[Top 7] Dead Cells Best Ranged Weapons (And How To Get Them)

Updated:

02 Jan 2024

The main focus of Dead Cells is trying out various builds and dying. Every run allows you to experiment with a new combination of weapons, skills, and mutations. In this article, we will look at the best ranged weapons that will help you defeat The Hand of the King and earn the next boss cell.

7. Killing Deck (Best for AoE critical damage)

Using cards as a weapon is quite the gambit...

Killing Deck is a ranged weapon added in the most recent DLC, Queen and the Sea. This is a Tactics weapon that deals an enormous amount of damage. The only downside is that you will need to get used to throwing patterns of cards. It is better to stay closer to enemies.

Why Killing Deck is great:

This weapon scales well with the majority of Tactics builds.
Killing Deck will usually be your main damage-dealing weapon, and if you can pull off a full combo, the damage is overwhelming.
Despite the fact that it does not use ammo, this weapon still benefits from the mutations Barbed Tips and Ripper.

Killing Deck full details:

Killing Deck is a ranged weapon that throws sets of cards in different patterns which stick to enemies. The last hit recalls the thrown cards, dealing critical damage to struck enemies.
Performs a combo of throwing cards: the first attack throws a card forward, the second attack throws 1 card forward and 1 card backward, the third attack throws 7 cards forward in a wide angle, and the last attack retrieves the cards.
It deals 71 base DPS (84 Critical hits).
The first base hit deals 45 damage, the second base hit deals 2 x 40 damage, the third base hit deals 7 x 24 damage, and the fourth base hit deals 48 critical damage for each card and recalls the thrown cards.
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Every card applies a random debuff on targets.

How To Get Killing Deck:

Killing Deck Blueprint drops from Armored Shrimps. It has a 1.7% drop chance and costs 100 cells to unlock.

6. Alchemic Carbine (Best for poison builds)

Weapon of the Mad Alchemist

Do not let the low damage fool you. What makes this weapon one of the best in the game is the poison effect it gives. Because damage over time effects such as fire, poison, bleed, and shock are very powerful in Dead Cells, poison builds with Alchemic Carbine in them will always be viable.

Why Alchemic Carbine is great:

You can combine Alchemic Carbine with the Hokuto's Bow and drastically increase its effectiveness by adding the damage bonus to every poison tick.
This weapon works best as a support weapon in poison builds with items like Sadist's Stiletto, Hemorrhage, or Snake Fangs and the skill Barnacle.
If you have Alchemic Carbine in your backpack and use mutation, Acrobatipack rolling through an enemy will launch a poisonous flask.

Alchemic Carbine full details:

Launches a flask that does some contact damage and disperses a poison cloud around it as the projectile flies and shatters.
It deals 9 base DPS and 10 damage on a base hit.
Poisons its victims with 13 DPS for 4 sec.
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Applies 2 stacks of damage over time effects instead of 1.

How To Get Alchemic Carbine:

You can find the Alchemic Carbine Blueprint in a secret area in the Ancient Sewers biome, above a big pool of poisonous water. It costs 50 cells to unlock.

5. Electric Whip (Best for biomes with water)

Whip that fires bolts of Lightning.

Only two weapons in the game can inflict a shock status effect, and Electric Whip is the better one. Lure enemies into pools of water and electrify them to the crisp. It is fast and responsive, and the gameplay with this weapon is fairly straightforward. Therefore, this weapon is great for beginners.

Why Electric Whip is great:

Electric Whip is one of a few weapons in the game that completely ignores shields.
You can combine this weapon with the mutation Parting Gift to clear biomes even faster.
Because the entire Nest biome is water, you can use this weapon to cheese boss Mama Tick.

Electric Whip full details:

Whip-type ranged weapon that auto-targets enemies, and deals damage to nearby enemies when it hits. Inflicts 50% of the base damage on nearby enemies. Also inflicts 25 shock DPS around the target for 3 seconds.
It deals 112 Base DPS (201 Critical hits).
It has a 3-hit combo that deals a total of 85 (153 Critical hits) base combo damage every 0.76 seconds.
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: +75% damage for hits in the back.

How To Get Electric Whip:

Electric Whip is available from the start of the game.

4. Heavy Crossbow (Best for burst damage)

A point-blank blast.

This weapon deals the most damage on a single hit in the game. With it, you have the ability to burst any monster in the game. The only downside of the Heavy Crossbow is that you need to stay at point-blank range to hit the same enemy with all your arrows.

