Tier List and Builds for Every Weapon in Deep Rock Galactic (Up to date for Season 4)

CHECK PINNED COMMENT FOR S4 UPDATES
LazyMaybe's Wave Cooker Build Breakdown: • Deep Rock Galactic Sea...
Hurricane Builds: / build_breakdown_vanill...
Ranking every weapon in Deep Rock Galactic based on their strongest builds. No videos for the past couple days because I was working on this. Sorry, as usual, for the sketchy audio. All footage in the video was played on Hazard 6x2 in true solo. I love the M1000.
Interested in modded? Check out the Practical DRG Discord at / discord
0:00 Introduction and Context
1:39 CRSPR Flamethrower
2:16 Cryo Cannon
3:14 Corrosive Sludge Pump
3:56 Subata 120
4:44 Experimental Plasma Charger
5:28 Colette Wave Cooker
6:03 "Warthog" Auto 210
6:41 "Stubby" Voltaic SMG
7:25 LOK-1 Smart Rifle
8:08 Deepcore 40MM PGL
8:57 Breach Cutter
9:42 Shard Diffractor
10:28 "Lead Storm" Powered Minigun
11:18 "Thunderhead" Heavy Autocannon
12:28 "Hurricane" Guided Rocket System
13:18 "Bulldog" Heavy Revolver
14:08 BRT7 Burst Fire Gun
15:02 Armskore Coil Gun
15:48 Deepcore GK2
16:23 M1000 Classic
17:26 DRAK-25 Plasma Carbine
18:25 Jury-Rigged Boomstick
19:20 Zhukov NUK17
20:04 Nishanka Boltshark X-80
20:50 Outro

[@pvewaste]

UPDATE: At 15:53, the shown build is incorrect - 21222 is the right build for the GK2. Season 4 is upon us! With it, not too much has changed about the tier list, but there are two things to note: Thermal Exhaust Feedback HAS BEEN BUFFED AGAIN, putting it back in its rightful place in the Strong Alternative tier. Run it with 32112. Subata is less bad than I said in the video, but still not great - take 22111 automatic fire for a crspr combo weapon or 21232 explosive reload. NTCT is honestly just TCF but finicky and hard to activate. Plasma Burster Missiles with 11212 is also really strong on Hurricane, as a single target option. After the November patch, Hellfire takes 2X212. Tier 2 should be either charge speed or CMF, depending on your preference. 32213 Triple Tech Chambers and Ultra-Magnetic Coils are also now strong alternatives or arguably best in slot, especially for solo. Stubby now can take 11123 with EM Refire, which is a strong alternative to Executioner. Roll control is excellent, and maybe even best in slot for breach with 23122. Hyperpropellant should take 21232 now.

[@oleksandr4371]

GK2 with 11112 and any green overclock show better efficiency when targeting weak spots, because GK2 doesn't have enough damage to destroy and kill 3+ grunts or 1 pretorian. About Zhukov NUK17. 1x231 with Gas Recycling become extremely deadly, especially with boomerang. 18dmg + 33% = 24 dmg per bullet which is outperform boomstick burst damage in less than a second in dps and ammo efficiency, aslo outperform any of gunner primary weapon.

[@SirSwagglenuts]

what about rocket barrage and double barrel?

[@TooFewSecrets]

Does Drak get its own trash tier now?

[@AmelpsXett]

@@TooFewSecrets it was never trash to begin with

[@mastersanada]

@@TooFewSecretsStill a usable gun probably. Aggressive Venting is still an option but outside of that I can't see the point of using it besides the reworked Shield Battery Booster OC as a meme build with rapid regen shields. It's pretty weak though imo. Doesn't really do enough damage and its swarm clear is at best trying to compete with other better options from other primaries (of other dwarves). Especially when the boomstick and crossbow exist.

[@Joseph-mw2rl]

Minigun: *if you kill single targets very fast, it's technically AoE*

[@hollowknight3697]

**Burning hell.**

[@darkconch5244]

It’s the only weapon where boosting single target damage improved crowd control

[@wingydingydongy6084]

​@@hollowknight3697 Nuh uh Bullet Hell 😈

[@jaspervermeer659]

Death is the best form of crowd control

[@jaspervermeer659]

@@quackattackz We all know this

[@MisterL777]

I like how gunner has 5 best in slots for its 2 slots

[@HyperfixationWizard]

The tiers are based on how well they kill, and gunner just happens to be a class that kills well. 🤯

[@russianbiasgold6607]

@@HyperfixationWizardI think it’s more that the gunner can build to have very powerful one tricks and in the context of this video that’s very valuable

[@joaogomes9405]

Turns out when you compare how good weapons do the killing, the class who does the most killing gets mentioned a lot

[@CowKirbo]

Props for risk of rain 2 music. DRG and risk of rain just go together so well

[@jpzarde8734]

Quick note: I use miracle’s custom soundtrack mod to play ROR 1/2 music alongside the vanilla soundtrack in my game. Would highly recommend 👍

[@CowKirbo]

@Jpzarde ah, I don't play PC DRG, but if I do, I'll keep that in mind

[@madmonty4761]

​@@CowKirboi used to play ror2 but i stopped because console gets no update

[@CowKirbo]

@Mad Monty that's fair. I play exclusively console but it's a fun game so I still do.

[@kitsureiel3679]

And his music was electric..

[@fenrirsrage4609]

Honestly the best thing about the weapons in DRG is that it really can just come down to personal preference most of the weapons are good not outright terrible.

[@cgusiec7039]

*M1000 laughing in the background*

[@Zectifin]

yeah i can't stand how the plasma gun feels so I'm gonna use the microwave and subata. Don't care if they suck, they still get the job done.

[@blakedavis4649]

@@cgusiec7039 i hate this gun lol

[@lossnt557]

yeah true, a good player can make good use of a bad gun, most bad players struggle to make good use of a good gun

[@hooktraining3966]

​@@Zectifini hate using the EPC the subata and wave cooker are objectively better

[@alexandergoetschalckx761]

The fact that even the "worst" weapons are still in the usable tier speaks volumes to how great this games weapon design is.

