The best weapons in Space Marine 2 right now are the Melta Rifle, Plasma Incinerator, Heavy Bolter and Las Fusil for guns, the Plasma Pistol as a sidearm, and the Power Axe, Thunder Hammer and Power Sword for melee. Patch 15.0 (October 2026) gave melta weapons a big damage boost and buffed nearly every bolter, so the tier list looks very different from launch. Which weapon is “best” for you still depends on your class, because every class can only use certain weapons.
This guide is current as of Hotfix 15.2 (20 October 2026). It covers all 30 weapons across seven classes, including the Techmarine weapons and the 2026 One-Handed Thunder Hammer. Rankings are for PvE (Operations, Siege and Crucible). PvP balance is different and we note it where it matters.
Quick answer: best weapons by slot
| Slot | Best pick | Strong alternatives | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Melta Rifle | Plasma Incinerator, Heavy Bolter, Las Fusil | Melta got +65% base damage in PvE in Patch 15.0 |
| Secondary | Plasma Pistol | Heavy Bolt Pistol, Neo-Volkite Pistol | Common shot damage up about 30% since Patch 13.0 |
| Melee | Power Axe | Thunder Hammer, Power Sword | Endless combo chains and a Power Stance after perfect parries or blocks |
New to the game? Read our Space Marine 2 guide first, then come back once you’ve picked a class.
How weapons work in Space Marine 2
You get three slots: primary, secondary (pistol) and melee. Each class has its own weapon list, and some classes skip a slot completely:
- Assault and Bulwark have no primary. They pair a pistol with a melee weapon.
- Heavy has no melee weapon. He swings his heavy gun as a club instead.
- Tactical can take a Power Sword, Power Axe or One-Handed Thunder Hammer, but only by giving up his primary. This arrived with the Patch 15.0 Tactical rework.
You unlock better versions of each weapon (Master-Crafted, Artificer and Relic) by levelling the weapon and spending Armoury Data. Heroic variants are bought with Accolades, which you earn mainly from Stratagems (added in Patch 10.0).
Melee weapons also have a defence type that changes how you deal with incoming attacks:
- Balanced and Fencing weapons parry. A parry staggers enemies around you and opens a gun strike. Balanced has the bigger stagger radius (4.5 m against 2 m for Fencing), and Fencing has the longer timing window.
- Block weapons don’t parry. A perfect block absorbs the hit and gives you Adrenaline Surge, a damage buff. The timing window is much tighter.
The same weapon can come in different types depending on the variant. The White Scars Chainsword, for example, is a Block weapon.
Every weapon and which classes can use it
Primary weapons
| Weapon | Classes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt Rifle | Tactical, Techmarine | Accurate all-rounder. Variants with a grenade launcher and a Heroic Combi-Melta |
| Auto Bolt Rifle | Tactical, Techmarine | Close-range automatic. +15% PvE damage in 15.0 |
| Heavy Bolt Rifle | Tactical, Techmarine, Heavy (PvE only) | Big magazine, mid-range |
| Stalker Bolt Rifle | Tactical, Sniper | Scoped semi-auto. Heroic Deathwatch version |
| Bolt Carbine | Tactical, Vanguard, Sniper | SMG and Marksman versions. Heroic Combi-Flamer |
| Instigator Bolt Carbine | Vanguard, Sniper | Scoped three-round burst |
| Occulus Bolt Carbine | Vanguard, Techmarine | Rapid-fire with a built-in scope |
| Plasma Incinerator | Tactical, Techmarine | Rapid plasma with a charged shot |
| Melta Rifle | Tactical, Vanguard (PvE only) | Point-blank cone that can hit many enemies |
| Pyreblaster | Tactical (PvE only) | Flamer that builds Burn. Added in 10.0 |
| Bolt Sniper Rifle | Sniper | Huge headshot damage |
| Las Fusil | Sniper | Charged shot that pierces through crowds |
| Heavy Bolter | Heavy | Spins up to full fire rate in about 0.8 s |
| Heavy Plasma Incinerator | Heavy | Heavy plasma with a charged shot |
| Multi-Melta | Heavy | 13° cone that can hit up to 40 targets |
| Pyrecannon | Heavy (PvE only) | Heavy flamer. Range +15% in 14.0 |
