TL;DR<\/p>
- \n
- Sidearms are ranged secondary weapons, separate from your melee primary, and there are 8 of them in the game<\/li>\n
- They run on Resolve, the same meter your primary weapon fills and your special attacks drain \u2014 not a separate ammo pool<\/li>\n
- Whether a sidearm hit builds Break Damage depends heavily on which Seal you're running, especially the Slayer Seal<\/li>\n
- Only three sidearms have detailed public breakdowns right now: the Forgotten Crossbow, the Salvaged Trebuchaxe, and the Troubadour's Lute<\/li>\n
- Equipping the Slayer Seal for stronger sidearm Break pressure also removes your ability to Harden or Parry, on top of disabling achievements<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"title","heading":"What Are Sidearms in Mortal Shell 2?","tag":"h2"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"\n
Sidearms in Mortal Shell 2 are secondary offensive equipment used to inflict damage against enemies and bosses, usually fired from a ranged distance, as opposed to the melee attacks of primary weapons. There are different sidearm types, each with unique properties and attacks that give it a distinct playstyle, and they're obtained as part of story progression or picked up in various locations<\/a>, usable by all Shells and the Harbinger. That last part matters \u2014 a sidearm isn't tied to one character build the way some Shell abilities are, so it travels with you regardless of which body you're wearing.<\/p>\n
Sidearms are described as Bloodborne-esque tools that can be extremely useful in a pinch, letting you inflict extra damage as well as attack from range. If you've already gone through the site's weapon locations guide<\/a>, sidearms are the armaments you probably walked past without realizing they weren't just another sword variant.<\/p>\n\n
\n8<\/span>Total sidearms<\/span><\/div>\n4<\/span>Total Seals<\/span><\/div>\n16<\/span>Weapons + sidearms combined<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"table","headers":[{"header_text":"Sidearm"},{"header_text":"Type"},{"header_text":"What It Does"}],"rows":[{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Forgotten Crossbow"},{"cell_text":"Long-range"},{"cell_text":"Shines at long range, with the ability to snipe enemies from really far away"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Salvaged Trebuchaxe"},{"cell_text":"Mid-range, chargeable"},{"cell_text":"Fires axes instead of bolts and can be charged by holding the fire button to do even more damage"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Troubadour's Lute"},{"cell_text":"Utility \/ Resolve-fueled"},{"cell_text":"Built around projectile abilities, with Hand of Rock being the one ability specifically made for this item"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Remaining 5 sidearms"},{"cell_text":"Unconfirmed"},{"cell_text":"Not broken down in detail in any current source \u2014 treat specific names, stats or drop spots for these as unverified until you find them yourself"}]}],"size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"title","heading":"How Break Damage and Resolve Actually Work With Sidearms","tag":"h2"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"\nAttacking enemies, parrying their attacks, and dealing Break damage to them fills up a yellow meter below their health bar that staggers them when it's full, letting you step in for a Riposte and serious damage. The confusing part is where sidearms fit into that meter, because the honest answer is \"it depends on your Seal.\" The Sidearm contributes to Break Damage on every attack rather than only on perfectly timed defensive inputs once a specific Seal is active \u2014 outside of that setup, current sources<\/a> don't confirm sidearms reliably chip Break on a plain, unenhanced shot.\n\nThe Slayer Seal specifically changes what sidearms can contribute to a fight \u2014 with it equipped, sidearm attacks deal Break Damage. That means a ranged hit isn't just damage from a safer distance, it can also help expose a target for a Riposte. To trigger the Gloomslayer ability you just fire any sidearm to partially fill the enemy's Break bar, then activate Slayer Punch to follow it up.<\/p>\n\n
Resolve is the resource that ties all of this together. Sidearms are fueled by the player's Resolve, a resource that's part of the Harbinger's stats, generated by attacking enemies with the primary weapon or by destroying glowing effigies that drop it. In practice that means Resolve is rebuilt by landing melee hits, so sidearm shots spend a resource earned back in melee \u2014 every shot has an opportunity cost, not free damage from a separate ammo pool. If you're deep into the no-stamina rework covered in the site's Resolve and Seals breakdown<\/a>, this is the same meter \u2014 sidearms just give it a second outlet.<\/p>\n\n
