Dying Light 2: Best Ranged Weapons, Ranked

Dying Light 2: Stay Human is the 2022 successor to the original Dying Light game, yet it is not considered a true sequel. Merging zombie survival with parkour, the game was well received on launch. Some players find the gameplay tricky, as accuracy is needed when jumping, climbing, scaling ladders, navigating through objects on the map, and other tricky maneuvers.

With parkour and sneaky gameplay taking precedence over combat in many scenarios, the weapon selection in Dying Light 2 is quite limited. To unlock most, players must complete specific quests, or gain access to certain map zones. Some require the player to craft them. Finally, the rare, epic, legendary, and artifact versions can be very hard to acquire, and don’t offer much of an upgrade over the base version. Firearms were only patched into the game after launch. If players want to take on zombies with ranged weapons, these options are their best bet.

Updated by Rachael Phillips on February 6, 2025: Dying Light 2 remains one of the most dynamic open-world zombie survival games out there. Beyond the fluid parkour and compelling main story, the opportunity to fight the Infected still holds much of the title’s appeal. While smashing through enemies with melee weapons is satisfying, ranged attacks can be safer, more tactical, and more powerful. This list has been updated to include opportunity weapons and other projectiles.

12

Broken Bottle (Opportunity)

Every Little Bit Helps

A staple of every bar fight, street brawl, and riot, the broken bottle has undoubtedly been the convenient on-hand weapon of choice in many a conflict. In a post-apocalyptic world such as Villedor, this cast aside trash can come in very useful.

Broken bottles can most easily be found in bandit camps. While not the most fatal projectile, broken bottles have the potential both to stagger an enemy and distract them, which can come in very useful if players are having difficulty getting any hits in.

Opportunity weapons can only be picked up, not stored in the player’s inventory, and are single use.

11

Brick (Opportunity)

A Surprisingly Effective Stagger

In a world where firearms are scarce, it is sometimes necessary to improvise and grab the nearest heavy object. Enter the unassuming brick. Bricks that are able to be picked up can be a number of different shapes and sizes, from the average red to full on cinder blocks.

These helpful building blocks can usually be found (unsurprisingly) in or around decrepit buildings and walls. Launching a brick, besides demonstrating how strong Aiden’s throw is, can knock an enemy down, leaving them open to melee attacks.

Opportunity weapons can be spotted easily by using the Survivor Sense skill, which can also help locate enemies and other loot.

10

Throwing Spear (Opportunity)

Back To Basics

Spears have been used since the prehistoric era, proving integral to early humans’ survival as a hunting tool. In a post-apocalyptic setting like Dying Light 2, where resources are once again scarce, it is apt to see the spear make a comeback.

Throwing spears are relatively more dangerous to retrieve, as they are often in GRE anomalies, which are unfortunately the hot hangout spot for Revenants. Throwing spears can also be located at bandit camps and are dotted near bosses; a sure way to anticipate a showdown.

9

Propane Tank (Opportunity)

Flammable But Loud

When basic materials aren’t enough, adding fire into the equation is a sure way to get the job of effectively eliminating the Infected done. While propane tanks can simply be thrown, activating them beforehand essentially turns them into a less-noisy grenade. That said, nearby Infected (that survived the blast) will still investigate the explosion.

There are a number of spots where propane tanks can be found; bandit camps, military convoys, and anomalies (to name a few). They are usually conveniently placed for a helping hand during main missions and boss fights.

8

PK Razor Cannon (Opportunity)

Shred Up Packs Of The Infected

The PK Razor Cannon does pretty much what it says on the tin; fires razors at the target, doing a lot of damage in the process. They are most useful for attacking big groups of Infected but cannot be turned 360 degrees, so players will need to watch their backs.

These cannons are mounted and can be found on the back of trucks and accessed after reaching city alignment two with the Peacekeepers. The only downside is, as a mounted weapon, players can’t take it with them.

7

Throwing Knives (Accessory)

A Craftable Accessory With Multiple Purposes

The throwing knife is a craftable accessory, the blueprint being acquired after completing the Markers of Plague quest. Making throwing knives requires ten scraps and one rag, which are conveniently common materials.

Upgrading the blueprint can not only allow players to produce more knives per craft, but also make them incredibly powerful, making for some fun gameplay. Like the bow and crossbow, throwing knives are useful for quiet ranged combat, alongside their melee qualities.

