Weapons Guide — BioShock: The Collection eGuide

Though there are a total of eight weapons to select from in the Weapon Radial—and all can be swung melee-style—only six of these devices truly qualify as weaponry. The other two, the Research Camera and Hack Tool, are tools. That said, the Drill is the only weapon that doesn’t feature a variety of ammunition (it consumes only one type of Drill Fuel). Similarly, the Research Camera and Hack Tool are the only devices that do not have any available upgrades. Weapons can be upgraded by stopping at a Power to the People machine and selecting one of the available upgrades. Power to the People machines are very rare and can only be used once, so choose wisely. It’s impossible to fully upgrade every weapon during a single playthrough of BioShock 2, so consider your tendencies and the upgrade strategies that follow before committing to any one upgrade.

Drill

The Bouncer’s Drill was as much a symbol of the original BioShock as Little Sisters and bathyspheres, and now you get to have one to call your own! The Drill is a devastating melee weapon that can be used in a number of ways. Like the other weapons, it can be used to bash an enemy over the head (more like a pointy-ended uppercut) with a tap of the Melee button. This not only conserves Drill Fuel, but is a great follow-up to an Electro Bolt attack. It also inflicts far more damage than clubbing an enemy with any other weapon. You can also deliver continuous heavy damage to an enemy by holding the Fire Weapon button to spin the Drill and bore into an enemy. This consumes Drill Fuel, but inflicts significant damage to all enemy types, even Big Sisters. Lastly, you eventually learn how to perform the Drill Dash attack. You can perform this high-speed attack by pressing the Melee button while holding the Fire Weapon button. This action sends the Big Daddy dashing across the floor to deliver incredible damage to a distant enemy. The Drill Dash attack becomes available after achieving the Level 1 Research Bonus from a Brute Splicer.

Fuel Capacity

Ammo Type	Tank Capacity	Carry Capacity
Drill Fuel	300	300

Drill Upgrade Strategy

Regardless of how often you plan to use the Drill, you should select the Drill Damage Increase at either the first or second Power to the People machine that you encounter. This all but guarantees your ability to kill low-level Splicers with a jolt of Electro Bolt and a melee attack with the Drill. Furthermore, Drill Damage Increase ensures that you can pierce the armor of Big Daddies and Big Sisters when they corner you—and they will corner you! Similarly, you should also consider equipping the Drill Power and/or Drill Power 2 tonics to further increase the Drill’s effectiveness as a melee weapon. Equip both to stack the effects and get even more bonus damage per Drill attack!

Those looking to make heavy use of the Drill should certainly select the Drill Fuel Efficiency Upgrade and consider equipping the Freezing Drill tonic. There aren’t a lot of opportunities to employ stealth tactics, so don’t expect the Drill Lurker tonic to be of much use.

Lastly, if you’ve always wanted to role-play as a Bouncer, you now have your chance! Install the Drill Specialist and Drill Power tonics, and opt for the Drill Reflector Upgrade at the next Power to the People station you encounter. Even though Telekinesis can do many of the same things that the Drill Reflector Upgrade can do, Telekinesis can’t reflect bullets! Keep the Drill spinning and watch as your enemies effectively turn their guns on themselves! Drill Specialist significantly reduces the amount of EVE consumed with each use of a Plasmid, so you can zap-and-drill your way to victory! Just be sure to keep plenty of Drill Fuel on hand. And, perhaps most importantly of all, research Big Sisters—the Level 4 Research Bonus awards you the Drill Vampire tonic, which leeches health from your enemies as the Drill inflicts damage.

Rivet Gun

No Big Daddy would be complete without the deadly Rivet Gun that made the notorious Rosie so menacing in the original game. The Rivet Gun essentially fills the space in the player’s arsenal previously occupied by the Pistol. It fires single projectiles—rivets—at a moderate rate, making this gun a satisfactory all-purpose weapon. Standard rivets offer a moderate amount of piercing damage, and the Rivet Gun can be used as a melee weapon in a pinch. Click the Look Controls to stare down the barrel for a more accurate shot, though this requires two hands and prohibits Plasmid use until the Look Controls are clicked again.

