It goes without saying that weapons in hack-and-slash games are pretty important tools. It wouldn’t be a hack-and-slash if the player character wasn’t sporting a hefty arsenal of swords, guns, and other kinds of destructive gadgets to rip through the opposition. The Bayonetta series equips the titular character with an assortment of ‘toys’ to play around with.

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From bows to rocket launchers to handguns, you name it, it’s probably there and ready to dispatch your angelic foes. Each weapon feels distinctly different from the other. Some are slow but pack a huge punch. Others are fast and add more combo flexibility. This list will look at traits such as those as well as others to decide what are the best weapons in the series.

Updated November 22nd, 2022, by Hilton Webster: With the release of Bayonetta 3, years of waiting have come to an end, and a whole slew of new and creative weapons have come along too. Though Bayonetta 3 removes the ability to separately equip weapons to your hands and feet, it does add some of the most absurd weapons in the series to date.

20 Kafka

Bayonetta with the bow Kafka in game

Most of us are probably aware of Mister Franz Kafka, the famed author of Metamorphosis, amongst other works. You might know him from the memes of a giant cockroach lying in bed. Yeah, that guy. Anyway, Kafka has been channeled here into a giant bow with an appropriately giant bug on top.

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Kafka is pretty interesting as a weapon, letting you play at range with your hands while having your legs for a more close-up weapon. The issue arises in how it’s impossible to smoothly combo between your hands and feet with Kafka, a pretty essential aspect of Bayonetta.

19 Rodin

Rodin weapon unlock screen in Bayonetta 2

The owner of the Gates of Hell (the bar, not the biblical ones) is one frightening individual when you realise he’s a fallen angel feared by both Angels and Demons. So it’s only appropriate then that Rodin gives you a weapon named after himself for beating him as the secret boss in all three games.

As a weapon in the first two games, Rodin summons Angel (and Demon in the sequel) weapons with different inputs. It's not extremely smooth to weave into combos, though is an absurdly powerful weapon. In Bayonetta 3, the weapon functions much the same, though is significantly easier to use in combos like any other weapon. Plus, it comes with Rodin himself as an Infernal Demon, if you fancy a dance with the Devil.

18 Salamandra

Bayonetta sliding along with the chainsaws Salamandra on her feet

It seems Rodin went back on his word about putting chainsaws on Bayonetta’s arms in the first game. Salamandra is exactly that; two large chainsaws that can be equipped to the hands or feet. Salamandra’s combo options are slightly more limited than most other weapons on this list, with having only four-hit combos and no pause options, making them fairly simple to use.

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It makes up for this through its moderate speed and charge ability. On the surface, Salamandra’s damage is average, but once its charge ability is mastered, it becomes a powerhouse able to pump out damage faster than any other weapon. Making effective use of its charge ability can be difficult in the heat of a battle, though.

17 Cassiopeia

Bayonetta 3 Cassiopeia viewed in the Item Catalog

Bayonetta holds the record for the most weapons in the series by a significant margin, with around 14 weapons in total. They continually unlock as you progress along the game, though a small number of them are hidden away, Cassiopeia being one of them. To unlock it, you have to defeat Dark Eve in the Phenomenal Remnant which unlocks after you complete the game.

Cassiopeia itself is a giant anchor mixed with a harpoon. It slow but hits hard, though has the unique ability to extend the range of any of its attacks by holding the relevant attack button. One of the most interesting aspects of the weapon is how it can drag enemies to you with its built-in harpoon, or even tear boulders from the earth to launch at enemies.

16 Odette

Bayonetta skating along with the Odette ice skates

A rare type of weapon indeed. Odette is one of only two weapons in the series in the feet-exclusive club. Odette is a pair of ice skates that increases Bayonetta’s movement speed and enables her to freeze enemies with a flurry of kick attacks.

Odette is moderately useful against most enemies for its increase in Bayonetta’s movement, sliding effects, and ability to freeze all non-boss foes outside of a few special cases. Being able to freeze enemies is especially useful. With it being built directly into Odette’s offense, kick attacks become a lot more effective and can take enemies out of a fight completely to make engagements more manageable or to get a good amount of free damage in on a single target.

15 Rakshasa

Bayonetta using a Wicked Weave on an enemy with Rakshasa

Two swords are better than one, after all. As a pair, Rakshasa is dual-wielded with the added benefit of allowing Bayonetta to equip them to her feet. Rakshasa actually shines when equipped to Bayonetta’s feet specifically. With some of the most varied and dynamic kick combos in the series and very few recovery frames when ending most, Rakshasa has excellent pressure capabilities that’ll keep Bayonetta active and her enemies reeling.

