The beginning of an RPG can often be the most challenging. You will have a large variety of mechanics and systems that will be introduced in the opening hours. Trying to absorb all of this information as well as completing your first quests can be daunting. The last thing you want to do is waste your time to figure out what the best weapon is early on in an RPG. Starfield is no different than any other previous RPG. There are some just awful weapons early on but there are a few hidden gems that will help you out on your early adventures. Here are 3 weapons that you will find early on in Starfield that are worth your time to keep with you and upgrade as you explore through space.
Equinox
In past Bethesda games, I typically avoided laser weapons. They simply did not have the damage output or “feel” fun to shoot and use in combat. The Equinox quickly changed my mind on this. With its precise high damage output with a decent rate of fire. There is not likely a rifle early on in Starfield that rivals the Equinox. Not only is it a strong contender for both mid-range and long-range encounters, it is super common to find throughout the colonies. Most of the Ecliptic mercenaries that you will encounter will likely be using either Grendels or Equinox’s. This makes the weapon easy to come by early on, and you will always have plenty of ammo for it as well.
The one weakness of Equinox is in close-range scenarios it is easy to get outgunned and overwhelmed by enemies using SMGs, shotguns, or even melee weapons. If you combo the Equinox with a shotgun like the Coachman you will be able to fight at any range.
Coachman
Shotguns are a powerful tool especially when you are clearing enemy ships of their crew. Early on in Starfield, there is no better shotgun than the Coachman. You will likely find one early on in the main quest while looking for Vanguard Moara. While it may be limited in terms of its rate of fire because of it being a double-barrel profile. It has some of the best damage output of any of the early weapons. Two shots from the Coachman at close range will likely spell the end to any Space Pirate you encounter. That is even without investing any skill points into the Shotgun perk. If you want even more devastating results throw 2 skill points into the shotgun perk, and unleash close-ranged chaos.
The only downside to the Coachman is that the range is fairly limited, in order to deal out massive damage you will need to be very close. Finding cover in order to safely reload is also very important. However, you will not find a better close-range devastator early on in Starfield.
Sidestar
There are a wide variety of pistols you will find early on in Starfield. However, one of the best ones early on is the Sidestar. It uses .27 caliber rounds which are quite common throughout your adventures, as many Space Pirates rely on the Sidestar as a sidearm. It also packs a 17-round magazine which is one of the best standard capacities on a handgun. It has very low recoil overall and with its large magazine, it is quite easy to dispatch multiple enemies before having to reload. The Sidestar is also highly customizable and if you invest skill points into crafting early on you will be able to make a killer stealth weapon.
Throughout my time with Starfield so far, there are very few guns as reliable as the Sidestar. It has good range, and very easily controlled recoil no matter if you play on a controller or mouse and keyboard. As you begin your journey, I highly recommend keeping an eye out for this pistol.
What are your favorite weapons in Starfield? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to check out our review in progress for Starfield here.