Rivet Gun Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity (Base)
Rivets	12	60
Heavy Rivets	12	24
Trap Rivets	12	24

Ammunition

Base Ammo: Rivets originally intended to bolt together steel plates for the construction and repair of Rapture. Now they are best used for shooting Thuggish, Leadhead, and Spider Splicers. Can also be useful in the destruction of security equipment or shooting explosive drums or windows.

Alternate Ammo: Heavy Rivets are extra-dense industrial-grade rivets and offer moderate armor-piercing capability. They fire slower than the standard rivets, but have far more stopping power. They are the ammo-of-choice for battling Brute Splicers, Big Daddies, Alpha Series, and Big Sisters.

Alternate Ammo: Trap Rivets are loaded with a shaped charge and stick into solid objects. They emit a laser trip-wire that, when broken, makes the Trap Rivet fire a second rivet at the enemy passing by. Trap Rivets are perfect for defending an area. Trap Rivets do not fire when the player Big Daddy walks by, and unused Trap Rivets can be collected following a battle.

Rivet Gun Upgrade Strategy

The Rivet Gun is an important weapon in the early goings of the game, but may fall out of favor as you obtain more powerful specialty weapons. Nevertheless, the Rivet Gun Damage Increase is a worthwhile upgrade no matter how you expect to play and should be one of the first two or three upgrades you opt for.

You can play the entire game through without needing the Rivet Gun Clip Size or Rivet Gun Heat Upgrade, though the latter is very useful, since it has the chance to set enemies ablaze without requiring the use of Incinerate!! The Rivet Gun Clip Size upgrade does come in handy when fighting Big Daddies and Big Sisters—being able to fire off 18 Heavy Rivets without reloading is very helpful—but you can usually shock an enemy with Electro Bolt to buy some time while you reload.

Without the upgrades, you may only use the Rivet Gun in the latter stages of the game to lay down a series of Trap Rivets while protecting the Little Sister during a Gather.

If you find yourself always coming back to the Rivet Gun, go ahead and fully upgrade the weapon. Furthermore, equip the Headhunter tonic to increase the damage your headshots inflict. You’ll have to zoom in more often to line up these shots, but the extra damage is worth it. Try zapping an enemy first with Electro Bolt to lock them in place while you go for the headshot.

Machine Gun

The Machine Gun uses the same ammunition as the Tommy Guns you’ll see many of the Leadhead Splicers carrying, but that’s where the similarities end. The Machine Gun has been scaled for a Big Daddy and resembles a Gatling gun more so than the pint-sized weapons the Splicers use. This weapon has an unmatched rate of fire and can spray enough bullets to mow down an army of Splicers in a few seconds flat. The downside to the Machine Gun is that it suffers from ferocious recoil and can be quite inaccurate in unsteady hands. It is best used in short bursts, though that does tend to sideline its greatest asset: its fully automatic firing capability. The Machine Gun is best saved for use against groups of low-level Splicers (perhaps during a Gather) or against larger targets such as Brute Splicers and Big Daddies. It also does well against close-range targets. Perhaps more so than any other weapon, your choice of ammunition is critical.

Machine Gun Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity
.50 Caliber Rounds	40	280
Anti-Personnel Rounds	40	160
Armor-Piercing Rounds	40	160

Ammunition

Base Ammo: The Machine Gun uses the same .50 Caliber Rounds as the machine guns employed by Leadhead Splicers, so it isn’t difficult to find ammo. The standard round offers a small amount of piercing damage and is best for Thuggish and Leadhead Splicers.

Alternate Ammo: Switch to the coveted Anti-Personnel Rounds for use against groups of Splicers in critical situations. This is the perfect ammo for defending the Little Sister during a Gather. It’s also an excellent choice when fighting Brute Splicers and Houdini Splicers.

Alternate Ammo: Armor-Piercing Rounds offer increased armor penetration and are an excellent choice when taking on an Alpha Series or Big Sister. It’s best to use Armor-Piercing Rounds and the Machine Gun for these faster armored enemies and save the Rivet Gun for the slower moving Big Daddies.

