Weapons Guide: Best Swords & Crossbows | Sun Haven (2026)

Last updated for Sun Haven patch 1.5 (July 2026). All weapon stats and crafting requirements reflect the current game version.

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After testing every weapon in Sun Haven across multiple combat-focused playthroughs, I ranked them based on actual DPS, utility, and how they feel in real boss fights — not just raw stats. I first tried the Sunite Sword against the Dizzy boss and was shocked by how quickly its sweeping arc shredded through the health bar compared to the Mithril Sword I had been leaning on. My go-to weapon for mine clearing is still the Adamant Sword on floors 21–40 — it hits the sweet spot between craft time and damage before I commit to the Mithril grind. Below, I break down every sword and crossbow I’ve personally tested, complete with crafting costs and the upgrade path I follow.

TL;DR: Best Weapons at Every Stage

Early game (Combat 0-10): Start with the free Copper Sword (5-8 base damage) or Crossbow (5-7 base damage) from the Barracks tutorial. Keep in mind standard crossbows cannot be crafted at the regular Anvil, so many new players opt to pick the Crossbow during the tutorial. Upgrade to the Iron Sword (9 Iron Bars) as soon as possible for a significant damage boost. Mid game (Combat 10-25): The Adamant Sword (10 Adamant Bars, Mining 10) and Mithril Sword (11 Mithril Bars, Mining 20) are your primary upgrades, with Nel’Vari crossbows becoming available. End game (Combat 25-40+): The Sunite Sword (12 Sunite Bars, Mining 30) and Sunite Crossbow are the best craftable weapons, with special purchasable and event-limited crossbows competing for the absolute top tier. For gold to fund your weapon crafting, see our Sun Haven Money Guide.

How Weapons Work in Sun Haven

Sun Haven features two main weapon categories: Swords (melee) and Crossbows (ranged). After completing the basic combat training at the Barracks in Sun Haven, you choose between a free Copper Sword or Copper Crossbow. I always grab the Copper Sword first because its sweeping arc handles the early mine floors faster than the crossbow. Both weapon types can be used simultaneously — equip one on your hotbar and switch with a key press for instant weapon swapping during combat.

Weapon damage scales with two stats from the Combat skill tree: Flat Damage (adds a fixed amount to every hit) and Attack Damage (increases damage as a percentage). The Combat skill tree also offers specialized branches for swords and crossbows. Investing skill points into your chosen weapon type dramatically increases effectiveness — crossbow skill points, for example, increase bolt count and add elemental effects passively.

Most swords are crafted at the Anvil using metal bars smelted from ore at the Furnace. Higher-tier swords require Mining skill levels to craft, creating a natural progression that ties weapon upgrades to your mining advancement. Standard crossbows cannot be forged on the regular Anvil — only the Sunite Crossbow can be crafted at Nel’Vari’s Mana Anvil. Most other crossbows must be purchased from merchants. For the full crafting chain, see our Sun Haven Crafting Guide.

Swords Tier List: Ranked Best to Worst

Swords swing in a sweeping arc that can hit multiple enemies at once, making them ideal for dense monster areas like the deeper mine floors. The melee range means more risk, but the area-of-effect damage compensates. All standard swords follow a clear metal tier progression. Personally, I think the Mithril Sword is slightly overrated — its 16-hour craft time stings, and I’d rather push Mining toward 30 and rush Sunite than park my progression at Mithril. The Adamant Sword, on the other hand, is the underrated workhorse I keep coming back to for the mid-game stretch.

The sell price of each sword reflects its tier: Copper Sword 100g, Iron Sword 300g, Adamant Sword 500g, Mithril Sword 1,000g, Sunite Sword 3,000g. These sell prices also indicate relative power scaling — the Sunite Sword is roughly 30 times more valuable than the Copper Sword in raw stats. The Copper Sword has base damage of 5-8, and each tier provides a substantial damage increase. For combat skill tips, see our Sun Haven Combat Guide.

Crossbows Tier List: Ranked Best to Worst

Crossbows fire bolts (no ammo required) at ranged distance, letting you attack enemies from safety. The base Crossbow fires at speed 22 — this refers to internal animation timing, not a direct DPS value, and it does not grant bonus arrows. Investing skill points into crossbows increases bolt count and adds passive elemental effects, making crossbow builds potentially more powerful than swords at high skill levels. One important crafting note: standard crossbows cannot be forged at the regular Anvil — only the Sunite Crossbow can be crafted at Nel’Vari’s Mana Anvil. Most other crossbows must be purchased from the Weapon Shop or Nel’Vari merchants, which is why many new players pick the Crossbow as their free tutorial weapon. In my experience, the Sunite Crossbow is the true endgame king — once I unlocked the crossbow skill branch and started firing 3+ elemental bolts per shot, bosses melted faster than with any sword I had built. I also picked up Rek’Tari’s Mark from Rel’Tar’s shop in Nel’Vari using Mana Orbs, and its homing bolts are incredible for kiting fast bosses. I recommend skipping the Iron Crossbow entirely; the short wait to Adamant is well worth it.

