📝 Note on Data Completeness
This tier list covers all weapons and armor confirmed across launch-day coverage (Eurogamer, IGN Wiki, RPS, Polygon, Steam DB). Late-game weapons (Ch.6-12) and DLC/deluxe edition exclusives will be added as the community documents them. Last updated: Launch day.
Katana Tier List
Your primary weapon. Katanas trigger Blade Arts on parry, build Stagger, and carry your weapon special effects (Vampiric Blade, Crushing Blade, etc.).
| Tier | Weapon | Type | Where | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Purity | Life Steal | Ch.3 Merchant Golem | Passive lifesteal on hit. Solves sustain issues completely. Expensive but worth every Amber. Best-in-slot for 90% of content. |
| Sunrise Sword | Flame | Ch.4 (drop) | High base fire damage. Shreds Taurus (weak to fire) and incinerates standard Malefacts. Paired with Magmatic Mantle mod, this is a DPS monster. | |
| A | Shark Cutter | Crit | Ch.5+ (drop/TBC) | Highest critical hit rate multiplier. Requires Crit-focused build (Lucky Shot + Shark Cutter + Crit Boost Stone) to shine. Glass cannon pick. |
| Thunderwave Sword | Lightning | Ch.2 (drop) | Lightning applies Shock status (action speed reduction). Excellent for controlling fast enemies like Lupine Malefacts. Good throughout Ch.2-4. | |
| Hazebringer | Acid | Ch.5 (drop) | Acid DoT melts armored enemies' defense over time. Pair with Dokuzeri Blade Art for double poison stacking. Situational S-tier vs. Golems. | |
| B | Cirrus Sword | Impact | Ch.1 (drop) | First real upgrade. Impact type builds extra Stagger. Solid workhorse but outclassed later. Good for learning Stagger-based gameplay. |
| Hunter's Sword | Poison | Ch.3 (drop) | Poison DoT is nice but low direct damage. Better as a swap weapon for poison-vulnerable bosses than a primary. | |
| Bell Sword | Impact/Knockback | Ch.3 Merchant | High knockback is amazing for crowd control but terrible for single-target DPS (enemies get pushed out of combo range). Niche pick. | |
| C | Purifier | Physical (basic) | Starting weapon | Fine for Ch.1 tutorial. Replace immediately upon finding Cirrus Sword or buying from first merchant. |
| Mechblade (Standard) | Physical (basic) | Starting weapon | Alternate starter. Slightly different moveset than Purifier but same tier. Both are "tutorial weapons." |
Bow & Ranged Options
Bows don't trigger Blade Arts and don't benefit from parry weapon effects. Their value is in safe poke damage, pulling enemies, and hitting targets you can't reach. You always want one equipped as secondary.
| Tier | Option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| S | Base Bow + Enhance Bow Skill | With Enhance Bow maxed from Tracking Shot root, your base bow outperforms any named bow we've confirmed. Add Critical Boost Stone = best sustained ranged DPS. Don't overthink this — invest in the skill, not the weapon. |
| A | Crossbow variants | Higher per-shot damage, slower fire rate. Better for burst openings (one shot → switch to katana → close distance). Confirmed to exist in Ch.2+; specific named variants TBD. |
Armor Tier List
Armor in BoR uses single-piece design (no helmet/chest/gloves split). Each piece has Defense rating, mod slots, Enemy Awareness (aggro radius), and elemental resistances.
