While Saros offers a diverse arsenal of Soltari weaponry, two specific Shotgun variations stand out as the undisputed best choices for clearing biomes. If you are struggling with fast-moving enemies or bosses that leave little opportunities for you to attack, using Stalwart or Annihilator Shotguns is the most effective way to turn the tide.

How to Unlock Shotguns

Shotguns are not available in the starting area. You will unlock them for the first time in the second biome, the Ancient Depths.

• You will initially find the Horde Shotgun. While it feels solid, its Alt-Fire mode, which changes its bullet spread to a vertical spread, is not comparable to what the later variations of the weapon offer.

The Power of Stagger Damage

Still, what makes every Shotgun superior to other early-game weapons is their ability to deal Stagger Damage.

• Below an enemy's health gauge is a lighter-colored bar. Once this fills, the enemy is stunned for a few seconds.
• Use this window to rack up free damage or use your Power weapon to cleanse Corruption. If you have learned specific Armor Matrix skills, you can follow up with a Melee attack for massive finishing damage (though this will end the stun state immediately).

The Best Shotguns Variations

The Stalwart Shotgun (Alt-Fire: Pellet Wall)

The Stalwart Shotgun with Pellet Wall is arguably the best weapon in Saros because it removes the traditional weakness of shotguns: range.

• In Alt-Fire mode, the gun shoots a wall of projectiles that hang in mid-air.
• When you fire a regular shot, the entire wall of projectiles automatically launches at the nearest enemy, regardless of your position.
• This allows you to set up damage while dodging and then unleash a devastating, auto-aimed burst that deals a lot of damage.

The Annihilator Shotgun (Alt-Fire: Pellet Grenade)

If you prefer a high-risk, high-reward playstyle, the Annihilator Shotgun is the best choice for close-quarters combat.

• The Alt-Fire mode launches a Pellet Grenade.
• This grenade deals very high damage and even higher Stagger. While you have to get close to the enemy to ensure it hits, most hostiles will be defeated or stunned in just one or two shots, offsetting the risk of close-range combat by ending the fight quickly.

Ease of Use vs. Power

Unlike technical weapons like the Ripsaw Chakram, which require a different, almost counterintuitive approach to be effective, these Shotguns are incredibly forgiving. The Stalwart Shotgun, in particular, is the most reliable tool for progression, even if you use one at a low level, because it combines high damage Stagger with enemy-seeking projectiles that allow you to focus on avoiding enemy attacks without having to worry too much about your windows of opportunity.

This concludes the guide. For more help, visit our Saros: Complete Walkthrough & Guide hub.

Guide based on a completed playthrough on base PlayStation 5. Screenshots captured from the same version.

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