Into the Hive weapons are best approached as a progression decision rather than a simple shop ranking. Start with the free AR-01, spend early Cash on its upgrades, add an Augment, and build Mastery before saving for a 12,000- or 20,000-Cash weapon. The 5,000-Cash AR-02 is the least attractive early purchase because its current comparison is close to the starter rifle. The 3,000-Cash Cannon is a separate heavy-weapon option when single-shot damage matters, but its complete stat line should be checked in the current Equipment panel.
Into the Hive weapon roster
The table separates named weapons from the progression systems that change how they perform. Prices are purchase requirements, not a claim about total upgrade cost. Where a complete stat is not established, use the current Equipment panel rather than treating an omitted detail as a fixed value.
| Weapon or system | Role | Purchase or requirement | What it means for your loadout |
|---|---|---|---|
| AR-01 | Starter rifle | Free | Use it as the early upgrade target; it provides dependable ranged firepower from the start. |
| AR-02 | Rifle | 5,000 Cash | Buy only if you specifically prefer it; the available comparison places it close to AR-01. |
| Cannon | Heavy weapon | 3,000 Cash | Choose it for the higher single-shot-damage role; confirm its current rate, ammunition, and other stats in Equipment. |
| 12K gun | Higher-tier weapon | 12,000 Cash | Treat it as a longer-term upgrade after the starter loadout is developed. |
| 20K gun | Higher-tier weapon | 20,000 Cash | Reserve Cash for this later firepower option once basic upgrades and survivability are ready. |
| Weapon Upgrade | Progression system | Cash; cost varies by level | Improves the weapon you already own and also advances that weapon's Mastery. |
| Weapon Mastery | Progression system | Use or upgrade the weapon | Mastery Level 4 unlocks a second Augment slot for that weapon. |
Use the named weapons as choices for a particular budget and combat role, not as a complete damage leaderboard. The available material gives a clear price for AR-02, Cannon, the 12K gun, and the 20K gun, but it does not provide a complete, consistent comparison of damage, fire rate, magazine size, ammunition, or every upgrade level. Those mutable details belong to the weapon's current in-game panel.
What to buy first
For a new run, the safest spending rule is simple: keep AR-01 and improve it before buying a rifle that performs nearly the same job. AR-01 costs nothing, is available immediately, and accepts the same broader progression approach of upgrades, Augments, and Mastery. That means early Cash produces a direct improvement without first paying for another base weapon.
AR-02 costs 5,000 Cash. That price is the important part of the decision because the current comparison does not identify a meaningful enough performance gap over AR-01 to justify making it an automatic first purchase. If your AR-01 still needs upgrades, or if you are saving toward a 12K or 20K weapon, retain the Cash instead. AR-02 can remain a preference purchase rather than a mandatory milestone.
The Cannon is different. Its listed price is 3,000 Cash, and the available comparison describes it as the higher-single-shot-damage choice. That makes it a situational alternative rather than a replacement for the AR-01 recommendation. Choose it when a heavier hit is more valuable to your squad than continuing to develop the starter rifle. Do not infer a complete build from the price alone: the full fire rate, ammunition behavior, magazine information, and upgrade values are not established here.
Compare Into the Hive weapons in Equipment
This moment supports the weapon comparison by showing the Equipment menu, AR-01 and AR-02, and the Cannon's listed upgrade and price context.
The 12K and 20K guns are better treated as savings targets. The names and complete stat differences are not established in the available weapon records, but their prices make the economic choice clear: a player who has already invested in AR-01 should not spend intermediate Cash on a near-equivalent rifle and then arrive at the higher tiers with no reserve. Upgrade the weapon you can already use, keep enough resources for the rest of the expedition loadout, and buy the higher-tier option when the purchase will actually change your available firepower.
Save Cash for higher-tier Into the Hive weapons
This moment reinforces the article's early progression advice: upgrade the starting weapon, add an Augment, and save Cash for the 12K or 20K guns instead of rushing the 5,000-Cash option.
AR-01 upgrades, Augments, and Mastery
Weapon upgrades are the first progression lever. Open the weapon interface, select Upgrade, and spend Cash on the rifle you are using. The exact cost changes by level, so the useful rule is not a fixed budget but a priority: improve a weapon that is already in your hands before purchasing a second weapon whose advantage is not clear.
Augments add a second layer to that decision. Spin for an Augment, then equip it on AR-01 rather than waiting for a higher-rarity drop before improving the rest of the loadout. Common Augments are sufficient for early progression in the supplied guidance. The point is to gain a useful effect now, not to leave a slot empty while preserving Cash for an ideal future roll.
An Augment equipped on AR-01 is not permanently trapped there. It can be removed and transferred to a later 12K or 20K weapon. This makes the starter rifle a safe place to use an Augment while you are saving: the investment can follow your loadout when you upgrade. The same transfer rule also means that obtaining an Epic Augment does not require postponing all starter-weapon upgrades.
