All 99 Nights Forest Weapons – Complete (March 2026) Guide

Welcome to the most comprehensive weapons guide for 99 Nights in the Forest! As someone who’s spent countless nights surviving against The Deer, cultists, and countless other threats, I know firsthand that having the right weapon can mean the difference between rescuing those missing children and becoming another victim of the forest.

In this ultimate guide, I’ll walk you through every single weapon available in the game, complete with tier rankings, exact locations, obtainment methods, and pro strategies that most players don’t even know exist. Whether you’re a beginner just starting your journey or a seasoned survivor looking to optimize your arsenal, this guide has everything you need to dominate the forest.

Quick Overview: All Weapons at a Glance (March 2026)

Weapon Type	Total Weapons	Best Tier	Hardest to Obtain	Easiest to Obtain
Melee Weapons	14	Admin Axe (S)	Cultist King Mace	Old Axe
Ranged Weapons	13	Infernal Crossbow (S)	Laser Cannon	Revolver
Special Weapons	3	Admin Axe (S)	Friendly Gun	Snowball

All Weapons in 99 Nights in the Forest (2026)

Melee Weapons: Close-Quarter Combat Specialists

Melee weapons are your bread and butter for close-quarters combat. While they require you to get up close and personal with enemies, they typically deal more damage than ranged weapons and don’t require ammunition management.

S Tier Melee Weapons (Must-Have)

Admin Axe – The undisputed king of all weapons in 99 Nights in the Forest. This legendary tool one-shots everything in the game except the Mega Cultist. It’s not just a weapon – it’s the ultimate survival tool that can one-hit trees, enemies, and pretty much anything else in your path.

How to obtain: Exclusive to Update Party events – keep an eye on official announcements for these limited-time opportunities!

Cultist King Mace – The highest damage-dealing melee weapon in regular gameplay. This beast of a weapon will make short work of even the toughest cultists and wildlife.

How to obtain: Defeat the Cultist King in the Cultist Stronghold. Be prepared for a challenging fight!

Infernal Sword – Slightly outdamages the Laser Sword and comes with an incredible bonus feature – it automatically cooks any food dropped by enemies. Perfect for survival runs where every second counts.

How to obtain: Found in Infernal Chests or obtained through Volcano Sacrifices (requires 8 Cultists).

Ice Sword – Deals impressive damage and applies a chilling effect that slows enemies. The crowd control potential makes this invaluable for dealing with multiple enemies.

How to obtain: Exclusively found in Ice Chests in the snow biome.

Cold Axe – Functions like a Good Axe but with the added benefit of applying a freezing effect to enemies. The utility of both gathering and combat makes this extremely versatile.

How to obtain: Located in Cold Chests throughout the snow biome.

A Tier Melee Weapons (Excellent Choices)

Morningstar – The highest damage output among regularly obtainable melee weapons. While it doesn’t have special effects, its raw damage output speaks for itself.

How to obtain: Gold Chests are your best bet, particularly those found in Cultist Strongholds.

Strong Axe – One-hits regular trees and deals significant damage to enemies. The efficiency of this weapon makes it a top choice for both gathering and combat.

How to obtain: Gold Chests, Legendary Chests, or trade with the Pelt Trader (fourth trade).

Laser Sword – Deals more damage than standard spears and uses energy instead of durability. The energy-based system means you won’t have to worry about breaking it.

How to obtain: Loot from crashed UFOs or Mothership UFOs.

B Tier Melee Weapons (Solid Options)

Trident – Unique among weapons as it can only be obtained through fishing. While its stats are similar to the Morningstar, the specialized obtainment method makes it more of a novelty weapon.

How to obtain: Fish it up from the Skeleton (Bone) Lake.

Chainsaw – Excellent for gathering wood but deals less damage to enemies compared to other melee weapons. The hold-to-attack mechanic makes it unique but less effective in combat.

How to obtain: Ruby Chests or craft at the Workshop with 4 Cultist Gems, 4 Bear Pelts, 2 Alpha Wolf Pelts, and 10 Scrap.

Spear – Your basic melee weapon that’s better than starting axes but quickly outclassed. Still useful in the early game before you find better options.

How to obtain: Good Chests or trade with the Pelt Trader (second trade).

Good Axe – A solid upgrade from the Old Axe, cutting trees in 5 hits instead of 13. Reliable but nothing special.

How to obtain: Common Chests, Good Chests, Pelt Trader (first trade), or start as Lumberjack class.

Poison Spear – Similar damage to the regular spear but applies poison damage over time and slows targets. The effects make it more useful than its basic counterpart.