Machine Gun Upgrade Strategy

The Machine Gun may not be the gun you reach for first, but the ammo is far too plentiful for this gun to not used frequently, especially when the EVE really hits the fan. Unfortunately, the Machine Gun can be a bit unwieldy without the Machine Gun Recoil Reduction upgrade. This need not be one of your first upgrades, but everyone should slot this in during his or her fourth or fifth visit to a Power to the People machine. The Machine Gun Damage Increase is a nice upgrade as well, but upping the stopping power of the weapon won’t matter if it continues to jump out of your hands with each squeeze of the trigger! Another nice thing about opting for the Machine Gun Recoil Reduction is that with less recoil comes more accuracy—and a chance to make use of the Headhunter tonic.

Players who find themselves constantly reaching for the Machine Gun certainly want to install both the Recoil Reduction and Damage Increase upgrades in order to gain access to the Machine Gun Ricochet Upgrade. This wonderful upgrade actually takes advantage of the gun’s rate of fire by making the bullets ricochet off whatever object they hit first. This means that if you empty a magazine at a group of enemies in a cluttered room, there’s a good chance that those bullets that sail wide of the mark may ricochet off the wall or furniture and hit the target from a different angle.

Shotgun

The Shotgun is the ultimate short-range gun. It fires a wide burst of pellets and can be fired effectively from the hip or shouldered for increased accuracy. The Shotgun can defeat most low-level enemies with a single blast, and is also effective against armored enemies that get too close. Of the primary weapons, the Shotgun does have the slowest firing rate (and smallest capacity), but these shortcomings are offset by the increased firepower. The Shotgun is the perfect weapon for tight hallways and areas where enemies can suddenly appear at close range. It’s not conducive for open spaces or situations when enemies can move quickly between distant locations.

Shotgun Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity
00 Buck	2	24
Solid Slug	2	12
Phosphorous Buck	2	12

Ammunition

Base Ammo: 00 Buck that does a moderate amount of piercing damage. This ammunition can deliver significant damage to all types of enemies, and is best used at close-range to increase the number of pellets that hit their mark (the pellet spread increases with distance).

Alternate Ammo: The Solid Slug does away with the Shotgun’s patented pellet spray in favor of a single slug, not unlike a traditional muzzle-loader rifle. This transforms the weapon into a single-shot rifle that offers pinpoint accuracy, moderate anti-personnel damage, and the ability to travel through multiple targets.

Alternate Ammo: Phosphorous Buck is pellet-based ammunition that is sticky by nature and explodes in small bursts after a short time. Enemies struck with the Phosphorous Buck start panicking and acting erratically, right up until the phosphorous-coated pellets explode and kill them. This is exceptionally useful against groups of enemies and also against larger, armored foes like the Alpha Series.

ShotGun Upgrade Strategy

If you only end up fully upgrading one weapon, let it be the Shotgun. The improved Shotgun Clip Size is one of the most useful upgrades of all, and triples the number of shots you can fire between reloads. Opting for the Damage Increase all but guarantees one-shot kills on Thuggish and Leadhead Splicers, and also inflicts severe damage against Spider Splicers. The Tesla Upgrade is a fantastic upgrade for the latter stages of the game when you’re dealing with faster, more heavily armored enemies. Though the Tesla Upgrade’s effects occur randomly, they happen with enough frequency to reduce your reliance on Electro Bolt. The Tesla Upgrade not only delivers heavy damage, but randomly electrocutes and stuns enemies as well. With this equipped, you can use your left hand to wield other Plasmids and still get the same effect.

The Shotgun is best used in tight corridors and small rooms, where you have no choice but to get close and personal with enemies. It’s also ideal for defending the Little Sister as she performs a Gather. Equip the Electric Flesh tonic once you get the Tesla Upgrade, since it increases the damage dealt by the electric shock. Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of the Solid Slug ammunition type. This ammo transforms the Shotgun into a high-powered rifle with tremendous accuracy. Together with the Headhunter tonic and the Damage Increase Upgrade, the Solid Slug can penetrate multiple enemies and drop every one of them!

Speargun

The Speargun is the Big Daddy equivalent to the Crossbow made famous in the original BioShock, and provides an entertaining take on the act of sniping. The Speargun fires large heavy-duty spears with deadly accuracy and affords the player the opportunity to kill most Splicers with a single shot from considerable distance. The benefits of the Speargun don’t end there! The individual spears hit the target with such force as to drive the enemy backwards through the air—they can even stake the enemy to the wall! Best of all, the spears are quite durable and can be reclaimed from corpses and the environment—a feature that really helps offset the cost of the ammunition! Plus, it’s morbidly entertaining to watch the corpses fall to the floor after retrieving the spear holding them to the wall. The Speargun is an excellent weapon for players looking to use cover and snipe at distant enemies, but it is less effective against tougher foes in a skirmish situation.