[@ludwigmundee]

More like how easy it is

[@anxietydisorders5917]

cryo+wave cooker is op

[@bruhmoment5020]

@@anxietydisorders5917 yeah I was shocked the combo I main that melts all enemies is "usable" lmao

[@kelpree]

@@anxietydisorders5917 Is better than or equal to the sticky fuel flamethrower at haz 6?

[@ManoloRuizBautismo]

@@ludwigmundee Yeah honestly base game is really easy. But hey, that's why modded difficulties exist. Haz 5x2, 6x2p4, 7x2, 6x3, 7x3 etc.

[@cucknorris2435]

I’ve played the hard vanilla content but never modded. I think your explanations for why weapons are effective and your preamble about modded play helped me understand what modded is about and the differences between this list and others of its type. My favorite gun is the auto cannon with big Bertha but no hard feelings. Great informative video

[@pvewaste]

Glad I managed to clear that up! Big Bertha's actually one of my favorites, too, so my playtime with it has really driven home how mediocre it is.

[@jager477]

Dito, if I hadn’t seen your comment, I would’ve likely said the exact same thing. Word for word.

[@bulldozer8950]

I mean the good thing about drg is as long as your mod and overclock choices don’t contradict themselves, you can pretty much take any build and it’ll be not bad. Especially since season 4 update when they’ve changed some of the most useless overclocks and upgrades to be solid choices now.

[@jodo2785]

@@pvewaste the halved magazine kinda negates the extra damage tho A clean aoe overclock with extra ammo and fire rate, basically the same effect on swarms as Bertha . . . without the constant reloads, definitely the better choice for gunner support (even on deep dives I can usually spare at least one supp drop for someone else) you lose single target dps but that can be remedied by a clocked secondary thanks for all the other advice, definitely helped my engi

[@fabikachu4836]

Something about the sludge pump is that it shreds through dreadnoughts with the overclock that turns it into a shotgun and is my go to for elimination missions. Especially effective in solo missions

[@realkoniri]

Another way to get really good dreadnought stopping power while also being a little more ammo efficient (albeit probably sacrificing a LITTLE bit of ttk) is the build that waste showed off for volatile impact mixture. It keeps very strong single target with normal shots while not truly gimping your ability to use it for crowd control (the puddle duration hit is noticeable but not unusable, also the increase in direct damage means that you kill the same targets with the DoT even though it's duration is nerfed).

[@celestialowl8865]

Obviously if you're experienced, especially in modded, nothing said here is particularly surprising but its nice to see it all in one place for folks looking to get into modded or higher haz consistent gameplay. That being said, I commend your patience with the comments section and congrats on this video popping off. (Hoverclock is my personal favorite

[@pvewaste]

Thank you! And ahahaha I commend my patience with this comment section too, I'm surprised I've lasted this long.

[@cocogus]

15:53 you say "2122", but the screenshots are completely different. what did you actually mean?

[@pvewaste]

Oh shoot, my bad! Used the wrong mods in the footage, for whatever reason. The right build is 21222.

[@cocogus]

@@pvewaste ah, thanks for the clarification

[@Br4un4baer]

@@pvewaste Also for AI Stability?

[@pvewaste]

@@Br4un4baer Yes, AISE benefits from it most arguably because its innate weakpoint bonus makes further weakpoint bonuses less impactful, and armor break helps tons in a lot of situations, and is basically the only way you'll kill rolling shellbacks.

[@turmspitzewerk]

​@@pvewastefull damage AISE with both the damage ups and the weakpoint bonus used to give it some important breakpoints on common enemies, after the rework though its just a simple raw DPS powerhouse.

[@goodvibes4891]

After maining only engineer for so long, I gotta say the LOK1 is the best for your average player, EM discharge stubby is IMO the strongest weapon in the entire game. The near infinite ammo efficiency paired with the ridiculous AOE range is nuts. The largest issue is learning turret placement, where swarms will generally spawn at and how to use effectively in scenarios that isnt simply a bunch of mobs. Soloing dreadnaughts with 2 empty turrets and a few hundred SMG bullets is a beautiful thing, and also getting good at using dash as your active makes you the ultimate clutch machine. Them adding the shard defractor for low ammo efficency, easy peasy single target DPS is also amazing. Take Electric on stubby and 30% bonus damage on shard and suddenly you are the most versatile build in the game handling practically any situation. Not mentioning the potential of PGL fat boy for data rack missions was quite sad though, it can save teams who are adjusting to H5/H6 data rack fights for sure.

[@timcal2136]

Havent gotten either of the stubby turret OCs, does EM cause friendly fire? I heard Arc doesnt anymore, it just slows allies that walk in the chain

[@Appletank8]

@@timcal2136 EMD does no FF now, spam at will.

[@timcal2136]

@@Appletank8 phenomenal, thanks for the info

[@JaccoSW]

In team play I really like the Coilgun with Mole for its utility in shooting through walls. Great for quickly helping other players caught by leeches or big targets. Granted, if you run out of ammo for the minigun the coilgun is not very usable against hordes.

[@shlorp2643]

Personally, I don’t think it is worth it on haz 6 and modded, just because it gets out-damaged by volatile bullets or elephant rounds, its utility is good but I don’t like how long it can take to charge which leads me to getting hit by the bugs (still one of the funnest oc’s tho)

[@warriorfire8103]

If you run out of minigun ammo before coil, its a skill issue.

[@Ngw8888]

Try the fire trail one (im blanking on the name) its got alot of utility and boy does rival tech hate it. Also makes enemies like swarmers non existent.

[@imperialwatch1966]

Mole also has a niche for elimination missions as well, where your teammates can ping bosses and you can chunk them for pretty sizable amounts of damage in the right situations.

[@lexycore1570]

When people ask for weapon tierlist I'll just send them the link to this video.

[@xtheno1237]

Amazing video man , sure this was a crazy amount of work. Don’t let it put you off making more content man cause this was such an informative guide

[@caseyking8394]

This video has become a frequent rewatch for me as my arsenal of overclocks and weapons expands. Obviously I'm taking the time to play with what looks fun to me, but I really appreciate the guidance from such a thorough video. This video also helped me rediscover my love of the lead storm, what a fun weapon!

