Best Swords in Core Keeper: Melee Weapon Rankings

Best sword ranking (upgraded to Lv.20)

All 15 swords, sorted by expected DPS at Lv.20 with endgame gear. Every effect on the weapon (critical hit chance, attack speed and so on) is included in the calculation (how it is calculated).

Rank	Weapon	Base Lv	Melee damage (Lv.20)	Attacks /s	Expected DPS (with endgame gear)	Weapon only /s	Ancient Coins to Lv.20	Effects (Lv.20)
1	Rune Song	13	350–426	2.5	10,850	970	3,039	+17 health on melee hit +8% chance on melee hit to increase melee attack speed by 50% for a short duration The +50% attack speed buff (2 s) is counted as active about 53% of the time. The special attack (a line attack of up to 3x damage) is not included.
2	Splintered Wooden Sword	2	322–392	2.5	9,873	893	4,838	+19% critical hit chance
3	Galaxite Sword	14	313–381	2.5	9,323	868	2,707	+47% critical hit damage
4	Scarlet Sword	9	307–375	2.5	9,227	853	4,059	+16% critical hit chance
5	Solarite Sword	16	312–380	2.5	9,113	865	1,944	+8% critical hit chance +5.3% melee attack speed
6	Atlantean Worm Sword	17	315–385	2.5	9,018	875	1,512	+21% damage against bosses +5 health on melee hit
7	Iron Sword	7	313–381	2.5	8,814	868	4,399	+9.9% melee attack speed
8	Slippery Slime Sword	13	311–379	2.5	8,786	863	3,039	+8% critical hit chance +52% chance on hit to apply slippery movement
9	Octarine Sword	12	312–380	2.5	8,783	865	3,339	+9.8% melee attack speed
10	Hydra Bone Sword	16	307–375	2.5	8,694	853	1,944	+18% damage against bosses +53% damage against stunned targets Damage against stunned enemies +53% is not included, since it only works when you have a way to stun enemies (a pet talent, another weapon, etc.).
11	Copper Sword	2	315–383	2.5	8,332	873	4,838	—
12	Tin Sword	5	308–376	2.5	8,165	855	4,639	—
13	Wooden Sword	1	308–376	2.5	8,165	855	4,869	—
14	Slime Sword	6	269–327	2.5	7,115	745	4,531	Reduces the target's movement speed by -92.4% for 4 sec
15	Broken Handle	10	222–270	2.5	5,873	615	3,848	+62 max health

Best melee weapon ranking (swords, daggers, axes, spears, clubs)

All 35 melee weapons, not just swords. Daggers hit for less but attack more often, while axes are slow but hit hard.

Rank	Weapon	Base Lv	Melee damage (Lv.20)	Attacks /s	Expected DPS (with endgame gear)	Weapon only /s	Ancient Coins to Lv.20	Effects (Lv.20)
1	Rune Song	13	350–426	2.5	10,850	970	3,039	+17 health on melee hit +8% chance on melee hit to increase melee attack speed by 50% for a short duration The +50% attack speed buff (2 s) is counted as active about 53% of the time. The special attack (a line attack of up to 3x damage) is not included.
2	Galaxite Dagger	14	264–322	3.33	10,726	977	2,707	+18% critical hit chance
3	Ritual Dagger	9	259–315	3.33	10,567	957	4,059	+3 blue glow +9% critical hit chance +25% critical hit damage
4	Rusty Dagger	3	257–313	3.33	10,282	950	4,791	+16% critical hit chance
5	Scarlet Dagger	9	252–308	3.33	9,959	933	4,059	+44% critical hit damage
6	Splintered Wooden Sword	2	322–392	2.5	9,873	893	4,838	+19% critical hit chance
7	Prehistoric Crystal Spear	15	321–391	2.5	9,788	890	2,342	+47% physical melee damage
8	Void Club	18	369–449	2.5	9,765	1,023	1,044	—
9	Galaxite Sword	14	313–381	2.5	9,323	868	2,707	+47% critical hit damage
10	Scarlet Sword	9	307–375	2.5	9,227	853	4,059	+16% critical hit chance
11	Octarine Axe	12	453–553	1.67	9,207	838	3,339	+18% critical hit chance
12	Solarite Sword	16	312–380	2.5	9,113	865	1,944	+8% critical hit chance +5.3% melee attack speed
13	Hunting Spear	5	320–390	2.5	9,111	888	4,639	+9% critical hit chance
14	Tin Dagger	5	258–314	3.33	9,104	953	4,639	—
15	Battle Axe	7	450–550	1.67	9,101	833	4,399	+44.5% physical melee damage
16	Poisonous Sickle	12	321–391	2.5	9,089	890	3,339	+26% critical hit damage +41% chance to apply poison on hit, which reduces enemy healing received by 75%
17	Atlantean Worm Sword	17	315–385	2.5	9,018	875	1,512	+21% damage against bosses +5 health on melee hit
18	Iron Sword	7	313–381	2.5	8,814	868	4,399	+9.9% melee attack speed
19	Slippery Slime Sword	13	311–379	2.5	8,786	863	3,039	+8% critical hit chance +52% chance on hit to apply slippery movement
20	Octarine Sword	12	312–380	2.5	8,783	865	3,339	+9.8% melee attack speed
21	Iron Halberd	7	309–377	2.5	8,735	858	4,399	+8% critical hit chance
22	Hydra Bone Sword	16	307–375	2.5	8,694	853	1,944	+18% damage against bosses +53% damage against stunned targets Damage against stunned enemies +53% is not included, since it only works when you have a way to stun enemies (a pet talent, another weapon, etc.).
23	Anchor Axe	13	435–531	1.67	8,569	805	3,039	+43% critical hit damage +55% chance to knockback on melee hit
24	Copper Sword	2	315–383	2.5	8,332	873	4,838	—
25	Pipe Club	8	626–764	1.25	8,297	869	4,242	+60% chance to knockback on melee hit
26	Crystal Shard Club	16	388–474	2	8,232	862	1,944	+58% chance to knockback on melee hit
27	Tin Sword	5	308–376	2.5	8,165	855	4,639	—
28	Wooden Sword	1	308–376	2.5	8,165	855	4,869	—
29	Larva Spike Club	8	308–376	2.5	8,165	855	4,242	+56% chance to knockback on melee hit
30	Tentacle Whip	11	462–564	1.67	8,165	855	3,608	—
31	Lava Battle Axe	15	440–536	1.67	7,800	813	2,342	+66 burn damage applied on hit Includes about 33/s of damage over time.
32	Tin Axe	5	441–537	1.67	7,783	815	4,639	—
33	Pandorium Axe	17	434–530	1.67	7,755	803	1,512	High chance to apply a random condition on hit Includes about 83/s of damage over time. Of the random status effects, only burning (176 damage / 2 s, active about 94% of the time) is counted. Stun, poison and slow deal no damage, so they are left out.
34	Slime Sword	6	269–327	2.5	7,115	745	4,531	Reduces the target's movement speed by -92.4% for 4 sec
35	Broken Handle	10	222–270	2.5	5,873	615	3,848	+62 max health

