Primary Weapons

• PRIMARY WEAPONS

Settler Pistol Double Barrel Shotgun (DLC) Assault Rifle Sniper Rifle

Striker Crossbow Authority Machine Gun Rocket Launcher Authority Pulse Cannon

In RAGE, every weapon is completely different, with varying degrees of lethality. There are nine primary weapons to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Most weapons also support multiple ammo types, providing even more variety and flexibility. In this section we take an in-depth look at each weapon, covering all upgrades and ammo types, as well as economical and tactical considerations.

Settler Pistol

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Pistol Rounds	$5	12	12	Low	Standard issue pistol ammo. Guaranteed to kill muties and bandits. . .eventually.
	Killbursts	$22	6	1	Low	Bullets within bullets within bullets, and they all fire at once.
	Fatboys	$14	6	6	High	Double the size, double the damage, but half the rounds. So ya better shoot straight!
	Fat Mammas	$48*	6	6	Very High (AP)	Twice as tough as Fatboys. If Mamma can’t kill it, RUN!
	Monocular	$25	1	—	—	Half a binocular. . .the good half.

* = total cost of parts; must own schematic to build

Fat Mammas Ingredients (Builds 6)
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Description
	Fatboys	$28	12	Double the size, double the damage, but half the rounds. So ya better shoot straight!
	Explosive Pack	$20	1	Makes things go boom!

Field Notes

The Settler Pistol is the first weapon you receive, provided by Dan Hagar before you raid the Ghost Hideout. Before buying anything else, purchase the Monocular to assist in aiming. While the pistol has its own iron sight when aiming, the Monocular is a far more accurate telescopic sight. Simply place the crosshairs over your target and squeeze the trigger. This makes it much easier to score headshots against distant enemies during firefights.

When loaded with standard Pistol Rounds, the Settler Pistol is mediocre at best, inflicting minimal damage to bandits and mutants alike. Killbursts ammo basically turns the weapon into a machine pistol, automatically firing a burst of bullets with each pull of the trigger. While Killbursts ammo increases the weapon’s rate of fire significantly, it must be reloaded after each trigger pull, making it largely ineffective in frantic engagements. Fatboys aren’t cheap, costing more than $2 per shot, but they have the stopping power to kill most unarmored enemies with one hit. When you need even more stopping power, construct some Fat Mammas. These powerful bullets (costing $8 per round) can punch through any amount of armor, inflicting massive damage. Even after hitting their target, Fat Mammas keep traveling, puncturing anything along their flight path. These bullets are awesome against the heavily armored Gearhead Clan in the Eastern Wasteland. Try to line up multiple targets and kill them all with one Fat Mamma!

Combat Shotgun

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Buckshot	$12	8	8	Low	Standard buckshot. Get more buck for your bang.
	Pulse Shot	$32	8	8	Very High (AP)	All the kick you’d expect from a shotgun plus added EMP.
	Pop Rockets	$44*	8	8	Extreme	Half shotgun slug, half hand grenade. ‘Nuf said.
	Shotgun Extender	$250	1	—	—	Shoot more, reload less.

* = total cost of parts; must own schematic to build

Pop Rockets Ingredients ( Builds 8 )
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Description
	Buckshot	$24	16	Standard buckshot. Get more buck for your bang.
	Explosive Pack	$20	1	Makes things go boom!

Field Notes

The Combat Shotgun is your go-to weapon for close quarter engagements, ideal for blasting mutants and bandits alike. This weapon is acquired from Rikter Outrigger as a reward for fixing the Radio Tower. The shotgun fires automatically by simply holding down the trigger. However, due to the intense recoil, it’s best to let the weapon settle before firing a follow-up shot. In its standard configuration, the Combat Shotgun is fed by an internal tube magazine that must be loaded two shells at a time, making for some intense moments when you are swarmed by mutants. Purchase the Shotgun Extender—a box magazine with an 8-shell capacity—as soon as possible. Swapping out magazines is much faster than loading the weapon one shell at a time.