Secondary weapons
| Weapon | Classes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bolt Pistol | All seven classes | Reliable default |
| Heavy Bolt Pistol | All seven classes | Hits harder, still easy to control |
| Plasma Pistol | Tactical, Assault, Bulwark, Heavy, Techmarine | Splash damage on gun strikes |
| Inferno Pistol | Assault, Vanguard, Sniper, Heavy, Techmarine | Melta pistol. Added in 7.0 |
| Neo-Volkite Pistol | Assault, Vanguard, Bulwark, Techmarine | Heat beam with chain explosions. Added in 4.5 |
| Bolt Carbine One-Handed | Assault, Bulwark | SMG in the pistol slot. Added in 13.0 |
Melee weapons
| Weapon | Classes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Combat Knife | Tactical, Vanguard, Sniper, Techmarine | Fast duelling blade, the Sniper’s only option |
| Chainsword | Tactical, Assault, Vanguard, Bulwark | The easy-to-learn middle ground |
| Power Sword | Tactical, Assault, Bulwark, Techmarine | Two stances plus the Power Whirl spin |
| Power Axe | Tactical, Assault, Vanguard, Bulwark, Techmarine | Infinite combo loops. Added in 10.0 |
| Power Fist | Assault, Bulwark | Charged shockwave with long reach |
| Thunder Hammer | Assault, Bulwark (PvE only), Techmarine | Slow, huge area damage |
| One-Handed Thunder Hammer | Tactical, Assault, Bulwark, Techmarine | Builds charges for big hits. Added in 15.0 |
| Omnissiah Axe | Techmarine only | Halberd with the Omnissian Rush charge |
If a Tactical takes any of the three power melee weapons, he loses his primary slot. A Bulwark who takes the Thunder Hammer loses his Storm Shield.
Space Marine 2 weapon tier list (PvE, Patch 15.2)
These are our rankings. They’re based on the current patch-note numbers and on how each weapon handles Ruthless and harder difficulties. If you’re unsure which difficulty you can handle, our difficulty levels guide breaks each one down.
| Tier | Primary | Secondary | Melee |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Melta Rifle, Plasma Incinerator, Heavy Bolter, Las Fusil | Plasma Pistol | Power Axe, Thunder Hammer, Power Sword, Omnissiah Axe |
| A | Bolt Rifle, Heavy Bolt Rifle, Multi-Melta, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Instigator Bolt Carbine, Bolt Sniper Rifle, Heavy Plasma Incinerator | Heavy Bolt Pistol, Neo-Volkite Pistol, Bolt Carbine One-Handed | Power Fist, One-Handed Thunder Hammer, Chainsword |
| B | Auto Bolt Rifle, Bolt Carbine, Stalker Bolt Rifle, Pyrecannon | Inferno Pistol, Bolt Pistol | Combat Knife |
| C | Pyreblaster | – | – |
Why the Melta Rifle is top. Patch 15.0 raised its base damage by 65% in PvE. In exchange, ammo dropped from 15 to 10 and damage now starts falling off at 2 m instead of 5 m. Saber said it plainly: melta had been power-crept and is now meant to be “deadly at point blank range”. On a Vanguard, who grapples straight into the enemy, that downside barely matters.
Plasma Incinerator. Common shot damage went up about 40% in 13.0 and another 10% in 15.0. It’s now the best gun for both Tactical and Techmarine. Just don’t let it overheat.
Heavy Bolter. It got +5% base damage in 15.0 on top of the Patch 13.0 bolter rework, which raised body-shot damage by about 30%. It’s still the most dependable gun in the game for holding a line.
Las Fusil. It pierces and cleaves, so it can thin a horde as well as kill elites. That makes it more flexible than the Bolt Sniper Rifle, which is all about headshots.
Why flamers rank low. Most of their damage comes from Burn. Since Patch 13.0, Terminus bosses take 20% less burn damage, and since 14.0, Auspex Scan no longer boosts Burn. The Pyrecannon got +10% damage and more range, so it can still clear trash. The Pyreblaster competes with much better Tactical guns.
Bolter family. Every bolter got a buff in 15.0. Examples: Bolt Rifle +10%, Auto Bolt Rifle +15%, Occulus +15%, Instigator +7.5%. Tactical’s new starting perk also gives bolters +20% non-headshot damage and lets them pierce one extra enemy. On a Tactical, every bolter goes up about half a tier.