How to obtain: Frog Cave Chest or fish from Whirlpools.

C Tier Melee Weapons (Last Resort)

Old Axe – Your starting weapon. It’s better than nothing but you’ll want to upgrade as soon as possible. Takes 13 hits to cut down a tree.

How to obtain: Free from the start of the game.

Ranged Weapons: Fight from a Distance

Ranged weapons give you the safety of distance but typically require ammunition or energy management. They’re essential for dealing with dangerous enemies before they can reach you.

S Tier Ranged Weapons (Game-Changers)

Infernal Crossbow – The holy grail of ranged weapons. Infinite ammo with a burning effect on enemies – what more could you ask for? This weapon alone can carry you through the toughest encounters.

How to obtain: Infernal Chests, The Volcano, defeat the Cultist King, or start as Fire Bandit class.

Tactical Shotgun – The highest damage-dealing ranged weapon with a 4-round magazine. Perfect for close-quarters combat when enemies get too close for comfort.

How to obtain: Ruby Chests or find in the Workshop.

Flamethrower – Doesn’t use traditional ammo but instead consumes Fuel Canisters. Sets enemies on fire, automatically cooking their drops. Excellent for crowd control.

How to obtain: Start as Pyromaniac class.

Laser Cannon – Slow-firing but deals massive damage. Uses half your Alien Tech Energy per shot but the damage output is worth it.

How to obtain: Broken UFOs, Mothership UFOs, or start as Cyborg class.

Blowpipe – Poisonous ranged weapon that poisons enemies on hit. With a magazine capacity of 3 and unlimited reserve ammo, it’s incredibly efficient.

How to obtain: Frog Cave or start as Poison Master class.

A Tier Ranged Weapons (Highly Effective)

Raygun – Unlimited ammo that recharges over time. While it doesn’t deal as much damage as S-tier weapons, the convenience of never running out of ammo makes it extremely reliable.

How to obtain: Alien Class, Alien Chests, or UFO Crash sites.

Wildfire – One-time-use throwable that creates a large area of fire puddles. Perfect for area denial and dealing with groups of enemies.

How to obtain: Hot Chests.

Crossbow – Deals more damage than the Raygun and has unlimited reserve ammo, though it requires reloading after each shot.

How to obtain: Hot Chests.

Ice Shuriken – Similar to Kunai but with the added benefit of applying a freezing effect that slows enemies. You can throw it 100 times before needing another one.

How to obtain: Ice Chests.

B Tier Ranged Weapons (Decent Options)

Revolver – Your basic ranged weapon with a 6-round capacity. Reliable but quickly outclassed by better options.

How to obtain: Ranger Class, Pelt Trader, Chests, or Gun Cabinets.

Kunai – Throwable weapon with 120 uses before needing another. Decent damage but nothing special.

How to obtain: Assassin Class or Ruby Chests.

Rifle – Single-shot weapon that deals moderate damage. The slow fire rate makes it less effective against multiple enemies.

How to obtain: Legendary Chests, Gold Chests, or Gun Cabinets.

C Tier Ranged Weapons (Situational)

Snowball – Basically a reskin of throwing knives with 40 uses. More of a novelty item than a practical weapon.

How to obtain: Cold Chests.

Special Weapons: Limited-Time Exclusives

Friendly Gun – Features an incredibly fast fire rate with no recharge time. Unfortunately, this weapon was only available during the Update Party Event.

How to obtain: Currently unavailable – wait for future Update Party events.

Complete Weapon Tier List

Based on extensive testing and community feedback, here’s the definitive tier list for all weapons in 99 Nights in the Forest:

S Tier (Essential for End-Game Success)

• Admin Axe (Melee) – One-shots everything except Mega Cultist
• Infernal Crossbow (Ranged) – Infinite ammo + burning effect
• Cultist King Mace (Melee) – Highest melee damage
• Infernal Sword (Melee) – High damage + auto-cooks food
• Ice Sword (Melee) – High damage + slow effect
• Tactical Shotgun (Ranged) – Highest ranged damage
• Flamethrower (Ranged) – Area damage + auto-cooks food
• Poison Spear (Melee) – Poison DoT + slow effect
• Laser Cannon (Ranged) – Massive damage output
• Cold Axe (Melee) – Good axe + freeze effect
• Blowpipe (Ranged) – Poison effect + good ammo economy

A Tier (Excellent Choices)