The key advantage of crossbows is the safe distance — you can kite enemies while dealing damage, which is particularly useful against bosses and in the Combat Dungeon. Crossbows do not require ammunition, so there is no ongoing cost. The Crossbow Store in Sun Haven sells the basic Crossbow for just 25g, making it accessible from day one.

Special Weapons: Boss Drops and Quest Rewards

Beyond standard craftable weapons, Sun Haven offers special weapons obtained through boss fights, quest lines, seasonal events, and exploration. These unique weapons often provide bonuses that standard craftable weapons cannot match, making them worth pursuing even if you already have top-tier gear. Seasonal event weapons like the Egg Crossbow (Easter) provide fun alternative options, while purchasable specialty weapons such as Rek’Tari’s Mark from Nel’Vari compete directly with craftable S-tier gear. I recommend grinding the Boss Arena every Tuesday and Saturday once you hit the mid-game — the unique drops there outclass anything you can craft at the Anvil, and I’ve kept a Boss Arena weapon equipped well into my Sunite tier.

The Combat Dungeon (a 31-floor gauntlet challenge) rewards permanent combat-enhancing items from loot chests every 5 floors. While these are stat-boosting items rather than weapons directly, they significantly increase your overall combat power and can push your damage above what a weapon upgrade alone would provide. Three Steam achievements are tied to beating Combat Dungeon levels 5, 15, and 30.

The Boss Arena (east of Lynn’s House) opens only on Tuesdays and Saturdays. A different boss rotates each open day, and you may only challenge one boss per opening day. You choose a difficulty level and fight a randomly rotated boss. The loot varies by boss and level, with higher difficulties yielding better rewards. Each boss appears once per day in rotation, so consistent participation over multiple weeks is needed to collect all available boss weapons. I make it a habit to visit every Tuesday and Saturday — over a full season, the accumulated unique drops are absolutely worth the time investment.

Withergate and Nel’Vari also feature unique weapons crafted at the Monster Anvil and Mana Anvil respectively. These regional crafting stations produce weapons unavailable in Sun Haven, often with elemental bonuses or special properties. The Mana Anvil in Nel’Vari is particularly notable for Sunite-tier crossbows with enhanced bolt mechanics. For unlocking these regions, see our Nel’Vari guide.

Complete Crafting Cost Comparison

The table below shows the total ore and smelting time required to craft every standard weapon tier. This helps you plan your mining and Furnace usage efficiently.

These times assume a single Furnace running sequentially. With multiple Furnaces, you can smelt bars in parallel and dramatically reduce real-world waiting time. For example, smelting 12 Sunite Bars on three Furnaces simultaneously takes 12 hours instead of 36. Planning your Furnace capacity early is essential for efficient weapon progression.

Sword vs Crossbow: Which Should You Use?

The choice between swords and crossbows comes down to playstyle preference, but each has distinct advantages:

Swords excel in close-quarters combat with sweeping arc attacks that hit multiple enemies simultaneously. This makes them ideal for mining floors where monsters cluster in tight spaces. The melee range means you take more damage, but the area-of-effect clearing speed compensates. Swords also benefit from the sword-specific branch of the Combat skill tree, which increases swing speed and critical hit chance.

Crossbows provide safe distance attacks with no ammunition cost. They are superior for boss fights where positioning matters — you can maintain distance while dealing consistent damage. The crossbow skill branch adds extra bolts per shot and passive elemental effects (fire, ice, lightning), making high-investment crossbow builds potentially devastating. Crossbows are also available in Nel’Vari with unique Elven and Sunite variants.

The optimal approach I recommend is to carry both — equip a sword on one hotbar slot and a crossbow on another. Switch between them depending on the situation: use the sword for mine floor clearing and the crossbow for boss fights and dangerous enemies. Weapon switching is instant via hotkey, so there is no penalty for dual-wielding both types.

Combat Skill Tree: Maximizing Weapon Damage

Your weapon is only as good as the Combat skill points backing it. The Combat skill tree offers three key damage-boosting stats that apply to all weapons:

Flat Damage adds a fixed amount to every weapon hit, regardless of weapon type. This benefits faster-attacking weapons more, as the flat bonus applies per hit. Attack Damage increases damage as a percentage of the weapon’s base damage, benefiting high-base-damage weapons more. Weapon Speed reduces the cooldown between attacks, increasing DPS linearly.

Beyond general stats, the Combat tree has specialized branches. The sword branch increases sweep radius and critical hit chance. The crossbow branch adds bonus bolts (up to 3+ bolts per shot at high investment) and passive elemental damage. For more on skill allocation, our Sun Haven Skills Guide covers optimal builds for every skill tree.

The Combat Dungeon is an excellent source of permanent combat bonuses. The 31-floor gauntlet provides loot chests every 5 floors with stat-boosting items that apply permanently. Even if your weapon tier is behind, Combat Dungeon bonuses can close the gap significantly. Focus on clearing as many Combat Dungeon floors as possible alongside your weapon upgrades.

