Dead Cellsfeatures a huge array of weapons for players to experiment with, a key feature that combines with the wide range of paths you’re able to take through its myriad biomes to create an experience that feels fresh, whether it’s your first run or your three-hundredth.
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This arsenal gets a considerable expansion in the Return to Castlevania DLC, with the injection of 14 new tools inspired by, and sometimes directly taken from, the world ofKonami’s vampire-slaying series. These range from spiked whips to monster heads, from very useful to not so much; Here’s our ranking for each of them.
14Medusa’s Head
Despite being the trickiest weapon to unlock in Return to Castlevania, Medusa’s Head is among the least effective. It acts like a grenade but takes up a ranged weapon slot, which makes it quite unique as far as Dead Cells weapons go.
It’s also unique in that there’s an element of manual detonation to it that can petrify the enemies caught in its blast, but it’s a bit slow for the high-stakes world of Dead Cells combat and consequently isn’t a weapon you’ll want to prioritize.
13Rebound Stone
An interesting weapon best suited for tightly-packed corridors full of enemies, the Rebound Stone bounces off walls and speeds up as it goes, dealing critical damage if you pass through it during its trip. It’s fairly effective in small spaces but less so in larger rooms, such as those occupied by bosses.
This makes the Rebound Stone very situational: the kind of weapon you might keep in your backpack if you get a good deal on it in a shop, but not the kind you’d build your run around.
12Bible
A humorous subversion of what you might expect from a Bible, this Tactics/Survival weapon lets you literally throw the good book at your foes. It has a two-hit combo, and if you land both hits of it on an enemy, a smaller Bible will start orbiting you, dealing critical damage.
It’s nice to have a meatier option for Tactics builds, but the Bible doesn’t mesh particularly well with that playstyle, and its critical condition can be difficult to achieve, making it one for the bottom of the TBR list.
11Whip Sword
A unique creation that channels the trick weapons of FromSoftware’s seminal 2015 hit Bloodborne, the Whip Sword can switch between a quick short-range sword and a slower long-range whip with the press of a button, dealing critical hits for a short time if you switch right after an attack.
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This gives the weapon a unique rhythm, encouraging switching based on the situation while also encouraging rapid-fire switching to keep up the critical hits. Whichever way you use it, it’s a solid, if underwhelming, new weapon.
10Holy Water
The Holy Water functions just like its counterpart inthe Castlevania series, creating a persistent pool of fire where the thrown water lands. This burns for quite a few seconds, making it an effective means of dealing with enemies in tight corridors and an easy way to apply the fire status to multiple foes.
By itself, it’s not particularly effective. This is due to a long cooldown time and low damage, but it can work well in a dedicated build that incorporates oil-based weapons as well for critical hits.
9Alucard’s Shield
Shields represent the great divide in Dead Cells, with experienced players swearing by them while newer players prefer a more aggressive playstyle. Whichever camp you belong to, Alucard’s Shield can work well, given that it’s a shield that can also perform a melee attack.
This attack deals critical damage if it follows up a parry, incentivizing a measured approach to combat. It’s a powerful weapon held back only by its fairly slow speed of use and the difficulty in mastering the parry mechanic in general.
8Maria’s Cat
A new addition to Dead Cells’ growing menagerie of pets, Maria’s Cat is an accurate representation of cats as a whole in that it mostly wanders about doing what it likes. You can recall it to your shoulder, but for the most part, this pet’s performance comes down to the whims of fate.
This makes Maria’s Cat unreliable, an element that is balanced by its decent damage and ability to inflict the bleed status on foes. In a build that can capitalize on bleed, this is the pet of choice.
7Throwing Axe
While there’s no giant bat to use it on here, the Throwing Axe is still a serviceable weapon in Dead Cells. Moving in a familiar arc through the air and dealing critical damage as it descends, it’s a great weapon against flying foes like Harpies or the ever-irritating Kamikazes.
While the Throwing Axe only has three ammo, that’s enough to rack up consecutive critical hits on larger foes if you learn how to position yourself accordingly. It’s a nice support option in an otherwise melee-focused build.
6Alucard’s Sword
A weapon that combines movement tech with damage, Alucard’s Sword lets you navigate Dead Cells’ various combat scenarios in a new way. If you attack with the sword while a certain distance from an enemy, you’ll be teleported in close for a critical hit.
This lets you close gaps in hectic encounters, likely dodging some attacks in the process. While it can be inconsistent, as the enemy in question needs to be facing you, it’s a unique new option that opens up a distinct playstyle all its own.
5Bat Volley
The Bat Volley unleashes a swarm of bats in a sine-wave motion, flying slowly across the screen. These bats pass through any enemies they damage, dealing critical hits to any they hit beyond the first.
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This makes the Bat Volley ideal for clearing out corridors full of enemies, as you can just release the bats at one end, hang back, and move on once they’ve devoured everything in their path. It’s less effective against bosses, so you may want to swap it out before heading into a big fight.