[@caseyking8394]

Also, the vanilla hurricane thread was a good read, I started using it after reading the thread. I don't have any hurricane OCs yet so I was hesitant to trade in my fancy lead storm with bullet/burning hell, but the hurricane has been a ton of fun!

[@paulIVcp]

After many hours in this game (mostly casual play in 3-4 difficulty solo/two player ) this was a super informative look into the potential of builds. It’s funny though how the top tier M1000 is one of my least favorites because my aim changes with the weather (ie skill issue) Thanks for the awesome vid!

[@CatsLeMatts]

I think that the Subata with Tranquilizer rounds has some solid potential when used right. That stun duration is honestly ridiculous when it procs, and with a 50% stun chance I'd say it applies often enough that you can depend on it. Being able to incapacitate enemies such as Trijaws and Praetorians lets you clean them up or reload your primary without worry of them fighting back. I tend to pair this with a Sludge Pump build quite similar to the first one you described, and the new tier 5 buff that adds sludge pump synergy makes this combo even better if you swap weapons every 3 seconds like you are playing DOOM.

[@cadsworth4380]

Great video man! Great, clear explanations. also the vanilla tierlist at the beginning had me dying

[@mr_znakez]

Extremely well done and thorough vid, I use this any time I have my doubts about a certain build I wanna use. Hell, it even makes the game more fun lmao. Great video dude, your efforts are appreciated.

[@warriorfire8103]

Wanted to say I really enjoyed reading the reddit Hurricane guide. The term "self defense" used to describe CC effects like fear/stun is new to me but I really like it. It also highlights a favorite aspect of Gunner I enjoy, his ability to protect teammates with these effects too at any range. Since I always play H5 pub I slowly moved from Best Killer to Best Protector as I noticed missions are much smoother if I don't have a high revive count 😂 cycling stun/fear/AggVent then shield has gone a long way. So now I teach, if a teammate goes down YOU already screwed up. Good luck doing that with 3 drunk dwarves ;)

[@mrangris]

Well put together and informative.

[@adamz3966]

Great video, excellent content and good editing (I expected this to be for a channel much larger than it is) and it seems that is getting the attention it deserves!

[@pvewaste]

Thank you! The algorithm's really blessed this video haha.

[@alister_rage1357]

Very cool seeing a tier list from someone that runs modded lobbies with more enemies, I play competitive in a different game and playing with the difficulty turned up to 11 it makes you realize very quickly what’s good and what isn’t, I only have played up to hazard 5 and will probably never move from seeker rounds on the Lok-1 but I definitely know why Executioner and ECR are better overclocks if you are playing for maximum efficiency.

[@idkanymore6897]

breach cutter /w spinning death oc is pretty good for absolutely wrecking swarms of grunts and other lower health enemies, it can also completely shutoff an area for a small amount of time although it has some pretty low single target damage against praets, oppressors and bulk but does decently well against dreadnaughts and on lower hazards absolutely SHREDS them no questions asked

[@pH-JPEG]

the tierlist format strikes yet again good video though for getting simple explanations of the modded meta out there

[@Awuga]

Exactly what I wanted from a video about weapons and builds, thank you so much

[@JamesMP]

Hi waste, after constantly returning to your video to try alternate builds that you mentioned, I decided to make a brief Steam Guide with "quick-reference" images so that I can swap between builds easily. Obviously there have been some changes since the update, and I think I may have misinterpreted some things in the video, namely builds where you would label one of the choices as "X". The guide is called "Waste's Weapon Builds" if you are interested. All the best, and thanks for making this video, it was really useful in helping me branch out of only playing Gunner.

[@kellerextraforkids11]

Ok, so, when I first watched this video I was like "this guy thinks cryo and pgl aren't amazing???". Almost wrote a rant about how comparing weapons between classes ignores weapon utility when balancing a build... I have since then actually tried some modded difficulties and watched your 6x2 videos, and can say my only standing complaint is how underemphasized the differences between difficulties are. None of my friends wanted to join me, so I only played solo, albeit I was shocked at how little time I had to switch to a mediocre weapon or use some ammo efficient combo. Great video, rock and stone!

[@pvewaste]

Love that you went out of your way to verify my claims! I respect it tons when people go out of their way to question their own beliefs. And yeah, 6x2 is no joke. A lot of options feel really strong on Haz 5 because they have strong effects when up against sporadic amounts of lower enemies. On 6x2, the constant onslaught of faster, harder-hitting enemies means you don't have nearly as much space to use weapons that don't put out continuous hurt. If you're ever looking for people to play 6x2 with, check out the linked Discord in my video descriptions. Rock and stone!

[@jryce]

thanks for the info! ive starting getting more interested in haz 6x2 so i can perform better at reg haz 5. been using your tier list for the weapons as the go-to for my builds.

[@pvewaste]

Glad to hear it! Checked out your channel after we briefly interacted on official and I love your style (and ability to sink, ostensibly, hours into timing with music). If you're looking for others to play with, the discord linked in my description is a great place to start!

[@jryce]

@@pvewaste thanks! for the bismor video, the reddit section definitely holds the crown for taking up most of my time. it was worth it tho

[@Little.Queenie]

broooo what an incredible video! ur content have so much quality, helped me a lot to make my builds to the another dwarfs (always played main engineer)

[@AceofSpades201]

Just wanted to say this video is exceptional and thank you for making it ✊️

[@Ziyaa...]

Personally the wave cooker works pretty effectively paired with the cryo cannon using ice spear. The wave cooker instas pretty much all enemies around the same size of a grunt as long as they are frozen, I play this game pretty casual but I run cryo at 23222 using ice spear for anything pissing me off making sure to keep an eye on ammo and colette wave cooker with 21223 (I have yet to unlock an overclock for it). Also side rant, drillers top tier grenade?? maybe if it had more ammo.

[@lukaasadorian5824]

Honestly the accuracy mod on the minigun is the secret mvp of the weapon still great to run cooling on burning hell it's just that you spend so much time with 25% of your base spread and taking it away feels alien

[@UnknownRex]

Very interesting list! Nice to get a take on the weapons based on actual high difficulty.

[@EldestSugar918]

Great video, man. I woul really like to see modded gameplay with moment-to-moment explanations for your decisions!

