Rifle is a broad label in Starfield as it encompasses what would normally be considered sniper rifles, assault rifles, and even SMGs. Because of this, Starfield’s collection of unique rifles is extremely diverse, which is quite generous since players can be proficient with a wide range of weaponry without needing to have a specialized build for each type of rifle.
Although some of the unique weapons in Starfield should only be considered collector’s items, changing a few attachments can often reveal a weapon’s true potential. Regardless, there are some powerful rifles in Starfield that players may want to obtain, especially some of the weapons with utility status effects and otherwise high damage outputs.
Starfield: Skills Tier List (Best Starfield Skills)
The best Starfield skills can provide players with brand-new abilities and enhance existing ones, transforming the way that the game is played.
S-Tier
Acid Rain
This rapid-fire weapon will occasionally reduce the armor rating of an enemy that it hits. What it lacks in damage it makes up for with its utility, so this weapon makes a great weapon to give to companions in Starfield to put its unique effects to good use.
Eternity's Gate
This weapon arguably comes with some of the best unique weapon effects in Starfield. It’s a true endgame weapon, which is fitting that players earn it near the end of Starfield’s main story.
Legendary Revenant
This gun is a high-capacity, lightweight, bleed-damage weapon. Unlike most of the other status-effect weapons, this one makes a great primary weapon.
Mindtear
Mindtear isn’t very efficient with ammo and its unique effect is arguably lackluster. However, because of its high fire rate and incredible damage, it still shreds.
Unmitigated Violence
All the weapon attachments and unique weapon effects on the Unmitigated Violence come together for a surprisingly powerful weapon. Not to mention, this weapon also has a high base damage regardless of whether its utility damage effects activate mid-fight or not.
A-Tier
Avatar
The Avatar is the highest-damage sniper among the unique rifles in Starfield. Players should strongly consider adding a suppressor to this weapon to reap the extra damage of a stealth build in Starfield.
Fiscal Quarter
This weapon sports one of the highest boosts to enemy armor that players can get. Surprisingly, this weapon can be earned very early on in the game, and it still holds up for many levels afterward.
Fury
The Fury comes with an insanely large magazine. Consequently, this weapon essentially performs like a heavy weapon, except with the weight and ammo efficiency of a rifle.
Gallow’s Reach
This weapon comes with both anti-armor rounds and poison damage. It’s another great utility weapon to give to companions, but it generally lacks overall damage to be used as a primary weapon by the player.
Power Beat
This rifle weapon shoots with a shotgun projectile spread. It’s great in theory, great in practice, and also extremely efficient with ammo.
The 5 Best Heavy Weapons in Starfield (& How to Get Them)
Starfield's Heavy weapon category can help players in a variety of combat settings. Here are the five best in the Settled Systems.
B-Tier
The Buzzcut
The fast fire rate and armor-piercing attachment on this weapon make the Buzzcut a powerful version of the Grendel base weapon that it uses. However, there are still better Grendels among the unique rifles in Starfield.
Despondent Assassin
Overall this is a decent rifle for mid-range battles since it has three different weapon effects. However, it’s one of the many unique rifles that come with a shortened magazine attachment that holds it back without relying on further adjustments.
Head Ranger
Although this weapon has a high DPS because of its fire rate, that's generally not what players should look for in a sniper. Instead, players should look for a high damage-per-bullet sniper with a silencer to benefit from sneak attack bonus damage.
Speechless Fire
This weapon’s main appeal is its anti-armor and incendiary damage utility. It doesn’t have high damage overall, but its utility is still commendable.
Tempest
Not quite as powerful as some of the unique rifles in Starfield with elemental status effects, but the Tempest is still a strong gun. At the same time, between the two weapons that players can get from completing the Crimson Fleet questline, the Tempest is arguably the better choice.
Starfield: 5 Best Builds
A variety of the best builds in Starfield allow players to use a multitude of Skills and weapons against their enemies.
C-Tier
Desperation
The Cornered effect on this weapon is essentially Starfield’s version of Fallout 76’s meta Bloodied builds. However, the overall performance of this weapon makes it a little lackluster despite its high damage potential.
Hunterwulf
The Hunterwulf is capable of dealing decent damage against alien enemies. However, players looking for good weapons against aliens might find more use from one of Starfield’s unique shotguns.
Peacemaker
The Peacemaker is a slightly weaker version of the Head Ranger rifle. Despite having an additional weapon effect, it pales in comparison to most of the other unique snipers because of its low damage.
Last Breath
This weapon is the second-highest damage-per-shot sniper among the unique rifles in Starfield. Given the high damage and overall better performances of the other snipers among the unique rifles, this one is relatively lackluster.
Pirate Legend
Rifles aren’t always the best Space adept weapon since pistols and shotguns with this weapon effect can do much more damage.
Reflection
The Va’ruun weapons are all generally overpowered weapons in Starfield, except the Reflection’s unique effect isn’t very practical. Despite being a Va’ruun weapon, there are several stronger unique rifles than this one.
D-Tier
Brawler’s Equinox / Peacekeeper
The extended magazine and increased bash damage of these weapons pale in comparison to other unique weapon effects. Not to mention, players with weapon attachment crafting skills can turn random rifles into better weapons than these.
Feather
The main appeal of this weapon is its reduced weight. Otherwise though, despite lacking a damage-oriented weapon effect it's a reliable weapon without many downsides.
Justifier
This weapon is a collector’s item with no unique effect. It also uses one of the weakest sniper base weapons.
Unrestrained Vengeance
Given that this weapon isn’t the only unique rifle in Starfield that uses the Orion base weapon it has some serious competition. Overall, it’s not nearly as strong as the other unique Orion rifle, the Unmitigated Violence.
Vampire’s Gift
The main appeal of this weapon is its ability to drop extra healing items when killing human enemies. However, players should arguably use Starfield’s unique pistol counterpart instead of this weapon because it weighs less and serves the same purpose.
Starfield
-
OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 85 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 20 Hours
- File Size Xbox Series
- 101 GB (September 2023)
- Metascore
- 86