Speargun Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity
Spear Ammo	5	20
Trap Spear	5	10
Rocket Spear	5	10

Ammunition

Base Ammo: The standard Speargun ammo is a steel-tipped spear that flies straight and far, can be reclaimed from corpses, and can pin enemies to the wall. It is best used when sniping at low to medium strength Splicers. You can use the Spear Ammo against Brute Splicers too, but be prepared to fire numerous spears into them.

Alternate Ammo: The Trap Spear behaves just like the Trap Bolt from the first game. Trap Spears shoot out an electrified tripwire when shot into the wall. The tripwire extends out the back of the spear in the direction that you shot it from. Fire the Trap Spear at a surface, then move away so the tripwire can attach to the surface near where you were standing. Use this to string up deadly traps across doorways and atop stairwells. It’s also very useful when defending a Little Sister during a Gather.

Alternate Ammo: The Rocket Spear is arguably the most devastating ammo type in Rapture! The Rocket Spear has a high-power propulsion system that continues to provide thrust after impact, making it possible to launch enemies as large as Brute Splicers through the air. The Rocket Spear explodes shortly after making contact, and enemies and objects hit by the Rocket Spear may catch fire. This ammo is far too valuable to use against low level Splicers—save it for Brute Splicers, Big Sisters, and Alpha Series!

Speargun Upgrade Strategy

The Speargun is the weapon of choice for those who like to snipe their enemies from far away. However, it should be noted that the opportunities to truly play as a sniper in Rapture’s watery corridors aren’t all that plentiful. With that said, the Speargun’s Zoom Increase and Damage Increase upgrades give players the opportunity to deliver long-range one-shot kills with surprising accuracy. The Zoom Increase significantly magnifies the target, and the Damage Increase all but ensures an instant-kill to normal human-sized Splicers—even a Spider Splicer and Houdini Splicer can be killed with a single headshot, provided you have these upgrades and the Headhunter tonic spliced.

The unique feature of the Speargun is undoubtedly its ability to launch enemies through the air and pin them against walls and other objects. The Speargun Acceleration Upgrade gives you the ability to pin enemies at much further distances and improve your firing rate dramatically, but this is an upgrade best left to the devoted Speargun fans. There are too many upgrades available that benefit the player in a wider variety of situations than the Acceleration Upgrade, and for that reason alone, it’s not recommended to select it for general purposes. The Speargun is a powerful weapon, and although its Trap Spears certainly help you protect the Little Sister during Gathers and the Rocket Spears can be effective against tougher foes, a majority of players may view it primarily as a niche weapon.

Launcher

The Launcher is essentially an up-scaled version of the Grenade Launcher used by Jack in the original BioShock. What this weapon lacks in carrying capacity, firing rate, and reload time, it more than makes up for in ammunition variety and sheer firepower! The Launcher can be used to clear a room of Splicers, lay traps for Big Daddies, or even fire heat-seeking rockets at Big Sisters and Alpha Series enemies. Although ammunition is relatively scarce, this is not a huge issue. It’s best to view the Launcher as a specialty weapon, and only bring it out for battles against the most threatening enemies and while protecting the Little Sister during a Gather.

launcher Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity
Frag Grenade	3	15
Proximity Mine	3	9
Heat-Seeking Rocket	3	9

Ammunition

Base Ammo: The Frag Grenade is lobbed a moderate distance and explodes on contact, sending a large amount of shrapnel in a radius. The fragments released during the explosion dole out a large amount of piercing damage and can critically damage entire groups of enemies with a single blast.

Alternate Ammo: Place these Proximity Mines where you expect enemies to approach. Once triggered, the Proximity Mine inflicts a large amount of piercing damage in a radius. The player Big Daddy cannot trigger its own Proximity Mine, but can collect undetonated Proximity Mines after the battle. Proximity Mines are perfectly suited for Gathers, for battling Big Daddies, and for any instance when you expect to be ambushed.

