Best Weapons Tier List | Resident Evil 3 Nemesis

Read this guide to see the best weapons in Resident Evil 3 Nemesis! See weapon tiers, selection criteria and info on best weapon tiers and best weapon vs Nemesis in RE3 Nemesis!

Table of Contents

Weapon Tier Criteria
Best Weapons Tier List
Best Weapons Explained

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Walkthrough & Guide

Best Weapon Tier Criteria

Versatility

The weapon must have the versatility to deal with different situations, whether its zombie mobs or roaming monsters. Weapons that are too specialized will force the player to carry additional weapons, wasting precious space.

Ammo Availability

The weapon's ammo availability is considered in the criteria, as it directly affects how long can the weapon be used. If ammo is always scarce, the weapon can't be used to its full capacity no matter how good it is.

Ease Of Use

Who's faster? Jill trying to shoulder this big rocket launcher, or nemesis's acid?

Weapon must be easy to use and operate. Weapons with long aiming time or random/ unstable trajectory will hurt the user in critical times, so operating ease is included in the criteria.

Resident Evil 3 Nemesis Best Weapons Tier List

Base Game Weapon Tier List

Name Tier	Desc.
Shotgun ★★★	All-rounder weapon that can deal with most situations, plentiful ammo available
Grenade Launcher ★★★	Deals with all strong targets quickly, carry all ammo into the weapon
Magnum ★★・	Hard hitting but not as powerful vs bosses as G. Launcher, scarce ammo
Assault Rifle ★★・	Easy to use weapons that deals steady and good damage
Rocket Launcher ★★・	Good for bosses but too unwieldy for normal targets, hard to get
Mine Thrower ★・・	Gimmicky "Mine" mechanics with very limited ammo
Handgun ★・・	Takes too long to kill anything, only good for lone zombies or dogs
Knife ★・・	Difficult to master weapon best saved as a last resort

All Weapons List: RE3 Nemesis

RE3 Nemesis: Best Weapons Explained

3 Stars: Shotgun

Versatile, powerful and abundant in ammo, the shotgun is the only weapon you need except for fighting bosses, which it can actually pull off. This makes the shotgun the best weapon in the game for its ability to deal with threats.

Shotgun Pros & Cons

Pros	・Large magazine capacity ・Deals with horde & monsters easily ・High burst damage ・Plentiful & easy to make ammo
Cons	・Slower fire rate
Where To Find	In the Alley basement of Uptown

3 Stars: Grenade Launcher

Grenade Launcher's ability to load different ammo makes it the most optimal in fighting bosses, while its grenades can kill all monsters in 1 shot. It even saves you a inventory slot as same grenade type all fit inside the weapon!

Best Weapon VS Nemesis With Freeze Rounds

A Grenade Launcher with Freeze Rounds is the best weapon against Nemesis, taking it down in 7 ~ 8 shots. You will need to bring it down 2 times to "kill" it for the encounter, however.

Grenade Launcher Pros & Cons

Pros	・No need to carry ammo as same ammo type fits into weapon ・Can use ammo best optimized against bosses ・Plentiful & combinable ammo
Cons	・Grenades are not instantaneous hit and can sometimes miss ・Not a one-shot-kill against zombies
Where To Find	Weapons locker in STARS Office OR: Locker in Power Plant

2 Stars: Magnum

While many players swear by the Magnum, its rare ammo and reliance on gunpowder mixing for ammo makes it difficult to run for the long term. Needing more ammo to kill bosses compared with G. Launcher also amplified this flaw.

Magnum Pros & Cons

Pros	・Instant hit when fired, no bullet travel ・One-Shot anything that's not a boss
Cons	・Very hard-to-find ammo, forcing players to mix gunpowder ・Not the most optimized against bosses
Where To Find	Weapons locker in STARS Office OR: Locker in Power Plant

2 Stars: Assault Rifle (3 Stars For Infinite Ammo Ver.)

A steady lead shooter, the assault rifle has little to no recoil allowing for a consistent barrage down its barrel. Its good against everything that's not a boss, which then its damage output is inefficient to down them fast.

Infinite Ammo Version From Mercenary Mode

you can buy a special unlimited ammo version of Assault Rifle by gathering up 2000 cash in the Mercenaries mode. Then, you can use it in any later replays of the game.

Mercenaries Mode - Money & Tips Guide: RE3 Nemesis

Assault Rifle Pros & Cons

Pros	・Instant hit when fired, no bullet travel ・Little to no recoil
Cons	・No ammo found, empty the gun and its done ・Ineffective against bosses ・Very little chance to actually use this weapon in hard mode
Where To Find	On Jill in Easy Mode OR: Used By Carlos in Hospital OR: Beat Nemesis 7 times