Moonstone is not a separate weapon class or rarity in the standard version of Banners of Ruin. If you mean Moonstones, treat them as a limited progression resource rather than a reason to rank an imaginary set of Moonstone blades. The best equipment still comes from matching a weapon's attack pattern, card synergies, and wielder to your party plan. In practical terms, flexible ranged weapons and reliable multi-hit melee options sit at the top, while slow damage-only equipment belongs near the bottom unless your deck is already built around it.
This ranking focuses on the equipment choices that actually decide runs: damage consistency, action economy, positioning, defensive value, and how well a weapon survives the jump from the early streets of Dawn's Point into tougher encounters. It also clears up the Moonstone wording so you don't burn currency chasing a tier that the base game doesn't use. Before planning a run, check the current Banners of Ruin Steam page for updates, DLC notes, and version information.
The Moonstone confusion explained before the tier list
The most important correction is simple: the normal equipment system in Banners of Ruin is not built around a named Moonstone weapon tier. You buy, discover, and equip weapon cards, armor, and other gear during a run, then judge them by what they add to a character's deck and combat role. The game does not turn every item into a conventional RPG drop with a clean white-blue-purple rarity ladder.
That distinction matters because equipment value is highly contextual. A weapon that looks weaker on paper may be excellent if it supplies cheap attacks to a character with spare action economy. A heavy weapon may show impressive damage but underperform when its wielder cannot safely reach the enemy or when the rest of the deck already has expensive attacks. Defensive equipment can also rank higher than a damage item in a party that is losing runs to attrition rather than failing to kill quickly.
Moonstones, if you're using the term for the game's meta-progression currency, should be spent with the same restraint. They don't magically upgrade an average weapon into an S-Tier pick. Prioritize permanent unlocks and options that widen your future card pool, then judge run-specific equipment from the cards actually offered. The official MonteBearo website is the safest place to verify developer information rather than relying on outdated screenshots or fan-made lists.
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View on Steammoz Store →Banners of Ruin weapon tier list
The table below ranks the major weapon roles players commonly encounter. S-Tier does not mean “always buy.” It means the equipment remains useful across more party compositions, enemies, and map situations. A C-Tier weapon can still win a run, but it needs a narrower setup and punishes mistakes more severely.
| Weapon or equipment role | Tier | Why it ranks here | Best user and situation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bow and other dependable ranged attacks | S-Tier | Deals damage without forcing a fragile character into the front line and makes positioning easier | Back-line damage dealers, priority targets, awkward enemy formations |
| Rapier and fast single-target weapons | S-Tier | Excellent action efficiency and reliable finishing power against dangerous enemies | Agile attackers with cheap attack cards or accuracy support |
| Dagger and multi-hit packages | A-Tier | Scales well with on-hit effects, bleed, and bonuses that trigger repeatedly | Characters whose decks already reward several small attacks |
| Spear and reach-focused weapons | A-Tier | Strong control over lanes and safer pressure than ordinary melee equipment | Front-line characters who need to contribute while protecting allies |
| Crossbow and heavy ranged attacks | A-Tier | Great burst and target selection, but less forgiving when the draw or action economy is poor | High-damage back-line builds and elite encounters |
| Sword and balanced melee equipment | B-Tier | Consistent and easy to use, but rarely creates a powerful identity by itself | New players and generalist party members |
| Mace and stun-oriented attacks | B-Tier | Useful control, though its value depends on enemy resistance and the timing of the stun | Durable front-liners fighting dangerous single targets |
| Warhammer and other slow heavy weapons | C-Tier | Large hits are tempting, but missed tempo and expensive attacks can snowball into damage taken | Armor-heavy builds with strong support and reliable protection |
| Damage-only gear with no defensive or tactical utility | C-Tier | Falls off when enemies gain health and your party needs safer turns | Short early fights or highly specialized burst decks |
S-Tier: flexible weapons that win more than one kind of fight
Ranged equipment earns the first S-Tier slot because Banners of Ruin punishes careless positioning. A back-line attacker can keep contributing while a sturdier animal absorbs pressure, and that separation gives you more time to build armor, draw useful cards, or eliminate an enemy before it reaches your vulnerable characters. The value is not just raw damage; it is the number of turns where your damage dealer remains operational.