• Raygun (Ranged) – Unlimited ammo
• Morningstar (Melee) – High regular damage
• Strong Axe (Melee) – One-hits trees + good damage
• Wildfire (Ranged) – Great area denial
• Laser Sword (Melee) – Energy-based + good damage
• Crossbow (Ranged) – Good damage + infinite reserve ammo
• Ice Shuriken (Ranged) – Freeze effect + good utility

B Tier (Solid but Outclassed)

• Revolver (Ranged) – Basic but reliable
• Trident (Melee) – Good stats but hard to obtain
• Kunai (Ranged) – Decent throwing weapon
• Rifle (Ranged) – Single-shot but decent damage
• Spear (Melee) – Basic melee upgrade
• Chainsaw (Melee) – Great for gathering, okay for combat
• Good Axe (Melee) – Solid starter upgrade

C Tier (Use Only If Necessary)

• Snowball (Ranged) – Novelty item
• Old Axe (Melee) – Starting weapon

How to Obtain Every Weapon: Complete 2026 Guide

1. Starting Classes with Built-in Weapons

The fastest way to get weapons is by choosing the right class at the beginning:

Assassin Class (500 Diamonds) – The best starting class for weapons. You get both a Katana (melee) and Kunai (ranged), giving you immediate combat capability at all ranges.

Ranger Class – Starts with a Revolver, giving you early ranged capability without having to search for weapons.

Lumberjack Class – Begins with a Good Axe, perfect for both gathering resources and early-game defense.

Pyromaniac Class – Starts with the Flamethrower, an S-tier weapon that makes early-game survival much easier.

2. Trading with the Pelt Trader

The Pelt Trader appears on Day 2 of every run and offers weapons in exchange for specific items:

• First Trade: Give him a Rabbit Foot and Wolf Pelt for a Good Axe
• Second Trade: Same items for a Spear or Revolver
• Third Trade: Upgrade to a Strong Axe or Rifle
• Fourth Trade: Get the best available axe or weapon

Pro tip: The Pelt Trader is limited, so coordinate with your team on who gets what. I recommend prioritizing the Good Axe first for resource gathering, then weapons for combat.

3. Chest Hunting: Your Primary Weapon Source

Chests are the most reliable way to find weapons throughout the game. Here’s what each chest type can contain:

• Regular Chests: Basic weapons like Good Axe, Spear, Revolver, Rifle
• Good Chests: Slightly better versions of basic weapons
• Rare Chests: Appear at Campfire Level 4+, contain mid-tier weapons
• Gold Chests: Found deep in the forest and Cultist Strongholds, contain high-tier weapons like Morning Star and Tactical Shotgun
• Ruby Chests: The rarest chests, contain end-game weapons like Chainsaw and Tactical Shotgun
• Ice Chests: Found in the snow biome, contain ice-themed weapons
• Infernal Chests: Found in volcanic areas, contain fire-themed weapons
• Hot Chests: Contain fire-related weapons like Crossbow and Wildfire

4. Special Locations and Methods

Cultist Stronghold: This challenging area resets every 20 minutes and offers the best rewards. Complete it regularly for Gold Chests containing top-tier weapons.

Fishing: Some weapons like the Trident can only be obtained through fishing. The Skeleton (Bone) Lake is your best bet.

UFO Crash Sites: Alien weapons like the Laser Sword, Raygun, and Laser Cannon can be found at crashed UFO locations.

Crafting: The Chainsaw can be crafted at the Workshop with specific materials (4 Cultist Gems, 4 Bear Pelts, 2 Alpha Wolf Pelts, 10 Scrap).

5. Event-Exclusive Weapons

Update Party Events: These limited-time events offer exclusive weapons like the Admin Axe and Friendly Gun. Follow the official 99 Nights in the Forest Discord for event announcements.

2026 Pro Strategies for Weapon Management

Early Game Weapon Progression

Day 1-2: Start with your class weapon or Old Axe. Focus on finding a Good Axe from regular chests or the Pelt Trader. Resource gathering should be your priority.

Day 3-5: Upgrade to a Strong Axe or Spear. Look for your first ranged weapon (Revolver or Rifle) from gun cabinets or chests.

Day 6-10: Aim for Gold Chests in the Cultist Stronghold. This is where you’ll find game-changing weapons like the Morning Star and Tactical Shotgun.

Late Game Weapon Optimization

Energy Management: For energy-based weapons (Laser Sword, Raygun, Laser Cannon), keep your Alien Tech Energy charged by collecting Alien Tech items.

Ammo Economy: Stockpile ammo for your best weapons. Revolver Ammo, Rifle Ammo, and Shotgun Ammo can be found in chests, ammo crates, or from defeated cultists.

