Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction Weapons: Which to Use

The weapons in Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction are a fresh arsenal, and the short answer is that the game adds fifteen completely new weapons ^[1]. That's a lot to choose from, so knowing where to start saves you bolts and frustration early on. For a closer look, read Ratchet and Clank Future Tools of Destruction Walkthrough.

The game came out on PS3 on October 23, 2007 ^[2]. Below, you'll get a quick answer first, then a breakdown of the free starters, the R.Y.N.O IV, and the rest of the arsenal by role, so you can decide what to upgrade.

Each section starts with its main point, so you can skip ahead to the weapon type you care about most.

Which weapons are free at the start?

The Combuster and the Fusion Bomb are the two weapons you don't have to earn. Both are immediately available for free ^[1], so you can use them from the start of the game.

Here's what each one gives you:

• Combuster: available for free from the start. ^[1]
• Fusion Bomb: available for free from the start. ^[1]

Neither one costs anything to get, so they make a good place to learn how combat feels. Try the Combuster in your opening fights, then switch to the Fusion Bomb for a few encounters and see which one suits your style. You don't need to decide right away. Use each starter in a few battles, then keep the one that feels more useful to you.

The starters are worth using early for a bigger reason. Weapons can be upgraded ^[1], and the time you put into a weapon you already own pays off as you improve it. If you ignore the free options, you miss the chance to build one up while the early planets are still easier to handle.

Think of a starter as your first investment rather than a placeholder. Keep the one you like best through the first few planets, and you'll have a solid reason to spend your upgrades on it later. That way you're making the choice based on your own fights, not on guesswork.

How do you get the R.Y.N.O IV?

You get the R.Y.N.O IV by collecting thirteen Holo-Plans. ^[3] That is the whole requirement, so your job is to gather those pieces over time.

The R.Y.N.O series is a recurring line of weapons, and in Tools of Destruction it shows up as the R.Y.N.O IV. ^[3] If you have played earlier Ratchet & Clank games, the name will feel familiar, even though this entry is one you earn through collecting. It also helps to read Tools of Destruction Tips for Beginners.

Here is what the Holo-Plan hunt means for your planning:

• The goal: thirteen Holo-Plans, and the R.Y.N.O IV is the reward for finding them all. ^[3]
• Your bolts: because the weapon depends on Holo-Plans, you can keep spending bolts on the weapons you use every day while you hunt.
• Your routine: keep a running count of the Holo-Plans you have, so you always know how far you are from the R.Y.N.O IV.

For a new player, this works best as a background goal. Pick up Holo-Plans as you explore, and let your count guide whether you return to a planet or press on. Every Holo-Plan brings you one step closer, so you do not need to stop your main progress to chase the last few.

Which attack weapons are worth using?

The other thirteen weapons are easiest to judge by the job they do, not by their look or their name. Pick each one for the fight in front of you, then decide whether it earns a spot in your loadout.

Start by sorting each weapon into a rough role: single-target damage, crowd control, or utility. Then ask which role your current fights lack. If tough single enemies keep draining your ammo, a precise single-target weapon fixes that. If groups swarm you, lean toward weapons that hit several targets at once.

Try each new weapon in a fight that suits it:

• Single enemy: See how quickly it brings down one target.
• Group: See whether its damage reaches more than one enemy.
• Tight space or open ground: See whether its shots stay useful in a cramped room or only work in the open.

A weapon that looks weak against one enemy can still be the right pick for a crowd, so judge each one against the situation it was made for. Keep the ones you reach for often and drop the rest from your rotation.

Use this approach to build your own short list. Once you know which roles you rely on, you can spend your bolts on the weapons that fill those gaps.

Which area and crowd weapons help most?

Area-effect weapons are the ones to reach for when enemies are bunched together, and the two free options are a good place to test that idea. The Fusion Bomb and the Combuster are both immediately available for free ^[1], so you can try them before you spend a single bolt.

1. Fusion Bomb. Its name points to a blast, so throw it where a group stands together. Picture three enemies closing in on you from the same side of an open room. One well-placed throw can catch all of them. Hold it until two or three enemies are close together, because a lone target wastes the blast.
2. Combuster. Keep it for tight spaces like narrow corridors. In a corridor you can't easily dodge sideways, and enemies come at you in a line. If you are pinned with enemies lined up ahead, this is the weapon that fits the spot.

Weapons can be upgraded, so the area weapon you rely on in crowd fights is the one worth putting bolts into ^[1]. Upgrading the one you already use often pays off more than spreading bolts across every weapon you own.

Use area weapons with timing in mind. Wait for enemies to gather instead of firing at a single target. Step back from the blast before it reaches you, so the explosion works for you instead of against you.

Which utility weapons are worth a look?

Most of the remaining specialty weapons are best picked for the problem in front of you, not for raw damage. Grouping them by job makes it easier to choose the right one quickly.

Specialty weapons by job

1. Exploration. Use these when you're searching for a path, a hidden spot, or something that needs a different approach. Equip one before you enter a new area so you aren't switching in the middle of a fight.
2. Tricky encounters. Use these when a standard attack keeps failing against one enemy. Test the weapon on that target first, and keep it equipped only if it clearly helps.
3. Mixed fights. When enemies with different weak points attack together, rotate between weapons. Keep a second option ready so one bad matchup doesn't drag the fight out.

How to pick your first ones

Don't spread your bolts across every specialty weapon at once. Choose one or two that solve the problems you keep hitting, and invest in those. A weapon you use on every trip pays off more than one you saved for a moment that may never come.

If you're new to the game, try a specialty weapon in an easy fight before you need it against a boss. That way you already know what it does when things get tense.

Which weapons should you upgrade first?

Start with a free weapon. The Combuster and the Fusion Bomb are both immediately available for free ^[1]. Weapons can be upgraded ^[1], so the bolts you spend are only worth it on a weapon you keep using.

The two free starters are ready as soon as you begin, so you can put bolts into them right away. That makes them the low-risk choice when you have few bolts and do not yet know which style suits you.

The R.Y.N.O IV takes more work. It can be obtained by collecting thirteen Holo-Plans ^[3], so it is a goal you build toward rather than a weapon you have at the start. Treat upgrading it as a later investment, once you have it.

Your first pick

Start with the Combuster and put your first bolts into it. It is free from the start ^[1], so you lose nothing by trying it first. If you reach for the Fusion Bomb more often, switch your bolts to it. Save the R.Y.N.O IV for after you have collected its Holo-Plans ^[3].

Which weapon should you start with?

Start with the Combuster or the Fusion Bomb. Both are immediately available for free ^[1], so you can use either one from the first moments without spending bolts.

Work toward the R.Y.N.O IV as your long-term goal. The R.Y.N.O IV can be obtained by collecting thirteen Holo-Plans ^[3], so keep an eye out for them as you explore.

For the full planet-by-planet route, follow the start-to-finish walkthrough. It lays out the main objectives in order, so you'll know where to find the Holo-Plans and when to upgrade what you already have.

Sources

1. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
2. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
3. Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction