It won't be long until 7 Days to Die is ten years old. Despite being so long in the tooth, this game still has quite a few loyal fans. That's almost always a sign that a game is worth trying. This game plays much like Minecraft; however, instead of the retro look of Minecraft, 7 Days to Die has a more modern look to its graphics.
Players must establish a base, try their best to fortify it, and then brace for the impending onslaught of zombies. In games such as this, using the best weapons is not only the best way to stay alive - it's also the best way to have the most fun.
Updated May 2, 2023, by Jeff Drake: Selecting the right weapon is important in 7 Days to Die. There are several weapons that will make the game more difficult than it needs to be, or that have deficiencies that are not immediately apparent - like being too loud. There are also a few weapons that were not the most useful initially, but have been made better through updates. Perk compatibility is another factor players need to keep in mind when planning their character's build. Some weapons are dramatically improved if the right perk is taken. This update adds five additional weapons to the mix, ranking them accordingly.
15 Grenade
- Entity Damage: 310
- Block Damage: 10
The Grenade is similar to the Dynamite in function, just with much smaller explosions. This doesn't mean it isn't an effective means of clearing a room filled with zombies, though. Players just need to expect a second wave of zombies after using explosives, which lowers their usefulness.
Unlike Dynamite, Grenades are not very effective for clearing land. One benefit Grenades have over Dynamite is that they won't explode until thrown; Dynamite gives the player four seconds before it explodes in their hand.
14 Dynamite
- Entity Damage: 550
- Block Damage: 3000
Also called TNT, this weapon is too useful to not include it on this list. This weapon is great for clearing a group of zombies quickly. There are two caveats though. First, as an explosive it's loud. In other words, this will probably wake up some nearby zombies. Second, the other thrown explosives are almost as effective at killing a group of zombies.
This weapon has been included for how it can be used outside of combat. Among all the weapons in the game Dynamite is the best for clearing away blocks - whether it's for mining or to make an impromptu escape through a wall.
13 Baseball Bat
- Range: 2.4
- Entity Damage: 17.4
- Attacks Per Minute: 52
There are numerous melee weapons in 7 Days to Die, but one of the best is the baseball bat. When playing this game there will inevitably be times when you run out of ammunition, and times when players don't want to make too much noise. The baseball bat provides a great balance between damage and attack speed.
For players wanting to go full Negan, a barbed-wire mod is available - though, there are better mods. The best thing about using a baseball bat is that it doesn't require ammunition, and it's a lot quieter than a firearm.
12 Machete
- Range: 2.3
- Entity Damage: 19.2
- Attacks Per Minute: 55
The Machete is an excellent all-purpose weapon and tool. As a weapon, the Machete gives the player a short range, but to counter the range issues the Machete has a fast attack rate. The Machete is also the perfect tool for dismembering zombies.
This weapon also has more practical purposes, as it allows the player to butcher animals for food. Pairing the Machete with the Deep Cuts perk increases the chance of causing bleed damage to the target, and lets the player craft a better quality Machete.
11 Pump Shotgun
- Range: 4/9/2 (depending on ammunition)
- Entity Damage: 101/102/96
- Attacks Per Minute: 60
- Magazine Size: 8
When the zombies are breaking down your barriers and have you cornered the Pump Shotgun should be a player's go-to weapon. Since it's a shotgun, it doesn't have the best range. This drawback is forgivable considering the amount of damage this weapon can deliver to the target(s).
The pump shotgun had a huge selection of available mods. Player's will want to get the Tube Extender to increase the amount of ammunition it can hold. The Duckbill mod is another must-try mod that sends the shot out as a horizontal line, rather than a circular spread. This allows for simultaneous headshots to multiple targets.
10 AK-47
- Range: 50
- Entity Damage: 35/45/40 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 360
- Magazine Size: 30
The AK-47 is a solid choice for a conventional firearm in 7 Days to Die, even more so after being improved via updates. This gun uses one of the most commonly found types of ammunition. So, if a player conserves ammo, they should seldom run out.
Damage for this gun is similar to other firearms that use the same ammunition; the only difference is the AK-47 does less damage on a headshot. On the other hand, there are quite a few mods for this weapon, allowing players to fix anything they dislike about it.
9 Tactical Assault Rifle
- Range: 50
- Entity Damage: 38/48/43 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 405
- Magazine Size: 30
The best way to stay alive in 7 Days to Die is to kill the zombies before they surround you. Shotguns are great, but if a player misses their mark a few times they can suddenly find themselves in the untenable position of being attacked from all sides. Sometimes nothing compares to a high rate of fire and a large magazine
The Tactical Assault Rifle comes standard with a 3-shot burst; though, it can also be fired as a semiautomatic by tapping the button. The 3-shot burst usually does enough damage to kill lesser zombies without the need for a headshot. There is a full-auto mod, but this mod is not good for ammo conservation. Investing in the Machine Gunner skill can make this weapon incredibly efficient (and fun).