[@pvewaste]

I have 2 commentated solos that are... kind of that? I've been meaning to get some more properly structured solo commentary done, though.

[@EldestSugar918]

@@pvewaste I've checked them out, really enjoyed them! You've got a loyal viewer if this is your style

[@Toto-yj8hc]

This is really good stuff, I'm relatively new to the game but managed to somehow get neurotoxin payload as one of my first 3 overclocks and the experimental explosive rounds for the lok 1 only about 15 weapon overclokcs in. I've watched other videos but this is really comprehensive with a lot of builds and rankings for each. I appreciate how much time you put into this video and how fast you go not wasting a second of time. I've watched other reviews and the builds always felt too personal, too much about their preference, which is fine, but this list seems like an agreed community list and the most unanimous set ups among people who sweat in drg, it's what the professionals use. Thank you for making this.

[@pvewaste]

Glad to be of assistance! You nailed exactly what frustrated me about other DRG content when I was a newer player, and I'm glad my content is filling the niche I felt I was so sorely missing.

[@ppeez]

@@pvewaste yeah it really does. I come from for honor, since then i have been a numbers sweat, optimizing everything. I love detailed drg content, i hate math but i love understanding the numbers behind game mechanics

[@iron2291]

This is probably the closest you can get to an objectively perfect DRG tier list. You can really tell how much time and effort you put into not only structuring the tier list and ranking everything, but also creating a fantastic script. The fact that you were able to adequately analyze the niche, strengths, weaknesses, and outlier builds for every weapon in just over 20 minutes is truly impressive. I also love that you noted a few overclocks are really fun despite not being as powerful as alternatives. It's a phenomenal video, brother. Rock and Stone!

[@pvewaste]

Rock and stone!

[@UbuvActionCrew]

Really good video, thanks for all the information!

[@user-ox4ii2bw6x]

Please make the M1000 video! I remember being a green beard and despising the gk2 because it sucked when I played, and after I unlocked the M1000, it single handedly saved scout as a class for me. I currently run ass in haz 5 and love pick/hvt scout

[@shlorp2643]

Never have I agreed with a tier list so perfectly

[@wpeiorfjmoaeksfimpreigfmkpaois]

Great tier list! As you said, you can get away with anything in haz 5, will keep this in mind once i take the jump into modded :)

[@unknownUSER537]

really good guide/overview of good setups, especially for new players like me. subbed

[@gameguy301]

the ocean wide GAP between your oppinion on the GK2 and the DRAK only for them to sit side by side on the list tells me you need more tiers.

[@pvewaste]

You're probably right, but more tiers would (probably) have lead to more outrage, and I wanted to communicate visually that all the weapons, at the end of the day, get some sort of job done.

[@Terminator-Goose]

I personally think that the drak-25 is great, I run it with thermal liquid coolant using 1-2-2-1-2. from my experience this just makes it a better version of the deepcore that can be used for both swarms and single target. I have tried my hardest to get similar results using the other 2 scout primaries, but neither have been able to even match the drak, despite being satisfying to shoot.

[@zeromythosver.]

I’d say after the buffs last season, Deepcore with AI Stability is by far Scout’s best pick for single target damage imo, maybe behind only Hipster M1000 Drak can try to hybrid both single-target and wave clear, but often having more ideal forms of both but on separate weapons pans out better

[@Terminator-Goose]

@@zeromythosver. I personally have never really seen the Drak as an attempt at a wave clearer, I think It does well at single target but can also be a wave clearer if it has to.

[@Joe-3.]

really high quality video, thank you for this gold.

[@Jauphrey]

Sincerely, appreciate this video in its entirety. Deep Rock is the game I have with the most time played by a decent margin and I learned plenty from this video still--to be fair of any game you can play and not study and still do decently, Deep Rock seems to have nailed that sweet spot. But still, this was wonderful. Thanks much!!

[@Jauphrey]

Just coming back after some months to say I must have rewatched this vid about 30 times now and sent it to my group discord and had it passed around as a "oh, just watch this vid that Jauphrey shared" repeatedly. Every game needs a tier list from you with such detail, haha. Just wanted to say thanks again. Appreciate ya homie.

[@BadShotDR]

Going through the comments on this video was wild due to the mixed reception, but I think you made a really well put together video. I hella enjoyed the quality and the points you made gave me some thought even though I don’t play on the modded stuff. For me, this video has served breathing a different kind of light to weapons I’ve thought I’ve used a lot, picked up, put back down, ignored, thought about using, etc., and as someone who has been trying to keep the game spicy for sometime after having over 550 player levels, I really enjoy coming across DRG content like this. There’s something special about still learning/trying new things when it comes to a game or form of entertainment you’re so fond of. Rock & stone my guy! ⛏️

[@pvewaste]

Thanks! Rock and stone!

[@pewpewlasergunz]

Kinda shocked that plascrete catalyst with the shard diffractor didn't even get mentioned, that oc is insane when you get used to it, mega crowd clear and single damage along with good ammo efficiency, no breach cutter build I've tried competes with it

[@shamefuldisplay9692]

Plascrete Catalyst will come home for me one day, and on that day it will be jover for the glyphids

[@petruradu7242]

amazing breakdown, as a begginer this helps me a lot to navigate through the game

[@markomenalan]

Really nice video! Love everything about it

[@brodiesaltsman2842]

Triple beams on the breach cutter has me top fragging regularly with engi. That thing is just death wherever it's pointed

[@morningtoast9785]

I stumbled upon this video as a new player that has gotten their first promotion recently and was looking into what overclocks people think are good. I really appreciate the deeper analysis of DRG's gameplay systems and how that elevates certain options in the weapon sandbox. As someone who historically enjoyed soloing content meant for multiple people, would there ever be a consideration for doing such a video for solo play?

[@pvewaste]

I think there'd be a bit too much overlap with solo play - this list is generally fairly accurate there as well.

