Watch Dogs 2 Best Weapons & How To Unlock Them

Key Takeaways

• Swapping protagonist to Marcus in
  Watch Dogs 2
  improved gameplay and creativity.
• Best weapons include Paintball Rifle, HHoS Rifle, and 2EZ for varied playstyles.
• Weapons like Thunder Ball and Zero Day Rifle offer unique perks but vary in cost.

Ubisoft had a lot of goodwill to earn back after the lackluster release of Watch Dogs given all the hype that surrounded its pre-launch promotion. That put a ton of pressure on Watch Dogs 2 to redeem a franchise that its publisher once hoped would rival Assassin’s Creed. One of the ways they went about this is swapping the game’s protagonist from John Wick-style Aiden Pierce to a more stealth-focused everyman in Marcus Holloway.

The stealth focus did wonders for the gameplay of Watch Dogs 2. Marcus is a more defenseless character than Aiden was, but the trade-off is his ability to manipulate his environment in more complex ways. When combined with the sequel’s level design that encourages player creativity, Watch Dogs 2 feels like a revolution in how good this series can be. However, when a mission goes south, combat becomes a necessity, and Marcus can be outfitted with an array of unique weaponry to fight back when things get loud. Here are the best weapons in Watch Dogs 2, and how much they cost to acquire.

Updated on November 7th, 2024, by Evan Regan: With Ubisoft still pumping out Watch Dogs content in the form of books, a feature-length film announcement, and a crossover with their other major franchises in XDefiant, it would appear that the developer still thinks very highly of the franchise, even if the announcement of a fourth video game entry has yet to materialize. As it stands, Watch Dogs 2 remains the pinnacle of the series, with Marcus’ adventure offering up a perfect blend of open-world action and tech-focused stealth gameplay. While fans wait for news on the franchise’s future, this list has been updated to feature a few more of the best weapons in Marcus’ arsenal.

12 Paintball Rifle (Non-Lethal)

Paint A Pretty Picture

• Cost: Free (available with the No Compromise DLC)

Is the Paintball Rifle a top gun in Watch Dogs 2 when it comes to high-difficulty or PvP play? No, but it deserves its laurels because, for better or worse, it’s the most visually exciting non-lethal weapon in the game. It’s also free as soon as players get access to the No Compromises DLC.

What makes this weapon so great is that it operates like a paintball gun, so any missed shots will paint surrounding surfaces in a bright array of color. As a non-lethal weapon, it’s perfectly serviceable—although there are better options out there—but as a non-lethal weapon with a bit of spectacle, it’s unmatched.

11 HHoS Rifle (Lethal)

Nothing Wrong With A Classic

The HHoS Rifle is the “default” lethal rifle in Watch Dogs 2. While Marcus’ signature weapons are the 2EZ stun gun and the Thunder Ball, as far as a cut-and-dry “gun” goes, his go-to seems to be the HHoS. It can be 3D printed for $86,400, which is a bit pricey for the gun’s overall value.

Given that it’s the default rifle in Watch Dogs 2, the HHoS doesn’t really shine in any particular area, but holds its own in every important category. It has a solid 30-round magazine, and deals consistent damage, even if its fire rate is a bit low compared to other rifles. It’s the default for a reason; a jack of all trades that doesn’t really stand out, but won’t let any player down in a firefight either.

10 2EZ (Non-Lethal)

As Easy As It Sounds

• Cost: Free (available by default at the start of the game)

Arguably the most widely-applicable weapon in Watch Dogs 2, Marcus’ Stun Gun—nicknamed the “2EZ“—is one of the most effective non-lethal weapons in the whole game. It can put down most standard enemies silently and from range and preserves a pacifist approach to the campaign that fits best with the tone of Marcus’ narrative.

Going further in earning its nickname, the 2EZ does not need to be purchased. It’s a part of Marcus’ arsenal right from the game’s first mission, seemingly never runs out of ammo (although it does need to briefly recharge after firing), and can carry players through the whole campaign if they so choose.

9 Help Desk Denial Pistol (Lethal)

An Uzi In These Trying Times

Not interested in non-lethal play? The Help Desk Denial Pistol has got the other end of the spectrum covered. Similar to the generic 4N00bs Pistol but fully automatic, this pistol is Watch Dogs 2’s equivalent of an uzi; short range, high fire rate, smaller magazine, and fast reloads.

This is a unique sidearm, so it isn’t cheap, but it can be 3D printed at the DedSec hideout. It costs $45,900, making it one of the cheaper unique weapons in the game, and for the right play style, it’s absolutely worth the investment with how much havoc it can wreak.

8 CTRL-ALT-DEL Launcher (Lethal)

The Opposite Of Stealthy

Being able to shoot down individual grunts is great, but what about when a high-speed chase breaks out? Sometimes, Marcus will need to get the cops off his tail. For Those situations, the CTRL-ALT-DEL Launcher is the perfect tool. This deadly-accurate grenade launcher can take out a vehicle in a single shot, and if timed right, will set off a chain reaction of vehicle explosions that can eliminate an entire group of pursuing enemies.