Why Heavy Crossbow is great:

The best build for a Heavy Crossbow is Survival build with the mutation Kill Rhythm, so you can quickly reload and fire.
You can utilize the hook mechanic to stop enemies from attacking.
The Heavy Crossbow, like other two-handed weapons, works best when combined with a mutation Armadillopack and shield in your backpack. Therefore, you have ways to protect yourself.

Heavy Crossbow full details:

The Heavy Crossbow is a two-handed ranged weapon which fires a group of short-ranged bolts. The secondary ability, Reload, replenishes its entire ammo supply and inflicts critical damage in the next primary attack.
Before firing, the heavy crossbow launches a small hook that pulls an enemy towards you, rooting them for a short time in the process.
It deals 280 Base DPS (560 Critical hits).
It deals 300 damage on base hits (600 Critical hits).
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Shots pierce all enemies.

How To Get Heavy Crossbow:

Heavy Crossbow Blueprint drops after you kill the boss Concierge for the third time. It costs 80 cells to unlock.

3. Boomerang (Best for chip damage)

Old faithful.

Boomerang is a simple weapon: you throw it, it damages enemies, and then it returns to you. It always feels good to have Boomerang in your inventory. Plus, if you manage to throw Boomerang at an enemy that is near the wall, it bounces a few times between the enemy and the wall.

Why Boomerang is great:

It is a great support weapon that helps you to deal additional damage.
If you have Boomerang in your backpack and use the mutation Acrobatipack, you will still throw Boomerang after you roll through an enemy.
Boomerang works in all Tactics builds.

Boomerang full details:

Boomerang is a ranged weapon which deals damage as it returns to the player.
It deals 156 Base DPS.
It deals 42 damage on base hit.
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: +1 Ammo.

How To Get Boomerang:

Boomerang Blueprint is located in High Peak Castle, next to the exit to the Throne Room. It is locked behind a door that requires the 3rd Castle Key to enter. It costs 100 cells to unlock.

2. Repeater Crossbow (Best for reliable damage)

High Velocity Crossbow.

Repeater Crossbow fires ammo quickly; this alone can eliminate any enemy; when combined with a built-in root mechanic, you have an almost perfect weapon.

Why Repeater Crossbow is great:

It works well in both Survival and Tactics builds.
Some notable mutations that work with the Repeater Crossbow are Barbed Tips, Heart of Ice, or Kill Rhythm.
The Heavy Crossbow, like other two-handed weapons, works best when combined with a mutation Armadillopack and shield in your backpack. Therefore you have ways to protect yourself.

Repeater Crossbow full details:

Two-handed ranged weapon. The primary ability fires bolts quickly, while also dealing critical damage to targets that have been rooted. The secondary ability, Quiver of Bolts, shoots multiple bolts into the air, rooting any enemy caught under them and dealing a small amount of damage over time.
It deals 115 Base DPS (323 Critical hits).
It deals 15 damage on base hits (42 Critical hits).
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Shots pierce all enemies.

How To Get Repeater Crossbow:

Repeater Crossbow Blueprint drops from Dark Trackers. It has a 0.4% drop chance and costs 80 cells to unlock.

1. Fire Blast (Best for oil builds)

Toasts enemies to a rich golden brown.

With this weapon, you can quite literally melt any enemy in the game. Since oil status is easily acquirable, you will not have a hard time making this build work. The only drawback to using File Blast is that you must stand still while using it.

Why Fire Blast is great:

It works well in both Brutality and Tactics builds.
Oiled targets take 1.5x damage from Fire Blast.
Some gear that synergizes with Fire Blast is the weapon Oiled Sword or the skill Oil Grenade.
You can also combine Fire Blast with Hokuto's Bow and drastically increase its effectiveness by adding the damage bonus to every burning tick.

Fire Blast full details:

Fire Blast is a magic-type ranged weapon which allows the player to channel a stream of fire that pierces through enemies and burns them. Deals critical hits against targets covered in oil.
Flames pierce through enemies and set the ground on fire, causing enemies caught in the flames to be inflicted with stacks of burning that deal 10 base DPS for 2 seconds.
It deals 169 Base DPS (223 Critical hits).
It deals 12 damage on base hits (18 Critical hits).
The legendary version of this weapon has an affix: Generates a shield when used.