Starfield | Every Shotgun Ranked Worst To Best

Starfield is full of ways to destroy your enemies from energy weapons and shotguns to melee weapons and pistols. Each has its own unique glow to them, and shotguns are no different. There are ten different types of shotguns available in Starfield, and this list will rate them all. In terms of how this list was put together, we kept damage and ease of access in mind. While every shotgun will get the job done, not all are created equally!

When traversing through space, keep in mind that shotgun ammunition ranges from the cheapest caseless shell all the way to the much rarer and more expensive 12 gauge round. Keeping this in mind, shotguns are a great way to dispatch your enemies when they get too close. If you want to make your weapons better, the shotgun expert perk as well as the ballistics weapons perk can make shotguns far better. Finally, if you want to make the most of shotguns, keep in mind that mobility and aggressiveness are key!

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Riot Shotgun

Starting off our list of shotguns is arguably the worst in the group, the Riot Shotgun. This weapon is a specialty shotgun that utilizes EM damage over physical. This means that its primary duty is to stun and incapacitate targets rather than kill them. Seeing as it’s a shotgun, this means you’re going to have an incredibly limited range with this weapon the entire time you use it. Along with the fact that this weapon can only be purchased from a vendor, it is exceedingly hard to justify buying it. In order to unlock this weapon you’ll need to complete the “Start-Up Stopped” quest in Cydonia. Once done, you can purchase the weapon from Jane Weller in her shop.

The Riot Shotgun deals 26 electromagnetic damage per shot, using the 15×25 CLL shell. Being able to have eight modifications added to the weapon, you’ll be able to upgrade it significantly. Unfortunately, it only has a range of 22, making it one of the most close-quarters items in the game short of melee. With a magazine of six, you’ll need to constantly keep the enemy at bay while risking a reload. The special effect the weapon has besides EM damage is concussive. Concussive has a chance of knowing down a target! Because of this, the weapon is at least good at stopping oncoming aliens from mauling you.

Riot Shotgun

Shotty

The Shotty is a standard variety of compact shotguns available in Starfield. As a weapon, it’s great for breaching and clearing tight spaces but has relatively weak damage and range. What it lacks in damage per shot it makes up for in shots per minute. Shottys are a great short recoil weapon that can deliver a lot of rounds down range quickly, so long as they are close by.  You can acquire the Shotty variety of shotguns by killing spacer scum across the galaxy. Once acquired they have a sale value of 7368 credits, making them a great means of making a profit. The thing that makes these shotguns terrible is that they fall behind compared to other weapons on this list. Fortunately, the specialty version of the Shotty is farther up on the list. 

The Shotty deals 60 physical damage per shot, utilizing the caseless shell ammunition type. Because of this, it’s able to have a faster fire rate at the cost of range. In that regard, the weapon has a range of 20 and a fire rate of 60. With its twelve-round magazine, this means you could get off five magazines a minute compared to other weapons on this list. You can further modify this weapon with the right attachments to make it more suitable for combat. Overall the Shotty is a great weapon to collect and sell because of the low 2.95 mass weight. 

Shotty

Coachman

Next on the list is the Coachman, a double-barrel shotgun that found itself in the galaxy of Starfield. As a personal defense weapon, it has quite a bit of range and damage compared to the previous two options. However because it is a double-barrel weapon, there is very limited ammunition per reload. That being said, reloading the double-barrel Coachman is far quicker than some of the other weapons in this game. Dealing with basic physical damage early on, the Coachman is one of the best options for dispatching powerful enemies. Besides the shape of the weapon having more rectangular angles, nothing has really changed from today’s double barrels. 

The Coachman deals physical damage upwards of 62 per shot, using the caseless shell. Because it has a limited ammunition capacity it can only have seven modifications added to it. Being looted off of enemies or bought at most vendors, Coachman shotguns are one of the most common weapons in the galaxy. It’s important to note that between the Coachman and the shotty, the Coachman will dispatch enemies far quicker. In that regard though, a Shotty will clear more enemies than a Coachman. Because of this, it’s important to consider what you want out of your weapon, its fire rate, or damage. Because these weapons only sell for under 2k credits, they aren’t really worth collecting or selling, unless you’re just starting out. 