Unlike the Help Desk Pistol, this launcher doesn’t come cheap. It’ll cost players $105,300 at the 3D printer to get access to it, but in exchange, players will get a force of pure destruction. Also, the gun looks like a shark. How cool is that?

7 DOT_FILE Rifle (Lethal)

Making Money Is Easy

After all this talk about how expensive these guns can be, it might be nice to have a gun that earns money by using it. Enter: the DOT_FILE Rifle, a burst-fire assault rifle equipped with Smart Hack bullets. These bullets will hack any enemies killed by the rifle that fired them, earning the player money with each kill. When using a lethal playstyle, this weapon will stack up currency very quickly.

The DOT_FILE Rifle will cost players $43,200 at the 3D Printer. It’s one of the cheaper options that will appear on this list, and it earns back the cost of its purchase within a few missions.

6 Goodbye, World Shotgun (Lethal)

Time To Say Goodbye

There aren’t many better feelings in gaming than a good shotgun. Fully embracing that idea in Watch Dogs 2 is the Goodbye, World Shotgun, a fully automatic short-range weapon with a huge magazine and an extra-wide spread on its shots. There isn’t another weapon in the game that allows Marcus to walk through a crowd of enemies more easily than this shotgun.

There is a huge risk-reward caveat to this weapon, however. Marcus does not have a lot of health, so going loud at close range can get him killed very quickly if players aren’t careful with their positioning. With that in mind, the price tag of this shotgun is $43,200, and it provides a nice contrast to the DOT_FILE Rifle for the same cost.

5 Zero Day Rifle (Lethal)

Suppressed Sniping For Long-Range Stealth

Almost all the weapons discussed so far involve going into combat encounters guns blazing. The Zero Day Rifle is the game’s best option for maintaining a lethal approach but combining it with stealth. This rifle comes with a built-in suppressor and a Smart Scope, making it perfect for stealthy long-range approaches. Despite the silencer, the Zero Day Rifle still does enough damage to be used as a standard assault rifle, so if things do get loud, players won’t need to scramble to switch weapons.

Here’s the catch, the Zero Day Rifle comes in at a whopping $99,900 pricetag at the 3D printer, meaning players will need to save up for a while or get a ton of use out of the DOT_FILE Rifle to be able to unlock it.

4 Thunder Ball (Non-Lethal)

Marcus’ Iconic Weapon Is Both Brutal And Non-Lethal

• Cost: Free (available by default at the start of the game)

The only melee-focused weapon in Watch Dogs 2, the Thunder Ball is virtually unmatched in its versatility. Players will most frequently employ it by performing stealth takedowns on unaware enemies and is especially effective when combined with the Create Distraction skill, which can prevent enemies from spotting Marcus as he approaches. However, it can also be used as an offensive weapon outside of stealth to quickly knock out lone enemies before they can raise their guns. It also allows players to quickly take out attacking security dogs, one of the most troublesome enemies in the game.

Making all these factors even better is that the Thunder Ball comes completely free. Marcus will have access to it from the first mission, just like the 2EZ stun gun. The Thunder Ball will make up the melee part of his arsenal for the entire campaign, and it’ll do a great job of it. It also has some fantastic animations making for brutally satisfying takedowns.

3 WTB Stun Launcher (Non-Lethal)

Pricey, But Makes Stealth A Cakewalk

It’s hard to imagine a grenade launcher also acting as a stealth weapon, but here we are. The WTB Stun Launcher uses a modified version of the 2EZ’s stun charges to create an explosion of volts that will stun enemies, and disable vehicles, but won’t set off any collateral explosions as a result.

There are two downsides: First, it has an extremely slow rate of fire, meaning a missed shot can be costly. Second, it costs $118,800 to 3D print. It is, by a wide margin, the most expensive weapon in the game, but given how it can somewhat trivialize the stealthy approach, that’s not without reason.

2 YourBoySerge Sniper (Lethal)

A Single Shot Will Take Out Enemies And Even Cars

In terms of raw power, this sniper may be the best in the game. The YourBoySerge Snipercan disable any car and kill the majority of enemies with a single shot, and it can even shoot through walls. If that’s not enough, it also has an exceptional rate of fire, allowing it to be wielded as a standard rifle at medium range with ease.

Considering all these perks, the price tag for this weapon—a meager $70,200—is almost laughable. The only downside (if it is one at all) is that it’s utterly impossible to use this weapon and play stealthy. It has all the range, damage, and versatility a player could want in a gun, but it is absolutely not quiet about it.

1 Air Shotgun (Non-Lethal)

Who Knew Air Was So Dangerous?

• Cost: Free (available with the No Compromise DLC)

The Air Shotgun being called “non-lethal” is subject to interpretation. It doesn’t fire traditional bullets, or bullets at all for that matter. Instead, it unleashes a concentrated blast of air that sends enemies flying and “knocks them out.” Its shots are silenced, and while its rate of fire isn’t the best, the Air Shotgun makes up for it by being the only stun weapon capable of taking down armored targets with a single shot.

The other great thing about this weapon is it comes totally free with the No Compromises DLC. It’s one of the most unique weapons available in the game, made that much better by the fact that it’s one of the most powerful as well. There are very few reasons to take a non-lethal approach without this weapon in Marcus’ arsenal.