| Tier | Armor | Defense | Slots | Where | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Garb of Tranquility | High | 2-3 | Ch.4+ | Balanced stats + good slot count. The "default best" for general playthroughs. |
| A | Scale Coat | High | 2 | Ch.4-5 | Highest physical defense among confirmed armors. Tank pick for boss fights. |
| Insulating Mail | Medium-High | 2 | Ch.3+ | High elemental resistance. Essential for Lacerta (poison/acid zone) and late-game Blight-heavy areas. | |
| B | Thick Cuirass | Medium-High | 1-2 | Ch.3 Merchant | Solid midgame upgrade. Nothing fancy but gets the job done. |
| Chain Mail | Medium | 1-2 | Ch.2 Drop | First meaningful upgrade over starting armor. Low Enemy Awareness = enemies notice you less (genuine stealth benefit). | |
| Leather Garb | Low-Medium | 2 | Ch.3-4 | Lowest Enemy Awareness in the game. Great for Cloaking Grass stealth builds. Fragile but you shouldn't be getting hit in a stealth build anyway. | |
| C | Light Gambeson | Low | 1 | Starting armor | Tutorial gear. Replace as soon as possible. |
| C | Floral Wraps | Very Low | 2 | Ch.2 (cosmetic?) | Two slots is nice but defense is too low. Maybe a niche choice for a "never get hit" parry god build? |
Mod Recommendations by Weapon Type
| If Your Main Weapon Is... | Slot These Mods (In Order) |
|---|---|
| Purity (Life Steal) | Critical Boost → Status Effect Amp → Florescence Up |
| Sunrise Sword (Fire) | Magmatic Mantle → Full Bloom Crit → Status Effect Amp |
| Thunderwave Sword (Lightning) | Status Effect Amp → Critical Boost → Rapid Cooling |
| Hazebringer (Acid) | Poison Expert → Status Effect Amp → Extend Blade Effects |
| Shark Cutter (Crit) | Critical Boost → Full Bloom Crit → Battleborn |
| General / Undecided | Critical Boost → Vitality Up → Status Effect Amp |
Quick Reference: Where to Find Everything
| Item | Source | Chapter / Zone | Cost / Condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purifier | Starting equipment | — | Free |
| Mechblade | Starting equipment | — | Free |
| Cirrus Sword | Drop / Chest | Ch.1 Ogouchi | Explore thoroughly |
| Thunderwave Sword | Drop / Reward | Ch.2 Ancient Civ | Main path or side area |
| Hunter's Sword | Drop | Ch.3 Great Wall | Enemy drop or chest |
| Purity | Merchant Golem | Ch.3 | Buy (expensive) |
| Bell Sword | Merchant Golem | Ch.3 | Buy |
| Sunrise Sword | Drop / Boss | Ch.4 Pilgrim's | Zone clear or boss reward |
| Hazebringer | Drop | Ch.5 Matsukawa | Confirmed, details TBC |
| Shark Cutter | Drop / TBC | Ch.5+ | Late-game, being documented |
| Chain Mail | Drop | Ch.2 Ancient Civ | Enemy drop or chest |
| Thick Cuirass | Merchant Golem | Ch.3 | Buy |
| Insulating Mail | Drop / Merchant | Ch.3+ | Check merchants each zone |
| Garb of Tranquility | Drop / Quest | Ch.4+ | Story progression or hidden chest |
| Scale Coat | Drop | Ch.4-5 | Elite enemy or Nushi area |
In-game HUD: Your equipment loadout affects every engagement. Match your weapon type to the enemy you're facing.
Weapon Matchup Quick Reference
| Enemy Type | Best Weapon | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 🐗 Blight Boars | Cirrus Sword (Impact) | Breaks armor plates fast |
| 💀 Skeletal Golems | Kusarigama (Slash) | Multi-hit shreds exposed joints |
| 🌿 Nushi Bosses | Bloom Arts + Spear | Entanglement → critical windows |
| 👻 Phantom Swarm | War Fan (Sweep) | AoE clears groups before they surround |
Pro tip: Your starting Light Gambeson carries you through Ch.1-2. Don't buy armor upgrades until you hit Mountain Plaza — save your Glimmer for weapon unlocks instead.
⚠️ Prices and Availability May Shift
Merchant Golem inventories and drop tables may change in Day 1 patches. If an item listed here isn't where we said it'd be, check nearby zones — it may have been moved. We'll update within 48 hours of launch as community data comes in.