique effect of gaining an AOE-projectile on aiming down sights and you've got yourself a very versatile weapon. It takes some practice to get used to, but once you get the timing of charged shots down you've got yourself an extremely strong close-range tool of destruction.

It also sounds awesome and feels great to shoot. Very important, I know.





-Versatility: C
Calling it's secondary projectile "long range" is a bit generous, but it does add to Judgement's versatility. You can charge while holding hip-fire, then decide to aim down sights to get the long range projectile and vise-versa, making it very handy in chaotic situations where you need to make snap-decisions and adapt quickly. However, with just 30 spare shells and with only +2 ammo per pickup it's an expensive weapon to use. You also can't always find the space to reload properly meaning you will need discipline and forethought for every shell. Prefers a partner that's quick both in shots and reloads to lessen this weakness.
-Killing Power: S
While charging you can release your shot at any time as it doesn't need to be fully charged to be effective. On full charge, if it doesn't kill, it's very likely to stun. You can also fire 2 regular shots to their heads for a big stun, then charge one more shot as a finisher, which works really well against elites and tougher enemies especially with the Decay effect they get when they drop below 30% health. Big groups of fodder enemies can even die by just one charged AOE shot in their midst, as the decay will quickly finish them off, giving it great crowd control as well. The secondary projectile cannot crit at all so keep that in mind. If you're quick on your feet it's also a very effective boss-killer.
-Combo potential: A
Works fantastic with the Mad Eye relic, removing weaker enemies and stunning the bigger ones, which will then be finished off by the Decay. The Severed Ear can be fun, but you'll go through your ammo quickly. The Belladonna fetish is perfect for keeping you safe while charging or reloading. Shock spells and their Arcana are very effective at spreading the high-damage shots to nearby enemies and increasing your stunning power even more. Loves Cricket as a partner but you might go through your ammo too quickly. Combine with Angelus, Striga or Ricochet for a reliable loadout for any situation.
Basilisk - B rank
Interesting Mysterium powers indeed. It's focus is on remaining scoped and quickly dispatching enemies from a distance. It does this exceptionally well, especially with the help of some buffs like Fire and Weapon Arcana.

Being scoped is risky however, and the burn effects might not be as useful as they seem.













-Versatility: D
Not for close-combat use, no matter how much you want to do some intimate pyromancy. You've got spells for that. With only 50 spare rounds and a +2-round gain on pickup means Basilisk goes through your reserves quickly. It really needs a partner with good ammo economy and close-range capabilities like Angelus for a reliable loadout.
-Killing Power: B
In practice Basilisk almost always takes 2 to 4 headshots to kill most enemies, which is weak comparative to the other rifles but it fires them off at surprising speed and the scope remains stable throughout. If you have quick aim, you can make quick work of most enemy formations. Burning enemies take increased damage so remaining scoped and going for multiple targets can quickly pay off. Just watch for flanking enemies. The Mysterium III damage ticks are negligible however.
-Combo potential: B
The Crtical Chain and Stun Bullets Arcana work great like with all rifles. Obviously pairs well with Fire Arcana, especially Pyrolysis which nearly doubles Basilisk's killing power with the burning scope. Add some lightning spells for extra stun and the Blood of the Banshee relic for the explosions and you've got yourself some powerful chaos at your disposal. On paper it should pair well with Echo or Hangfire for maximum flame output but since both those guns underperform it's not recommended. The new revolver, Duelist, does however make a great partner for increased fire carnage.
Hailstorm - C rank
The highest damage-per-bullet weapon in the game. Not even the tougher enemies live after a shot to the dome with this one. And even if they do; on your third successful shot their whole posse turns to ice. Leaving them all neatly open for leisurely one-hit kills. The price? Lowest ammo count in the game at 20 shots. Picking up spare ammo gives you one whole bullet.

Better make them count.












-Versatility: F
Hailstorm was made to do one thing. Kill. Anything else was an afterthought. Every hit must be a critical if you wish to use this weapon for more then a handful of shots. The Mysterium power giving it 2 extra bullets in the mag after landing 3 consecutive crits is it's lifeblood. It shines at taking out high-priority enemies before a battle has even started. It needs a partner weapon that can do.... everything else. Not many weapons fill that role aside from some of the A-ranks in this guide.
-Killing Power: S
Does any more need to be said? No enemy is immune to freezing insta-kill deathbullets from half the map away. It's funnily enough not very effective against bosses because of how they tend to move erratically and the freezing only last a fraction of a second. You'll also run out of ammo before you've depleted their healthbar, which I know sounds unbelievable but it's true.
-Combo potential: C
Long distance Freeze or Shock effects can help you land more shots. Critical Chain Arcana essentially gives you infinite ammo provided you have perfect aim at all times. Cursed Bell helps with consistency. The Ice Sphere heavy spell is overkill on damage but does provide a nice safety net. Angelus is it's partner of choice for many reasons. Nothing else really combo's because whatever Hailstorm shoots is already supposed to be dead. Period.
Striga - S rank
We're here. The final weapon. Last but certainly not least; hands down the strongest tool for destruction in the game. It's a guaranteed unlock after you achieve Gnosis level 2 and despite my early scepticism it performs outstandingly. The ridiculously high stun rate, especially on headshot is the stuff of nightmares for the heretics. The massive stakes explode on impact after traveling a few meters and they add lightning damage on crit for even MORE stun power, even to those surrounding your target!

Oh, and the best part?
Striga has no damage dropoff whatsoever.