\n20<\/span>Resolve: Ember Seed Stone<\/span><\/div>\n80<\/span>Resolve: Hand of Rock<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nCosts vary that widely by ability, so the honest cost of running a sidearm-heavy loadout is that you'll spend a chunk of every fight's Resolve pool on ranged pressure instead of melee specials or Harden \u2014 there's no way to have both without landing enough hits to refill the meter mid-fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Warning<\/p>
Equipping the Slayer Seal also means you cannot Harden or Parry, the other two defensive maneuvers \u2014 you're trading your entire defensive kit for guaranteed sidearm Break, not just picking up a bonus.<\/p><\/div>\n\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"table","headers":[{"header_text":"Seal Setup"},{"header_text":"Sidearm Break Behavior"},{"header_text":"Trade-off"}],"rows":[{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Slayer Seal (Gloomslayer)"},{"cell_text":"Sidearm deals Break Damage on every hit, and you restore Health and Resolve on a successful Riposte"},{"cell_text":"Permanently disables achievements on that save file \u2014 not recoverable by unequipping it"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"No Seal \/ other Seals"},{"cell_text":"Sidearm hits appear to contribute to Break only under specific defensive-timed conditions, not on a plain shot"},{"cell_text":"Achievements stay active, but ranged Break pressure is weaker"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Infinite Seal"},{"cell_text":"Break output leans on tight parry timing and fast Resolve generation from light attacks rather than the sidearm itself"},{"cell_text":"Rewards players who already know enemy patterns; unconfirmed how it interacts directly with sidearms"}]}],"size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"
![\"Mortal](\"https:\/\/shared.akamai.steamstatic.com\/store_item_assets\/steam\/apps\/4711740\/f017d0e30c31a5896c0896bfc6f595145dae710d\/ss_f017d0e30c31a5896c0896bfc6f595145dae710d.1920x1080.jpg?t=1787154717\")
<\/figure>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"title","heading":"Where to Get Sidearms and How to Build Around One","tag":"h2"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"\nThere are a total of 16 sidearms and melee weapons scattered across the map, and two gear pieces show up during the prologue, six are in the region of Fainweald, and the remaining eight sit in the region of Mammon \u2014 though those location reports don't specify exactly which of those 16 are sidearms versus primary weapons in every case, so treat individual pins as a starting point rather than gospel. The GameSpot weapon and sidearm location guide<\/a> and the Fextralife sidearms page<\/a> are both worth cross-checking if you're hunting a specific one.\n\nOf the named sidearms, the Forgotten Crossbow can be found in the Flooded Village dungeon, just northwest of the Blackridge Pass beacon. Locations for the Salvaged Trebuchaxe and Troubadour's Lute aren't pinned down with the same confidence across sources, so don't take any specific coordinate as final until you've confirmed it in-game.\n\nEvery weapon and sidearm can be upgraded further via the Tarforge in Marrow Keep, provided you've got enough coins and smithing-stone-type materials to spare \u2014 the same currency grind covered in the site's Gloom farming guide<\/a> and the Tarforge upgrade breakdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Best Against a Crowd<\/h3>\n
Something built around homing or spread coverage does more work when you're facing multiple weaker enemies at once, since single-target burst is wasted on targets that die in one or two melee hits anyway. The Troubadour's Lute leans this direction through its Hand of Rock ability, though the full kit of options here is still thin in public breakdowns.<\/p>\n\n
Best Against a Single Elite Target<\/h3>\n
The Salvaged Trebuchaxe is described as unmatched in pure single-target damage, easily one-shotting most regular enemies when aimed properly \u2014 that makes it the pick when you're staring down one dangerous target instead of a group, particularly if you're also running Break-focused Seal setups.<\/p>\n\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"table","headers":[{"header_text":"Tarstone"},{"header_text":"Effect on Sidearms"},{"header_text":"Resolve Cost"}],"rows":[{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Splitting Stone"},{"cell_text":"Fires up to four shots at once from the Forgotten Crossbow when fully upgraded"},{"cell_text":"Not specified"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Deadeye Stone"},{"cell_text":"Increases Critical Hit Chance of sidearms"},{"cell_text":"Not specified"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Marksman Stone"},{"cell_text":"Increases Critical Damage for a full crit-focused build"},{"cell_text":"Not specified"}]},{"cells":[{"cell_text":"Ember Seed Stone"},{"cell_text":"Infuses the sidearm with Burn, and critical hits can also apply Burn"},{"cell_text":"20 Resolve"}]}],"size":"small"},{"acf_fc_layout":"steps","intro":"Follow this sequence to get it done fast.","steps":[{"title":"Pick a Seal that matches your Break plan","description":"grab the Slayer Seal from Marrow Keep if you want every sidearm hit to