Weapon Classes & AP Economy — Rifle vs Pistol vs Repeater vs Longarm
Compare all four Zero Company Weapon Classes and use AP-breakpoint logic for Scout, Gunslinger, Sharpshooter, Heavy, and hybrid builds.
Zero Company has four standard Weapon Classes, and the meaningful difference is not only damage. AP cost changes what the rest of the turn can look like. That matters for repositioning, applying Spotted, using utilities, and setting up abilities.
Base weapon stats
| Weapon Class | Damage | Crit damage bonus | Base crit chance | Range | AP behavior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blaster Rifle | 10 | +6 | 5% | Medium | First shot 1 AP, additional shots 2 AP |
| Repeater | 8 | +4 | 5% | Medium | Damage scales with AP committed |
| Blaster Pistol | 6 | +4 | 5% | Short | 1 AP per shot |
| Longarm Blaster | 12 | +12 | 5% | Long | 2 AP per shot |
Why the Pistol can beat higher damage on support builds
On a Scout, the pistol’s 1-AP shots can create more opportunities to apply Spotted. That is a team-value calculation, not a DPS calculation. A low-damage hit that removes range and smoke penalties for a stronger teammate can be worth more than a single heavier shot.
After movement, cheap remaining pistol shots can create more Spotted attempts than a single 2 AP Longarm attack. It does not guarantee that several safe targets will be available.
Why Longarm loves guaranteed-crit setup
Longarm has the largest base crit-damage bonus of the four classes. That makes it an obvious beneficiary of effects like Identify Weakness or a Vicious stack from Cold-Blooded. A guaranteed crit is more valuable when the underlying crit bonus is already large.
The price is turn rigidity: a 2-AP shot leaves less room for repositioning and utility.
Repeater is an AP commitment, not a default Heavy weapon
Repeater fits high-damage playstyles including Gunslinger, Soldier, and Heavy. That does not mean every Heavy should equip one. A Heavy frequently wants AP for taunt, movement, or a utility item. If the mission requires frequent repositioning, the Repeater’s damage ceiling can become a trap because you rarely get to feed it the AP it wants.
Blaster Rifle is the safest learning weapon
The Rifle’s 1-AP first shot makes it forgiving. You can move, shoot, and still preserve choices. That makes it a strong starting pick for Soldier or Assault.
Decision rule
- Pick Pistol when extra actions and tagging are the value.
- Pick Rifle when you need flexibility and reliable medium-range damage.
- Pick Repeater when you can afford to commit the turn to damage.
- Pick Longarm when range, accuracy setup, and crit multipliers justify the 2-AP shot.
That rule survives balance patches better than a one-number “best weapon” list.