Best Shotguns in Dune Awakening
Best shotguns in Dune Awakening for close combat and caves: what to take for PvE and PvP, what to avoid, and the stats of each.
The shotgun is the king of close combat: in caves, stations and wreck corridors. Here are the shotguns really worth carrying and why.
What to pick
- All-round pick:
6Perforator — Its darts break into shrapnel and cause bleeding, and the magazine holds 48 rounds. Great in camps and in close-range PvP. - For PvE: 6Shellburster — Spreads fire among enemies and reloads faster than other scatterguns, so it stops a crowd well in camps and caves.
- For PvP:
6Ambition — A drillshot that reaches 60+ metres and holds 4 rounds instead of 2. Burrowing darts get through shields, so it is the PvP pick. - For PvP: 6Regis Drillshot FK7 — The standard drillshot: burrow darts stick to a shield and break through after a moment. A dependable craftable answer to shields.
- Early game:
4Eviscerator — An early shotgun with the same bleeding shrapnel as the Perforator, just right for Hagga Basin camps.
What to avoid
- 6Regis Burst Drillshot — It needs a long charge that leaves you exposed; the regular Drillshot FK7 or Ambition break shields without that risk.
Tips
- Regular scatterguns work only at a few meters; drillshots (FK7, Ambition) work at mid range.
- A burrow dart needs a moment to drill through a shield — keep tracking the target, because it can dodge in time.
- Bleed and fire hurt through shields, so the Perforator and Shellburster are useful against players too.
Ranking
Each group lists the best options from best to worst: what each one is for and its in-game numbers. If something isn’t listed, it isn’t worth taking.
Top
- 16Perforator ★Top pick
- DPS
- 67
- Damage
- 44.9
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 90
- Magazine
- 48
- Reload, s
- 2.4
- Range, m
- 8
Thin spikes in the barrel mean that the darts fired from this Unique scattergun will break into multiple shrapnel pieces on impact, causing a bleeding effect on enemies. Another example of Sardaukar weaponry built to intimidate and oppress.
Blueprints → - 2
- DPS
- 95
- Damage
- 74.4
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 77
- Magazine
- 36
- Reload, s
- 1.6
- Range, m
- 8
This Unique scattergun was used during the Battle of Arrakeen. When Harkonnen troops charged the front gates of the palace, they were dismayed to find the shields still functional, despite being assured otherwise.
Blueprints → - 36Ambition ★PvP
- DPS
- 186
- Damage
- 154.5
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 72
- Magazine
- 4
- Reload, s
- 3
- Range, m
- 68
A {Unique} shotgun with an ambitious design that holds two slugs in each barrel to limit the downsides of these types of weapons.
Blueprints → - 46Regis Drillshot FK7Break shields
- DPS
- 254
- Damage
- 165.1
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 92
- Magazine
- 2
- Reload, s
- 2.5
- Range, m
- 66
- 5
5Syndicate Impaler ★Early game- DPS
- 51
- Damage
- 34
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 90
- Magazine
- 48
- Reload, s
- 2.4
- Range, m
- 8
Thin spikes in the barrel mean that the darts fired from this Unique scattergun will break into multiple shrapnel pieces on impact, causing a bleeding effect on enemies.
Blueprints → - 64Eviscerator ★Early game
- DPS
- 41
- Damage
- 27.2
- Fire rate, shots/min
- 90
- Magazine
- 48
- Reload, s
- 2.4
- Range, m
- 8
Thin spikes in the barrel mean that the darts fired from this Unique scattergun will break into multiple shrapnel pieces on impact, causing a bleeding effect on enemies.
Blueprints →
Damage per second is the damage of one shot or hit multiplied by the fire rate. Reloading isn't counted here, so for a long fight watch the magazine too.
★ marks a unique item. Unique blueprints often turn up in the Deep Desert — see what's where this week on the Deep Desert this week page.
The calculator will work out how many resources a craft needs.
What is the best shotgun in Dune Awakening?
The best shotgun is the Perforator, with bleed and top close-range damage; for PvE also Shellburster, and for PvP against shields take Ambition or the Regis Drillshot FK7.