Mortal Shell II Weapons, Sidearms, and Upgrades
See confirmed Mortal Shell II weapons, how sidearms work, and how Tarstones shape upgrades, posture damage, and Shell builds.
Quick answer
- The current Database enumerates eight primary weapons and three sidearms from complete English category indexes.
- Several weapon entries still lack published ability or acquisition details, and those gaps are marked clearly on their detail pages.
- Tarstones add support, combat, infusion, and ability effects, but their level-up flow is disabled in the Open Beta.
- Match a main weapon to your Shell's attack windows, then use a sidearm to cover range or posture pressure.
Confirmed Weapons and Sidearms
Mortal Shell II separates sustained primary-weapon combat from Resolve-powered sidearm actions. The Weapons Database currently enumerates eight named primary weapons, while the Sidearms Database tracks three sidearms with their known mechanics and acquisition routes.
| Primary weapon | Confirmed profile | Current acquisition information |
|---|---|---|
| Axatana | Twin blades with an axe transformation | Not yet published |
| Axe and Dagger | Axe in the right hand and dagger in the left | Mushroom Village Gate Beacon |
| Ballistazooka | Heavy ranged weapon using bolts | Not yet published |
| Great Martyr's Blade | Heavy two-handed sword with slower swings | Not yet published |
| Hallowed Sword | Hollow two-handed sword with moderate speed | Not yet published |
| Hammer and Chisel | Rapid dual-wield attacks | Not yet published |
| Smoldering Mace | Long reach and wide group-clearing swings | Not yet published |
| The Iconoclast | Exceptionally light two-handed sword | Prologue, after equipping Harros |
| Sidearm | Confirmed profile | Known location |
|---|---|---|
| Forgotten Crossbow | Ranged bolts that consume Resolve | Sunken Village |
| Naylshotte | Explosive medium-range disruption | Prologue, after equipping Harros |
| Troubadour's Lute | Resolve-powered damaging strums | Sunken Village route near Widow's Overlook |
These tables distinguish a named entity from a fully documented loadout. A weapon can have a stable identity and image while its final abilities, upgrade values, or acquisition route remain unpublished. Open the linked detail page to see the exact confirmed boundary for that item.
How Weapon Roles Differ
Primary weapons handle repeated close-range attacks and create most ordinary posture pressure. The current roster spans transforming, dual-wield, two-handed, long-reach, and ranged profiles. Axe and Dagger fixes an axe in the right hand and a dagger in the left, while Ballistazooka commits to bolt ammunition and a lengthy reload.
Sidearms add a ranged answer without replacing the melee foundation. Forgotten Crossbow and Troubadour's Lute spend Resolve on ranged actions, while Naylshotte uses an explosive blast to disrupt an enemy at medium range.
There is no stamina bar limiting ordinary attack chains. Position, enemy retaliation, posture, and recovery time still punish careless repetition, so a stamina-free system does not make every long combo safe.
Weapon Upgrades and Tarstones
Tarstones form the documented beta customization layer. They fall into four groups:
| Tarstone type | Job in the loadout |
|---|---|
| Support | Passive help that strengthens the overall build |
| Combat | Effects tied to fighting and enemy pressure |
| Infusion | An activated effect applied through the weapon currently in hand |
| Ability | A separately triggered combat tool |
The beta loadout supports four Support Tarstones and two slots in each of the other categories. Main weapon and sidearm can carry separate applicable effects. Equipped Tarstones gain experience as enemies fall, but the Open Beta does not let players spend that experience to raise their levels. Full Tarforge leveling belongs to the release build.
Test one coherent loadout before spreading attention across every new find. Learn the base moveset, decide whether its range and recovery fit your timing, and note which effects reinforce that decision. Recheck material costs and Tarforge leveling after launch because beta equipment progress resets.
Seals shape how that loadout defends and builds posture pressure. Untarnished Seal provides Guard and Perfect Guard, Vatra's Seal grants Harden and Perfect Harden, Infinite Seal centers on a committed Parry, and Slayer Seal converts sidearm attacks into Break damage.
Matching Weapons to Shells and Posture
Start with the Shell's safest attack window. A Shell that creates a brief opening benefits from a primary weapon that can cash it in quickly. A Shell that survives longer commitments can make better use of slower, heavier pressure. The Shells Database and Mortal Shell II Shells guide separate confirmed abilities from still-unpublished stats, so there is no evidence-backed universal pairing yet.
Next, cover a weakness with the sidearm. Use range when an enemy controls the space around its body. Use a forceful sidearm when you need an interruption before returning to melee. Keep distinct infusions on the main weapon and sidearm when two damage or control options help more than doubling down on one effect.
Posture is the shared target. Break it with the tools your current encounter allows, then take the critical opening instead of continuing a risky string. Build the pair as one loadout: the main weapon creates the opening, while the sidearm protects the space needed to exploit it.