[@Adeon55]

I'd have to agree with waste's reply here, but also add that he does mention "situations with no teammates" fairly often, which can give you a good idea of solo play standout OC's

[@Death95PSN]

Thanks for the video made your opinion clear and easy to understand even for a new player 👌

[@jeremyhrvtn]

Thank you for taking the time to do this. Many hours for hopefully the benefit of many ⛏️

[@slyllamademon2652]

So this is just me, but I prefer not to use sticky fuel builds, instead I use a temp shock build that uses maxed out range. I take triple filtered fuel to light praetorians and oppressors on fire, and I use the extra range to light entire swarms on fire. It lets me more or less use the CRSPR like the hellfire coilgun. The temp shock is my main source of DPS, I use stun satchels for preventing mactera from swarming me, and the OC for CWC that enables blowthrough. The main reason I don’t use sticky fuel builds is they’re useless for attacking air targets and for eliminating spitters.

[@pvewaste]

That's fair! I think one of the main reasons sticky fuel is as dominant as it is in modded is because people take TCF, which (as illustrated in the video) just deletes air targets. Triple filtered with wave cooker is one of cooker's strongest uses, but I think the sticky flame just tends to take less attention (set flames down and forget about grunts) and is a bit more ammo efficient.

[@macvadda2318]

⁠@@pvewastetbh i think its strengths are what drive people away, sticky flame is just so boring to most people

[@dorafromdrg]

idk man, i have 400 hours in this game and cryo cooker is probably the best combo for driller. temp shocking destroys grunts and cryo stops praets dead in their tracks while allowing teammates to have an easier time taking them down, saving precious ammo. I've been having a lot of success with it on Hazard 5, the hardest official difficulty of DRG.

[@pvewaste]

thank you user doraemon elf

[@suhg4317]

real

[@Troll_main]

My boy the cryo cannon did not deserve the killing it got here

[@mr1357989]

its pretty clear from the background video he shows of him struggling with the cryo cannon you can tell he has no idea how to use the weapon, and just has very low skill when using it, so obviously he is going to think its a bad weapon which is no surprise, in the end a tier list is purely going to be opinion on what you find is your best weapon. Another great example is how he thinks the m1000 is scouts best primary lol

[@pvewaste]

@@mr1357989 Hi! I have a 6x2 true solo on my channel uploaded with the cryo cannon, could you watch it and give me pointers on how to actually use the weapon? I'm also curious as to why you think M1K isn't scout's best primary.

[@bonus1057]

Going full damage with weakpoint on the lead spray OC for the brt is one of the most hyper lethal guns I've used on gunner. It can decimate single high value targets with complete ease and erases dreads and the caretaker utterly and completely. Would recommend as a former burning hell volitile bullets enjoyer.

[@cronotriggered4314]

The gameplay i'm looking at is so wholly different from my own and reminds me distinctly of ror2, so it's hilariously fitting to me that that's the music you chose. Props for showing me just how far this game can go, and also having good taste in indie roguelikes.

[@hinarin_]

Idk man, i have 400 hours in this game and cooker is the best weapon for driller, especially if you combo it with cryo cannon. Try temp shocking and all, I've had lots of success with it on haz5, the hardest difficulty of DRG.

[@pvewaste]

thank you user hina

[@hinarin_]

@@pvewaste youre welcome user waste

[@DreadScythe999_]

Which loadout you run on the cryo if you are using the temp dhock build mentioned?

[@SunnyJCR]

Easiest Subscription choice ever. The info and reasoning was solid and you presented it in a clear and concise manner. Great video man.

[@winged_destro]

one new thing to note about the subata 120 (it's still ass) but they buffed hollow point on it and gave it a new modification in tier 5 that meshes with the corrosive sludge pump. With the hollow point buff and volatile bullets, you can stack 150% damage on weak spots which means it's actually decent, you can take out a praetorian really quickly by setting it on fire and then shooting it in the ass with the subata

[@galicanthemagus]

I am a Stubby Stan, the voltaic smg is a beast. Full electric engi cuts down swarms: I run 2/3/2/2/2 with light weight rounds for ammo efficiency, or EM-fire with the same or all 2 slot upgrades for up close killing power. I go high voltage crossover breach cutter with 2/3/2/2/(2 or 3), gemini turrets, and S.S.G.'s. The debuffs from electrocution are so strong, and can easily stun up a large number of grunts through chain lightning. A large ammo pool benefits the electric chance by giving you room to reroll if shots don't proc and allowing you to get better guarantees on damage; likewise pushing the envelope on the fire rate allows you to reroll faster and thus blitz down waves if the mission is particularly aggressive (though beware the accuracy loss at range, and the ammo loss). Because the stubby also gains in damage with the electric status effect you can push through near enemies while use the lightning to keep the wave behind. Because of the stunning effects on groups of grunts, I usually run vampire. I always run IW, Dash, and Born Ready to keep the cutter ready in a pinch (last passive I flex). Between the sheer amount of damage, the movement disruption, and the efficiency if you manage it all right, you can really push the limit and play the engie like Thor, with the Stubby as your Mjolnir.

[@poobnis]

The M1K always was and always will be my favorite DRG weapon. It's just so satisfying, whether it is flying forever, being able to shoot many high accuracy high power shots very fast, spamming bullets into hordes or dealing massive damage to big enemies. As scout playing with hipster I can easily keep up in kills with many of my friends playing other classes and still be miles ahead in resources collected.

[@theAV8R]

This haz 4.5 player would genuinely love to hear you expand on the M1000. My impression is that overkill isn't sufficiently considered by vanilla players. The feel of AI Stability or Bullets of Mercy with fast low damage shots just feels *so* freaking good to me. Whereas I've enjoyed the M1k, I really feel I need more ammo% and/or time to kill. Maybe its that inaccuracy has a higher penalty on M1k than G3K. This is coming from genuine curiosity and am looking to learn. I consider scout as my fave class. Thanks for the awesome videos. I love your style.

[@pvewaste]

That video, funnily enough, is in the scripting phase right now; it probably won't get published for a month or two, but it *is* coming

[@theAV8R]

@pvewaste awesome! I look forward to it once it's convenient for you to work on haha cheers.

[@careemhave5790]

​@@pvewastei came here to find this exact question and answer, looking forward to the vid! Is it coming out soon?

