Updated 2026-08-13 · Steam Early Access through v.0.5.0.14
Anomaly President Weapons, Upgrades, Builds and Tier Guide
Build around complementary jobs, not two versions of the same attack. Pair crowd control or reach with focused single-target pressure, or combine a close-range comfort weapon with a safer approach tool. Keep permanent bus upgrades separate from rewards that last only for a run. Official damage figures are not published, so weapons are compared by use case instead of an absolute tier order.
Which weapons are verified?
Official development and launch posts name Sword, Nunchucks, Claws, Kusarigama, Staff, Hammer and Octo-Arms. A pre-release post said the team aimed for eight weapons at Early Access launch, while the launch announcement described a broad arsenal and named Hammer and Octo-Arms alongside the established set. Because wording and counts changed during development, this page treats named official evidence as stronger than an unsupported fixed total.
| Weapon | Verified public context | What is not claimed |
|---|---|---|
| Sword | Named in official Early Access development roster | No fabricated damage or universal ranking |
| Nunchucks | Named in official Early Access development roster | No assumed speed value |
| Claws | Named in official Early Access development roster | No assumed critical rate |
| Kusarigama | Officially described for crowd control and range with a one-on-one trade-off | No claim that it is always best |
| Staff | Named in official Early Access development roster | No invented elemental formula |
| Hammer | Named in development and launch announcements | No pre-release value treated as current |
| Octo-Arms | Named in development and launch announcements | No pre-release value treated as current |
How do you make a two-weapon build?
- Choose the weapon you can use reliably under pressure. This is the build's anchor, not automatically its best damage source.
- Name the anchor's weakness: crowd control, reach, focused pressure, posture breaking, health damage or safe entry.
- Use the second slot to cover that weakness rather than repeat the anchor's job.
- Select run rewards that reinforce the pair's shared win condition without removing all flexibility.
- After a failed room, decide whether the problem was weapon coverage or execution before spending permanent resources.
- Recheck the patch page before following an older video. Enemy damage, Ground Slam, finishers and early permanent upgrades changed during the first week.
The community tips transcript places this decision in the 209-371 second section and argues that two overlapping weapon slots can leave a run stranded when the encounter changes. That is useful strategic evidence, but it remains attributed community advice.
What does the Kusarigama example teach?
The developer's official Kusarigama post gives a rare explicit role comparison: it is easier for crowd control, offers useful range for keeping enemies away, and can feel more cumbersome in one-on-one fights. That does not make it S-tier or weak. It defines a job and a trade-off, which is the information needed to choose a complementary second weapon.
If the Kusarigama controls rooms but a boss survives too long, pair it with focused pressure. If your primary weapon already dominates one-on-one fights but crowds interrupt every commitment, the Kusarigama's described role may cover the gap. Patch changes can still alter the strength of the pair.
Which upgrades are permanent and which last one run?
The game's progression mixes bus and permanent improvement with run-specific rewards. Keep those decisions mentally separate. A permanent purchase should repair a repeating campaign or combat bottleneck across attempts. A run reward should complete the current pair or answer the next encounter. Do not spend a long-term currency merely to imitate a temporary build from a video.
- v.0.5.0.10 reduced the cost of the first two Health permanent upgrades and increased Ground Slam damage.
- v.0.5.0.12 changed early permanent-upgrade costs, reduced the Elevator cost to zero and unlocked Healthy Run from the start.
- Those official changes prove that exact prices and early progression advice are version-sensitive.
- Exact upgrade costs are not listed because patches can change them and no current official table is available.
What is the honest Anomaly President tier list?
| Situation | Evidence-backed preference | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Crowded rooms | A weapon with crowd control or reach | Role principle; Kusarigama has official support |
| Durable single target | Focused pressure that complements the crowd tool | Community strategy; no damage table |
| Unsafe close engagement | Spacing or approach coverage | General build principle |
| Unknown new patch | Comfort weapon plus tested gap coverage | Conservative until current values are measured |
| Absolute S/A/B order | Not recommended | Official damage figures are not published |
Frequently asked questions
What is the best weapon in Anomaly President?
There is no verified universal best. Choose a reliable anchor weapon, then use the second slot to cover its weakest encounter.
Is Kusarigama good?
The developer describes it as useful for crowd control and range but more cumbersome one-on-one, making it a role choice rather than an automatic top tier.
Why is there no absolute tier list?
Early Access balance is changing and official damage figures are not published. This guide compares the situations each weapon can solve instead.
Sources
- Official weapon development postOfficial · checked 2026-08-13
- Official Kusarigama teaserOfficial · checked 2026-08-13
- Community advanced tipsCommunity video · checked 2026-08-13 · from 3:29