The Sidearm Meta in One Line
Hexshot Revolver for casters, Iron Liturgy for boss phases, Mule Repeater for ammo economy. Everything else is a situational pick.
Tier Ranking
| Tier | Sidearm | Best With | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Hexshot Revolver | Any caster comp | Tags enemies for bonus spell damage; refunds mana on crit. |
| S | Iron Liturgy | Boss runs | Holy burst melts phase-2 / undead-flagged bosses. |
| A | Mule Repeater | Solo / no-support runs | Big magazine, reliable DPS while primary reloads. |
| A | Snake-Charmer (mini) | Snake-heavy biomes | Cleanses nests, ammo is plentiful. |
| B | Brand Pistol | Element builds | Decent DoT, scales with fire jokers. |
| C | Tin-Tin Pistol | Never on purpose | Starter weapon — drop on the first vendor visit. |
How to Pair Sidearm with Primary
- Volley Rifle + Hexshot — sniper hits tag, spells tick big.
- Coach Gun + Iron Liturgy — frontline clear + holy finisher.
- Bone-Rifle + Mule Repeater — sniping with a panic-button SMG.
Sidearm Upgrades to Prioritize
- Reload Speed I/II — sidearm is your reload-cancel tool.
- Crit Chance on Hexshot — synergizes with mana refund.
- Magazine + on Mule Repeater — turns it into a primary lite.
For the full upgrade route see Best Upgrades.