Quick Guide
- Soulbound Online features Swords, Greatswords, and Heavy Weapons, each with unique combat styles.
- Weapon choice impacts your "relic pool," determining crucial in-dungeon upgrade options.
- Prioritize weapons that align with your preferred playstyle and desired build synergy.
- Upgrade your weapons for permanent power boosts and customize their look with cosmetics.
Stepping into the world of Soulbound: Online, you'll quickly realize that your weapon choice is more than just a damage number. It's the foundation of your playstyle, dictating how you engage enemies and influencing the very upgrades you'll find within dungeons. This comprehensive Soulbound Online Steam weapons guide will walk you through the different weapon types, how they impact your progression, and essential tips for making the best choices for your character.
Understanding your weapon options early on is crucial for success in this roguelike MMO. Whether you prefer swift strikes or devastating blows, knowing how each weapon integrates with the game's unique systems will give you a significant edge.
Understanding Weapons in Soulbound Online
In Soulbound: Online, your weapon is your primary means of dealing damage to the myriad foes you'll encounter. Unlike traditional MMOs where gear is often a straightforward stat increase, weapons here offer a deeper layer of strategic choice. They're not just about raw power; they're about defining your combat identity.
You'll acquire weapons through various methods as you play: forging them yourself, earning them as drops from defeated enemies, or discovering them hidden in chests throughout dungeons and the overworld. Each weapon contributes to your character's overall stats and power, but their true impact extends to the "relic pool" system, which we'll explore shortly. Remember, while you gain temporary levels and upgrades within dungeon runs, the equipment you earn, including weapons, is what permanently improves your character outside these runs.
Choosing Your Weapon Type: Swords, Greatswords, and Heavy Weapons
Soulbound: Online offers three distinct weapon types, each catering to different combat preferences. Your choice here should align with your desired playstyle and how you envision tackling enemy encounters.
Swords: Swift Strikes
Swords are designed for players who favor speed and frequent damage. They strike in a wide arc, allowing for quick, successive hits that can keep enemies pressured. If you enjoy agile combat, weaving in and out of engagements, and consistently applying damage, a sword might be your ideal choice. Their rapid attack speed can be particularly effective for triggering on-hit effects or maintaining consistent DPS against single targets or small groups.
Greatswords: Powerful Reach
For those who prefer slower, more deliberate, yet impactful attacks, Greatswords are the answer. These formidable weapons deliver generally more powerful blows and boast a longer reach, attacking in a straight line. While their attack speed is reduced compared to swords, the sheer force behind each swing can stagger enemies and clear paths more effectively. Greatswords are excellent for players who value burst damage and controlling larger enemy formations from a slight distance.
Heavy Weapons (Hammers or Axes): Ground Pounders
Heavy Weapons, such as Hammers and Axes, are all about area-of-effect damage and control. When you wield one of these, you'll pound the ground, creating a reverberating effect that leaves behind aftershock damage. This makes them perfect for players who love to get up close and personal, dealing damage to multiple enemies simultaneously. If you enjoy disrupting enemy formations and dishing out widespread destruction, Heavy Weapons will feel right at home.
Don't just look at the damage numbers when picking a weapon.
Consider how the weapon's attack pattern and reach complement your preferred combat style and the types of enemies you frequently face. Experimenting with each type early on can help you discover what feels best.
The Relic Pool: Beyond Raw Damage
One of the most innovative aspects of Soulbound: Online's weapon system is the "relic pool." This feature significantly deepens the strategic importance of your weapon choice. Each weapon type, much like abilities, comes with its own unique relic pool.
When you level up inside a dungeon, you'll be presented with a selection of upgrade options, or "relics." These relics are drawn directly from the relic pools of your equipped weapons and abilities. This means that the weapon you choose doesn't just change how you attack; it changes what upgrades you'll have access to during a dungeon run.