There are three different types of ammo available for the Combat Shotgun. The standard Buckshot is the cheapest and most common, ideal for taking out unarmored targets at close range—there is no better ammo for taking out mutants and charging bandits. Pulse Shot is a highly specialized round fitted with a small Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) charge. These rounds are great for targeting sensitive electronics, such as those found in Sentry Bots or the energy shields carried by some enforcers. However, they don’t produce enough EMP to take out Authority generators—you’ll need EMP Grenades to do that. Pop Rockets are another specialized ammo, essentially converting the weapon into a grenade launcher. These explosive rounds detonate upon contact with any target or surface, capable of vaporizing most enemies and leaving nothing behind but a red mist.

Double Barrel Shotgun (DLC)

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Buckshot	$12	8	2	Low	Standard buckshot. Get more buck for your bang.
	Pulse Shot	$32	8	2	Very High (AP)	All the kick you’d expect from a shotgun plus added EMP.
	Pop Rockets	$44*	8	2	Extreme	Half shotgun slug, half hand grenade. ‘Nuf said.
	Monocular	$25	1	—	—	Half a binocular. . .the good half.

* = total cost of parts; must own schematic to build

Field NOTES

If you have the Anarchy Edition DLC installed, you automatically own the Double Barrel Shotgun. This devastating weapon packs a serious punch, along with some violent recoil. The Double Barrel Shotgun fires both barrels with each pull of the trigger, effectively doubling the damage output of the Combat Shotgun. However, it does have a couple of serious limitations. The weapon can only hold two shells at a time and must be reloaded after each pull of the trigger. Fired with one hand, like a pistol, the Double Barrel Shotgun also exhibits heavy recoil. While the weapon is most effective at close range, by aiming you can bring up the Monocular view. But don’t expect to inflict much damage on targets beyond a few meters.

The Double Barrel Shotgun fires the same ammo types as those offered for the Combat Shotgun. Buckshot is most effective for this weapon, allowing you to unleash two simultaneous volleys of shot with each pull of the trigger. Pulse Shot is best reserved for the Combat Shotgun, as you rarely want to fire two of these EMP rounds at the same time. Firing Pop Rockets with this weapon can be fun, launching two grenade-like rounds at the same time. This can be effective when targeting large groups of enemies, such as bandits or enforcers hiding behind cover. Just don’t get carried away—each pull of the trigger costs you $11!

Assault Rifle

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Steel AR Rounds	$15	40	40	Low	Why eat lead when you can feed ‘em steel? Dinner is served.
	Feltrite AR Rounds	$32	40	40	Low (AP)	Feltrite-infused rounds. Double the ass-kicking against armored enemies.
	AR Stabilizer	$200	1	—	—	Keeps your Assault Rifle stable, even if you’re not.
	Concentrator	$200	1	—	—	Reduces the spread of your old, rusty Assault Rifle.

Field Notes

The Assault Rifle is a standard automatic rifle, capable of spitting out a lot of ammo in a short span of time. However, the rifle exhibits heavy recoil, making it difficult to keep the weapon on-target while firing automatically. Squeeze off two- to three-round bursts and let the weapon settle before firing again. The recoil can be stabilized by purchasing the AR Stabilizer and AR Concentrator upgrades. The AR Stabilizer increases lateral stabilization while the AR Concentrator reduces the vertical kick caused by recoil. Together, these two upgrades make the weapon much more stable, allowing you to fire prolonged bursts with decent accuracy.

The Assault Rifle supports two different types of ammo. Steel AR Rounds are the cheapest and most common of the two ammo types. This is a standard steel-jacketed round ideal for targeting unarmored enemies, such as mutants and bandits from the Ghost, Wasted, and Shrouded Clans. Steel AR Rounds are very common among most bandit clans and can usually be looted from your victims and their dwellings. If you’re thorough in your searches, you’ll probably never need to buy many Steel AR Rounds. The Feltrite AR Rounds pack a bit more punch, designed with a Feltrite core for greater penetration against armored targets. However, these bullets pale in comparison to the Authority AV2x Rounds fired by the Authority Machine Gun, particularly when confronting enforcers. Instead of investing heavily in Feltrite AR Rounds, save your money for Authority AV2x Rounds when it comes to dealing with armored threats.

