In 100 Waves Later, weapon performance separates quickly once enemy density and health climb, especially after Wave 50.
Quick answer: For long runs, prioritize shotguns with pierce (especially Plasma Shotgun and Auto Shotgun), with Gatling Laser as the main non-shotgun alternative.
How weapon tiers work in 100 Waves Later
Weapon tiers are primarily about how long a weapon stays efficient as waves scale. The key breakpoint is late-game survivability, where damage needs to keep up without forcing unsafe positioning or excessive downtime.
- S tier weapons have the output and scaling to support extended runs.
- A tier weapons are powerful but tend to top out earlier.
- B tier weapons can carry early and mid waves but struggle later.
- C and D tier weapons are generally outclassed, especially once waves get dense.
Why shotguns dominate the late-game meta
Shotguns sit at the center of the current meta because they combine high damage with spread and, critically, pierce. That lets one shot convert into multiple kills when enemies are lined up, which is the core requirement for surviving later waves.
Positioning matters because pierce damage improves dramatically when enemies stack in lanes. A common optimization is to line bosses behind crowds so each shot hits the wave and the boss for maximum effective damage.
S-tier weapons
| Weapon | Why it’s S tier | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma Shotgun | Top-end burst plus strong late-wave clearing when pierce and positioning are used correctly. | Often treated as the best overall weapon for long runs. |
| Auto Shotgun | Consistent DPS with shotgun pierce gameplay that stays relevant deep into a run. | Also listed among the very best options for extended waves. |
| Gatling Laser | The strongest alternative for players who don’t want shotguns, with excellent wave clearing potential. | Competes as a top pick when built for sustained damage. |
| Incendiary Shotgun | Shotgun-tier clearing with strong boss performance. | Classed as an Exclusive/Robux weapon; generally only slightly ahead of comparable free options. |
A-tier weapons
| Weapon | Why it’s A tier | Key notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greatsword | Best melee weapon overall, with strong damage and crowd-cleave potential. | Still melee, so survivability and spacing remain the limiting factors late. |
| Pump Shotgun | Strong shotgun foundation that can perform well with upgrades. | Often used early, then replaced by stronger late-game shotguns. |
| Sniper Rifle | High single-shot damage with pierce potential when enemies are lined up. | Similar mindset to shotgun play: positioning is the weapon. |
| Plasma Sword | Solid melee alternative that can function as a bridge to Greatsword. | Most useful when melee is the plan, not as a general late-wave solution. |
| Minigun | Strong sustained fire option behind the top machine-gun pick. | Typically treated as a step down from the best wave-clearing guns. |
B-tier weapons
| Weapon | Where it fits | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma Laser | Viable mid-game gun option and an alternative path if you avoid shotguns. | Generally can’t match the top shotguns and Gatling Laser at the highest waves. |
| Chainsaw | Still a workable melee option. | Not as dominant as it used to be, even with very high hit count. |
| Katana | Early-game melee grind weapon. | Lower ceiling than higher-tier melee and late-game options. |
| Sledgehammer | Melee choice with reach. | Slower tempo makes it harder to stabilize late-wave swarms. |
| Flamethrower | Niche build weapon that can carry early waves. | Falls off hard later, especially into tougher bosses. |
| Plasma Pistol | The standout pistol option, especially for single-target damage. | Pistols remain weak as a category, particularly for crowd control. |
C-tier weapons
| Weapon | Typical use | Why it drops off |
|---|---|---|
| Knife | Mobility-first melee option. | Becomes hard to justify once higher-output melee is unlocked. |
| Auto Rifle | Starter-friendly early gun. | Lower damage pressure into bosses and late-wave density. |
| Semi Auto Rifle | Early progression gun with higher per-shot damage than Auto Rifle. | Still struggles to scale into late waves. |
| Grenade Launcher | Build-dependent explosive option. | Requires strong positioning and a committed build to stay relevant. |
| Hand Cannon | Specialized pick tied to pistol play. | Upgrade costs compete directly with stronger meta choices. |
| Uzi | Early unlock for steady fire. | Damage ceiling is the issue later. |
| Baseball Bat | Cheap early melee. | Outpaced once stronger melee options are available. |
D-tier weapons
| Weapon | What to expect | Key problem |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma Rifle | Can feel fine early. | Scaling falls behind stronger wave-clearing options. |
| MP5 | Early upgrade feel from starter kit. | Poor scaling into later waves. |
| Pistol | Baseline weapon that quickly gets outclassed. | Low damage pressure and weak crowd control compared with meta weapons. |
| Deagle | Slightly better than the Pistol. | Still inefficient compared with alternatives that scale harder. |
| Crowbar | Starter melee stopgap. | Effectively dead weight once you move beyond early waves. |
Exclusive (Robux) weapons in the meta
Exclusive weapons are present, but they aren’t mandatory for long runs. The Incendiary Shotgun is the standout among them, while other exclusives can be more situational. Quad Rifle is commonly treated as a strong Robux pick, but the overall gap versus free-to-play weapons in the same tier is modest.
Freeze Ray is not considered a core meta weapon and tends to be treated as optional even for melee-focused setups.
What “it worked” looks like in practice
You’ll know your weapon choice is scaling when wave clear stays stable without forcing constant retreats or long reload gaps, and bosses don’t stall your run by absorbing full magazines while the wave collapses your space. In late waves, the clearest success signal is that a single shot (or short burst) regularly deletes multiple enemies through pierce alignment.
The hard limit for pistols
Pistols are generally the weakest weapon category for mid-to-late waves, largely because they struggle to solve crowd density. Even when a pistol has respectable single-target damage, the lack of reliable multi-kill conversion makes it difficult to keep space as waves pile up.