Pairing Rakshasa with Shuraba makes a devastating combo. Rakshasa, paired with itself or other weapons, is nothing to sneeze at either. It’s a weapon that goes well with any other in the game, and that’s a quality very few weapons have.

14 Lt. Col. Kilgore

Bayonetta wielding all four guns of Lt. Col. Kilgore.

Guns are a major part of Bayonetta. The handguns she starts the games with, Scarborough Fair, Love Is Blue and Colour My World being her trademarks weapons, and even the few extra that are thrown around like the Arwings and Bazillions. And then there’s Lt. Col. Kilgore, which is simply just rocket launchers. It's a bit overkill when you’ve got all four equipped.

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Kilgore shares many of the same moves as Scarborough Fair, but due to how slow they are, they throw in a few unique combos of their own. Kilgore is essentially a power weapon: super slow but super hard-hitting. With a little effort and a not strictly intended technique with Durga, you can also have it shoot out endless missiles to lay waste to anything in your path.

13 Chernobog

Bayonetta using Chernobog against an enemy

A fitting weapon for slaying the denizens of Inferno, being named after a god of misfortune. Chernobog is a big, three-bladed scythe. While not an incredibly special weapon overall, its "wicked blades" are its most noticeable feature. Combo-enders can juggle large groups of enemies or do significant damage to foes in a very large area around Bayonetta. It makes dealing with large groups of smaller enemies an easier task.

Its biggest weakness is its inability to break through more challenging enemies’ defences for such a slow weapon. Regardless, it’s still very useful for its range and relative safeness when in more chaotic fights.

12 Cruel Altea

Bayonetta 3 Cruel Altea viewed in the Item Catalog

With the various changes to weapons in Bayonetta 3, one of the most major ones is how each weapon is infused with an Infernal Demon. Reappearing from their initial showing in Bayonetta 2, Labolas returns as the Demon Masquerade form of Cruel Altea, a set of gear that is truly unique in ways that are surprising. A big achievement in a game with a train as a Demon.

Cruel Altea is worn as a pair of gloves and boots, as well as a belt all in the shape of Labolas' head. When used, Bayonetta does a punch, sending out one of the heads to track an enemy and fire a laser at them for so long as the button is held. They have incredible tracking, following enemies both above and below you with ease, and at an incredible range too.

11 Takemikazuchi

Bayonetta holding the great Takemikazuchi hammer on a black background

A Sun Wukong-inspired hammer that hits as hard as it is comically large. Takemikazuchi is the go-to power weapon in Bayonetta 2, sporting very slow animations but some of the most satisfying hit-stun to enemies. Takemikazuchi is one of the series’s most powerful weapons, if not the most powerful in terms of raw damage output.

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Most combo strings can erase smaller enemies in the game and significantly damage larger ones. Its attacks are also useful for good crowd control as they hit in sweeping arcs in front of Bayonetta in a wide cone. Most enemy attacks will be stuffed completely, especially from Wicked Weaves. However, getting most Wicked Weave attacks out can be difficult, considering their incredibly long start-up.

10 Chain Chomp

Bayonetta stood beside the Chain Chomp tied to her leg

Undeniably the most unusual weapon in a series with hair demons and living whips, Chain Chomp is well... Chain Chomp from Mario. There’s not much more to say for them other than how unexpected the crossover is.

Humorously though, Chain Chomp is an incredibly unique weapon. The second of the feet-exclusive weapons, Chain Chomp acts as support, snapping at enemies within reach of their chain when not in use. Even though it lacks Wicked Weaves, it can still be launched with good timing to briefly spawn multiple of them to mow down your enemies.

9 Alruna

Alruna in Bayonetta 3.

A whip weapon that lacks the versatility of Kulshedra but makes up for it in both quantity and quality. Alruna is a weapon with an unparalleled amount of crowd control. With incredible range compared to other melee weapons and attacks that sweep and circle across the battlefield, Alruna is a unique tool that allows Bayonetta to play the mid-range game with her opponents.

Alruna’s biggest asset is its charge ability. Wrapping around small or medium-sized enemies, Bayonetta slams them down near her. or pulls them towards her in the air. This makes for a great and safe way to close the distance before following up with melee combos. Alruna even returns in Bayonetta 3, this time with the deadly thorns of Alraune's Demon Masquerade form for that extra sharp touch. Just make sure Witch Time is active against the larger foes.

8 Sai Fung

Sai Fung nunchucks Umbran Elegance Costume in Bayonetta (left) and concept art (right)

A pair of nunchaku that fire magic bullets. "Gunchucks", if you will. Probably the coolest weapon in Bayonetta’s entire arsenal in terms of style. Sai Fung has an incredibly high stagger rate on small enemies, even the more difficult ones. This makes the weapon incredibly useful for constant offensive pressure to the point where the enemy may never even have a chance to attack.

