End of Abyss Weapons and Tools: The Full Arsenal Explained

End of Abyss arrives October 1, 2026, and while Section 9 Interactive hasn’t published a stat sheet, the shape of Cel’s arsenal is already on the record through official store copy and press hands-on coverage (Epic Games’ news hands-on, IGN’s June 2026 preview, Xbox Wire, and Game Informer). Six tools are confirmed: the pulse pistol, the shotgun, grenades, flares, melee tools, and the scanner. Damage numbers, ammo counts, and upgrade details aren’t public yet — we’ll verify at launch — but what each tool is for is clear. In a game IGN calls tough-as-nails, knowing each tool’s job matters from the first minutes of the descent.

What weapons are confirmed in End of Abyss?

Six tools are confirmed pre-launch: the pulse pistol, a shotgun, grenades, flares, melee tools, and the scanner. The pulse pistol is the kit’s unlimited-ammo baseline; the others round out a kit built around scarcity rather than raw firepower. Materials gathered from the environment and from enemies are spent at crafting stations to produce ammo, gear, and permanent upgrades, and new equipment opens previously sealed areas — classic Metroidvania gating. Your arsenal grows as you explore, not as you level.

How does the pulse pistol work?

The pulse pistol is the workhorse: it never runs out of ammo, but its clip recharges rather than holding infinite rounds, and holding the fire button charges a powerful shot. After you fire that charge, the pistol briefly cannot shoot at all — a deliberate risk/reward valve on the big hit. Preview coverage treats it as the default answer whenever nothing fancier is called for. We break the mechanics down fully in our pulse pistol guide.

How does the shotgun work?

The shotgun is the panic button: high damage with knockback, best against crowds and tough enemies — and shells are scarce. When a swarm closes in or an enemy shrugs off pistol fire, the shotgun is the answer. Every shell spent is a resource decision, and crafting stations can turn gathered materials into more ammunition when the runs get desperate. Exact damage and shell counts aren’t public yet — we’ll verify at launch.

How do grenades work?

Grenades are a very limited consumable with one confirmed twist: tap the throw button for a short toss, hold it for a long throw. That tap/hold range control is the entire skill ceiling — you can drop one onto a cluster at your feet or loft one across a room to a target that never gets close. How many you can carry isn’t public yet — we’ll verify at launch.

What do flares do?

Flares do double duty: they illuminate dark areas and distract enemies, pulling attention away from Cel. In an atmospheric survival-horror descent, light is both a resource and a manipulation tool. A thrown flare can open a dark path, split a group, or buy the seconds needed to reposition while the facility’s residents investigate it.

What are the melee tools?

Melee tools are confirmed in official copy alongside the pistol and shotgun, but their details aren’t public yet. Whether they’re a last-resort swing, a quieter option, or something stranger from the ex-Little Nightmares team — we’ll verify at launch.

What does the scanner do?

The scanner is the force multiplier: a dual-mode gadget, swapped between modes on the d-pad, that sweeps walls for weaknesses and hidden spaces or sweeps enemies for behavior and tactical data. It also auto-tags locked doors on the map and gives hints when you’re stuck — a Metroid Prime-inspired layer that turns the facility into a readable puzzle. There’s even an achievement for fully scanning the game’s targets. Our scanner guide covers it in depth.

Which tool should you use for which job?

No tier list is possible before launch — no stats are public — so the honest frame is that each tool has a job. The practical split confirmed by preview coverage:

• Pulse pistol — default pressure, precision, conserving resources.
• Shotgun — crowds swarming you, tough enemies.
• Grenade — clustered or awkwardly placed targets (tap short, hold long).
• Flare — dark rooms, pulling enemy attention.
• Scanner — unknown enemies, hidden routes, feeling stuck.

The pistol is your baseline, the shotgun your panic button, grenades your placement tool, flares your light and crowd control, and the scanner the information layer that makes every other tool sharper. How that discipline holds up in a fight is covered in our combat guide and boss roster breakdown — and if the difficulty curve worries you, the difficulty guide tracks what’s known pre-launch.

Will there be more weapons at launch?

Maybe — nothing beyond the six confirmed tools has been announced, and whether the launch build adds more isn’t public yet — we’ll verify at launch. What the Metroidvania structure does promise is that the confirmed kit deepens over time: new equipment opens previously sealed areas, and materials feed crafting stations for gear and permanent upgrades. This page will be updated with verified launch data on October 1, 2026. If you’re just starting out, begin with the beginner guide.