[@brandon952]

Great stuff, love to see more 6x2 discourse! It feels so odd how different the boltshark is in 6x2 solos compared to 6x2 co-op. Fire+Pheros are strong enough to make me snooze in solo, but then it feels like I may as well have taken no OC in co-op. Even with their insane stationary killing ability, I feel the same to a lesser extent about cryo bolts, in co-op they're competing with VB for stationary killing in a fire-dominated game, and that's mostly it unless your driller is asleep. In solo, though, that stationary ability isn't working against everyone else's builds, and it makes chokes nigh impossible to lose as a backup to M1K fear and IFGs. Just wish it felt less awkward on coordinated teams, I love the boltshark.

[@Corium1]

im happy with the new subata changes, it feels like it pairs great with the sludge pump now

[@elcroisssant2946]

I truly think this game is so amazing because of the balance. There are such a wide range of weapons that ita not like you have 4 bad ass guns that every meta uses, there is so luch diversity to what you want or enjoy

[@duck_medic]

loved the video thank you for build recommendations ROCK AND STONE!

[@pvewaste]

RNS!

[@TSCspeedruns]

Would you consider the new PBM near equivalent in caliber to JFH or ML?

[@pvewaste]

Nowhere near minelayer, but probably on the same or similar tier as JFH

[@Emanus_17]

You should another tier list for season 4, some changes are juicy!

[@short-eu7bs]

the man saw and liked the comment I think we've got a banger incoming

[@Emanus_17]

@@short-eu7bs yeah!

[@gortexio]

Can you do a video like this but for grenades and equipment/armor upgrades? It wouldn't be as in-depth as this video as the inherent lack of OCs and build variety but I'd like to hear your thoughts on it. Also (though I dont think this needs to be a seperate video) what do you think are the best perks for all the dwarves?

[@pvewaste]

I'm actually working on this right now! The best perk is pretty unanimously considered to be resupplier. Most builds also take born ready, with the third slot changing based on your priorities. If you're playing a difficult that's, well, really difficult to you, dash and iron will are certainly your best active options. If you're taking iron will, vampire is probably what you want for your third slot. I take resupplier, born ready, and vampire on all classes except driller (where I take sweet tooth over born ready) to team games, with dash and iron will on all classes except scout, where I take field medic and iron will.

[@gortexio]

@@pvewaste Thanks, I had similar thoughts but I appreciate it. Also for the minelayer gunner would it be worth using napalm instead of stun for volatile or at that point should I just use a clean overclock?

[@pvewaste]

@@gortexio Minelayer's best trait is its absurd stopping power, which napalm detracts from. Go with another overclock if you want ignition.

[@gortexio]

@@pvewaste I see, what secondary would you recommend for a minelayer gunner then? and which overclock for that secondary

[@pvewaste]

@@gortexio there's a couple different options, but commonly something like 23322 elephant rounds bulldog is taken. Hellfire is competitive just because it's hellfire, but minelayer hellfire can be overkill even for 6x2. You might also consider something like 22213 mole or 23222 lead spray or experimental rounds.

[@andyik9009]

thanks, this has helped me out alot!

[@TheJalpino]

good video, mostly agree. I find my playstyle favors the drillers tools compared to how you may favor the gunners kit. engi and scout options we have identical thoughts.

[@quiteindeed6809]

I like the idea of the m1000, but due to what I assume was either hardware issues or a bug, I have never used it outside of hipster. The bug in question was the inability for my mouse click to be registered unless my mouse was moving beforehand. So the M1000 was almost unusable for me for the times I was playing. For reasons above, I still think the Deepcore GK2 with OC: Electrifying Reload, is the best scout weapon as you will never run out of ammo if you use it as a debuff stick. Running out of ammo is scouts biggest issue, so having a viable option to not do so is my preference.

[@letrashcan6239]

The thing is that as a scout you really have only one job in a fight - High Value Targets. Other team members will just always be better trash killers so you dont need to focus on grunts. M1000 is your best option

[@realkoniri]

@@letrashcan6239 This is the case in team play, in which case I would agree with you. But assuming that this player runs solos a lot (which I kind of have to given they are suggesting elec reload in the first place, then it is actually a pretty comfortably good oc to run for near-effortless grunt clear while still retaining most of the stronger features of the GK2 (strong and consistent single target). Additionally, you are then free to pick any kind of secondary that you want, most likely picking another "jack of all trades" option like boomstick or crossbow but also having the definite option to go wild with something like embedded dets.

[@bezellik]

this is the exact kind of super nerd shit that i was looking for and couldnt find easily earlier in this games life. fuckin kudos dude this video rocks

[@OS26RedGhost]

Good job making this it helps a lot for me

[@cosmicsquid1285]

Remember that every weapon and grenade is completely viable. I used to think a bunch of weapons were ‘bad’ but now I play haz 5 frequently and I use all of them. It’s a bit weird since most games have more varying balance but you don’t see many tier lists for these weapons purely because they’re all totally viable and fun. Just pick what you want to pick and have the most fun and try to branch out instead of disliking a weapon because all of them have something to offer

[@pvewaste]

Glad to have helped! And yeah, 100% agree with Cosmic Squid here; don't let my silly old opinions prevent you from experimentation and exploration. The game is plenty forgiving, even at Hazard 5.

[@cosmicsquid1285]

@@pvewaste I’m sure that modded gameplay like haz 6 demands a lot more refining in your strategy, I personally don’t have any experience with them since I’m on console but I just wanted to point out that in basically every situation in drg other than stuff like mods it doesn’t matter what you pick, so just choose what you want to have the most fun

[@OTOss8]

Great video man. Subbed.

