While Saros offers a diverse arsenal of Soltari weaponry, two specific Shotgun variations stand out as the undisputed best choices for clearing biomes. If you are struggling with fast-moving enemies or bosses that leave little opportunities for you to attack, using Stalwart or Annihilator Shotguns is the most effective way to turn the tide.
Table of contents
How to Unlock Shotguns
Shotguns are not available in the starting area. You will unlock them for the first time in the second biome, the Ancient Depths.
- You will initially find the Horde Shotgun. While it feels solid, its Alt-Fire mode, which changes its bullet spread to a vertical spread, is not comparable to what the later variations of the weapon offer.
The Power of Stagger Damage
Still, what makes every Shotgun superior to other early-game weapons is their ability to deal Stagger Damage.
- Below an enemy's health gauge is a lighter-colored bar. Once this fills, the enemy is stunned for a few seconds.
- Use this window to rack up free damage or use your Power weapon to cleanse Corruption. If you have learned specific Armor Matrix skills, you can follow up with a Melee attack for massive finishing damage (though this will end the stun state immediately).
The Best Shotguns Variations
The Stalwart Shotgun (Alt-Fire: Pellet Wall)
The Stalwart Shotgun with Pellet Wall is arguably the best weapon in Saros because it removes the traditional weakness of shotguns: range.
- In Alt-Fire mode, the gun shoots a wall of projectiles that hang in mid-air.
- When you fire a regular shot, the entire wall of projectiles automatically launches at the nearest enemy, regardless of your position.
- This allows you to set up damage while dodging and then unleash a devastating, auto-aimed burst that deals a lot of damage.
The Annihilator Shotgun (Alt-Fire: Pellet Grenade)
If you prefer a high-risk, high-reward playstyle, the Annihilator Shotgun is the best choice for close-quarters combat.
- The Alt-Fire mode launches a Pellet Grenade.
- This grenade deals very high damage and even higher Stagger. While you have to get close to the enemy to ensure it hits, most hostiles will be defeated or stunned in just one or two shots, offsetting the risk of close-range combat by ending the fight quickly.
Ease of Use vs. Power
Unlike technical weapons like the Ripsaw Chakram, which require a different, almost counterintuitive approach to be effective, these Shotguns are incredibly forgiving. The Stalwart Shotgun, in particular, is the most reliable tool for progression, even if you use one at a low level, because it combines high damage Stagger with enemy-seeking projectiles that allow you to focus on avoiding enemy attacks without having to worry too much about your windows of opportunity.
This concludes the guide. For more help, visit our Saros: Complete Walkthrough & Guide hub.
Guide based on a completed playthrough on base PlayStation 5. Screenshots captured from the same version.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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