Weapons reference · Updated September 7, 2026 · reflects patches to Sep 5

Mortal Shell 2 Weapons Tier List & All 8 Locations

The best weapons in Mortal Shell 2 are the Axatana and the Axe & Dagger: both accept the Duality Stone, which makes every standing light attack hit twice. The Clockwork Scythe is the best generalist for Shells that do not need a specific weapon, the Iconoclast you start with is good enough to finish the game, and the Obsidian Hammer — last place at launch — was buffed substantially on August 29. Below: the full tier list, where to find all eight weapons, how upgrading works and how to break the +16 cap.

Every Shell can use every weapon. The weapon is the half of your build your body does not lock, so pick it for your Tarstones and playstyle rather than for the Shell. Ranged options are a separate slot — see the sidearms tier list.

Weapon tier list

TierWeaponsWhy
SAxatana, Axe & DaggerThe only two weapons that accept the Duality Stone, which makes standing light combos strike twice — roughly double damage and Resolve from the same string. Fast multi-hit movesets carry every Shell.
AClockwork Scythe, Black Needle, Great Martyr's Blade, Veteran's Battle Axe, The IconoclastAll viable for a full clear. The Scythe is the best pick for any Shell without a signature-weapon dependency (huge AoE, fast bleed procs); the Black Needle has unmatched reach; the two heavy blades hit hardest per swing and were buffed on August 29.
BObsidian HammerRanked last at launch for the slowest attack speed and weak infusion options — but the Week 1 Update gave it a full balance pass and it now hits substantially harder. Re-test before writing it off.

The ranking synthesises Game8's tier list (last revised August 18, 2026, moving Axe & Dagger up to S and the Iconoclast down to A), GameBrief's eight-weapon ranking and the official Week 1 balance changes. Heavy weapons moved up after the patch; no post-patch source has yet re-ranked the Obsidian Hammer.

All 8 weapon locations

Listed in the order most players find them. Merrick in Marrow Keep sells maps that mark approximate weapon locations, but none are required.

#1 · Two-handed sword (light for its class)

The Iconoclast

Where: Given automatically in the prologue after obtaining the Harros Shell.

Balanced reach, speed and damage; best fit for Sariel. Enough to beat the game with if you never swap.

#2 · Dual wield, fast multi-hit combos

Axe & Dagger

Where: Shrine of Trials, north-west of the Mushroom Village beacon. Needs the Chapel Key: south of the beacon, walk through the arch facing the burning pyre to reveal a statue; the key hangs from its rope.

Earliest S-tier weapon. Pair with the Duality Stone from the Ravaged Tomb (Ruins of Nochte).

#3 · Heavy axe

Veteran's Battle Axe

Where: The King's Crypt, a cave dungeon north-west of the Shattered Beacon dungeon in northern Fainweald. Follow the main path until you drop down a long hole; the axe is on a body beside an enemy.

Heavy-weapon poise and damage were raised in the Week 1 Update.

#4 · Greatsword

Great Martyr's Blade

Where: Martyr's Prison, entered through a hole in the north-east outer wall of the Citadel of Penance, north-west of the Gloomshade Grove beacon. Interact with the bag on the stone counter, then clear the four enemies in the locked room.

Buffed twice: the developers note the damage increase missed the launch patch, so the Week 1 version is stronger than planned.

#5 · Heavy hammer (slowest weapon)

Obsidian Hammer

Where: Obsidianite Mines in Mammon: from the Outskirts of Mammon beacon follow the wooden bridges south-west to the Deserted Slums, drop into the mining pit, and enter on its south-west side. Defeat the Prophet of Profane Infinities at the end.

Full balance pass on August 29 — 'now hits substantially harder' per the official notes.

#6 · Spear, longest reach

Black Needle

Where: Inside the Sester's Gate beacon dungeon in Mammon. Defeat the Twin Sesters and Stray Sesters boss pair at the end.

Poke from outside enemy range; strong against bosses whose openings are short.

#7 · Dual wield, fast multi-hit combos

Axatana

Where: Forgotten Tower in Mammon: north-east of The Silent Steps beacon, through the Bone Gate at the highest north-eastern point (also reachable via the teleporter jumps near Sester's Gate). Press the button on the back of the tower to open the gate; the weapon is behind an enemy inside.

Second Duality Stone weapon. Its Weapon Ability gained invulnerability frames and now inflicts Fragile stacks (Week 1 Update).

#8 · Scythe, wide AoE

Clockwork Scythe

Where: Chamber of Becoming, south-east of The Silent Steps beacon. Beat Sariel, the Endless on the stone platform, follow him into the dungeon, and in the final room break all four tombstones to stop him reviving.