Sniper Rifle

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Sniper Rounds	$12	5	5	High	Promoting “open-mindedness” one bullet at a time.
	Sniper Rifle Auto-Loader	—	1	—	—	Let the rifle focus on loading, while you focus on aiming.

Field Notes

When it comes to punishing targets from long range, there’s no better choice than the Sniper Rifle. This weapon is provided by Dan Hagar when you’re tasked with clearing out the barricade by the Hagar Settlement. The rifle’s powerful scope makes it easy to zoom in on targets and score lethal headshots with pinpoint accuracy. You can toggle the scope’s two different zoom settings by pressing the “use/interact” button. The Sniper Rifle Auto-Loader is the only upgrade for this weapon. It can be acquired free of charge by completing one of the sniping-based jobs (Mutant Menace or Caravan Cover) from the job boards in Wellspring. This upgrade converts the Sniper Rifle into a semi-automatic firearm, allowing you to fire multiple shots in quick succession. However, it does little to dampen the rifle’s harsh recoil. It’s still best to let the rifle settle for a couple of seconds before firing any follow-up shots.

The Sniper Rounds are the only ammo type available for this weapon. Costing more than $2 per bullet, these rounds aren’t cheap, but they pack a serious punch, capable of liquefying heads. Line up your targets carefully and make each shot count. These rounds (and this weapon) are best deployed during stand-off firefights, when your enemies have taken cover. Zoom in on an enemy’s position, place the crosshairs over his head, and squeeze the trigger. Bandits from the Wasted, Shrouded, and Gearhead Clans often hide behind cover and attack from range, making them ideal targets for the Sniper Rifle. Authority enforcers are also good candidates for sniping. However, when targeting Gearheads and enforcers, you’ll need to shoot off their helmets before you can score lethal headshots.

Open Minded

To unlock the Open Minded achievement/trophy, you only need to score ten headshots with the Sniper Rifle. Continue during the attack on the bandit barricade near the Hagar Settlement, shortly after acquiring the Sniper Rifle. Continue puncturing skulls with Sniper Rounds whenever you can until Open Minded is unlocked.

Striker Crossbow

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Steel-Tipped Bolts	$24	6	6	High	Steel-tipped crossbow ammo. You get the point.
	Electro Bolts	$36	6	3	Extreme	One well-placed bolt turns a water puddle into a gore pool.
	Mind Control Bolts	$142*	6	3	Extreme	Control your victim until they explode. A party favorite.
	Dynamite Bolts	$44*	6	3	Extreme	When you need some dynamite delivered really quickly.

* = total cost of parts; must own schematic to build

Mind Control Bolts Ingredients (Builds 6)
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Description
	Steel-Tipped Bolts	$48	12	Steel-tipped crossbow ammo. You get the point.
	Explosive Pack	$20	1	Makes things go boom!
	Ghost Toxin	$50	1	Toxin the Ghost Clan almost used to poison the Well.
	Mutant Adrenal Gland	$24	2	Known to affect metabolic rate when properly synthesized.

Dynamite Bolts Ingredients (Builds 6)
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Description
	Steel-Tipped Bolts	$24	6	Steel-tipped crossbow ammo. You get the point.
	Explosive Pack	$20	1	Makes things go boom!

Field Notes

Compared to the other weapons, the Striker Crossbow requires a degree of finesse and tactical awareness to realize its full potential. This is another present from Dan Hagar, provided as a reward for delivering supplies from Wellspring. With the exception of Wingsticks, this is the only weapon that allows you to dispatch enemies silently. Therefore, make a habit of crouching while using this weapon. While crouching, you move slower and make much less noise. This allows you to get the jump on enemies, taking them out before they can see or hear you. Once you’re spotted, you may want to switch to another weapon with a higher rate of fire and a larger magazine capacity.