Best melee weapons in Space Marine 2
Here’s the full melee ranking. The Power Axe is the best melee weapon overall, with the Thunder Hammer a close second for crowd control.
| Rank | Weapon | Best on | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power Axe | Assault, Bulwark, Vanguard | Combo loops that never end, Power Stance after a perfect parry or block, strong Overhead Strike | No damaging heavy attack. Its single-target damage comes from light attacks |
| 2 | Thunder Hammer | Assault | Huge area damage. Heavy and charged area radius +50% since 10.0 | Slow, so you’re punished for mistimed swings |
| 3 | Power Sword | Bulwark | Speed and heavy stances. Power Whirl covers a big area | Hard to master |
| 4 | Omnissiah Axe | Techmarine | Omnissian Rush tears through chaff, and Power Discharge cleaves hordes | Sluggish light attacks. Techmarine only |
| 5 | Power Fist | Assault, Bulwark | Fully charged shockwave has some of the best damage and reach in the game | Light attacks are slow and short-ranged |
| 6 | One-Handed Thunder Hammer | Tactical, Bulwark | Switches between single-target and area attacks. Buffed hard in Hotfix 15.2 | New and still being tuned. In-game descriptions lag behind the patch notes |
| 7 | Chainsword | Anyone learning | Simple and consistent against groups and single targets | Doesn’t excel at anything |
| 8 | Combat Knife | Sniper, Vanguard | Very fast, great for one-on-one duels | Poor against crowds |
Power Axe in detail. It came out in Patch 10.0 (September 2025) and has only got better. Patch 11.0 raised Overhead Strike damage by 50% and let Chained Whirl Slash follow it. After a perfect parry or block you enter Power Stance, which unlocks the Power Backstep follow-up. On a Block variant, this stacks with Adrenaline Surge for huge single-target damage.
Thunder Hammer in detail. On Assault, a jump-pack Ground Pound with the hammer is the cleanest way to wipe a group of small enemies. The Heroic Storm’s Dominion hammer leaves a shock zone when you ground pound. Bulwarks can also take the hammer in PvE, but they lose the shield, and the shield is the reason to play Bulwark.
Power Sword in detail. Speed style turns your attacks into narrow, fast thrusts for single targets. The other style sweeps wider. Patch 13.0 sped up every version, and Patch 14.0 made the Salamanders Heroic sword build three stacks per perfect parry instead of one.
For full perk setups around these weapons, see our Space Marine 2 class builds.
Best loadout for each class
| Class | Primary | Secondary | Melee | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tactical | Plasma Incinerator or Bolt Rifle | Plasma Pistol | Chainsword | Melee build: Power Sword or Power Axe with Plasma Pistol (no primary) |
| Assault | – | Heavy Bolt Pistol or Bolt Carbine One-Handed | Thunder Hammer | Power Axe for a faster, parry-heavy style |
| Vanguard | Melta Rifle | Neo-Volkite Pistol | Power Axe | Instigator Bolt Carbine for a ranged elite-killer |
| Bulwark | – | Plasma Pistol | Power Sword | Power Axe. Keep the shield |
| Sniper | Las Fusil | Heavy Bolt Pistol | Combat Knife | Bolt Sniper Rifle if your headshots are reliable |
| Heavy | Heavy Bolter | Plasma Pistol | – (gun-butt melee) | Multi-Melta for close range, Heavy Plasma Incinerator for elites |
| Techmarine | Plasma Incinerator | Plasma Pistol | Omnissiah Axe | Heavy Bolt Rifle with Neo-Volkite Pistol |
A few notes on these picks:
- Vanguard Melta. The grapnel launcher puts you right where melta does full damage, so the 15.0 falloff change hardly hurts this class.
- Techmarine Omnissiah Axe. Omnissian Rush works with the Techmarine’s servo-gun gun strikes, which he can fire mid-swing or mid-dodge. That combination gives him armour back while he keeps moving.
- Heavy. Since Patch 7.0, Heavy can run the Heavy Bolt Rifle in PvE. It’s a decent pick if you want to move more freely, but the Heavy Bolter does more damage.
Not sure which class to start with? Our best class tier list ranks all seven.
What changed for weapons since launch
| Patch | Date | Weapon changes |
|---|---|---|
| 4.5 | Nov 2024 | Neo-Volkite Pistol added (PvP from 5.0) |
| 7.0 | Apr 2025 | Inferno Pistol added; wider class access, e.g. Heavy Bolt Pistol, Plasma Pistol and Bolt Carbine on more classes |
| 8.0 | Jun 2025 | Thunder Hammer for Bulwark (PvE) |
| 10.0 | Sep 2025 | Power Axe, Pyreblaster, Pyrecannon; Stratagems and Heroic weapons |
| 12.0 | Feb 2026 | Techmarine class and Omnissiah Axe |
| 13.0 | May 2026 | Bolt Carbine One-Handed; bolter and plasma damage buffs |
| 14.0 | Jul 2026 | Six more Heroic weapons |
| 15.0 | Oct 2026 | One-Handed Thunder Hammer, Thunder Hammer for Techmarine, Tactical power melee, big melta buff |
Saber’s October 2026 community update lists six more Heroic weapons for Patch 16: Omnissian Axe, Heavy Bolt Pistol, Bolt Rifle, Las Fusil, Plasma Incinerator and the Infernus Heavy Bolter. We’ll update this page when they land.
