There is no universal best weapon. Community first-hour order is a
gun for trick-shot money, the boat engine for travel, then a rod and
lure that match the island you are actually on.
How to read this page: upgrade order is based on
the official catch-to-gear loop and community route reports. Exact
prices and damage values are left out when patches can change them.
Check the Steam game page ↗
First gunPriority one · airborne kills need a firearm
START
Boat enginePriority two · Getting an upgrade achievement
VALUE
Handheld RadarProgression tool · buy after the Keeper hand-in
ROUTE
Rod and lure tierMatch the island · skip buying every rod
BOSS
Food and revive planBoss prep · bring a recovery option and leave a teammate
mobile
CO-OP
DATA-DRIVEN LOADOUT / NO TIER LIST
What should I buy next?
Solo loadout
Choose a gun you can control, then the engine, then one rod/lure
pair for the island you are on. A solo player cannot recover a
full shop of toys after a wipe.
Co-op loadout
Split jobs instead of duplicating gear. One player can carry the
fishing setup while another holds the boss weapon and a third
keeps food or revive duties. The game supports online co-op and
its community has expanded lobby support during launch patches.
What to delay
Cosmetics, gambling and novelty weapons can wait. The official
game loop is about earning money for better gear and weapons, then
using quests and bosses to reach new islands.
BUY DECISIONS / BY MOMENT
What each upgrade actually fixes
BEFORE ISLAND 2
Gun and engine first
A pistol opens trick shots. The first engine is a Steam
achievement and a travel gate. A better rod without a gun is a
slow money loop.
Talk to NPCs before shopping
Keep a Beer Can fund for Spider Crab
BEFORE A BOSS
One reliable weapon
Choose a weapon you can recover after a knockdown and spend the
next upgrade on damage. A larger magazine is useful only if you
can keep a safe firing lane.
Keep cooked fish in spare slots
Leave room for quest bait
CO-OP
Split the inventory
Do not give every player the same rod and gun. Assign a fisher,
carrier, damage player and revive runner so the crew keeps moving
when one person is down.
