Starfield: Best Weapon and Gun Mods

Using weapon mods is one of the most important parts of progression in Starfield. Through it, you can take almost any weapon in your arsenal and more than double its damage output. Modding your death dealers can also drastically change their function. For instance, turning even the fastest-firing SMGs into Rifles, Pistols into what are essentially shotguns, and many other variations. We’ll go over the very best weapon and gun mods in Starfield in this guide.

The Best Weapon and Gun Mods in Starfield

Most weapons in Starfield share the same weapon and gun mods. The effects they provide are roughly the same as well. There are some edge cases, like grenade launchers and shotguns, that have unique mods. Further, some weapons can’t equip other types of conversions, though only where it makes sense. You’re not putting a long-range scope on a pistol, for instance. Here are the best weapon and gun mods in Starfield.

• Best Attachments for Pistols in Starfield
• Best Attachments for Rifles
• Best Attachments for Shotguns
• Best Attachments for Heavy (Grenade Launchers)

Best Pistol Mods in Starfield

• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Laser: Recon Laser Sight (standard Laser if Recon unavailable)
• Optic: Glow Sights
• Muzzle: Suppressor (Short Suppressor if available)
• Magazine and Battery: Penetrator Rounds (Armor-Piercing Rounds otherwise)
• Internal: High Powered
• Receiver: Semi-Automatic
• Grip and Stock (if available): Tactical Grip

These weapon attachments will offer the best damage output without sacrificing much performance. The suppressor also makes them good for stealth gameplay in close quarters.

Best Rifle Mods

• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Laser: Recon Laser Sight (standard Laser if Recon unavailable)
• Optic: Reflex or Short Sight (depending on your preference)
• Muzzle: Suppressor if Fully-Automatic, Muzzle Brake if Fully-Automatic
• Magazine and Battery: Armored-Piercing Rounds (Explosive Rounds or Depleted Uranium Rounds if available)
• Internal: High Powered
• Receiver: Semi-automatic for Sniping, Full-Auto for Close-Range
• Grip and Stock (if available): Tactical Folding Stock or Standard Grip and Stock

How you build your rifles comes down to what you plan to use them for, as the Rifle category covers a lot of ground. What other games would call SMGs are in the Rifle category, but with these mods, you should be in good shape.

Best Shotgun Mods

• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Laser: Recon Laser Sight (standard Laser if Recon unavailable)
• Optic: Reflex Sight
• Muzzle: Choke
• Magazine and Battery: Flechette Rounds for Humans, Slug Shots for Robots
• Internal: High Powered for Close Range, High-Velocity for longer ranges
• Receiver: Fully-Automatic
• Grip and Stock (if available): Tactical Stock

Shotguns are close-range weapons (obviously), but you can use them out to a middle distance if you equip longer barrels, a choke, and a sight. Fully-automatic shotguns are always nice as well if you can equip the mod.

Best Heavy (Grenade Launcher) Mods

• Barrel: Long Barrel
• Laser: Laser Sight
• Optic: Reflex Sight
• Magazine and Battery: Standard Explosive Rounds (Hornet’s Nest for big groups)
• Internal: Hair Trigger
• Grip and Stock (if available): Tactical Stock

These weapon mods will add a little bit of controllability and some additional effects to the weapon, but grenade launchers are powerful without much modification, so these only really make them stronger.

And those are our picks for the best weapon and gun mods in Starfield. The benefits they provide are the main reason I recommend investing in crafting skills long before you put points into any combat skills. For more tips on how to get the most out of your time in the game, check out our guides on how to get the Razorleaf ship, how to romance Sam Coe, and more in our guides hub for the game.