Bayonetta is a fast-paced character action game where even the cutscenes try to kill the player. This is a franchise that is constantly one-upping itself. From facing a giant axe-wielding angel on the side of a collapsing building to fighting a witch on an actively moving missile. But with the release of the new Bayonetta 3, what better time is there to look back on the series and go over some of the best weapons the series had to offer?
Starting at the beginning with Bayonetta 1. The only rules of this are that Pillow Talk or Rodin (the weapon) are excluded from this list. Just know that they would be pretty high. While Jeanne is playable in this game and also has a list of weapons to choose from, they are all mirrors of Bayonetta’s and as such, we will only focus on hers. That out of the way, let’s begin.
10 Odette
Freeze! Odette is the worst weapon on this list. Its reasons are pretty clear. It doesn’t do much. Its intended purpose is to freeze an enemy to take them out of the fight for a short time or use them as a throwable item. Unfortunately, it takes many kicks to do the job, and it isn’t guaranteed that the enemy will even flinch. Meaning Bayonetta will have to constantly poke and weave around a foe who barely acknowledges her attacks just for the chance to freeze them for a handful of seconds.
But players can also throw them, right? Well, yes. But that surprisingly does not deal as much damage as one would think. The kicks needed to even freeze a foe also deal practically nothing to the opponent. Both the frozen foe and the enemy who they were thrown at simply walk off the pitiful amount of damage as though it were a mere tickle. All work and no reward. They are, however, good for traversing through areas with lava. So there is that silver lining. And hey, at least its in-game backstory is pretty cool!
9 Kulshedra
A possessed whip that can… whip. That’s about it. Players don’t get many options with this weapon. It has two unique combos, one of which can only be activated during a pull only makes Bayo slap an enemy with demon hands, and the other just… whips.
It has very low damage too. Unless someone wants to finish a certain Alfheim using this thing or throw an enemy around into someone else (which is admittedly fun), there is just nothing here outside of style points. At least compared to the other tools in her arsenal. To be fair, it is good for pulling yourself towards an enemy but Umbran Spear and Afterburner Kick do that job as well. Also, she has guns. It is great for pulling the pesky wheel enemies out of the ground and tossing them away. But in most circumstances, this extending whip just comes up short.
8 Kilgore
It’s not all about the light and fast weapons though. Those who prefer slow and heavy combat will find solace in Lt Kilgore. These rocket launchers deal a great amount of damage to anything unfortunate enough to be targeted. Talk about explosive damage.
But what also boosts this weapon into this spot is its famous Kilgore glitch. Performed by switching to a Durga loadout, mashing Punch or Kick, and switching back to Kilgore during the final animation, a series of rockets will launch into the enemy’s face! And it will keep the speed of the normal non-slow-as-bricks weapon. In fact, there are a few glitches available with these high-powered rocket launchers. While it’s not intended, it is helpful! So it counts here too.
7 Durga
The Durga is a pair of elemental claws said to harbor the soul of a powerful demon with a thousand arms. Surely, it won’t mind if Bayonetta borrows two or four of them. The Durga’s main gimmick is that this weapon doesn’t fire a projectile. It just explodes. In its lightning form, holding down the associated button will cause a great, electric shockwave that grows larger with each strike. And in its fire state, it leaves behind flaming traps.
These things are powerful and nearly live up to the hype the description gives them. Its fire form is very slow and doesn’t quite have as many strings as other weapons but makes up for it with traps and explosions. Its lightning form is much faster, borrowing animations from Bayonetta’s gun fighting styles. Also, yes. It explodes. With this, the player has the option of big damage with fast strikes or bigger damage with slower strikes. Either way, angels go boom.
6 Sai Fung
Need some more Bruce Lee in your hack n slash games? Well, look no further than Sai Fung. Using a cheeky reference to Bruce Lee’s old nickname from his childhood, these trusty nunchucks are quick and easy to use. Sai Fung will occasionally fire wild projectiles in a random direction when using them, bouncing off of enemies and walls alike. But they, unfortunately, lack in the damage department. But that’s okay! This just means that the player can further wail on their enemies.
A light weapon prioritizing fun over damage, this weapon is a blast for any player with a preference for light but quick close combat. Or for people who want to hear the gun lady, herself shout a kiai.
5 Onyx Rose
The Onyx Rose weapon from Bayonetta 1. Taken from the Bloody Fate anime movie
Operating identically to the Scarborough Fair, these twin shotguns are projectile weapons for big, burst damage. Holding the button will lead to a mighty bang that obliterates lesser mobs in 3 shots.
But they are shotguns so while they do dish out immense amounts of damage, they lack the amazing range of their pistol cousins. There isn’t much to really talk about with these weapons. They behave similarly to the pistols but compensate for their lack of range with devastating close-up damage. But one thing is for certain. Having shotguns that fire the souls of fairies is one of the most metal concepts in gaming!
4 Scarborough Fair
The old reliable default and Bayonetta’s favorites, Scarborough Fair is possibly the most underrated of Bayonetta’s original arsenal. Sure, players can smack enemies at close range and pistol-whip them to oblivion, but their infinite range and decent damage make them the most versatile option.
Holding the Attack button deals several projectiles that pellet the enemies to death and continue combos. It also leaves a brief window for the player to relax and assess their surroundings while the guns are busy firing away at whoever’s in front of them. Missed shots also have a chance of bouncing off of platforms and hitting the target anyway. So all in all, these are pretty solid weapons.
3 Shuraba
We would advise not to get killed by her. Her sword traps the souls of its victims. The trusty Shuraba is one of the first unlockable weapons players get. Quick and powerful, this is not only one of the more beginner-friendly weapons, but also one of the more effective.
As one of the few weapons without the need to hold Attack for extra value, it is a great tool for anyone jumping in from other hack-and-slash games. Because, well, it’s basically a sword. But if anyone wants to go for extra style points, holding down Lock On charges a powerful laser. And to top it all off, its wicked weave attacks are utterly devastating to ensure that none of Bayonetta’s foes are ever getting back up.
2 Bazillions
Here, we have the Bazillions. Forged from a time far into the future, this cheeky reference to the Sega-made anime, Zillion, is pretty darn powerful. The laser guns are very similar to the Scarborough Fair in that they share the same combos. What makes these weapons so different is that they fire highly concentrated lasers. Laser guns! Pretty cool, right? Well, they also have a higher chance of piercing through enemy shields.
Pull these things out whenever the other guns just aren’t cutting it, and they’re sure to cut through anyone in their way. Placed on Bayo’s soles, they fire an array of rings instead for whenever the player is just tired of seeing laser beams.
1 Pillow Talk
“Bugger. We almost didn’t make any time for Pillow Talk.” Pillow Talk is one of, if not, the most powerful weapon in the game. But what is this weapon? Well, it’s a lightsaber. One that Bayonetta can charge up to become even more powerful.
Charged, this thing can tear through any opponent with just a few swipes. Its range also expands to amazing lengths. It gets so much reach it even clips through the floor! No one’s going to be out of range now! The only downside to this is that in order to get any use out of this, it has to stay charged. This is also one of the few weapons in the game to not have any wicked weaves available. But who needs those when they have the world’s largest lightsaber that slices through shields and shreds foes like paper?