Fast single-target weapons, represented by the rapier role, are equally strong when the run offers cheap attacks or effects that reward finishing wounded enemies. Their job is to remove the most dangerous target before it gets another turn. Don't waste that profile on low-health trash if an enemy is preparing a damaging card, applying a debilitating effect, or threatening your unprotected back line.
A-Tier: powerful with the correct card package
Daggers become much better when your deck has on-hit triggers, bleed applications, or bonuses that care about attack count. Several modest hits can outperform one large strike if every hit activates another effect. The catch is that multi-hit weapons need consistency. If your draw contains expensive defensive cards and no way to assemble the sequence, the dagger's theoretical ceiling means nothing.
Spears are excellent for players who dislike gambling on a pure tank. They let a front-line character apply pressure while still occupying the space enemies want to attack through. Crossbows also belong here: their burst can erase a priority target, but they are less comfortable when the fight demands repeated low-cost attacks. Save them for moments where one strong shot changes the battle, not for cleaning up enemies that a cheaper weapon could handle.
Best equipment by party role
Ranking weapons in isolation misses the game's central trick: equipment has to fit the animal wearing it. A weapon's tier rises or falls according to health, armor, deck cost, and the character's position in your formation. The same card can be a carry item on one recruit and dead weight on another.
| Party role | Best equipment direction | Stat or card priority | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front-line tank | Spear, mace, or balanced sword with defensive support | Armor, block generation, reliable low-cost attacks | Equipping a warhammer and ignoring the turns spent unable to defend |
| Single-target assassin | Rapier, dagger, or fast precision weapon | Attack efficiency, draw quality, finishing damage | Spending attacks on low-value targets instead of removing threats |
| Back-line carry | Bow or crossbow | Safe positioning, burst, accuracy, and card access | Moving into melee just to use one extra attack |
| Control specialist | Mace, spear, or equipment with disable effects | Stun timing, survival, and reliable utility | Using control after the enemy has already taken its dangerous turn |
| Bleed or hit-count build | Dagger and other multi-hit weapons | Repeated attacks, bleed amplification, low card costs | Adding too many expensive cards and diluting the combo |
Front-line equipment
Your tank's weapon should not be judged by damage alone. The best front-line setup creates a safe exchange: the character blocks or absorbs pressure, then still has enough action economy to attack or apply control. Spears are especially attractive when enemies are difficult to reach cleanly. Maces make more sense when a stun prevents a specific enemy from taking its next action. A basic sword remains a fine choice when the shop offers no better synergy because reliability beats a flashy item that your deck cannot support.
Armor is often the hidden S-Tier purchase for a struggling front line. If your tank is taking damage every round, a modest increase in survivability can create several extra turns of damage from the rest of the party. That is usually worth more than a weapon that adds a little attack power but does nothing to stop the incoming damage.
Back-line equipment
Bow-style equipment is the safest default for a back-line carry. Its major advantage is that it preserves formation. Every unnecessary move costs tempo, and every turn spent exposing a ranged character can force you to spend cards on emergency defense instead of killing targets.
Crossbows are better when you have a clear burst plan. Pair them with draw tools, damage buffs, or a party member who can hold enemies in place. If the fight contains several durable targets and your hand is inconsistent, a bow's repeatable pressure usually beats a crossbow's larger but more demanding attacks.
How to spend gold and Moonstones without ruining a run
The best equipment decision often happens before you see the card. Look at your current deck, identify the turn that keeps going wrong, and buy the item that fixes that problem. If your party dies while waiting for damage, take efficient offense. If enemies survive long enough to overwhelm your tank, buy defense or control. If the deck contains powerful cards you rarely draw, prioritize card access and cheaper attacks over another high-cost weapon.
Don't spend all your gold on the first attractive weapon. Early shops are useful for establishing a role, but keeping a reserve lets you respond to a later equipment offer that actually completes your build. This is the same reason experienced players avoid bloating a deck with every reward: more options can mean fewer copies of the cards your engine needs.