For instance, a sword might offer relics that enhance attack speed or critical hit chance, while a heavy weapon might provide relics that boost area damage or stun effects. This dynamic system ensures that every dungeon run feels distinct, as your build can evolve dramatically based on the relics you choose, which are themselves influenced by your starting weapon. Therefore, when selecting a weapon, think about the potential relic synergies and how they align with your desired temporary build within the dungeon.
Weapon Progression & Customization
Beyond simply choosing a weapon type, Soulbound: Online offers avenues for both permanent progression and aesthetic customization.
Weapons can be upgraded to increase their rarity and effectiveness, making them more powerful for your permanent character progression outside of dungeon runs. This upgrading process often requires materials, which you'll gather through the game's life skills like mining, foraging, and planting. Engaging in these life skills is essential for crafting and upgrading your gear, including your weapons.
The game also features a robust cosmetic system. You can equip two sets of gear: one for its stats and another for its appearance. This allows you to maintain your optimal combat statistics while still showcasing your unique style.
Equipping cosmetic weapons has a specific nuance:
- Place the weapon you want for its stats into the regular "Gear slot."
- To equip a cosmetic weapon of a different type than your stat weapon, you must first have a placeholder weapon of the same type as the cosmetic in your inventory.
- Then, place this placeholder weapon into the "Gear slot."
- Finally, put the desired cosmetic weapon into the "Cosmetic slot."
- You can also right-click a weapon in your bag and choose "Equip" for direct equipping.
Early Game Weapon Acquisition & Tips
As you begin your journey in Soulbound: Online, you'll find common weapons available from various sources. These early options are perfect for testing out different playstyles without a significant investment.
Here's a look at some entry-level weapons and where you might find them:
| Weapon Type | Weapon Name | Level | Rarity | Acquisition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swords | Dull Katana | 1 | Common | Viper (Public) |
| Swords | Simple Katana | 2 | Common | Farok (Public) |
| Greatswords | Crooked Bat | 1 | Common | Viper (Arcadia) |
| Greatswords | Chainsaw | 2 | Common | Dungeon Chest Loot |
| Hammers & Axes | Dull Hammer | 1 | Common | Viper (Arcadia) |
| Hammers & Axes | Refined Hammer | 3 | Common | Crafting Table (Arcadia) |
- Viper and Farok appear to be early-game locations or vendors where you can acquire basic weapons.
- Dungeon Chest Loot is a common source for new gear as you complete runs.
- The Crafting Table offers another avenue, especially for upgrading or acquiring specific weapon types like the Refined Hammer.
Don't be afraid to experiment with these initial weapons. Understanding the feel of each weapon type—Swords, Greatswords, and Heavy Weapons—will be invaluable as you progress. Your early weapon choices in Soulbound: Online on Steam will lay the groundwork for your long-term character build and preferred combat strategies. For more details on the game and its mechanics, be sure to check out the official Soulbound: Online Steam page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the main weapon types in Soulbound: Online?
A: Soulbound: Online features three primary weapon types: Swords (fast, arc strikes), Greatswords (slower, powerful line attacks), and Heavy Weapons like Hammers or Axes (area-of-effect with aftershock damage).
Q: How does my weapon choice affect dungeon runs?
A: Your chosen weapon type influences its unique "relic pool." This pool determines the upgrade options, or relics, you'll encounter and choose from when leveling up inside a dungeon, significantly impacting your temporary build for that run.
Q: Can I change the appearance of my Soulbound Online weapon without changing its stats?
A: Yes, Soulbound: Online has a cosmetic system. You can equip a weapon for its stats in the "Gear slot" and a different weapon for its appearance in the "Cosmetic slot." There's a specific method for equipping cosmetic weapons of a different type than your stat weapon.
Q: Where can I find new weapons in Soulbound: Online?
A: Weapons can be found as drops from enemies, in dungeon chests, forged at crafting tables using materials from life skills, or acquired from early-game vendors or locations like Viper and Farok.