[@jackwtarrance9363]

I'm still very new to the game, how could I build the m1000 without any over clock for it to be efficient? (I use it with the boomstick)

[@pvewaste]

I like 23112, but if you're newer you might prefer to take ammo in tier 1, or clip size, or both

[@jackwtarrance9363]

@@pvewaste thank you so much

[@equinox8258]

Didnt had to do subata like that man lol

[@angelicalistic]

A build i usually use as the driller is the flamethrower/Cryo Cannon with the colette wave cooker. Use whatever mods you want for the flamerthrower or Cryo Cannon but for the colette wave cooker, make sure you use the Temperature Amplifire and the Exothermic Reactor. Basically, the flamethrower and cryo cannon already kill the weaker bugs quite fast already, but for stronger bugs, they either freeze or catch fire. Once that happens, use the colette wave cooker on them and they'll take a bit of damage. Its really effective for most things weaker than a pretorian, but it does work for them as well. I prefer the flamethrower over the cryo cannon since anything bigger than a pretorian either cant be frozen or they cant be frozen long enough for you to be able to use the wave cooker. Rock and stone

[@craftingclasher3791]

I have been playing DRG for a while now and only really play haz 5 without much struggle so I thought I was decent at the game. Played haz 6 and 6x2 the other day and realized I need to completely rethink how I was playing starting with my kits. I didn't quite realize how forgiving haz 5 was when using off-meta builds (based on this list I mostly use stuff in the usable section). This was a great introduction to the modded meta and how I can get started and not just drag the team down before I even leave the rig.

[@pvewaste]

Don't think you're not decent! By anybody's standards, I'm sure you are. There's just an enormous amount of depth in this game that isn't necessary to explore playing H5 normally, and I'm glad you're willing to give higher difficulties a try.

[@Marian_DRG]

Very fun tierlist. My old embedded detonators haz 5 public lobby self wouldn't agree with you. Embedded detonators specifically are very satisfying there, because you delete so much of the wnemies healthbar at once. That and running around constantly is how I carryied a lot of teams through the caretaker fight. But I see now that it is probably not that good overall. Special powder gives so much survivability, jumbo shells more than enough additional single target and the boltshark has more utility. Definitely something new to learn but both look very interesting.

[@pvewaste]

To be fair, Embedded Detonators is probably the Zhukov's best overclock, but the fact that it doesn't have stun or ignite really hurts it.

[@Marian_DRG]

Yeah it hurts a lot in modded. In regular Haz 5 there are few enough targets that you don't really need stun or ignite. I can quite comfortably kill all oppressors and half of the praetorians with it and have no ammo problems.

[@amanwithnoplan7648]

I personally think hurricane is the best gunner primary, it has the most flexible upgrades, allowing for good single target damage, while also destroying crowds. It also has the best range, and some extremely nutty dps with plasma burster

[@miked4513]

This was so helpful! thanks!

[@shaunwu9619]

wow this was kind of interesting as i almost have complete opposite viewpoints for every class, however this is prob due to my preference to more generalist builds thx for the insight

[@griin6]

nice to see a build video that isnt 3 years old

[@yaboijebus1418]

Literally one of the best DRG videos Ive seen. Very to the point on what builds to use for each weapon and for what. I have about 170-180 hours in the game right now, and Ive yet to actually watch any build vids or anything for my weapons. Ive just used what I felt like, but after this, I definitely will take a lot of these builds into account next time I get on the game. Awesome job, dude!👍 (Also, unfortunately, I dont think I have many of the overclocks u talked about in this video, cause ever since I could get overclocks, Ive been hard-focused on getting Fat Boy for Engi's grenade launcher. I cant understate how much I want it. At least my Engi is super set up on overclocks LMAO)

[@naherathe]

good luck finding the fatboy bondrewd!! since i found it my engi gameplay has been a _blast_ hehe

[@Helixforce]

I've watched this video multiple times, and I hope to get into haz 6 in the future because of this video! A couple questions, how come bulldog is overall best in slot when you say that half the builds are decent, with only volatile being a must take option. Shouldn't this make bulldog a good option, with vb as best in slot, or is it placed there overall as the competition is not up to par (aside from hellfire). Some other general questions, what is the hardest gun to use well, be it because it's difficult or bad. What's the most difficult class? Which class do you think is the most skill expressive? Thanks!

[@pvewaste]

As far as bulldog goes, you're pretty spot on. Its competition isn't great, and elephant rounds and homebrew powder are actually pretty good. Probably if I was being pedantic about it then the list would've shifted a bit, but I didn't want to go too overboard on isolating specific overclocks. I'm not sure which gun I would pick as "most difficult to use". Maybe the Drak? It does nothing the scout wants it to do and kills none of the enemies scout wants to kill; it's the reason why the only non-AV Drak solo on my channel is 35 minutes of suffering. I think driller is overall the most skill expressive class, because sticky placement has a very high skill cap along with TCF and axe cancelling. Driller also often decides the team's pacing and is the shot caller. Engineer is probably the most difficult class, though, just because of his low survivability.

[@Camburger]

Thanks for making this

[@timothy6583]

The tier kinda reminds me of TF2 MvM meta where only five weapons are ever used and using anything else gets your knee caps chuckled

[@pvewaste]

You definitely don't! There are more strong options than there are weak in this game, and you can run weak loadouts even in modded and people won't care.

[@timothy6583]

@@pvewaste God bless those devs So many weapons that feel good to use that's why I love DRG it's balancing is great. In TF2 the meta is so stale the a piece of bread has more flavor then it so I'm glad no weapon is considered F tier

[@caedenreeves201]

I'm very new to DRG and this video has been extremely helpful. Very rarely have I seen a tier list that is as succinct and useful while presenting so many options. I'll be returning to this video in the future to try different builds and make sure I don't have to reinvent the wheel.

[@kismet4918]

if you 're new don't rely on this. Its for modded difficulties and it will be a long time before you could try playing those. Just play anything, the game is very balanced

[@pvewaste]

Certainly don't feel constrained by my tier placements here. I think many of the actual power rankings carry over into vanilla, but vanilla is certainly not nearly as punishing towards weaker builds, and you can feel very strong with any weapon in the game, as I said in the start. The builds here are also still great in vanilla! You might want to swap out some mod options for ammo though, depending on how their ammo economy feels to you.

[@caedenreeves201]

@@pvewaste I'll make sure not to artificially stay away from any weapons that seem interesting or builds that look fun, but it will be useful to use this as a reference for what is really good.

[@Soul-on6yk]

The Bolkshark X-80 with Trifork in my opinion is also a great choice for Elimination missions. Despite the low ammo as it consumes 3 arrows in a single shot, does that those arrows and increase it's damage, so if you connect those 3 arrows in a single hit to a waypoint, you can lower a bit more of quarter to the Dreadnought's health. On lvl 3 you can kill it in 3 hits basically

[@CowKirbo]

This is gon a be super helpful once I actually start unlocking new weapons.