build Break, or stick with another Seal if you'd rather keep achievements active.","image":null},{"title":"Build Resolve in melee first","description":"land primary weapon hits before you start firing, since sidearm shots draw from the same pool you spend on specials.","image":null},{"title":"Fire the sidearm to open a Break window","description":"depending on your Seal, this either chips the meter directly or sets up a defensive-timed opening.","image":null},{"title":"Close in for the Riposte or Slayer Punch","description":"once the Break meter fills, this is where the actual damage payoff happens.","image":null},{"title":"Match a Tarstone to your sidearm","description":"the Forgotten Crossbow pairs well with the Splitting Stone, which fires four shots at once when fully upgraded, and the Deadeye Stone, which raises sidearm Critical Hit Chance.","image":null},{"title":"Upgrade at the Tarforge once you commit","description":"spend coin and materials on the sidearm you've settled on rather than spreading resources across all eight.","image":null}]},{"acf_fc_layout":"title","heading":"Common Misconceptions About Mortal Shell 2 Sidearms","tag":"h2"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"\n\n
Myth: Sidearms Always Deal Break Damage<\/h3>\n
They don't, at least not reliably. Sidearm contribution to Break Damage on every attack, rather than only on perfectly timed defensive inputs, is specifically tied to a Seal setup \u2014 run a different Seal and that guaranteed Break tick isn't confirmed to be there in the same way.<\/p>\n\n
Myth: Sidearms Have Their Own Ammo Pool<\/h3>\n
There's no separate clip or ammo counter to manage. Sidearm shots spend the same resource earned back in melee, which gives every shot an opportunity cost rather than being free damage from a separate pool.<\/p>\n\n
Myth: The Slayer Seal Is Just a Free Damage Upgrade<\/h3>\n
It's a real trade, not a strict upgrade. Equipping it removes your ability to Harden or Parry, on top of permanently disabling achievements on that save file, which isn't reversible by unequipping it later.<\/p>\n\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"title","heading":"Our Take: Are Sidearms Worth Building Around?","tag":"h2"},{"acf_fc_layout":"text","text":"\n
Our Take<\/p>
Sidearms are worth carrying on every build, but only worth building an entire kit around once you've settled on a Seal that actually rewards it.<\/p>\n
The Resolve link is the smart design choice here \u2014 it stops sidearms from being a free panic button and forces you to actually be aggressive in melee to earn the right to fire one. The Slayer Seal turns that into the strongest Break loop in the game on paper, but giving up Harden and Parry to get there is a bigger ask than most write-ups make it sound, and losing achievements permanently on a save is not a small cost for a completionist run. Until more of the eight sidearms get properly documented, the safest bet is picking whichever of the three confirmed ones matches your range preference and pairing it with a Seal you're comfortable committing to for the rest of that playthrough.<\/p><\/div>\n\n"},{"acf_fc_layout":"faq","items":[{"question":"How many sidearms are in Mortal Shell 2?","answer":"There are a total of 8 sidearms available in the game that can be equipped by players."},{"question":"Do sidearms deal Break Damage without the Slayer Seal?","answer":"It's not clearly confirmed. Current breakdowns suggest sidearm Break contribution on every attack, rather than only on perfectly timed defensive inputs, is specifically a Slayer Seal effect, so treat Break pressure from a plain sidearm shot as inconsistent until you test it against your own Seal setup."},{"question":"What is the best sidearm in Mortal Shell 2?","answer":"It depends on the fight. The Salvaged Trebuchaxe is unmatched in pure single-target damage for tough single enemies, while the Forgotten Crossbow shines at long range for sniping from far away and is commonly recommended as an early pickup. The other five sidearms don't have detailed comparisons in current sources."},{"question":"Does firing a sidearm use ammo?","answer":"No. Sidearms are fueled by Resolve, generated by attacking enemies with the primary weapon or by destroying glowing effigies that drop it \u2014 there's no separate ammo count to track."},{"question":"Can sidearms be upgraded?","answer":"Yes. All weapons and sidearms can be upgraded further via the Tarforge in Marrow Keep, provided you have enough coins and smithing-stone-type materials to spare."}]}],"bottom":[{"acf_fc_layout":"more_articles","heading":"","posts":[],"count":10},{"acf_fc_layout":"chat","heading":""}],"meta_description":"Every confirmed Mortal Shell 2 sidearm, how they trigger Break Damage, and how Resolve and Seals change which one you should be running."},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4442"},{"taxonomy":"blog_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/neonsect.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog_tag?post=4442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}