Best generalist for Shells without a weapon dependency; with Bloodcurse it procs bleed extremely fast. Weaker against bosses than the dual-wield pair.

How weapon upgrades work

  1. Unlock the forge function. Give Franz at the Tarforge (Marrow Keep) the Muradean Actuator from the Village Outskirts beacon dungeon to enable Enhance Weapons. The Obsidian Lathe, from a dungeon in the Widow's Overlook area of Fainweald, enables sidearm upgrades the same way.
  2. Pay Coins plus a smithing stone. The stone type is fixed per five-level band (table below), so a stone you cannot use yet tells you how far your weapon still has to climb.
  3. Commit to one weapon first. Spreading stones across several weapons is the most common way to stall; push one armament as far as your supply allows before branching out.
  4. Reset if you change your mind. The Foundry Stone (south of the Outskirts of Mammon beacon) unlocks Smelt Equipment, which refunds every material and returns the weapon to base level.
LevelsSmithing stoneAvailability
+1 to +5VentriumCommon, early game
+6 to +10LateriteCommon, mid-game
+11 to +15DorsaliteUncommon, late game
+16 to +20ThoraciumRare, endgame — +16 is the cap until the Endless Core is installed
+21 to +25OssiniteEndless Core required

Upgrading past +16: the Endless Core

Weapons and sidearms stop at +16 until you find the Endless Core at the Hidden Nave beacon in the Unfound Path — the same late-game area as the Monolith, behind the 168-Ova gate. Do not hand it to Franz: open the Tarforge and choose Install Endless Core. The cap is removed for every weapon and sidearm, and upgrades continue with Thoracium and then Ossinite to +25. Because the Core is a late pickup, the +17 to +25 stretch is realistically New Game Plus territory. If the +17 option is missing after you have the Core, you installed nothing — go back to the Tarforge menu.

Weapon Abilities and Tarstones

Each weapon has a unique Weapon Ability that consumes Resolve — you build Resolve by landing hits, then spend it on an elemental imbue, a ranged strike or an area burst depending on the weapon. Combat Tarstones slot into the weapon and shape the build: the Duality Stone (Ravaged Tomb, Ruins of Nochte) is the reason the two dual-wield weapons top the tier list, while Bloodcurse, Frost and Stasis are the infusions most tier lists pair with the rest of the roster. Since the Week 1 Update, weapon level is shown directly in the inventory slot. How stones level and what changed in the Tarcore economy is covered in the Tarstone upgrade guide.

Weapon changes in the patches so far

Full summaries with links to the official notes are on the patch notes page.

Weapon FAQ

What is the best weapon in Mortal Shell 2?
The Axatana and the Axe & Dagger. They are the only two weapons that can equip the Duality Stone, a Combat Tarstone that makes your standing light attack combo strike twice, which roughly doubles damage and Resolve generation. Game8 and other launch-week tier lists place both alone in the top tier.
What is the best early weapon?
The Axe & Dagger. It is the second weapon most players find — the Shrine of Trials sits next to the Mushroom Village beacon in the opening region — and it is already S tier. Grab the Chapel Key from the statue by the pyre south of the beacon, then pick up the Duality Stone in the Ravaged Tomb.
How do you upgrade weapons in Mortal Shell 2?
Bring the Muradean Actuator (Village Outskirts beacon dungeon) to Franz at the Tarforge in Marrow Keep to unlock Enhance Weapons. Each level costs Coins plus a smithing stone that changes every five levels: Ventrium, Laterite, Dorsalite, Thoracium, then Ossinite. Sidearm upgrades need the Obsidian Lathe as well.
How do you upgrade weapons past +16?
Install the Endless Core. It is found at the Hidden Nave beacon in the Unfound Path, one of the final dungeons. Do not hand it to Franz — select Install Endless Core in the Tarforge menu. The cap on weapons and sidearms is removed and upgrades continue with Thoracium and then Ossinite up to +25. For most players this is New Game Plus territory.
Can you reset or respec a weapon upgrade?
Yes. Find the Foundry Stone south of the Outskirts of Mammon beacon to unlock Smelt Equipment at the Tarforge, which refunds all spent materials and returns the weapon to base level. Shells are respecced separately with Mether's Severance, added in the Week 1 Update.
How many weapons are in Mortal Shell 2?
Eight primary melee weapons and eight sidearms. Every Shell can use every weapon. None are missable — all can be collected after the final boss before entering New Game Plus — and collecting all eight primaries unlocks the Lord of War trophy.

Related guides

Pick the body to hold the weapon on the Shell tier list, plan the opening hours with where to go first (the Axe & Dagger is on that route), fund the upgrades with the gloom and gold farm guide, and see which bosses guard the later weapons.

Sources