Coachman

Pacifier

Next on our list is a semi-automatic magazine-fed shotgun called the Pacifier. This weapon is excellent for breaching ships and abandoned areas, as well as dispatching aliens. The decent damage it deals is well above the previous contenders as it tries to service itself as a policing shotgun. Pacifier shotguns are incredibly potent when you’re just starting out because of their decent fire rate to magazine capacity. While they have enough firepower to serve as a main shotgun for quite some time, they also sell for around 4590 credits. Fortunately, these shotguns are common across the galaxy, being able to not only be bought at vendors but loot off enemies. 

Pacifiers are a standard variety of shotgun that deals around 71 damage with a shot. Carrying seven rounds of 15×25 CLL shotgun shells, the weapon can be relatively expensive to load. These weapons are slightly inaccurate and have a limited range; meaning it takes quite a bit of up close and personal fighting to get the effect you want. Fortunately, at 2.75 mass weight, they’re worth collecting to sell to vendors for a neat profit! Just remember that when using these weapons, they burn through ammunition quickly given their fast reload rate.

Pacifier

Old Earth Shotgun

In terms of shotguns to consider as a main arm, the old Earth shotgun is one of the better damage-wise. Being a normal shotgun, it has all of the perks of being found in multiple parts of the galaxy. The only downside to this weapon is that you’ll need to keep a firm supply of 12 gauge shotgun shells on your person which can be hard to find. Along with this hard-to-find ammunition type, the old earth shotgun has a very limited fire rate that leaves it falling short. In terms of everything else, it’s practically no different from other weapons higher on the list. Being worth around three thousand credits and being a heavy weapon, they aren’t really worth collecting or selling.

Dealing 88 physical damage using the before mentioned 12 gauge shotgun shell, they’re great for taking out enemies. Unfortunately, it can only have five weapon modifications and has a maximum capacity of six shots. When paired with their low fire rate, and above-average accuracy, the old earth shotgun is a great choice for anyone starting out. Because of this, you can use the weapon to great effect against spacers and crimson fleet members, but later in the game, it will start to fall off. Just remember the most important issue with old earth shotguns is their ammunition type, being both rare and costing a fortune. 

Old Earth Shotgun

Brute Force

Brute Force is a specialized version of the Pacifier shotgun capable of being acquired by Running the Red Mile. After doing so you’ll be given this unique shotgun which has all of the standard modifications of the Pacifier. While Brute Force is a specialized weapon that is quest unlocked, it has a lot of the same issues as the basic Pacifier shotgun. Weighing more than the standard Pacifier as well as being worth more, this specialty gun is good for any collection. The only downside to this weapon is that it really doesn’t compare to the better ones on this list. Finally, you can discern this weapon from the standard variety with its stock and dark coloration. 

Brute force deals 90 physical damage using the 15×25 CLL shotgun shells like its standard variety. This will have a lot of the same features besides a better accuracy rate and slightly more damage. Unfortunately, Brute Force has a significantly lower range than other shotguns on this list making it an extremely close-range weapon. It can have six modifications added to it, along with coming with the bashing perk. The bashing perk deals double damage when you bash enemies with your gun. Ultimately Brute Force is an excellent ship-breaching weapon and an awesome quest reward for the Red Mile!

Brute Force

Boom Boom

Boom Boom is the special variety of the Shotty shotgun type. This weapon is significantly better than the standard Shotty weapon for a number of reasons including damage and ammunition capacity. Boom Boom can be bought at Neon Tactical in Neon City. It will run you just under 20 thousand credits but is well worth the price for what you’re getting. Once acquired, everything that makes the Shotty terrible becomes an immediate boon to the Boom Boom. To make this weapon have the best time, make sure to get the maximum effective range before unloading it onto the enemy. 

