StarRupture Weapons: Fighting the Vermin – The 2026 Guide

The best StarRupture weapons for most fights are the MAR-9 "Phantom" as your all-rounder, the SLAMS-12 shotgun for close range and bosses, and the grenade as the most cost-effective crowd killer. This guide sorts every key weapon by role, lists the stats and shows which tool works against which Vermin.

On Arcadia-7 you're rarely alone for long. As your base grows, the Vermin arrive in bigger and bigger waves, and your mining tool alone won't cut it anymore.

⚒️ From Mining Tool to Your First Firearm

You start with the Harvester, your mining tool. It's a melee tool built mainly for mining. In combat it only handles the weakest enemies: small Young Slashers and Exploders are about the limit. Against anything bigger you need a real firearm, or you'll quickly find yourself defenseless.

Real weapons come through the corporations and their commissions. The key one is Griffits Blue: according to the community wiki, its reward tree unlocks the Equipment Upgrade Station, where you buy additional weapons, at level 2 and the grenade at level 4.

🔫 UPP-7 Pistol (Griffits Blue) and the Grenade

The UPP-7 "Reaper" is your first proper gun. Older guides list Griffits Blue level 2 as its unlock, but the current reward tree on the community wiki doesn't include it. It's a semi-automatic pistol and a solid all-rounder for the early game.

One balancing tip that saves you trouble early: the community rates the grenade from Griffits Blue level 4 as one of the most cost-effective StarRupture weapons of all. It deals area damage and recharges through kills, so you don't burn any resources on ammo. Against dense Swarmer packs it's far more efficient than any bullet.

⚔️ Stronger StarRupture Weapons: MAR-9, SLAMS-12 and M175

You buy the heavier guns at the Equipment Upgrade Station with War Bonds, the corporate currency. Each one covers a different combat role.

Quick breakdown:

• MAR-9 "Phantom": The best all-round gun. Medium range, reliable rate of fire. Your first pick if you only want one primary.
• SLAMS-12: The shotgun for close quarters and base defense. It shreds armored Slashers up close and is the go-to gun against the boss enemy.
• M175 "GRIM": The LMG with a 60-round magazine for sustained fire against large swarms. Ideal when wave after wave rolls in and you don't want to reload constantly.

Note: Sources list different War Bond prices for these three primaries, so this guide deliberately doesn't give a fixed number. Prices like these change regularly during Early Access.

☢️ Know the Vermin: Pick the Right Gun for Each Enemy

The Vermin attack in swarms, and their aggression scales dynamically with the size and activity of your base. The more you produce, the harder the waves get. Knowing the weak points saves you ammo:

A concrete community benchmark: the Goliath takes about two full SLAMS-12 magazines to its unarmored back. In co-op it pays to circle it: one player holds the front while the other shoots from behind. Keep in mind that Goliaths usually show up together with smaller Vermin swarms.

🛡️ Base Defense: Turrets and Chokepoints

The guns in your hands are only half the job. The other half is automation. Defense Turrets and Defense Towers handle your baseline defense. Every turret draws power and adds heat, so factor it into your power and cooling budget.

• Put turrets on raised platforms so their fields of fire overlap along the approach routes.
• Use structures to build chokepoints that force the Vermin into kill zones.
• Turrets alone won't stop the biggest swarms. Grab your own gun during wave warnings.

For ammo supply you mainly need Basic Building Material plus the extra powders, so keep that production running. For other key materials, see our guides on mining Goethite Ore and farming Quartz Ore.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions about StarRupture Weapons

What is the first real gun in StarRupture?
The UPP-7 "Reaper" pistol. It uses Basic Building Material as ammo.

What is the best all-round weapon?
The MAR-9 "Phantom" is considered the best primary for medium range. For pure close quarters and bosses, the SLAMS-12 is the better choice.

Where do I buy the stronger weapons?
At the Equipment Upgrade Station, paid with War Bonds. According to the community wiki, the station unlocks at Griffits Blue level 2.

How do I defend my base against the Vermin?
Use Defense Turrets at chokepoints and add your own fire during the wave phases. Make sure you have enough power and cooling, since every turret ties up resources.

Is the grenade worth it?
Yes. It recharges through kills, costs no ammo and is very cost-effective against Swarmer packs.

How do I kill a Goliath?
Aim for its unarmored back. Roughly two full SLAMS-12 magazines do the job, and in co-op one player keeps the front busy while the other attacks from behind.

✨ Conclusion

Weapon progression in StarRupture is clearly tiered: the Harvester for emergencies, the UPP-7 and grenade as your early start through Griffits Blue, then the MAR-9, SLAMS-12 and M175 for the tough waves. Match your StarRupture weapons to the Vermin weak points and secure your base with turrets and chokepoints, and you'll survive even scaling attacks.

All stats and names in this guide were checked against the StarRupture community wiki and other guides; anything that couldn't be properly sourced was left out. Important: StarRupture is in Early Access, so recipes, stats and unlock costs can change with every patch. If something doesn't match, check the latest patch notes.

As of October 8, 2026, Early Access after Hotfix 0.3.5 (October 5, 2026). Griffits Blue unlock levels follow the community wiki on wiki.gg.