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The downside is that it does the lowest damage of any weapon. And its great speed is offset by its limited melee range. Also, despite its great pressure capabilities, hit stun lasts for about as long as it takes to hit your opponent. This means that wicked weave finishers can be slightly harder to land on faster foes. If your pressure is on point, though, enemies become trivial in one-on-one fights with this weapon.

7 Ignis Araneae Yo-Yo

Ignis Araneae Yo-Yo in Bayonetta 3.

Some weapons Bayonetta uses might be deemed "practical", for as much as conventional weapons would be practical to an ancient witch. Shuraba is a sword, makes sense. Lt. Col. Kilgore is a set of rocket launchers, another logical choice. As the name may imply, the Ignis Araneae Yo-Yos are, well, Yo-Yos. Pretty fiery ones, but still Yo-Yos.

If you've ever wanted to see Bayonetta Walk The Dog or go all Around The World, this is your chance. There's nothing quite like seeing her flick them from her fingers with finesse and glee while deadly spikes protrude from every edge. They're speedy and have incredible range, though need good placement to get maximum damage. Oh, and you ride them on your feet when equipped, obviously.

6 Durga

Bayonetta using lightning Durga on her hands and fire Durga on her feet

A unique weapon in the series for being a two-in-one of sorts. Durga is a pair of elemental claws that can swap between fire and lightning at will. Fire is its slower, more powerful version, while lightning is faster but weaker.

Durga is one of the most versatile weapons in the series, having both power and speed in one. When paired with its alternate production version, Bayonetta can wield fire and lightning simultaneously, allowing her to execute quick combos with lightning while still keeping some of the explosive power of fire. No other weapon can do this in the series, even when paired with itself.

5 Kulshedra

A render of the whip Kulshedra on a white background

Bayonetta has plenty going for her in her style and the many outfits she can be dressed up in, but first and foremost is the dominatrix vibes. Whips are part of the territory, so it’s no surprise that Bayonetta gets whips in both games.

Where Alruna excels in strength, Kulshedra has incredible versatility. It has range and great combos but also lets you drag yourself toward enemies and them toward you, and it even lets you swing the enemies around like a flail.

4 Shurabu

Bayonetta slashes with Shuraba

It wouldn’t be a proper hack-and-slash game without a good ole’ fashion sword, and Shuraba fits the bill. With good damage, range and speed compared to most other melee weapons, Shuraba’s versatility is limited only by being a hands-exclusive weapon.

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Shuraba’s Wicked Weaves are its greatest aspect. Doing a ton of damage, especially in the first game; some wicked weaves — which appear as large blades — make long, sweeping arcs that are very useful for crowd control, doing lots of stun and knockback. It’s a weapon that can save you a lot of headaches against some of the tougher enemies in the series.

3 Colour My World

Bayonetta stands with a purple gun poised upward

Much like Bayonetta herself, Colour My World are over-the-top but refined. Something beyond belief in beauty, yet firmly brutal in execution. Literal execution of Angels, Demons and anything else that comes her way, by the way. Purple in colour, curved in the handle and tri-barrelled, it's everything that shines about Bayonetta as a character and a game series.

Much like her previous firearms, Colour My World shares many of the same combos and utility, though this time around is focused on pure speed than the balance of Love Is Blue or raw damage of Scarborough Fair. It's also a great showcase for Demon Masquerade, with Bayonetta summoning Madama Butterfly's arms and legs aplenty, and even taking on her form to deal some extra damage of her own. Cheeky.

2 Love Is Blue

Bayonetta from 2 aiming her guns at the screen, one in front of the other

Love Is Blue is Bayonetta’s signature weapon in her second outing. Where Scarborough Fair is smooth and rounded, Love Is Blue is sharp and angular. The former has fast hand attacks and slow feet attacks, while the latter is the opposite.

As such, it has many of the same qualities as Scarborough Fair. It’s the jack-of-all-trades, a weapon that fits every scenario but in a slightly different flavour than the originals.

1 Scarborough Fair

Bayonetta pointing a gun towards the screen in focus, while Bayonetta is unfocused in the background

Simple. Balanced. Classy. Scarborough Fair is a set of four magical handguns and one of the most reliable weapons in the series. They’re not the most powerful weapons, but they serve as a solid all-around tool. They’re one of the fastest weapons in the series when equipped in Bayonetta’s hands while being an easy weapon to use.

While their damage is relatively low, mastering them allows you to confidently tackle any enemy in the series. Its combo strings are consistent and dependable, and its average charge modifier is a good way to pepper in some extra damage on smaller mobs. Plus, you’ll always look stylish with them.

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