8 Sniper Rifle
- Range: 70
- Entity Damage: 61/71/66 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 140
- Magazine Size: 12
Running around with a Baseball Bat or Steel Sledgehammer can be fun; however, if players want to stay alive they should seek to eliminate zombies from as far away as possible. The Sniper Rifle has excellent range - only the Hunting Rifle and Rocket Launcher are a match when it comes to range.
Using this weapon a player can safely dispatch zombies from so far away they will never have to worry about taking any damage. The only drawback is that if enemies get too close this weapon becomes impractical.
7 Compound Crossbow
- Range: 25
- Entity Damage: 50/59/63/38/250 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 75
- Magazine Size: 1
Being sneaky is a great way to stay alive in 7 Days to Die. This can be difficult since most of the best weapons in the game make a lot of noise when used. The Compound Crossbow gives players the range and damage of a firearm, but with the silence of a melee weapon.
Let's be honest, there will be a lot of players that will pick this weapon and pretend they're Daryl Dixon. Those players will quickly find the Compound Crossbow is a great weapon. Other than the Rocket Launcher and grenade-like weapons, the Exploding Crossbow Bolt ammunition does more damage than any other ranged weapon.
6 SMG-5
- Range: 30
- Entity Damage: 32/38/35 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 480
- Magazine Size: 30
The SMG-5 is an awesome weapon in 7 Days to Die. It takes pistol ammunition (9mm), which is easier to find and cheaper to craft. This weapon also has a large enough magazine that players won't find themselves constantly reloading. The SMG-5 doesn't do much damage when compared to the other firearms in the game - this isn't that much of a negative due to the SMG-5 having the fastest rate of fire in the game.
By improving the Gunslinger perk, players can make this gunfire even faster. In narrow hallways, this weapon is just as devastating as a shotgun.
5 Steel Sledgehammer
- Range: 2.6
- Entity Damage: 46.2
- Attacks Per Minute: 34
What the Steel Sledgehammer lacks in attack rate, it makes up for with sheer power. This is one of the few melee weapons whose damage is comparable to most firearms. The Sledgehammer also has a good chance of killing a zombie with one hit, or dismembering the target.
This is also an invaluable tool, in addition to being one of the best weapons in 7 Days to Die. Few tools (or weapons) are as good at clearing blocks than the Steel Sledgehammer, though it's not the best for gathering resources.
4 Desert Vulture
- Range: 25
- Entity Damage: 68/68/89 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 130
- Magazine Size: 8
Clearly influenced by the Desert Eagle, the Desert Vulture is a .44 caliber semi-automatic handgun. This weapon has a good blend of range, damage, and magazine size. The .44 caliber ammunition the Desert Vulture uses gives it a better damage output than assault rifles and submachine guns.
This gun can one-shot a lot of enemies. Players will want to get the Magazine Extender mod. The Silencer mod is also useful for maintaining a low-profile while out scavenging.
3 M60
- Range: 50
- Entity Damage: 44/54/49 (depending on ammunition)
- Attacks Per Minute: 440
- Magazine Size: 60
The M60 machinegun has a fast rate of fire, does a lot of damage, and has a larger enough magazine that players will only have to reload between encounters - not during them. In short, the M60 machinegun can mow through a horde of zombies in seconds. Once players have one of these they won't need any other weapon - unless they run out of ammunition.
There are many great mods for the M60. Players should focus on mods that increase accuracy and stability; like the Muzzle Break and Barrel Extender. These will help players make every shot count.
2 Steel Club
- Range: 2.4
- Entity Damage: 26.2
- Attacks Per Minute: 52
Most long-time players will tell newbies not to waste their time with any melee weapon other than the Steel Club. It boasts a perfect balance of attack rate, damage, utilitarian uses, and perk compatibility. If the player focuses on improving their character's prowess with this weapon, they will need no other.
The Steel Club does less damage than the Steel Sledgehammer, but has a significantly faster rate of attack. It is also not bad for clearing blocks. The main reason this weapon ranks higher than the Steel Sledgehammer is that it's a one-handed weapon. This allows it to work with the Flurry of Blows perk.
1 Auto Shotgun
- Range: 4/9/2 (depending on ammunition)
- Entity Damage: 101/102/96
- Attacks Per Minute: 70
- Magazine Size: 16
This is a terrifyingly deadly weapon that allows players to defend a narrow opening indefinitely. This weapon is almost like a cheat code. A zombie hit by a blast from the Auto Shotgun has a good chance of being dismembered or stunned.
The magazine size for the Auto Shotgun isn't prohibitively small, but players will want to mod it with the Drum Magazine to double its magazine size. The Duckbill and Muzzle Break mods make this weapon better at clearing a hallway full of zombies - which, with these mods, typically only takes one shot fired in the general direction of the enemy.
7 Days To Die was released on December 13, 2013, and is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.