Returnal Weapon Guide: Dreadbound

In this guide you will learn all about the short range, misunderstood Dreadbound. One of the hardest hitting, high-risk high-reward weapons in Returnal, the latest PS5 Exclusive
We are going to look into all of the possible traits for the gun as well as a showcase on different situations so you can see the gun in action and get some directions on how to maximise your damage.
Let me know what weapon you would like to see next in the comments and subscribe if you would like to see more!

[@maynardjk440]

Going to be hard for my playstyle where I shoot everything far away as possible lol

[@brianp9483]

The 'Lobber' has a long distance / ranged shot which seems to get overlooked on a lot of these guides. You can half pull the right trigger and this charges a shot, then pull fully to release. It's great for charging when in cover - popping out and taking out turrets or distance enemies etc.

[@mounnwa50]

You feel me

[@ArcienPlaysGames]

So it's a literal glass cannon. High risk, but high reward. Thanks for this! I just unlocked it, but I got so far in my run that I just had to look it up. I usually go in blind, but having the electropylon driver and no other rooms to clear, I couldnt risk it.

[@stumpjumper_ste]

Expanding shards and exploding shards are overpowered especially last biome and boss.

[@marwangaming4708]

Yes I have a video where I obliterate the last boss and just laugh at it, srsly though. They need to make that boss alot harder!

[@GenLiu]

Hold on. How do you manage to keep shooting constantly with it. Personally, whether I tap or hold the fire button, the weapon fires the number of round that it has in the tank and then stop for a short while. Is there a specific timing to get? Do I have to match my button pressing to the moment it hits the target? EDIT: Nevermind, I got one today and after some testing, I've got the trick. Basically, the ammo you shoot comes back to you and kinda reload themself into the gun so, if you're facing an enemy or a wall at close range, you can shoot infinitely. That's a weird and yet incredibly powerful weapon. I love it.

[@ItHadToBeDan]

The way the Dreadbound works is the rounds will bounce off whatever it hits and return to the gun. So the closer you are to your target the higher the fire rate will be as the distance the bullets will travel is much shorter

[@GenLiu]

@@ItHadToBeDan You were right, that weapon is great once you know how to use it and some of the perks that come with it are insane (returning damage, for example, obliterates every target, big of small, within seconds). Thks for the advice.

[@Jamila206]

Thank for the guide. I just got my ps5 will get this game soon

[@converge26]

Where is it located , it's the only weapon in missing and I want to use it for the tower

[@brianp9483]

At a certain point you return to the house and collect the music box which gives you the message - plays a noise when near secret place. Has anyone found one? What is the noise to indicate your near a 'secret place'. I can't seem to find anyone talking about it and pretty curious.

[@ItHadToBeDan]

I have only found that artefact once! You raise a good point here

[@GenLiu]

Actually, I found this artefact quiet a few times through my different runs and it seems to play when there's one of those bonus rooms that are marked with a glowing orb on top of them (the one that teleports you on top of a room and start with a long fall. They're pretty common early on but become more scattered during the second half). I'm quiet confident about that one at the very least since the music box was playing litteraly every time I was carrying it and found one of those rooms. It seems to play in other situations too but I'm not sure what exactly. My guess would be any type of hidden room, maybe including destructable walls but I've never been in a situation where I found one and carried the music box at the same time. It's doesn't seem to be the most valuable item for me personally (even though I'll keep experimenting with it just in case I'm missing something) since I usually look around quiet thoroughly for secrets as I play anyway.

[@Alsar99]

I’ve played for 60 hours as well as beaten the games true ending and I’ve never seen this weapon before, it’s not even in my databank, is there something I have to do to unlock it?

[@ItHadToBeDan]

That’s strange! I can’t recall doing anything special to unlock it, just coming across it as you would any other! Do you still not have it?

[@Alsar99]

@@ItHadToBeDan Nope, but I’m still looking haha.

[@scottd7222]

@@Alsar99 it starts showing up in Act 2

[@marwangaming4708]

@@Alsar99 There are videos on youtube of the location that it should spawn the first time, you have to really pay attention so you don't miss it.

[@Alsar99]

@@marwangaming4708 I got it a few days ago in the frozen wastelands challenge room that I had avoided after beating it once.

[@Jamila206]

What happen if I shoot it to sky. Do I lose the weapon charge forever? Because you said that the weapon will be recharged if the projectile hit something and return back like a boomerang.

[@Comatose1231]

Lol no, the gun does recharge the shots it just takes a little bit longer than other guns. You do not lose the shots forever xD. That's the downside to it basically having unlimited ammo if you're close enough to the target to get the shots back quickly

[@ItHadToBeDan]

As Matt said, if you shoot up it will eventually come back, just takes a little while!

[@maxdog4884]

New to Returnal, but not new to Rogue like and Bullet hell, but where the hell do you upgrade or add traits to the weapons?

[@ItHadToBeDan]

You upgrade the suit by defeating bosses. To upgrade and get new traits you need to find a weapon with a new or better version of a trait you have, that will show as a little padlock next to the trait name. After defeating a certain number of enemies with that weapon you unlock that trait. Don’t shy away from fights and you’ll unlock them all soon enough!

[@maxdog4884]

@@ItHadToBeDan thanks I'm on the 2nd Biome now 👍

[@JosGNG187]

I literally yelled out “OOOOOOOOO” @4:35

[@ItHadToBeDan]

Hahah this comment made me laugh, thank you!

[@scottd7222]

if you get close enough it melts enemies... if you meet that thing you can't get close to you are done

[@ItHadToBeDan]

Yeah definitely not a good idea in every situation, miss a shot in abyssal scar and you’re waiting until 2040 for the shard to come back

[@ItHadToBeDan]

Yeah definitely not a good idea in every situation, miss a shot in abyssal scar and you’re waiting until 2040 for the shard to come back

[@ItHadToBeDan]

Yeah definitely not a good idea in every situation, miss a shot in abyssal scar and you’re waiting until 2040 for the shard to come back

[@xsource04]

Best weapon

[@everybodyhatinbro]

I don’t like this gun at all