Thanks to its wide assortment of ammo, the Striker Crossbow is the most versatile weapon in your arsenal. The Steel-Tipped Bolts are the most common ammo type and can be lethal when fired at the heads of unarmored enemies, such as mutants and bandits from the Ghost and Shrouded Clans. Electro Bolts are best deployed in wet environments like the Well. If enemies are standing in a pool of water, simply fire an Electro Bolt into the water to fry them all. Electro Bolts are also effective against electronics, such as those found in Sentry Bots or the energy shields carried by some enforcers. Unless you already own the ingredients, Mind Control Bolts are ridiculously expensive to produce, costing nearly $24.67 per shot. Their effectiveness cannot be denied, however. Upon hitting a victim with one of these bolts, the camera switches to a third-person view, centering on your victim. During this brief sequence, you can control the movement of your victim. Walk your victim over to another group of enemies and trigger the detonation. The explosion is big enough to kill your victim, but the splash damage is rather limited—so take the time to get your victim directly next to other enemies before triggering the detonation. Dynamite Bolts provide much more bang for your buck, combining an Explosive Pack with Steel-Tipped Bolts. These function much like Steel-Tipped Bolts, but after sticking into a target (or any surface), they explode. Dynamite Bolts work particularly well against the Jackal Clan, but don’t expect to take out more than one target with each bolt—the explosion is rather small, with minimal splash damage.

Silent But Deadly / Hat Trick

There are two achievements/trophies associated with the Striker Crossbow. Silent But Deadly requires you to stealth kill ten enemies. This is easiest by sneaking up behind mutants and driving a Steel-Tipped Bolt through their skulls. To unlock Hat Trick, you must kill at least three enemies with one Mind Controlled enemy. This can be tough, given the limited splash damage of the Mind Control Bolts. Look for groups of lightly armored enemies hiding behind cover and tag one of them with a Mind Control Bolt. Maneuver your victim as close to two other enemies as possible before triggering the explosion. This works best against enemies equipped with limited or no armor. Try it against bandits from the Ghost, Wasted, or Shrouded Clans.

Authority Machine Gun

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Authority MG Rounds	$30	40	40	Low	Standard issue enforcer rounds, all kills no frills.
	Authority AV2x Rounds	$40	40	40	Low (AP)	Pulse charged enforcer rounds. Extra effective against armored enemies.
	AMG Laser Sight	$275	1	—	—	Attaches a military-grade laser pointer to your Authority Machine Gun.

Field Notes

The Authority Machine Gun can be purchased from Coffer in Wellspring for $500. . .or you can find one in the locked closet within the Shrouded Bunker. Even if you’re suckered into buying it, this weapon is worth every dollar. This is the same weapon deployed by Authority enforcers, offering a perfect balance of stopping power, rate of fire, and accuracy. Bullet for bullet, the Authority Machine Gun inflicts less damage than most of the other weapons in your arsenal, but it more than compensates with its blazing rate of fire. And unlike the Assault Rifle, this weapon exhibits far less recoil, making it easier to keep on target, even during prolonged automatic bursts. Always aim the weapon to take advantage of its integrated optical sight for quick target acquisition and improved accuracy. The AMG Laser Sight upgrade makes the weapon even more accurate. Beyond the visible laser on the weapon, the upgrade works at an internal level to stabilize the weapon, helping ensure your rounds hit where you’re aiming.

There are two types of ammo available for the Authority Machine Gun. The standard Authority MG Rounds are the most common, and best deployed against unarmored enemies like bandits from the Ghost, Wasted, and Shrouded Clans. Make a habit of looting dead Authority enforcers to find more of these rounds, because they’re not very cheap. When it comes to actually engaging Authority enforcers, opt for the Authority AV2x Rounds. These advanced bullets have AP properties, ideal for disabling the heavy body armor worn by enforcers—they can even power down the energy shields carried by some enforcers. The Authority AV2x Rounds are less common and cost more, but they’re by far the best way to cut through enforcer armor—at least until you get the Authority Pulse Cannon.