-Versatility: S
Near or far. Land your arced shots properly and the enemy will struggle to move closer or get a hit in. And it's easy to land them because the hitbox of Striga's projectiles seems very lenient.
It does have a slight delay in-between shots, but it's easily negligible because of the stuns and many movement options at your disposal. On top of that you get over 70 shots and a 7 shot "magazine" that somehow reloads after winding it for two seconds. Suddenly you forget you even have other weapons in your loadout.
-Killing Power: S
Grenadiers? Headshot bait. Devotees? Target balloons. Swordsmen? Get perma-stunned nerd. Weak enemies huddling together are eviscerated by the AOE while tougher enemies become the target for bullying.
Striga solves problems. Not problems like "What is beauty?". It solves practical problems.
Even the Galley Slave just stands there and takes it after just a few shots. Giving up on the thought of ever beating you and your Massive Wood Shooter™.
-Combo potential: A
Since it can do anything, does it have combo's? Well any further stuns are great, the Stun Bullets Arcana make it even more of a bully machine. My personal favourite is the Cursed Bell. Stunning whole groups of enemies that are now ready to be staked unto the walls and floors. Shock spells can chain Striga's effects to other nearby enemies with good results.

It has just one downside: since it uses two elements it will always give the game a chance to roll fire and shock arcana during a mission. If you want to focus on just one element, especially if it's freeze or decay, Striga will likely hamper growing your build magic-wise during a run.
The Demonic Weapons
Considering we don't have much choice and there's a clear winner; let's keep this section short shall we?

Vulture - S rank
A decently high max ammo count and if you land one hit you get a bunch more afterwards, each dealing 100 damage. It can be a bit janky though. Be sure you hit enemies in a way where when the arrow goes through them, it does not hit the ground or a wall so it can keep going. Handy in a pinch, which is what these weapons are supposed to be for. It's S-rank status is for completely negating the Assassin, Wretch and Spooky Ghost calamities. Three or four shots and watch the calamity evaporate before your eyes, you even get a lot of loot to boot. Now Calamities don't seem so bad!

Whisper - D rank
Does exactly what it says on the tin. It stuns. The concept is fun but there are plenty of other ways to bully the heretics so wasting your demon weapon slot on Whisper is not a great idea unless you're planning on stunlocking the boss with it and Striga for maximum harassment. For more flexible stun effects consider Shock spells and the Cursed Bell. It's a massive AOE stun that recharges consistently before it has even done it's final toll.


Falling Star - F rank
Inconsistent is the key word. The homing capability is rather random and aiming it is awkward to begin with. Can't use it indoors or near trees/jutting rocks. And if you do get a good volley? Enemies rarely stay close enough together for Falling Star to deal real aoe. More like Failing Star amirite? The pope really needs to put the boys to work on improving this one.
Tierlist Overview

And that's about it!
Yeah I know the tier list jumps from D straight to F, skipping E. I actually didn't notice myself until after writing this whole guide! Big oof. Maybe once more weapons are added it will find some use? Until then, F-tier sounds so much better for the bottom rank then E-tier, doesn't it?

There is still plenty more to explore and experiment with these weapons and I'm sure things will be changing in the future. I will try to keep this guide up to date for as long as I can!

Link to tier list template so you can make your own: https://tiermaker.com/create/witchfire-weapon-tiers-17812931?posting=true

Thank you for reading and I hope this was of either help or entertainment. Be sure to leave a comment if it was!

Good hunting fellow Preyer. Deus Vult!
24 Comments
Malfolin 20 Jul @ 2:06am 
Got to add something.
Echo is a really good shotgun if you are pinned down and need to clear out the way and if you need massive damage up close this thing is insane after a slide dealing more damage then Vulture (somewhere around 400-500 damage) so I would give it an A.
Oink` 5 Jul @ 3:01am 
I still hang onto the Midas for the high rate of fire (shrug)
Your Nan 21 Jun @ 6:50am 
Lokfield you have 12 hours playtime stfu lol.
Great Guide! I really like Hailstorm but I understand it's not the most flexible. Same goes for Falling Star. I do hope the devs will try to tweak the less effective weapons. Time will tell!
Lokfield 6 Jun @ 4:00am 
Hangfire F Rank - rage bait?
ARMOR BREAKER 8 May @ 5:27pm 
I got the Stryga after getting Gnosis I
Kernel Slanders 2 May @ 6:59am 
I know the Falling Star says grenade launcher but I think of it more like a tennisballcannon and use it for singular targets.
Kralich/Gonzo 1 May @ 4:36am 
When I first started playing this game, I read the guide here, magnetised to the Angelus and Striga, and stayed there for about 10-15 hours of gameplay as I worked up to Gnosis 3. at Gnosis 3 I decided to switch things up a bit, and decided to max-out every single gun in the game up to Mysterium 3. I got there today, and...yeah, Striga and Angelus was still my best loadout.

I did find some of these guns to be surprisingly fun (like the Midas was kind of fun, even if not great in practice) despite their rankings here. And, I found that most weapons are actually viable even at Gnosis 4, which I moved up to during this grind. But for raw performance I really don't think Striga/Angelus can be beat.
JSJ22 26 Apr @ 12:52pm 
and the range seems better than most other options to me... idk
JSJ22 26 Apr @ 12:50pm 
the Midas/Striga carries me lol the high ammo max and clip is great for applying effects and the iron sight visual just works for me, everything just runs out of ammo too fast for me
Mithrandir 5 Apr @ 11:11pm 
Hailstorm C? Dude... Definitely skill issue! That Sniper Rifle is absolutely amazing (In both dps on bosses and clearing mob) and it's for the people who "can" aim. Do not derank a gun if you can't aim good!