Best Mortal Shell 2 weapons and sidearms
Even with a great Shell, the best weapons and sidearms in Mortal Shell 2 are crucial in exploration and combat
The best Mortal Shell 2 weapons and sidearms, paired with complementary Tarstones and items, are essential for making it through this challenging Soulslike game - even the best Shell won't get you there alone.
Since there are a total of 14 sidearms and weapons to find (not including your starting arsenal), it might be hard to decide which to equip, and of course whether you prefer heavy weapons or light weapons might help you make your decision, but what I've listed below are what I consider the best overall Mortal Shell 2 weapons and sidearms.
Best Mortal Shell 2 weapons
The best Mortal Shell 2 weapons are the Axatana, and the Axe and Dagger.
Luckily, the Axe and Dagger can get you through most of the game and is an early weapon to find. You can get it by simply completing the Shrine of Trials Dungeon in the Mushroom Village. To get in, you'll first need to get the Mortal Shell 2 Chapel Key.
The Axatana, meanwhile, is much further on in the game. In fact, it's near the entrance to The Unfound Path - in other words, the endgame area. However, you can get the Axatana as early as you feel comfortable by speeding past enemies and following a specific path. I've got a separate guide on how to get the Mortal Shell 2 Axatana if you're interested. When you pick it up, you will be locked in a room with one enemy you must defeat, and you can of course use the Axatana to beat them, but I'd still recommend not going immediately. You should also go with the Tiel Shell, one of the best Mortal Shell 2 Shells, as you can use his Shadow ability to avoid some foes.
Both of these weapons are light and incredibly swift, which is why they dominate over the competition. The Axatana feels a lot like the Axe and Dagger to play, but deals a lot more damage even before upgrades at Franz' Tarforge, making is much better if you're willing to go and get it.
Best Mortal Shell 2 sidearms
The best Mortal Shell 2 Sidearms are the Forgotten Crossbow and the Caged Hystrix.
While each individual projectile of the Forgotten Crossbow does minimal damage, you can level up the weapon to deal additional blows, and it's speed and 'magazine', as it were', make it superior to some of the other harder hitting sidearms, like the Salvaged Trebuchaxe. This has absolutely been my favorite sidearm throughout, despite being an easy, early game weapon to obtain.
Meanwhile, the Caged Hystrix is a powerful rapid-fire sidearm that allows you to deal damage to more enemies faster. However, it doesn't seem to stagger enemies as much as the Crossbow, perhaps because each individual projectile deals far less damage, and is a bit sluggish to wield, so overall I still prefer the Crossbow.
Special mention goes to the Troubadour's Lute which is great fun to play with, especially if you like to play with the Riposte mechanic, and is also has great synergy with the Mortal Shell 2 Slayer Seal.
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After studying Music and Lifestyle journalism and writing a column for a stylish lifestyle magazine in her hometown of Brighton, Danielle finally found her feet writing about videogames for WePC in 2021. She then honed her guides writing skills at PCGamesN between 2022 and 2026, when she took those skills to GamesRadar as a Guides Writer. Danielle's guides are a safe space - she definitely got stuck before you did, which is why she's perfect for the job. When she's not replaying the Silent Hill games or a more up-to-date single-player horror game, you'll find her fighting for her life in Dead by Daylight, tending to a garden in Stardew Valley, or doing both in Minecraft.
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