Weapon Switching: Master the art of quickly switching between melee and ranged weapons. I recommend keeping a high-damage melee weapon and a reliable ranged weapon at all times.

Team Weapon Coordination

In multiplayer games, coordinate with your team to ensure everyone has different weapon types:

• One player with a high-damage melee weapon (Morning Star or Infernal Sword)
• One player with area damage (Flamethrower or Wildfire)
• One player with ranged support (Infernal Crossbow or Tactical Shotgun)
• One player with crowd control (Ice Sword or Blowpipe)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Ignoring the Pelt Trader

Many players skip the Pelt Trader on Day 2, missing out on guaranteed weapon upgrades. Always trade with him when he appears.

2. Hoarding Weapons

You can only carry so many weapons. Don’t hoard lower-tier weapons when you find better ones. Upgrade your arsenal regularly.

3. Neglecting Ammo

Finding a great ranged weapon is useless if you have no ammo. Always pick up ammo when you see it, even if you don’t need it immediately.

4. Forgetting About Special Chests

Many players only check regular chests and miss out on the biome-specific chests (Ice, Infernal, Hot) that contain unique weapons.

5. Not Preparing for the Cultist Stronghold

The Cultist Stronghold offers the best weapons, but many players attempt it unprepared. Make sure you have good weapons, ammo, and healing items before attempting it.

2026 Platform-Specific Weapon Tips

PC Players

• Take advantage of precise aiming for ranged weapons
• Use number keys for quick weapon switching
• Mouse and keyboard gives you better control for melee combat

Mobile Players

• Use auto-aim features for ranged weapons
• Customize your button layout for quick access to weapons
• Consider using a controller for better melee control

Console Players

• Utilize trigger buttons for better weapon control
• Take advantage of vibration feedback for melee attacks
• Use the D-pad for quick weapon switching

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best weapon in 99 Nights in the Forest?

The Admin Axe is technically the best weapon as it one-shots everything except the Mega Cultist. However, it’s only available during special events. For regularly obtainable weapons, the Infernal Crossbow and Cultist King Mace are the top choices.

How do I get the Tactical Shotgun?

The Tactical Shotgun is found in Ruby Chests or the Workshop. Ruby Chests are the rarest and most difficult to find, typically located in the deepest parts of the forest or high-level areas.

What’s the easiest way to get good weapons early game?

Start with the Assassin Class if you can afford it (500 Diamonds). If not, trade with the Pelt Trader on Day 2 for a Good Axe and Spear/Revolver. Then focus on finding Rare Chests once your campfire reaches level 4.

Can you get weapons from fishing?

Yes, the Trident can only be obtained by fishing in the Skeleton (Bone) Lake. It’s a powerful weapon but requires patience and luck to obtain.

Do weapons break in 99 Nights in the Forest?

Most weapons have unlimited durability, but some throwing weapons like Kunai and Ice Shuriken have limited uses before you need to find another one.

What’s the difference between Gold Chests and Ruby Chests?

Gold Chests contain high-tier weapons like the Morning Star and Tactical Shotgun, while Ruby Chests contain the rarest weapons like the Chainsaw and end-game gear. Ruby Chests are significantly harder to find.

How often does the Cultist Stronghold reset?

The Cultist Stronghold resets every 20 minutes, giving you multiple opportunities per game session to complete it and earn Gold Chests with top-tier weapons.

Are there any hidden or secret weapons?

The Admin Axe and Friendly Gun are event-exclusive weapons that aren’t available through normal gameplay. Keep an eye on official announcements for special events where these might be available.

Conclusion: Mastering the Arsenal

Surviving 99 nights in the forest isn’t just about having the best weapons—it’s about knowing how to use them effectively. Throughout this guide, I’ve shared everything I’ve learned from countless nights of trial and error, from the humble Old Axe to the legendary Admin Axe.

Remember that weapon progression in 99 Nights in the Forest is a journey. Start with what you can get, upgrade strategically, and always be on the lookout for better options. The forest is unforgiving, but with the right weapons and knowledge, you can not only survive but thrive.

For more comprehensive guides on 99 Nights in the Forest, check out our complete beginner’s guide, classes tier list, and crafting recipes. And don’t forget to bookmark this page—I’ll be updating it regularly as new weapons are added to the game!

Pro Tip: Join the official 99 Nights in the Forest Discord to stay updated on new weapons, events, and strategies from the community. The developers often drop hints about upcoming content there first!

Now that you’re armed with this knowledge, go forth and conquer the forest. Those missing children won’t rescue themselves, and with the right weapons, nothing can stand in your way. Good luck, survivor!