Weapons & Combat

Weapon overview

Lara always carries her Dual Pistols, which have unlimited ammo. On top of that you can equip one secondary weapon with limited ammunition. Secondary weapons unlock as you progress through the campaign and can be bought with in-game currency. Every weapon has ten upgrade levels, and each has a cosmetic gold version that does not change how it performs.

Fan documentation lists the secondary weapons unlocking in this order: Crossbow, Shotgun, Dual SMGs, Assault Rifle, Grenade Launcher and Minigun. The Minigun arrived with the Mountain Pass update in October 2015. Exact unlock levels have changed between versions, and a 2016 update allowed earlier unlocks, so check the store in your game.

Dual Pistols

Purpose: Lara's signature weapons and your constant backup. Mechanics: always equipped, unlimited ammo, tap to fire. Upgrades: ten levels; the Agent 47 outfit's upgrades also increase Dual Pistols damage.

• Effective for: shooting projectiles out of the air, finishing weak enemies and opening crates without spending secondary ammo.
• Limitations: low damage against large enemies and bosses unless heavily upgraded.
• Recommendation: upgrade them early and steadily. Fully upgrading them earns Fully Polished.

Crossbow

Purpose: the first secondary weapon for most players. Mechanics: shoots bolts from a clip; delivers high damage, but bolts are much slower than bullets.

• Effective for: single tough enemies that move predictably.
• Limitations: slow bolts can miss moving targets; poor against fast projectiles.
• Recommendation: lead your target slightly and leave projectiles to the pistols.

Shotgun

Purpose: crowd control. Mechanics: semi-automatic, fires 10 pellets per shot. Each upgrade reduces pellet spread.

• Effective for: two or more enemies close together. Hitting two enemies with one blast earns Two Birds.
• Limitations: wide spread at low upgrade levels wastes damage at distance.
• Recommendation: invest a few upgrades to tighten the spread before relying on it.

Dual SMGs

Purpose: sustained fire. Mechanics: designed to put as many bullets down range as quickly as possible; supports a tap-and-hold shooting style.

• Effective for: continuous damage on one target and players who find rapid tapping tiring.
• Limitations: holding fire drains ammo quickly.
• Recommendation: use short holds and release when the target falls.

Assault Rifle

Purpose: heavy damage. Mechanics: a big weapon for big damage that fires in 3-round bursts.

• Effective for: large enemies and bosses; a strong all-round choice for the later regions.
• Limitations: bursts can overkill small targets and waste ammo.
• Recommendation: a popular main secondary to upgrade deeply.

Grenade Launcher

Purpose: area damage. Mechanics: deals damage in an area, and the radius increases with each upgrade.

• Effective for: groups of enemies. A great choice for Hat Trick (three kills with one shot).
• Limitations: less efficient against single fast targets.
• Recommendation: fire into the middle of a group rather than at one enemy.

Minigun

Purpose: maximum firepower. Mechanics: a machine gun with multiple rotating barrels and an incredibly high rate of fire.

• Effective for: the Mountain Pass's tough combat sections and bosses.
• Limitations: ammo disappears quickly at that rate of fire.
• Recommendation: pair it with Extra Clips, the Ammo Cache upgrade or an Area 51 outfit for more starting ammo.

Understanding combat

Combat sections are rail-shooter segments within a run. Lara keeps running automatically and you no longer dodge obstacles; instead you tap to shoot. Key facts:

• A health bar appears only in combat. If it empties, the run ends.
• Enemies throw projectiles that you can shoot out of the air.
• Exploding barrels damage nearby enemies.
• Crates contain coins, health or ammo; shoot them to collect the contents.
• Kevlar Vests absorb damage, and a Medipack heals 50% when Lara is about to fall.

1. Shoot incoming projectiles.
2. Shoot barrels near enemies.
3. Focus fire on the most dangerous enemy.
4. Collect health, ammo and coin crates when it is safe.

Improving accuracy

• Tap the centre of the target. Edges are easy to miss as enemies move.
• Lead slow weapons. Crossbow bolts need a little anticipation.
• Keep your finger off the target between taps so you can see what is happening.
• Use the pistols for projectiles. They are quick and cost nothing.
• Play in a comfortable grip. Two-thumb play lets one thumb cover each side of the screen.

Combat survival

Most combat deaths come from accumulated damage rather than a single hit. Shoot projectiles first, carry Kevlar Vests and Medipacks into combat-heavy runs, and consider the Stealth Suit, whose upgrades reduce the chance of Lara being hit by enemy fire. Shooting health crates when hurt also restores health.

Choosing upgrades

1. Dual Pistols: a few early levels help everywhere.
2. One main secondary: push a single weapon deep rather than several shallowly.
3. Ammo support: Extra Clip and Ammo Cache keep your secondary firing.
4. Protection: Kevlar Vest and Medipack upgrades make them more effective.

See weapon upgrades for more detail.

Advanced combat strategies

• Ammo discipline: pistols for small threats, secondary for large enemies and bosses.
• Barrel timing: wait for enemies to gather before detonating.
• Outfit synergy: Agent 47 for pistol damage, Area 51 for secondary starting ammo, Stealth Suit for fewer hits.
• Boss preparation: arrive with a full secondary and healing items; see the boss guides.

Common combat mistakes

• Ignoring projectiles to chase kills.
• Spending secondary ammo on weak enemies.
• Shooting barrels with nobody nearby.
• Collecting coin crates while under fire.
• Buying every weapon instead of upgrading one.