Ark: Survival Evolved is a survival game where players are pitted against wild dinosaurs and hostile players, so you must know how to protect yourself from the greatest of dangers.

Whether that danger is an alpha tribe, or simply a rex, you need weapons to protect yourself and your tribe from these dangers.

These weapons provide players with an advantage and tend to be useful for taking down the most dangerous of dinosaurs, the toughest of players, or raiding some of the most unraidable of bases.

10. Bola

The bola is one of the most basic, but useful, weapons you will come across in the Ark. It is unlocked early and is fairly simple to craft. When thrown at a player, the bola will prevent them from moving, making a kill much easier. It can also be used on small dinosaurs for the purposes of taming and is beneficial for the taming of your first flyer.

Weapon Stats

• Holds players and wild dinosaurs in place for 30 seconds
• Wait 10 seconds before applying new bola
• Holds targets in place

What Is Awesome About The Bola

• Makes it easier to kill players
• Makes it easier to tame wild dinosaurs

How To Get The Bola

• Reach level 9
• Gather 10 thatch, 3 stone, 15 fiber, and 3 hide
• Craft using the inventory crafting menu

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahZhEx9dYY8

9. Crossbow

Most players unlock the crossbow and use it to fire arrows at other players in pvp situations. However, the crossbow can also be used to get around a lot easier. Once grappling hooks are unlocked, they can be used as ammo and are useful for traveling around bases, over walls, and exploration in general.

Weapon Stats

• Rate of Fire: 0.5 Rounds Per Second
• Reload Time: 2.61 Seconds
• Stone Arrow: 95 Damage

What Is Awesome About The Crossbow

• Lots of ranged damage
• Useful for grappling hooks and arrows
• Useful for killing and taming creatures

How To Get The Crossbow

• Reach level 25
• Gather 7 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, 10 wood or fungal wood, and 35 fiber
• Put materials into the Smithy
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZXdSTcaSEM

8. Longneck Rifle

Likely one of the first guns an Ark player will craft is a longneck rifle. This rifle acts as your first long range gun while being extremely useful to tame dinosaurs with tranq darts. The longneck rifle is favored by many of the members of the Ark: Survival Evolved community due to how cheap it is to craft, but how effective it is in battle as well.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 280
• Reload Time: 4.3 Seconds
• Durability: 70 (70 shots before breaking)
• Rate of Fire: 0.2 Rounds Per Second

What Is Awesome About The Longneck Rifle

• High damage
• Early game long range rifle
• Useful for taming larger creatures with tranq darts

How To Get The Longneck Rifle

• Reach level 35
• Gather 95 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, 20 wood or fungal wood, and 25 hide
• Put items into Smithy
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTjIkxJoEFA

7. Simple Pistol

The simple pistol is perhaps the earliest gun you will have the opportunity to create in Ark. It requires fewer resources than other guns, and best of all, it does quite a bit of damage. While you may not be able to take down a rex, you are able to defend yourself against some of the most basic threats that you may encounter.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 100
• Reload Time: 3.33 Seconds
• Durability: 60
• Rate of Fire: 2.1 Rounds Per Second

What Is Awesome About The Simple Pistol

• Cheap to craft
• High damage

How To Get The Simple Pistol

• Reach level 34
• Gather 60 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, 5 wood or fungal wood, and 15 hide
• Put materials into Smithy
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9-SElf7bKM

6. Pike

The pike is the first weapon you should create once you start mining metal. While it is basically the same concept of a spear without the ability of throwing, it can be repaired and does quite a bit of melee damage. This weapon works well for killing those dinosaurs that you need to protect yourself from or to hunt for food.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 40
• Rate of Fire: 1.5 Rounds Per Second
• Durability: 40

What Is Awesome About The Pike

• Great melee weapon
• Unlocked early
• Similar to early game weapons but more powerful

How To Get The Pike

• Reach level 25
• Gather 10 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, 10 wood or fungal wood, and 20 hide
• Put materials into Smithy
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Re3si61Gruo

5. Compound Bow

Many players love getting their hands on the compound bow. It is satisfying to kill someone with a bow that you draw back and fire rather than a standard crossbow. It also feels more unique since it is silent, and a higher level weapon, despite the fact that regular bows are learned early in the game. Metal arrows can be used with this bow, which will raise the damage being dealt to an extremely high number.

