Orcs Must Die! 3 is the long-awaited successor to the award-winning Orcs Must Die! series. This game implements everything that a normal tower defense game has but also lets players fight head-on those hordes of enemies through third-person combat.
In this guide, I will go over the best weapons in the game, in Orcs Must Die 3. Traps are all well and good, but sometimes they will not be enough. A few stragglers may pass through and then what.
The game gives players the option to either wait patiently in the back, or they have the option to stand there in the frontlines weapon in hand ready to take on the Orc hordes.
There are some weapons that players collectively agree on, amazing I know, that these weapons are the best weapon you can use in the game to complement your trap setup.
- Arcane Staff
- Blunderbuss
- Crossbow
- Magic Longbow
- Scepter Of Domination
- Wind Belt
If you are trying to form a strategy before going into the game, check out our guide on the best traps in the game, in Orcs Must Die 3.
Orcs Must Die 3: Weapons Archive
In Orcs Must Die 3 the game has 15 different weapon options for players to get their hands on, and try out.
From long range to close range, each with its own two unique promotions players can choose from. Much like the traps, players can only choose one unique upgrade at a time.
| Weapons | Damage (Primary) | Damage (Secondary) |
| Arcane Staff | Arcane | Arcane |
| Alchemist Satchel | None | Acid |
| Broadsword | Physical | Lightning |
| Bladestaff | Physical | Physical |
| Blunderbuss | Physical | Physical/Ice |
| Chain Lightning Staff | Lightning | Lightning |
| Crossbow | Physical | None |
| Dwarven Warhammer | Physical | Physical |
| Elven Shortswords | Physical | Physical |
| Flame Bracers | Fire | Fire |
| Ice Amulet | Ice | Ice |
| Magic Longbow | Physical | Physical |
| Scepter of Domination | Arcane | Charm |
| Stone Staff | Physical | Stone |
| Wind Belt | Physical | Physical |
Now that you know what weapons you have at your disposal, let’s go over the best weapons, in Orcs Must Die 3.
Orcs Must Die 3: Best Weapons to Use
These weapons are in no particular order. They all fill their role extremely well, and they will complement your traps when going up against the Orc hordes.
Arcane Staff
Unlock Requirments:
- It costs 5 Skulls to unlock this weapon
Unique Upgrades:
- Increased Secondary Radius
- Reduce mana costs
The Arcane Staff launches a long-range attack, with the secondary fire dropping arcane projectiles in an area around the player.
This weapon is effective at spamming the living daylights out of the stragglers that pass through your traps. Choosing the reduced mana cost upgrade could help you spam more orbs at enemies.
Blunderbuss
Unlock Requirments:
- This weapon is a starter weapon in the game.
Unique Upgrades:
- Secondary freezes enemies. No damage or knockback (3-second freeze)
- Increases Secondary damage and explosion
The Blunderbuss is a short-range weapon, that fires a four-shot burst. The secondary fire is a medium-range grenade attack.
The freeze upgrade is very good, considering the smaller range of the shotgun. Also, when you freeze the enemies you will be able to move around, get into a better position, and blast them with the secondary fire.
Crossbow
Unlock Requirments:
- Unlocks after the map Order Temple is completed
Unique Upgrades:
- Headshot kills trigger explosions damaging enemies
- Enemies stunned by Secondary take increased damage
The Crossbow offers long-range attack. Its secondary fire offers a 3-second stun to enemies hit.
When it comes to high attack speed and high headshot percentage this weapon is for you, especially if you prefer to stay back. This weapon makes you feel like a sniper picking enemies off from a safe distance.
Magic Longbow
Unlock Requirments:
- This weapon is a starter weapon in the game.
Unique Upgrades:
- Primary attack bleeds enemies hit
- Secondary fires burst in a straight line
The Magic Longbow is a long-range weapon, that its attacks penetrate through to more enemies. Its secondary fire offers a 3-stage, charged multi-shot.
Dealing damage to multiple enemies thanks to the shot-penetrating abilities can prove quite useful since enemies most often than not group together. This weapon truly shines when used with traps that slow down or freeze enemies.
Scepter Of Domination
Unlock Requirments:
- Unlocks after the map Order Temple is completed
Unique Upgrades:
- Increase secondary charm duration
- Increase fully charged primary explosion radius
The Scepter of Domination is a long-range weapon that launches 3-stage, charged arcane attacks. Its secondary fire offers a charm secondary effect.
Spam-clicking the primary attack lets you have an endless amount of damage dealing with enemies. You can even charge your shots to make them explode and send Orcs back. Coupled with the charm debuff that makes enemies attack their own.
Wind Belt
Unlock Requirments:
- It costs 5 Skulls to unlock this weapon
Unique Upgrades:
- Increase knockback force
- Enemies thrown by secondary attack explode
The Wind Belt is a short-range weapon with excellent crowd-control capabilities. Its primary fire is an AOE attack that pushes enemies back, while the secondary attack can be used to pick up light and heavy enemies.
You can use this weapon to push enemies back into the traps that let them escape. More important since the game is a co-op multiplayer, you can also count on your teammates to finish off enemies you send flying around.
Final Thoughts
Weapons play a major role in how players tackle challenges along with the traps they set down. No matter how well-prepared you think you are, Orcs will always manage to pass through the cracks.
If you want to try out your horror threshold, check out our guide on how long does it take to beat, Amnesia: the Bunker.
Now that you know the best weapons in the game, in Orcs Must Die 3, let us all know in the comments down below which weapons you think are worth it, and which ones you enjoy using the most.
With thousands of hours played on Nintendo systems since the original Gameboy, Nikiforos is happy to share his endless passion for Nintendo franchises and everything he can get his hands on.
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