Known Throwing Knife Variations

• Sedating Knife (uncommon)
• Infected Blade (rare)
• Exploding Knife (artifact)
• Rending Knife (artifact)
• Shuriken (artifact)

6

Bow

Requires Skill To Use Well

Players don’t have the option to pick up a bow in Dying Light 2 until a fair few hours into the story. To get it, keep following the story arc until receiving the Let’s Waltz quest. Upon completing this quest, the pipe bow and associated ammo blueprints become available. The bow should be in the player’s inventory, and they can then craft arrows for the bow using 10 Scraps and 1 Feather.

As with most games, using a bow in Dying Light 2 requires some real skill to be effective. The player will need to judge draw strength to ensure they achieve the right range for the arrow.

Known Bow Variations

5

Crossbow

Powerful And Simpler To Use Than A Bow

The crossbow is much easier to use than the bow. It is silent and deadly and takes the place of sniper rifles in Dying Light 2. The PK Crossbow has an automatic mode, which can be absolutely devastating to groups of zombies.

There are two ways to get a crossbow in Dying Light 2. A basic crossbow is given to the player by Huntress, who can be found in the Garrison area of the map. A better crossbow, the PK Automatic Crossbow can only be unlocked by handing over 4 city districts to the Peacekeeper faction.

Known Crossbow Variations

4

Pistol

A Basic Firearm Useful For Defense

The easiest way to get a good pistol is to loot the many military supply drops found in the Newfound Lost Lands in the Central Loop part of the map. However, the player will need to have progressed a way through the game to get access to this zone.

Pistols are useful defense weapons in Dying Light 2. This game doesn’t really focus on gunplay or combat, and none of the weapons are very powerful, the pistol least of all. Having a pistol with a few reloads handy will be extremely useful for players who stumble into a zombie spawn by accident.

Known Pistol Variations

• Harran Pistol (rare)
• Service Pistol (epic)
• Golden Service Pistol (artifact)

3

Shotgun

Drop Zombies With One Or Two Shots

Shotguns can be looted in Dying Light 2. However, the zone that they are commonly looted from, Fort Jefferson Ruins, only opens to the player once they have completed the Gassed Up quest. Sometimes, shotguns can be found during the quest The Saviours, but only during the part of the quest where the player is traveling through the tunnel that leads them to Sector Zero.

Having a shotgun on hand when playing Dying Light 2 can be very useful. Players who find themselves face-to-face with a zombie unexpectedly, can dispatch it with one or two shots from a shotgun. Unfortunately, ammo for shotguns can be hard to find.

Known Shotgun Variations

• Combat Shotgun (epic)
• Golden Shotgun (artifact)

2

Compact SMG

The Best Self-Defense Weapon

The Compact SMG in Dying Light 2, is purchased from vendors in the later stages of the game. The vendor located on the gas station roof in Old Town stocks it most often. Ammo for the SMG can be looted in Old Town and The Slums.

The Compact SMG has its uses. For players who are trying to focus on combat in a game that doesn’t really support this style of gameplay, the SMG is the first useful gun they will have access to. However, it can be very tough to keep up with ammo needs when using the SMG.

Known Compact SMG Variations

• Compact SMG (epic)
• Golden Compact SMG (artifact)

1

Military Rifle

Great At All Ranges

The simplest way to get a military rifle in Dying Light 2 is to acquire one from Agent Harper in the Fisheye Canteen. This means players need to progress quite far through the game to gain access to this NPC. Agent Harper is an ex-Nightrunner, and he will want the player to complete a couple of missions for him. Once completed, these missions will unlock his inventory as a firearms vendor. Agent Harper also stocks ammo at times, and it’s worth checking to see if he has any in stock if the player happens to be in the area.

The Military Rifle is arguably the best firearm in Dying Light 2. However, it cannot be overstressed that this game was not designed to be a zombie combat game. Firearms were patched into the game in version 1.15 as part of the Firearms Update. Many players complete the entire game relying on alternative gameplay tricks, without ever owning a firearm. Because of this, even the Military Rifle is far less effective than similar weapons in other games. Most players see it as an accessory instead of a tool.

Known Military Rifle Variations

• Military Rifle (epic)
• Golden Military Rifle (artifact)