Best dagger, axe, spear and club (top 3 of each type)

Numbers are expected DPS at Lv.20 with endgame gear.

Best swords and melee weapons for early, mid and late game (not upgraded)

If you do not upgrade, pick by strength at the moment you get the weapon (its base level). For each base-level range, these are the weapons with the highest expected DPS at that point. This table uses no other gear (critical hit damage at the base +50%) and counts only the weapon's own effects.

Best melee weapons: Early game (Lv.1–5)

Rank	Weapon	Base Lv	Melee damage (base)	Attacks /s	Expected DPS (base)	Effects (base)
1	Tin Dagger	5	74–90	3.33	273	—
2	Hunting Spear	5	91–111	2.5	256	+3% critical hit chance
3	Tin Sword	5	89–107	2.5	245	—
4	Tin Axe	5	126–154	1.67	233	—
5	Rusty Dagger	3	49–59	3.33	185	+5% critical hit chance

Best melee weapons: Mid game (Lv.6–11)

Rank	Weapon	Base Lv	Melee damage (base)	Attacks /s	Expected DPS (base)	Effects (base)
1	Tentacle Whip	11	264–322	1.67	488	—
2	Ritual Dagger	9	124–150	3.33	471	+2 blue glow +5% critical hit chance +13% critical hit damage
3	Scarlet Dagger	9	121–147	3.33	447	+24% critical hit damage
4	Scarlet Sword	9	147–179	2.5	424	+8% critical hit chance
5	Battle Axe	7	172–210	1.67	374	+17.6% physical melee damage

Best melee weapons: Late game (Lv.12+)

Rank	Weapon	Base Lv	Melee damage (base)	Attacks /s	Expected DPS (base)	Effects (base)
1	Prehistoric Crystal Spear	15	245–299	2.5	925	+36.1% physical melee damage
2	Void Club	18	333–407	2.5	925	—
3	Atlantean Worm Sword	17	270–330	2.5	814	+17% damage against bosses +4 health on melee hit
4	Solarite Sword	16	252–308	2.5	757	+7% critical hit chance +4.5% melee attack speed
5	Pandorium Axe	17	372–454	1.67	751	High chance to apply a random condition on hit Includes about 63/s of damage over time. Of the random status effects, only burning (149 damage / 2 s, active about 85% of the time) is counted. Stun, poison and slow deal no damage, so they are left out.

How to choose the best sword and how it is calculated

• If you upgrade, choose by effects. Weapons can be upgraded to Lv.20 with Ancient Coins and materials, and at that point their base damage is about the same. The effects on the weapon decide which is best.
• Late game, critical hit chance and attack speed win. Damage % bonuses add together in one bucket, so once other gear already gives about +210%, a weapon's "+% physical melee damage" adds little. Critical hit chance and attack speed are separate buckets that multiply, so similar-looking numbers raise damage much more (damage formula).
• If you do not upgrade, "+% physical melee damage" is strong too. Early and mid game your other gear has little damage %, so the weapon's bonus counts in full (see the base-level tables).
• Daggers rely on hit count, axes on big hits. Daggers attack about 3.3 times per second, swords 2.5 and axes about 1.7. Attack speed gear and talents are easiest to feel on fast weapons.
• Check the upgrade cost. Low-level weapons (rusty daggers, broken wooden swords and so on) still hold up late game at Lv.20, but they cost a lot more Ancient Coins to upgrade.

How expected DPS is calculated

Expected DPS = weapon damage × (attacks per second) × (1 + total damage %) × (1 + attack speed %) × (1 + critical hit chance × critical hit damage) × (1 + 2 × triple damage chance) × (1 + damage against bosses % × 0.5) + damage over time such as burning

• Lv.20 tables add the weapon's effects on top of endgame gear (damage % +210%, attack speed +55%, critical hit chance 40%, critical hit damage +125%; the total of the gear and food in the best melee build). "Weapon only" is damage ÷ attack interval.
• Base tables use no other gear, only the weapon's own effects.
• Special effects: "chance on hit to gain attack speed" is counted by how often it is active, and burning assumes the target stays on fire as long as you keep hitting it.

Charged attacks (right-click special attacks), attack area (axe sweeps, spear reach), enemy defense, knockback and slow, and poison (it only lowers healing and deals no damage) are not included. The formula is not published by the game; it is based on player testing.