Money is tight when you are trying to rob a target, fight off enemies, and outrun the police in Runaways, so the weapon you buy has to earn its Credz. The shop stocks 20 weapons split across melee, guns, and special categories, and the gap between the best and worst picks is large. Some cheap options outperform choices that cost ten times as much, which makes it easy to waste cash on the wrong pick.
Quick answer: Buy the Axe (40 damage for $2,000) as your melee, and the Minigun ($20,000) or Grenade Launcher ($10,000) if you can afford heavy firepower. The Machete ($1,700) is the best budget melee. Skip the Crowbar, Pistol, and Knuckles, which all give the worst return for their price.
Full Runaways weapon rankings (S to D)
The table below reflects the current weapon shop as of the August 2026 beta build. Placements weigh raw damage, cost-to-damage efficiency, ammo type, range, and how useful each weapon stays across a full run.
| Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S | Axe, Machete, Grenade Launcher, Minigun |
| A | Mace, RPG-7, Sniper, Flamethrower, M4 |
| B | AK, Bat, MAC, Pan, Shotgun |
| C | Sawed-Off, Revolver, Baton, Knuckles |
| D | Pistol, Crowbar |
Weapon stats and costs by category
Here is the full price and stat reference for every weapon, grouped by how you fight with it. Melee weapons list flat damage, while guns and specials are defined mainly by their ammo type and role.
| Weapon | Type | Cost | Key stat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Axe | Melee | $2,000 | 40 damage |
| Mace | Melee | $2,500 | 22 damage |
| Machete | Melee | $1,700 | 21 damage |
| Baton | Melee | $50,000 | 20 damage |
| Pan | Melee | $1,000 | 18 damage |
| Bat | Melee | $500 | 16 damage |
| Knuckles | Melee | $2,800 | 14 damage |
| Crowbar | Melee | $800 | 8 damage |
| Minigun | Gun | $20,000 | Light ammo, sustained fire |
| Sniper | Gun | $12,000 | Heavy ammo, long range |
| Revolver | Gun | $5,000 | Heavy ammo, single shot |
| M4 | Gun | $5,000 | Light ammo, mid range |
| AK | Gun | $4,500 | Light ammo, mid range |
| Shotgun | Gun | $2,200 | Shotgun ammo, close range |
| MAC | Gun | $2,000 | Light ammo, automatic |
| Sawed-Off | Gun | $1,900 | Shotgun ammo, close range |
| Pistol | Gun | $1,500 | Light ammo |
| Grenade Launcher | Special | $10,000 | Explosive, area damage |
| RPG-7 | Special | $9,000 | Explosive, single target |
| Flamethrower | Special | $7,000 | Fuel ammo, area over time |
Why the S-tier weapons top the list
The Axe is the standout of the whole roster. At 40 damage for $2,000, it deals nearly double the damage of any other melee weapon while staying cheap, which gives it the best damage-per-dollar value in the game. The Machete backs it up as the budget pick, landing 21 damage for just $1,700.
On the ranged side, the Minigun commands its $20,000 price by putting out the highest sustained DPS of any gun, so it rewards players who have farmed enough Credz to afford it. The Grenade Launcher rounds out the top group as the most cost-effective explosive, undercutting the RPG-7 by $1,000 while covering area damage.
A-tier and B-tier value picks
The A tier holds weapons that stay useful deep into a run. The Mace is the second-hardest-hitting melee at 22 damage, though its $2,500 price and lower output keep it behind the Axe. The RPG-7 and Sniper cover heavy single-target and long-range threats, the Flamethrower fills a unique sustained area-of-effect niche for $7,000, and the M4 is the first Light-ammo gun that feels genuinely strong at $5,000.
B tier is where you shop while still building your Credz balance. The AK is a $4,500 near-clone of the M4, the Bat is the cheapest weapon in the game at $500, and the Pan gives melee players a solid 18-damage upgrade for $1,000. The MAC and Shotgun round out the budget ranged options, with the Shotgun trading sustained fire for close-range burst damage.
Weapons to avoid buying
Some weapons cost far more than their output justifies. The Baton is the clearest trap, asking $50,000 for only 20 damage that cheaper melee weapons match or beat. The Knuckles deal just 14 damage for $2,800, giving the worst damage-per-dollar ratio in the melee category, since the Machete offers 7 more damage for $1,100 less.
At the bottom, the Pistol is a $1,500 placeholder gun you replace as soon as possible, and the Crowbar is the weakest weapon overall. It deals only 8 damage for $800, which is half the Bat’s damage at a higher price, so its main value is utility rather than combat.
Where to buy weapons in Runaways
All weapons, ammo, consumables, and heals are purchased before a run from the Weapons Dealer NPC in the spawn lobby. You will find him on the right side of the map, standing at the back of a white truck. The same NPC also lets you create and customize loadouts, so you can lock in your picks before heading out.
These rankings reflect the listed shop stats for the August 2026 beta. Because Runaways is still in beta, prices and weapon stats can shift with future patches, so re-check the shop after any major update before committing your Credz.
