Weapons in Once Human run on blueprints, mods and accessories. This guide covers how those systems work according to the developers’ own version notes and dev blogs, read on November 6, 2026. The latest version is 3.1.2 (November 4, 2026).

It does not rank weapons. The developers publish combat balance changes regularly, so any ranking ages fast. Nothing was played or tested for this page.

How to read the version numbers. Each rule is tied to the version whose notes state it. Version 3.1.2 does not restate most of them. No later note read for this page cancels the rules below, but that is not a confirmation that they hold today. Rules specific to RaidZone are labelled as such.

If you are new to the game, the beginner guide covers scenarios, accounts and requirements first.

Blueprints and Starchrom

Since the March 25, 2026 update (version 2.3.5), blueprints work like this.

• Unlock and upgrade with Starchrom. You activate weapon and armor blueprints directly on the Blueprint screen. Upgrades happen there too. You no longer draw and combine blueprint fragments.
• Wilderness rewards. Exploration points, crates, settlement treasures and first-clear dungeon rewards that gave fragments now give Starchrom.
• Blueprint Shop closed. The developers removed it.
• Blueprint Conversion. The feature stays. It transfers star levels between blueprints of the same rarity.
• Starchrom cap. The Blueprint screen shows the Starchrom cap for the current cycle. The 2.3.5 notes call the rule monthly, and a developer reply of September 29, 2026 calls it a weekly cap. Read the screen for yours. In the 2.3.5 notes, Starchrom from events, the Battle Pass and Collection Level did not count toward that cap.

Calibration blueprints

Version 2.3.1 (January 21, 2026) removed the old calibration feature, according to the January 13 dev blog.

• Weapons calibrated before keep their stats.
• Gear workbenches no longer calibrate weapons or replace blueprints.
• When you craft a weapon, adding a calibration blueprint activates its attributes.
• New calibration blueprints always include one attack bonus attribute. The values vary by rarity, up to 50% attack bonus.
• Version 3.1.1 (October 21, 2026) added a filter at the gear workbench for calibration blueprints by stat type and value.

Mods

The mod overhaul also arrived in version 2.3.1, per the December 12, 2025 dev blog.

• Mods Field Guide. All mods are listed by part and build. Duplicate low-level mods disassemble into Mod Dust, which you can redeem for Random Mod Crates in the Shop.
• Fixed sub-attributes. The four sub-attributes of a mod are no longer random. They match the mod’s core traits.
• Mod level. Level comes from the sum of the sub-attribute levels, up to Lv. 17.
• Shiny mods. The overhaul introduced them. In the Visional Wheel S4 notes (May 2026), the developers released armor shiny mods for the first time.
• Crates. Since the October 21, 2026 update, Legendary Mod Crates go straight to your backpack.
• Scenario progress. In Isles of Abyss, the number of active mod attributes unlocks gradually with your Tech level, according to the scenario notes.

Accessories

Version 2.3.1 merged three reload-related attributes into one Reload Efficiency value. It also standardized the bonuses of accessories of the same type. For example, the notes say rare 2x scopes give a 2.0x zoom multiplier and +4% Accuracy. The developers say these changes do not alter actual reload time.

Crafting at the Gear Workbench

The Gear Workbench crafts weapons and armor. Since version 2.3.1 you add a calibration blueprint at crafting time. In Isles of Abyss, the developers say the craftable rarity of gear is limited by your Tech progress.

Armor crafting takes fur. Adding fur gives bonus HP and Psi Intensity by rarity, for example a 40% increase with Legendary fur, per the January 13 dev blog.

Combat rules to know

• Any weapon type for any enemy. Version 2.3.5 replaced the Super Anomaly types (Coherence, Void, Phase, Balance) with a general resistance mechanic. You no longer have to carry a specific weapon type, such as Fortress Warfare, to counter Balance enemies.
• Instant-hit range. Version 2.2.0 (October 29, 2025) added an instant-hit range of about 15 meters to almost all guns except shotguns and a few special weapons. Beyond it, bullets travel and drop. The exact distance depends on the weapon type.
• Sniper hip fire. Version 3.0.1 (July 9, 2026) raised bullet spread for the SN700 and AWS.338 sniper rifles when you hip fire or aim over the shoulder, so ADS is more accurate.

New weapons come with updates

The developers release new weapons and armor through dev blogs and version notes. A dated example: the Isles of Abyss update of October 21, 2026 added the Legendary weapon SOCR - Cosmic Visitor. The developers describe a chance to generate a Frost Vortex on weapon hits, guaranteed on the first hit after reloading. The update centers on the Frost Vortex and Ice Spear mechanics. Players could claim the blueprint, plus a Legendary armor blueprint called Snowline Elite Vest, from their mailbox until November 8, 2026 (2:00 PM PT).

This is the developers’ description. This page did not test the weapon, and it does not say it is good.

Balance changes

The developers publish combat balance adjustments in dev blogs (for example February, May and September 2026) and in version notes. Version 2.3.5 changed the damage per shot and reload time of the FP-9 and the MPS5, for instance. A weapon that was weak in one version can change in the next.

Choosing what to carry

This guide does not rank weapons. Ask these questions.

• What range will you fight at? Match the weapons to the situations you meet most.
• Can you keep it supplied? Pick weapons whose ammunition you can craft or find.
• Does your gear support it? Check your mods and calibration blueprints before you spend materials.
• Which mode are you in? The scenario changes what matters.

Rules that change by mode

• RaidZone. In 2025 (version 2.0.1 and the RaidZone preview of July 28, 2025) the developers said that content that affects PvP balance, such as blueprints and mods, cannot be used in RaidZone, although the data stays on your account, and that blueprints and weapon accessories obtained in RaidZone are exclusive to that mode. Version 2.3.7 (April 22, 2026) split RaidZone into Casual, Standard and Hardcore, and the notes read for this page do not restate this rule for each mode.
• Scenarios. Each scenario has its own rules. Items move to Eternaland when you leave a scenario, and Resource Inheritance Points pay for bringing them back. Calibration blueprints are among the items the FAQ lists as moving to Eternaland.
• Custom servers. Hosts can change settings, and the notes list weapon, gear and blueprint items they can issue. Weapons may not behave as they do on official servers.

Common mistakes

• Following an old build. Calibration, blueprints and mods all changed in 2026. Check the date of any guide.
• Spending Starchrom before reading the screen. The Blueprint screen shows costs and the monthly cap.
• Copying a ranking. A ranking from another player may reflect an older version or another mode.

What this guide does not cover

• No ranking, build, damage figure or “best weapon”. The balance numbers change with each version.
• No test or play session by Gimaxo.
• Weapon lists by type: the loadout screen in your version shows which weapons each slot accepts.
• Whether the older rules still hold in 3.1.2. Version 3.1.2 is the latest note read, not a confirmation of earlier versions.
• Any change after the 3.1.2 notes of November 4, 2026.

Sources named in the text: Steam community announcements for Once Human (version notes 2.0.1, 2.2.0, 2.3.1, 2.3.5, 3.0.1, 3.1.2, the Isles of Abyss notes of October 21, 2026, and the dev blogs of December 12, 2025 and January 13, 2026).