Running for a cool 99 physical damage shots, this weapon alternates between standard and explosive ammunition. Using a 20-round magazine, you really get the most out of the caseless shell ammunition type. To go along with this the Boom Boom shotgun has been given extended range at the cost of lower accuracy. However, due to the explosive nature of the ammunition, you will have no issues taking out enemies with this powerful weapon. Finally, the thing to keep in mind when using the boom is that it can deal splash damage back to the player. For this reason, always keep yourself at the farthest distance from your enemies while shooting. 

Boom Boom

Rapidshot

The Rapidshot shotgun is a specialty variety of the standard heavy shotgun. It’s along the same lines as the riot Shotgun, being heavy, except having far more damage. Being acquired at U.C. distribution, this weapon will set you back by about 23 thousand credits. Once acquired though, you’ll have one of the most brutal specialty shotguns available. Being a weapon you can get early on in the game, the Rapidshot is capable of carrying you most of the game. Because of this, every new player should acquire it despite the heavyweight and expensive ammunition type. 

Rapidshot is capable of dealing 99 physical damage per shot, being greatly more aggressive than the standard shotgun type. Using the 15×25 CLL shotgun shell, you’ll have to keep a relatively common but expensive ammunition type on hand. This shotgun can carry 6 rounds per magazine, with an 18-round per minute fire rate. Having a decent range of 24, the Rapidshot makes itself more useful given the extended fire rate. The Rapidshot shotgun gets 25 percent more rounds than the standard shotgun as an ability. Overall, if you’re looking for a weapon that deals a lot of damage and ends enemies quickly, the Rapidshot is for you.

Rapidshot

Breach

Breach is another special variety of shotguns that can be acquired by killing an enemy. In this case, you’ll need to take out an ecliptic commandant who will be carrying the weapon mentioned. Breach is a high-damage shotgun with no additional effects, being considered one of two of the highest-damage weapons. While a breach can be found on one enemy, it will be randomly generated across different locations which allows you to get multiple. Once found, you’ll be able to wreck most opponents that come your way due to the hefty firepower it offers. Breach seems to imply that this weapon was preferred to clearing ships than it was in open warfare. To that effect, this weapon is more than perfect for getting yourself a brand-new vessel!

The Breach shotgun uses 15×25 CLL shells the same as many other shotguns of its type. Dealing 119 damage per shot, this can be excessively useful when dealing with enemies up close. Breach has the same range and modification abilities as the other shotguns in its class, however, it has a lower fire rate. This weapon is a heavy shotgun designed to drop enemies with one shot, or two at the most. Because of this, you’ll be better off leading with this weapon, and having a backup when the ammo runs dry. 

-source: ReapeeRon

Experiment A-7

The best shotgun on our list is easily the Experiment A-7, though it’s also one of the weirdest to get. Being available by completing a persuasion check with Ethan during the Entangled side quest. By asking him if there are scorpions native to the area, he will give you a unique shotgun that’s great against aliens. Being the same shotgun type as the Breach and the Rapidshot, this weapon is notable for being heavy and aggressive. Because this weapon is only unlocked via a dialogue option, it’s very easy to completely pass by it while doing your quests. However, if acquired, you will have access to a weapon that can shred some of the strongest aliens in the game quickly.

The Experiment A-7 shotgun deals 119 physical damage, with an additional 30 percent to any alien it’s used against. Using the 15×25 CLL shotgun shell, this weapon can be fed quickly and easily so long as you have credits to spend on ammunition. It weighs less than any of the other heavy shotguns at 6.90 mass and is worth around 15 thousand credits. It has the same range, fire rate, and accuracy as the rest of the heavy shotguns as well, being notable for dealing more with aliens. In truth, if you are dealing with any of the Xenos threats in the galaxy, you’ll want this shotgun by your side to protect you!

The Experiment A-7 is the best shotgun in Starfield due to the fact it deals a high amount of damage with bonus percentages against aliens.

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