Mastery is tracked per weapon. Continue using and upgrading the weapon you want to develop; the available record describes both actions as ways to advance that weapon's Mastery. At Mastery Level 4, that weapon unlocks a second Augment slot. Because the level belongs to the individual equipment, moving an Augment to a new weapon and developing the new weapon should be treated as separate progression decisions rather than assuming that one weapon's Mastery automatically carries over.
The practical early sequence is therefore:
- Enter with the free AR-01.
- Upgrade AR-01 when Cash is available.
- Spin for an Augment and equip a useful result.
- Keep using and upgrading AR-01 to advance its Mastery.
- Work toward Mastery Level 4 if a second Augment slot will improve the build.
- Save for the 12K or 20K gun instead of automatically buying AR-02.
- Remove transferable Augments from AR-01 and move them to the later weapon.
This order is a resource plan, not a requirement to ignore every shop option. If your squad needs the Cannon's heavier single-shot role immediately, the 3,000-Cash purchase can be justified. The decision should still leave enough Cash for upgrades and the other tools needed to complete the mission.
Cash choices during a mission cycle
Cash does more than unlock weapons. It also competes with Weapon Upgrades, Grenades, and Turrets. A gun purchase that leaves the squad unable to support a difficult cave section can be worse than a smaller immediate upgrade. Before spending, decide whether the next improvement needs to solve damage, crowd control, or survival.
For damage progression, AR-01 upgrades are the most reliable early use because they improve the weapon already available and help its Mastery. For a change in firing role, compare the Cannon's heavier hit against the value of keeping 3,000 Cash for the current rifle and support tools. For long-term progression, keep a visible reserve for the 12K or 20K target rather than letting every intermediate purchase delay it.
Augments and Armor belong in the same budget conversation. The recommended early pattern is to place an Augment on the starter rifle, continue its Mastery, then add Spin Armor after the weapon setup is functional. Armor does not replace weapon damage, but the loadout has to survive later waves and the return to extraction for the weapon investment to matter.
Weapon choice also interacts with team composition. Into the Hive supports one to four players, and combat can require weapons alongside Grenades, Turrets, skills, and teammate fire. A player who chooses a heavier single-shot option may be filling a different role from a teammate who continues upgrading a rifle. The available records do not establish a formal class system or exact team damage targets, so use the current mission pressure and your squad's existing tools rather than treating one listed weapon as universally best.
Choosing a weapon for the run
Choose AR-01 when you are still building your first loadout, want the lowest-risk path, or need to reserve Cash. It is the default recommendation because it is free, upgradeable, and compatible with the Augment-to-later-weapon transfer plan.
Choose AR-02 only when its handling or your own preference matters more than the opportunity cost of 5,000 Cash. The supplied comparison does not support presenting it as a clear upgrade over AR-01. If you cannot explain what the purchase changes in your current run, keep the money for upgrades or a higher tier.
Choose Cannon when the listed heavy-weapon role and higher single-shot damage fit the problem you are trying to solve. Verify the live panel before committing to a detailed build, because unsupported assumptions about rate of fire, ammunition, or magazine size can make a supposedly ideal purchase unsuitable.
Choose the 12K or 20K gun as a destination for accumulated progress. The records support their costs and their place as higher-tier options, but not a full name-by-name ranking or an exact best order between them. Buy based on the current Equipment panel and the amount of Cash you can spend without sacrificing required upgrades, support equipment, or Armor.
Weapon limits and current-panel checks
The useful weapon decisions are stable even when individual stats change: free AR-01 is the early foundation, AR-02 is not an automatic value purchase, Cannon is a lower-cost heavy alternative, and the 12K and 20K guns are savings targets. Exact upgrade prices, complete weapon stat blocks, and the detailed differences between the higher-tier guns should not be treated as fixed values unless the current game panel shows them.
Before purchasing, check the displayed Cash requirement and the weapon's live attributes. Before upgrading, confirm that the selected weapon is the one you plan to use for the next part of the run. Before moving an Augment, remove it from the old weapon and verify the destination slot. Before relying on Mastery, check the weapon's current level and whether the second slot is available at Level 4.
These checks matter because Into the Hive sends players through randomly generated caves, insect swarms, mission objectives, and an extraction return. A weapon that looks attractive in isolation still has to fit the whole expedition. Keep the loadout's damage, support tools, Armor, and Cash reserve in balance, then use the current Equipment and weapon panels for any values that may have changed.
First-time Into the Hive weapon questions
What does a Mastery Booster change for a weapon?
A Mastery Booster can speed up Mastery progress, but it does not replace the weapon's own progression or establish a different weapon stat line. Check the current pass or equipment panel for the exact bonus.