Alternate Ammo: The Heat-Seeking Rocket delivers a large amount of heat damage in a radius. This is an extremely potent ammunition type for battles against Big Sisters and Alpha Series. Heat-Seeking Rockets are very expensive and in short supply—don’t waste this ammo type on lesser enemies. Furthermore, though they are capable of homing in on a target, it is still possible to miss your mark. Only let one off the leash if you know it’s going to score a direct hit!

launcher Upgrade Strategy

The Launcher is like the Speargun in that it is best suited for special situations (primarily during Big Daddy and Big Sister battles), but its three upgrades are all very valuable and provide enough of an improvement to the base weapon that they are hard to ignore during the latter portions of the game. Improving the Launcher Clip Size is very important due to the lengthy reload times—and the threat posed by the enemies who require this weapon. Launcher Damage Immunity is another very important upgrade due to the tremendous splash damage each of the Launcher’s type of ammo yield. Damage Immunity gives you the opportunity to continue bombarding an Elite Bouncer or Big Sister with Frag Grenades even when they are dashing straight for you. Both of these are valuable upgrades.

The Cluster Bomb Upgrade may seem unnecessary at first glance, but this weapon upgrade is an absolute must if you’re playing on the Hard difficulty setting and on your way towards Inner Persephone. Opt for the Damage Immunity upgrade immediately after obtaining the Launcher in Dionysus Park, then select the Clip Size Upgrade in Fontaine Futuristics and the Cluster Bomb Upgrade in the early goings of your visit to Persephone.

Hack Tool

The Hack Tool is a device that allows you to hack the many mechanical devices in Rapture without having to get too close. Aim the reticule of the Hack Tool at any hackable machine and fire a Hack Dart to initiate the hack. The reticule indicates valid targets by turning red (short-circuiting doors and apparatus typically need to be hit with Electro Bolt). The Hack Tool can be used as a melee weapon in a pinch, but you probably should avoid firing Hack Darts at enemies. Not only do they not inflict any substantial damage, but Hack Darts are too valuable to waste them in this manner. Unlike in the original game, hacking takes place in real-time and does not interrupt the action. This means Security Bots and Turrets (as well as nearby enemies) continue to attack you while you perform a hack if they detect your presence. See the “Into the Dive Suit” chapter for full details on hacking.

hack tool Ammo Capacity

Ammo Type	Magazine Capacity (Base)	Carry Capacity
Remote Hack Dart	1	9
Auto-Hack Dart	1	4
Mini-Turret	1	4

Ammunition

Base Ammo: The standard Hack Dart allows you to hack a machine at a distance. The Hack Game begins as soon as the dart makes contact with a valid machine. It’s possible to use the Hack Tool to hack Security Cameras, Security Bots, Turrets, vending machines, door control panels, and safes.

Alternate Ammo: The Auto-Hack Dart does exactly what its name implies. It bypasses a machine’s defenses to automatically hack it with no additional work required! Fire it just as you would a normal Hack Dart and enjoy the instant gratification it yields. Auto-Hack Darts are very rare and should only be used against distant Security Cameras and Turrets or hostile Security Bots—don’t waste them on vending machines and door control panels.

Alternate Ammo: Mini-Turrets are lobbed projectiles that fold out into a small but powerful Turret that defends you to the death. They automatically fire at enemies for roughly one minute before self-destructing. They are quite powerful for their size, and are able to attract enemies away from you or the Little Sister you’re trying to protect. Rumblers also use Mini-Turrets—you can hit the Rumbler with Security Command to turn its Mini-Turret against it, or you can hack the Mini-Turret to enlist its help against all nearby enemies.

Research Camera

The Research Camera in BioShock 2 records moving pictures and automatically grades and scores your combat techniques while the camera is recording. Earn as many Research Points as you can for a given type of enemy to unlock Research Bonuses, including special tonics and damage bonuses! Equip the Research Camera and aim the viewfinder at a particular subject (can only research one enemy at a time) and press the Fire Weapon button to initiate filming. The Research Camera then records for roughly 30 seconds (the Extended Reel Tonic increases this to 45 seconds) or until you defeat the enemy, whichever comes first. You don’t need to keep the enemy in view, and you automatically swap to your last-used weapon. See the “Into the Dive Suit” chapter for full details on scoring Research Points.