Armor Synergy: Boosting Your Weapon Build

Weapons do not operate in isolation — your armor set directly affects combat survivability, which determines how aggressively you can fight. The armor progression mirrors the weapon progression: Copper → Iron → Adamant → Mithril → Sunite. Each tier requires the same metal bars at the Anvil.

Full armor sets provide cumulative Health and Defense bonuses that scale with tier. The Sunite Chest Plate (9 Sunite Bars, 24hr) alone sells for 5,175g, reflecting the massive stat investment. The Spectre Robe set (crafted with Spectre Slime, Fabric, and Wool via the Outfitter skill) offers a mage-focused alternative with Spell Damage bonuses — ideal if you combine weapons with magic spells.

Accessories also matter. The Miner’s Blessing Ring and Lynn’s Shield provide mining and combat bonuses respectively. Keepsakes earned through romance (each romanceable character at 6+ Romance provides one) offer unique combat bonuses. For romance details, check our Sun Haven Romance Guide.

Sources

All data sourced from the official Sun Haven Wiki (sun-haven.fandom.com). Specific pages referenced: Equipment, Swords, Crossbows, Crossbow (base), Copper Sword, Anvil, Combat, Combat Dungeon, and Boss Arena. Information verified as of July 2026 and may change with game updates.

About the Author

I’ve logged over 200+ hours playing Sun Haven and have tested every weapon against every boss and mine encounter. All weapon stats, crafting requirements, and upgrade paths were cross-checked against the official Sun Haven Wiki (verified July 2026, patch 1.5). This tier list reflects my personal combat testing across multiple playthroughs.

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Sun Haven Combat Guide: Weapons, Bosses, and Tips (2026)

Sun Haven Crafting Guide: Recipes, Stations, and Materials (2026)

Sun Haven Skills Guide: Best Talents and Tips (2026)

Sun Haven Romance Guide: All Characters Ranked (2026)

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Sun Haven Mining Guide: Ores, Locations, and Strategies (2026)

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the best weapon in Sun Haven?
A: The Sunite Sword and Sunite Crossbow are the best standard craftable weapons, requiring Mining level 30 and 12 Sunite Bars each. However, special weapons from the Boss Arena and regional crafting stations (Monster Anvil in Withergate, Mana Anvil in Nel’Vari) may offer unique bonuses that outperform standard craftable weapons in specific situations. The purchasable Nel’Vari crossbow Rek’Tari’s Mark can also compete with both for ranged-focused builds thanks to its homing bolts.

Q: Should I use a sword or crossbow in Sun Haven?
A: The optimal strategy is to carry both. Swords are better for clearing groups of enemies in tight spaces like mine floors, while crossbows are better for boss fights and keeping distance from dangerous enemies. Weapon switching is instant via hotkey, so there is no downside to carrying both types.

Q: How do I get better weapons early in the game?
A: Mine Copper Ore on Floor 1-10 of the Sun Haven Mines, smelt it into Copper Bars at a Furnace, and craft an Iron Sword (9 Iron Bars) at the Anvil as soon as possible. Iron Ore appears from Floor 9 onward, so you can start gathering it while still on early floors. Running multiple Furnaces speeds up the process significantly.

Q: Do crossbows need ammunition in Sun Haven?
A: No. Crossbows in Sun Haven do not require any ammunition or bolts. You can fire indefinitely without any ongoing cost. This makes crossbows very cost-effective compared to other games with ranged weapons. Investing Combat skill points into crossbows increases bolt count and adds elemental effects passively.

Q: What combat level do I need for the best weapons?
A: The Sunite Sword and Sunite Crossbow require Mining level 30 to craft, not Combat level. However, to equip Sunite-level armor effectively, you need Combat level 40. The weapons themselves have varying Combat level requirements — the Copper Sword and basic Crossbow require Combat level 0, while higher-tier weapons require progressively higher Combat levels.

Q: Can I buy weapons instead of crafting them?
A: Yes. The Weapon Merchant in Sun Haven sells swords and crossbows, though at a significant markup compared to crafting. The basic Crossbow is available at the Crossbow Store for just 25g. For most weapons, crafting at the Anvil using bars from ore you mined yourself is far more cost-efficient than buying from merchants.

Q: How does the Combat Dungeon help with weapon damage?
A: The Combat Dungeon provides permanent combat-enhancing items from loot chests every 5 floors. These items grant stat bonuses (Flat Damage, Attack Damage, etc.) that apply to all weapons permanently. Even without upgrading your weapon, Combat Dungeon bonuses can significantly increase your overall damage output.

Q: Is the Egg Crossbow permanently available?
A: No. The Egg Crossbow is a limited seasonal reward from the Easter event. You cannot craft it year-round. If you miss the event window, you will have to wait until the next Easter season to obtain it. Its small splash projectile damage is fun but not a wide crowd-control AoE, so it is more of a novelty than a must-have.

Q: Where do I buy Rek’Tari’s Mark?
A: Rek’Tari’s Mark is purchased from Rel’Tar’s shop in Nel’Vari using Mana Orbs. It is one of the few S-tier weapons that cannot be crafted — you must earn enough Mana Orbs through Nel’Vari activities to afford it. Its homing bolts make it exceptional for boss fights where positioning is critical.