A popular Reddit post has compiled every known primary weapon in Dune: Awakening so far, and the replies are filled with early meta ideas, lore debates, and a lot of excitement (and concern) around PvP balance and melee viability.
Full Weapon List (So Far)
Thanks to a visual breakdown by u/VisualVibrance (sourced from DuneCodex), we now have a clear view of the Dune: Awakening weapon armory. The list includes:
- Flamethrower – Uses gel to spew flames
- Lasgun – Anti-vehicle pinpoint laser
- Plasma Cannon – Fires plasma-charged projectiles
- Drillshot – Mid-range dart shotgun, pierces shields
- GRDA 44 – Short-range high-damage shotgun
- Snubnose / Maula / Karpov 38 – Pistols with varied fire styles
- Jabal Spitdart – Long-range poison rifle
- Disruptor Pistol / SMG – Designed to destabilize shields
- Kindjal, Dirk, Crysknife – A variety of melee options
- Sword, Rapier, Scrap Knife, Glutton’s Hook – Each with unique traits
There are also mentions of a missile launcher that was spotted in older footage, but not listed in the current graphic.
Community Builds and Weapon Variants
Players are already theorycrafting loadouts, with common picks including:
- Drillshot or GRDA 44 shotgun builds
- Hoverbelt + Flamethrower for anti-melee
- Sniper-focused Mentat or Trooper setups
- Swordmaster melee builds (thanks to recent videos)
Some beta testers even reported using burst-fire Karpov rifles, blood-harvesting knives, and a “pulse sword” that shocks the user to restore stamina. Risky, but probably a lot of fun!?
Lasgun vs Shield – Lore Impacts
One of the biggest lore questions was about lasgun and shield interactions. In Dune canon, combining the two causes a nuclear explosion; so, how does the game handle it?
- In-game, Lasguns simply do not fire when aimed at a shielded enemy
- This avoids exploits while nodding to the lore
- Some players wish for a voice line or subtle animation as a nod to the classic detonation trope
Will Melee Be Viable?
Melee combat looks great in trailers, but unless the devs can find a good balance, there is definitely some worry that it might fall behind in PvP:
- Shields are banned in deep desert zones (or summon worms when toggled), which benefits ranged builds
- Mobility, stagger mechanics, and anti-shield weapons could still make melee useful in tight 1v1s or structured encounters
- The devs have baked in tradeoffs: shield-piercing weapons often have low ammo, high reload times, and reduced damage
Some of the comments also point out that lore mechanics like Kanly (ritualized combat) and banned Atomics explain why melee combat has cultural and mechanical relevance in the Dune universe.
What the Community Wants
Across the various replies within the Reddit thread, players voiced a few common hopes:
- More assault rifle variants and sniper rifle options
- Balanced melee and ranged builds for all playstyles
- Continued attention to lore-friendly design and sandbox freedom
You can check out the full Reddit thread here or view the full image breakdown below:
Wondering exactly when you can jump in? Check out our guide on the Dune: Awakening release schedule for launch times of every region.
And for more Dune: Awakening coverage, as well as updates to various other games, head over to our news hub here.