Moonstone spending should be separated from run spending. If Moonstones represent your persistent resource, use them for unlocks that expand future routes and archetypes rather than trying to force one favorite weapon into every run. The game rewards adaptation. A ranged run, a bleed run, and a defensive control run may all need different unlock priorities. For a broader look at how Steam roguelikes handle progression and hidden rewards, compare the route-planning mindset in our Dragonkin hidden rewards guide.
| Situation | Best purchase | Why | What to skip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Party cannot kill priority targets | Rapier, bow, or efficient single-target attack | Improves tempo before dangerous enemies act again | Another expensive area attack |
| Tank collapses before round three | Armor, block support, or control weapon | Creates more safe turns for the whole party | Pure damage with no survival value |
| Hand is clogged with costly cards | Cheap weapon package or card-draw support | Raises the number of playable actions each turn | More high-cost equipment |
| Bleed or hit-count engine is active | Dagger or repeated-hit equipment | Converts existing triggers into real damage | One-hit weapons that don't trigger the engine |
| Run is already stable | Save gold for a premium upgrade | Preserves flexibility for elite and late-map rewards | Small upgrades with no synergy |
Why some “strong” weapons fail in late fights
Heavy weapons are the classic trap. A large attack number looks fantastic in a shop window, but late encounters test how consistently you can act, defend, and recover from a bad draw. If a warhammer-style weapon consumes too much of your turn, the enemy may get to attack while your party is still setting up. That trade can work with a durable character, armor support, and a deck that reliably produces the needed resources. It is a poor blind purchase.
Control equipment has a different trap. A stun is valuable only if it lands before the enemy's important action. Using it after the threat has attacked turns a premium effect into a cosmetic one. Watch enemy intent, identify the card or ability that can break your formation, and spend control to interrupt that moment. Maces rank higher against dangerous individual enemies and lower against encounters where many targets dilute the value of a single disable.
Multi-hit weapons also need discipline. They are brilliant against targets that survive several attacks and vulnerable against situations where you need one immediate kill. If your dagger user has to spend three actions finishing a target while another enemy prepares a lethal attack, the combo has failed even if the damage-per-card calculation looked efficient.
A practical combat rotation
Start each fight by checking enemy intent and your formation. Keep the ranged carry protected, let the front liner claim the space enemies want, and reserve your highest-value attack for the threat that can most quickly change the battle. Use cheap attacks to finish wounded enemies when possible; don't leave a target alive merely because you want to preserve a combo for later.
For a bow or crossbow carry, the clean rotation is usually protect position, draw toward the priority target, fire when the shot removes or cripples that target, then use remaining actions on defense or utility. For a rapier or dagger user, look for a kill threshold first, then activate hit-count or bleed effects once the attack sequence is guaranteed. For a mace or spear user, control the enemy whose next action is most dangerous rather than automatically targeting the enemy with the highest health.
Equipment upgrades should also follow the rotation. A weapon that adds damage to a character who already kills reliably may be less valuable than armor for the unit that is constantly forced to retreat. The best build is the one that makes your bad turns survivable, not just your perfect turns explosive. That principle also separates strong roguelike play from rerolling every run for a dream opening, a topic that comes up in our beginner build guide.
Final ranking and the best equipment choices
For most players, the safest equipment priority is bow or another reliable ranged weapon first, rapier-style fast attacks second, dagger and spear packages third, crossbows and maces next, and slow heavy weapons last. That order changes when your deck clearly supports a different plan, but it gives you a strong default whenever the shop presents several unfamiliar choices.
Remember the key Moonstone takeaway: don't search for a separate Moonstone rarity that the standard equipment system doesn't provide. Judge the real item in front of you by action efficiency, survivability, positioning, and synergy with your current cards. A modest bow that lets a back-line character attack every round is usually better than a spectacular heavy weapon that only works when the draw is perfect.
If you're comparing this game with other turn-based or equipment-heavy Steam releases, our Dungeon Siege RPG retrospective and Dungeons 2 weapon tier list offer useful contrasts. For official details, use the Steam store listing and MonteBearo's official site rather than an old tier list built around a different balance patch.
The short version is brutally practical: buy equipment that fixes the next fight, keep your strongest damage dealer safe, and never confuse a bigger number with better tempo. In Banners of Ruin, the weapon that lets your party take one more useful turn is very often the weapon that wins the run.