Common mistakes
- Judging a weapon by its launch reputation. The Auto Bolt Rifle, Plasma Pistol and melta guns have all been reworked. Re-test anything you dropped in 2024.
- Taking the Pyreblaster into boss fights. Burn is weaker against Terminus enemies and Auspex Scan no longer boosts it.
- Using the Melta Rifle at range. After 15.0 its damage drops off from 2 m. Get close or pick a different gun.
- Picking a Block weapon before you can time it. Block’s window is about two-thirds of Balanced’s. Learn parries on a Balanced weapon first.
- Giving up the Bulwark’s shield for a hammer. It’s fun, but you lose the class’s main survival tool.
- Ignoring your secondary. Gun strikes use your pistol, so a Plasma Pistol’s splash is free crowd control after every parry.
More general advice is in our Space Marine 2 tips and tricks.
FAQ
What is the best weapon in Space Marine 2 in 2026?
For PvE after Patch 15, the Melta Rifle on Vanguard or Tactical is the strongest gun at close range. The Plasma Incinerator and Heavy Bolter are the safest all-round picks. For melee, take the Power Axe.
What is the best melee weapon in Space Marine 2?
The Power Axe, thanks to its endless combo loops and Power Stance after perfect parries or blocks. The Thunder Hammer is better if you mainly want to wipe crowds on Assault.
How many weapons are in Space Marine 2?
There are 30 player weapons as of Patch 15.2: 16 primaries, 6 secondaries and 8 melee weapons. Heroic variants such as the Combi-Melta Bolt Rifle are versions of these weapons, not new ones, and the Heavy’s gun-butt melee isn’t a separate weapon.
Can Tactical use melee weapons now?
Yes. Since Patch 15.0, Tactical can equip the Power Sword, Power Axe or One-Handed Thunder Hammer, but doing so removes his primary weapon.
What weapons can the Techmarine use?
Auto Bolt Rifle, Bolt Rifle, Heavy Bolt Rifle, Occulus Bolt Carbine and Plasma Incinerator as primaries. Bolt Pistol, Heavy Bolt Pistol, Plasma Pistol, Inferno Pistol and Neo-Volkite Pistol as secondaries. Combat Knife, Power Sword, Power Axe, Thunder Hammer, One-Handed Thunder Hammer and his exclusive Omnissiah Axe for melee.
How do I get Heroic weapons?
Earn Accolades from Stratagems and the weekly Siege challenges, then spend them in the Refinement & Redemption shop on the Battle Barge.
Want more 40K games? See our best Warhammer video games and the full Warhammer games list, or read up on the real Ultramarines Titus fights alongside.
What is the best weapon for Heavy in Space Marine 2?
The Heavy Bolter is the best Heavy weapon in PvE as of Hotfix 15.2. It’s S-tier, gained 5% base damage in Patch 15.0 on top of the Patch 13.0 bolter rework, and is the most dependable gun for holding a line. Use the Multi-Melta for close-range crowds and the Heavy Plasma Incinerator for elites. Pair any of them with the Plasma Pistol.
What is the best weapon for Sniper in Space Marine 2?
The Las Fusil is the best Sniper primary right now. Its charged shot pierces through crowds, so it can thin hordes as well as delete elites, which makes it more flexible than the Bolt Sniper Rifle. Switch to the Bolt Sniper Rifle if your headshots are reliable. The Sniper’s only melee option is the Combat Knife, and the Heavy Bolt Pistol is a solid secondary.
What is the best weapon for Assault in Space Marine 2?
The Thunder Hammer is the best Assault weapon. A jump-pack Ground Pound with it is the cleanest way to wipe groups of small enemies. Assault has no primary, so pair it with the Heavy Bolt Pistol or the Bolt Carbine One-Handed. If you prefer a faster, parry-heavy style, take the Power Axe, which ranks as the best melee weapon overall.
What is the best melee weapon for Vanguard in Space Marine 2?
The Power Axe is the best Vanguard melee weapon. Its combos loop without end, and a perfect parry or block puts you into Power Stance for extra damage. The rest of the recommended Vanguard loadout is the Melta Rifle and Neo-Volkite Pistol. The grapnel launcher gets you to point-blank range, where both the melta and the axe do their best work.