Rocket Launcher

Field Notes

When you must inflict as much damage as possible, the Rocket Launcher is the right tool for the job. This is first available in the Dead City when fighting the mega mutant. The encounter with the mega mutant gives you an idea of how powerful this weapon is. Reserve this weapon for fights against bosses and large mutants, like the launcher mutant or tentacle mutant. The Rocket Launcher can bring these enemies down fast. However, this is a dangerous weapon and can pose a threat to you as well as your prey. Never fire the weapon in tight quarters. The blast radius of each rocket round is large and may injure (or kill) you if you’re not careful. Make sure there’s at least a dozen meters between yourself and the intended target to avoid an embarrassing death.

The Rocket Launcher fires two different types of rockets. The HE Rockets are tipped with a high-explosive warhead and serve as general-purpose munition for targeting personnel and vehicles. However, there is no guidance system for this rocket. It simply travels in a straight line and detonates upon contact with any object. Still, when targeting vehicles through the weapon sight, there’s a triangle icon that appears near the moving target, helping you gauge where to fire the rocket to score a hit. Line up the triangle with the circle in the middle of the screen before firing. The Viper Rockets do have a guidance system and can lock on to enemy vehicles. If you find yourself on foot in the Wasteland, load Viper Rockets and attain a lock before firing at bandit vehicles. Aim the Rocket Launcher to bring up the weapon sight and wait for a the rocket to lock on before firing—you’ll know you’ve locked on when the brackets around the triangle icon begin flashing. Once locked and fired, the Viper Rocket flies skyward, eventually diving down on its target from a high angle and exploding upon contact. If you don’t achieve a lock with a Viper Rocket, it simply flies in a straight line, like an HE Rocket. Outside of targeting enemy vehicles, the Viper Rockets don’t have much use—and you should never attempt to attack enemy vehicles on foot anyway. Save some money and stick with HE Rockets.

Authority Pulse Cannon

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	HE Rockets	$75	5	4	Extreme	When it absolutely must die, settle for nothing less.
	Viper Rockets	$100	5	4	Extreme	Smart seeking rockets of doom! Targets vehicles only.

Ammo and Upgrades
Image	Name	Cost	Quantity	Mag. Capacity	Damage	Description
	Authority Pulse Rounds	$150	100	200	Moderate	Feltrite-infused rounds of death. Handle with care.
	BFG Rounds	$200	1	1	Extreme	Ultra potent, highly unstable, and extremely deadly ball of plasma.

Field Notes

The Authority Pulse Cannon is, without a doubt, the most devastating weapon available, ideal for punishing enforcers and Authority mutants. Unfortunately, you don’t acquire this weapon until near the end of the campaign. It’s provided to you by Portman shortly before you infiltrate Capital Prime. This hulking weapon benefits from a rotating barrel configuration fed by a large 200-round box magazine. The multiple barrels allow the weapon to maintain a high rate of fire without overheating. Simply hold down the trigger and the weapon will continue firing until the magazine runs dry.

There are two types of ammo available for the Authority Pulse Cannon. In its default, fully automatic state, the weapon fires Authority Pulse Rounds. These high-velocity bullets have a Feltrite core, capable of effortlessly penetrating the toughest armor in the Wasteland. Enforcer body armor doesn’t stand a chance against these rounds—a sustained burst can even wear down enforcer energy shields. Simply swing the weapon toward your target and pull the trigger until all threats are on the ground. Make a habit of reloading the weapon after each engagement. It takes approximately four seconds to load a fresh magazine, so make sure you handle this business when you’re not under fire. The weapon’s BFG Rounds take destruction to a whole new level. Hold down the trigger to charge up a blue ball of plasma at the end of the weapon. Once the ball reaches critical mass, it flies off in the direction you’re aiming and vaporizes anything within your field of view. Such devastation comes at an economical and tactical price. Each BFG Round costs $200 and only one can be loaded at a time, so you must completely reload the weapon after each shot. Unless you’re facing multiple static targets at range, it’s better to simply keep firing the Authority Pulse Rounds. In the time it takes you to load, charge, and fire one BFG Round, you can usually mow down half a dozen targets with Authority Pulse Rounds. Plus, BFG Rounds leave nothing behind but scorch marks where your enemies once stood, meaning no bodies to loot.