[@cookiecutter8304]

i honestly think this is a great video, but I have some criticism that i hope you'll find helpful. 1) as someone else mentioned, errors during the editing phase cause a lot of confusion, you could try getting a friend or two to check through the video before posting 2) as for audio and sound quality, you sound like you're speaking too close to the mic, your breathing can be heard. Additionally, dynamically changing the volume of the voiceover track in and out of gameplay footage will make it better. these are my thoughts on your video, dont take it too personally and good luck with your future videos ❤

[@pvewaste]

oh god it hurts me that somebody pointed out that you could hear my breathing, i recorded most of the voiceover in one sitting and didn't notice at the time until i went back to actually listen to the audio and now rewatching the video causes me physical pain

[@sloth1796]

@@pvewaste if it helps your sanity, I didnt notice.

[@SoulPriest]

Supercooling. Special Powder. I love sniping, closest thing I’ll get in this game.

[@joridvisser6725]

Thanks for the tierlist for vanilla play, it really helps😂

[@pantuternik]

It's nice that outside of modded difficulties you can use just about any weapon and it's gonna work, especially now that Subata and GK2 have been buffed into being viable, there's truly nothing that is smelly garbage. They even reworked Manual Guidance cutoff so that it isn't the only clean that was more of a downside than anything!

[@AngryBaldyGaming]

Gonna have to hard disagree with the cryocannon placement. It's a crowd clearing machine when you pair it with the axe for larger bugs, secondary wave cooker just takes out everything that's frozen in 1 second just pointing in general direction. The only time I don't run cryo is on elimination

[@pvewaste]

It's hard to say cryo is any sort of crowd clearing machine at all when you have to fill both your primary and secondary slot just to even approach the level of horde clear the other driller primaries have. It's maybe better against larger enemies, sure, but, as I said in the video, just devotes so much of your and the team's attention towards killing grunts at all.

[@northstar6853]

@@pvewaste You are wrong, I play Haz 7 with a group of friends and sticky flames is the best sure, but sludge pump above cryo? That's just silly, sludge pump is not ammo efficient at all, it's nothing compared to cryo, cryo offers better buffs for your team and when enemies get more health in modded games grunt killing gets more important, thus making cryos support much better. Cryo paired with barbed drills is also a quick way to heal to full health in sec, which makes it much more tanky then sticky flames who has to run away, since using heat radiance in modded Haz 7+ is suicide. Having 1 gunner in your team with blowthrough rounds makes cryo automatically almost as good as sticky flames, and far surpass sludge. And if you want to kill them yourself, use axe, use temp shock, use heavy hitter, really easy. The biggest advantage is the big target killing, flame doesnt compare. Cryo is part of the Meta setup to kill dreads the fastest. You overlooking the fact that sticky flames is 100% useless against dreads kinda reeks of noobnes. And don't ever bring up using face melter against dreads..................that's a meme, not a funny one either.

[@pvewaste]

@@northstar6853 I don't know anybody who optimizes builds for dread killing considering how completely inconsequential the dreads themselves are. Needing both your driller and gunner's attention to even kill enemies is an enormous cost for cryo. Barbed drills are fine, but in 6x2+p4 enemy densities it can be dangerous to both you and your team to do so. Prac regularly does 7x2+ runs with sludge, but the singular 7x2 EDD done with cryo was done by some of the best players I know and they still struggled heavily through it. Cryo's single target also means so much less when VB exists for fire, and with sludge you do good HVT damage without even trying, and Hellfire/LSLS stacks DoT and strong single target on top with a low attention cost.

[@flangalvin5368]

@@pvewaste I do duo 6x2 and 6x3 a lot. And cryo's ability to instantly regain full health might be more important than you think, especially if its not a mission that your team would stick together. I'm not sure if cryo is better in four players, but I really don't see it just being usable. But maybe I'm just biased because how good it feels to heal.

[@roxrequiem2935]

I personally think flamethrower or sludge is better than cryo just because of ammo efficiency. Just having one is enough to lock down anything crawling on the ground. The flamethrower also ignites Nemesis and other bots, which instantly kills them.

[@jpzarde8734]

I hope season 4 gives us more overclocks… …and an official additional difficulty level. That would shake things up a bit. #bringbackelites This video has given me a lot to think about! Thanks for making it 🙏

[@letrashcan6239]

​@@shaunhayes3072 I dont understand why tho?

[@Yorkington]

Bring back elites? Did they remove something called such?

[@jpzarde8734]

@@Yorkington yup. Before elite warning got added elites used to be found in all mission types about as frequently as sting tails and spewers are found now

[@DoomControlled]

​@@letrashcan6239 I imagine system performance and player numbers play a big part. I don't have a top of the line computer but it is pretty decent. Even so, playing 6x2 its not uncommon to see massive performance drops (Sometimes to the point of complete unplayability) While I imagine it could be optimized there's only so much you can do to increase the difficulty in a way that doesn't lock people out because their system specs aren't top of the line or turn every enemy into a bullet sponge. Maybe heavily increasing stationary spawns/fighting events could help but you can already all of that with mods. Not to mention even at the current top difficulty the player base can already be considered somewhat small in comparison to the whole player base. For example in the eastern-US area where I am there are times when there are NO hazard 5 lobbies with open slots whatsoever with like 5-6 full lobbies playing total (Mostly around early morning, think 4-8am). Compare this to hazard 3/4 at the same time where there are consistently 20-30x more lobbies with open slots than total hazard 5 games and many more lobbies that are full at the same time of day. Adding higher difficulties like hazards 6/7 would not only likely run into the same issue, but actually make it worse for both themselves and hazard 5 due to diluting the player pools.

[@thatonejester3387]

everyone talks about how fat boy is the best overclock, but in my eyes its the hyper propellent the ability to either shread through a boss's hp, or decide that oppressor no longer deserves to exist gives you one of the best feelings in the world.

[@Just_a_Dude80]

Hyper propellent is the best single target weapon for engineer. But nukes are more of a fun choise. If you need croud clear you can use feedback loop shard diffractor or any breach cutter build. You can try spinning death breach cutter if you really want something unusual.