Weapon Stats

• Metal Arrow: 175.5 Damage
• Stone Arrow: 75 Damage
• Durability: 55
• Rate of Fire: 0.37 Rounds per Second
• Reload Speed: 0.66 Seconds

What Is Awesome About The Compound Bow

• Similar to the early-game bow
• Silent-ranged weapon
• High damage

How To Get The Compound Bow

• Reach level 79
• Gather 95 polymer, organic polymer, or corrupted nodules, 85 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, and 75 cementing paste and achatina paste
• Place materials into Fabricator
• Put gasoline into Fabricator
• Turn on Fabricator
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uga4NmumFW4

4. Grenades

Grenades are the first type of explosives that players learn to craft. Grenades are useful for breaking down stone structures and reinforced doors. They may not do as much damage as rocket launchers and C4, but they are definitely a great way to learn how to raid. With that being said, grenades can be expensive for a new player to create and may require quite a bit of farming resources.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 175
• Damage Radius: 6

What Is Awesome About The Grenade

• Useful for starting raids
• Explosions

How To Get The Grenade

• Reach level 38
• Gather 15 fiber, 20 stone, 30 gunpowder, 5 hide, 2 metal ingot or scrap metal ingots, and 4 oil
• Put materials into Smithy
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiFslHUO1zI

3. Rocket Launchers

Rocket launchers are a popular way of raiding bases. They do a lot of damage and are slightly cheaper to craft than C4. With that being said, rocket launchers do not do as much damage as C4 but may be useful for doing a beginning raid when you are low on supplies.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 700
• Explosive Damage: 1,800
• Durability 50
• Rate of Fire: 0.25 Rounds Per Second

What Is Awesome About The Rocket Launcher

• Explosive weapon
• Useful for raids
• Slightly cheaper than C4

How To Get The Rocket Launcher

• Reach level 87
• Gather 80 polymer, organic polymer, or corrupted nodules, 50 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, and 60 cementing paste and achatina paste
• Put materials into Fabricator
• Put gasoline into Fabricator
• Turn on Fabricator
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO0sZxq7E-4

2. C4

Everyone is always looking to get their hands on a bit of C4. Using just two C4, you can destroy the metal door to anyone’s base. Most players strive to get their hands on this to raid and pillage the structures of others. While this is an expensive item to create, this is definitely the best way to raid a base.

Weapon Stats

• Explosive Damage: 6899
• Durability: 100

What Is Awesome About C4

• Explosive
• Raid any base easily

How To Get C4

• Reach level 65
• Gather 60 gunpowder, 10 crystals, 5 cementing paste and achatina paste, 50 fiber, 5 hide, 5 polymer, organic polymer, or corrupted nodule, and 5 electronics
• Put materials into Fabricator
• Put gasoline into Fabricator
• Turn on Fabricator
• Craft the weapon

Video Guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uRr2-yqhpoc

1. Pump Action Shotgun

The pump action shotgun is likely the most powerful gun you have used in any game. Using this gun, you can shred through an enemies’ health with ammunition that can be created at a low level. This weapon, as is most shotguns, is the most powerful weapon you can get your hands on.

Weapon Stats

• Damage: 46 x 14
• Rate of Fire: 0.908 Rounds Per Second
• Reload Time: 4.3 Seconds
• Durability: 300

What Is Awesome About The Pump Action Shotgun

• Most popular weapon in the game
• Tons of damage
• Easy to craft ammunition

How To Get The Pump Action Shotgun

• Reach level 55
• Gather 30 metal ingots or scrap metal ingots, 55 polymer, organic polymer, or corrupted nodule, 45 cementing paste or achatina paste
• Put materials into Fabricator
• Put gasoline into Fabricator
• Turn on Fabricator
• Craft the weapon

Video Game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_tJPjPq2x0

You May Also Be Interested In:

• Top 5 Best Ark: Survival Evolved Flying Mounts
• 15 Best Ark: Survival Evolved Mods That Give You An Advantage
• 25 Best Ark: Survival Evolved Settings That Give You An Advantage