How To Upgrade Weapons In Once Human: A Comprehensive Guide

Once Human throws you into a brutal, post-apocalyptic world teeming with Aberrants. Survival hinges on your ability to scavenge, build, and, most importantly, wield powerful weapons. But finding a decent weapon is only half the battle. To truly dominate, you need to understand how to upgrade your weapons in Once Human. This guide will walk you through the process, step-by-step, ensuring you're always packing the best firepower possible.

Forget relying solely on finding rare drops. Weapon upgrades in Once Human allow you to significantly enhance your existing arsenal, turning a basic pistol into a reliable sidearm or a simple rifle into a devastating force. Let's dive into the specifics of how to improve your weapons and increase your chances of survival.

1. Understanding Weapon Stats and Upgrade Potential

Before you even think about upgrading, understand what you're working with. Each weapon in Once Human possesses a set of stats that dictate its performance:

  • Damage: The amount of hurt it inflicts on enemies.
  • Accuracy: How precisely the weapon fires.
  • Range: The effective distance the weapon can reach.
  • Stability: How much the weapon recoils when fired.
  • Rate of Fire: How quickly the weapon can fire rounds.
  • Durability: How much damage the weapon can take before breaking.

When you inspect a weapon, you'll see its current stats and, crucially, its upgrade potential. This potential is often represented by a number or a series of stars, indicating how many times the weapon can be upgraded. A weapon with higher upgrade potential generally becomes stronger than one with limited upgrades. Consider this when deciding which weapons to invest in.

2. Gathering the Necessary Resources

Upgrading weapons in Once Human requires specific resources. These resources vary depending on the weapon type and the level of the upgrade. Common resources include:

  • Metal Scraps: Found by scavenging in urban areas, dismantling metal objects, and defeating Aberrants.
  • Gunpowder: Crafted using resources like sulfur and charcoal, or found in ammunition boxes.
  • Mechanical Parts: Obtained by dismantling machinery, vehicles, and some Aberrants.
  • Specialized Components: Rarer resources found in specific locations or dropped by tougher enemies. These might include things like "Reinforced Springs" or "Advanced Optics."

Pay attention to the resource requirements listed when you attempt to upgrade a weapon. Plan your scavenging trips accordingly. Prioritize gathering resources that are frequently used in weapon upgrades to avoid bottlenecks.

3. Using the Workbench for Weapon Upgrades

The workbench is your primary tool for upgrading weapons. You'll need to construct a workbench at your base. The blueprint for the basic workbench is usually available early in the game.

Once you have a workbench, interact with it to access the crafting and modification menu. Select the weapon you want to upgrade from your inventory. The workbench will display the available upgrades for that weapon and the resources required for each upgrade.

Step-by-Step Upgrade Process:

  1. Access the Workbench: Interact with your workbench to open the crafting menu.
  2. Select Your Weapon: Choose the weapon you want to upgrade from your inventory.
  3. View Available Upgrades: The workbench will display the available upgrades and their resource costs.
  4. Gather Required Resources: Ensure you have all the necessary resources in your inventory.
  5. Initiate the Upgrade: Click the "Upgrade" button to begin the process. The upgrade will consume the required resources.
  6. Claim Your Upgraded Weapon: Once the upgrade is complete, retrieve your enhanced weapon.

4. Understanding Different Types of Weapon Upgrades

Weapon upgrades in Once Human aren't always straightforward stat boosts. They can also involve modifications that change the weapon's behavior or add new functionalities. Here are some common types of upgrades:

  • Stat Enhancements: These upgrades directly improve the weapon's damage, accuracy, stability, or other core stats.
  • Magazine Upgrades: Increase the weapon's magazine capacity, allowing you to fire more rounds before reloading.
  • Scope Attachments: Add scopes to improve accuracy at longer ranges. Different scopes offer varying levels of magnification.
  • Muzzle Attachments: Modify the weapon's recoil, sound, or even add effects like suppressing the muzzle flash.
  • Stock Upgrades: Improve the weapon's stability and handling.
  • Special Ammunition Conversion: Some upgrades allow you to use different types of ammunition, such as armor-piercing rounds or incendiary bullets.

Experiment with different upgrades to find the combination that best suits your playstyle and the challenges you face.

5. Prioritizing Weapon Upgrades Based on Your Playstyle

Not all weapons are created equal, and not all upgrades are equally useful for every player. Consider your preferred combat style when deciding which weapons to upgrade and which upgrades to prioritize.

  • Close-Range Combat: If you prefer getting up close and personal, focus on upgrading shotguns and submachine guns. Prioritize upgrades that increase damage, rate of fire, and magazine capacity.
  • Mid-Range Combat: Rifles and assault rifles are ideal for mid-range engagements. Focus on upgrades that improve accuracy, stability, and range.
  • Long-Range Combat: Snipers are your best bet for long-range takedowns. Prioritize upgrades that increase accuracy, scope magnification, and damage.

Also, consider the types of enemies you frequently encounter. If you're constantly fighting heavily armored Aberrants, prioritize upgrades that allow you to use armor-piercing ammunition.

6. Weapon Durability and Repair

Upgrading your weapons makes them more powerful, but it doesn't make them indestructible. Weapons in Once Human have durability, and they will eventually break if used excessively.

Regularly check the durability of your weapons. When a weapon's durability gets low, it will become less effective. You can repair weapons at the workbench using resources like metal scraps and mechanical parts.

Tip: Invest in the "Weapon Maintenance" skill in your character's skill tree. This skill reduces the rate at which your weapons degrade, saving you resources and time on repairs.

7. Disassembling Weapons for Resources

Sometimes, you might find a weapon that you don't want to use, or you might outgrow a weapon that you previously upgraded. Instead of simply discarding these weapons, disassemble them at the workbench.

Disassembling a weapon returns a portion of the resources that were used to craft or upgrade it. This is a great way to recycle unwanted weapons and obtain valuable resources for future upgrades.

Conclusion: Mastering Weapon Upgrades for Survival

Upgrading weapons in Once Human is a crucial aspect of survival. By understanding the upgrade process, gathering the necessary resources, and prioritizing upgrades based on your playstyle, you can significantly enhance your firepower and increase your chances of success in the harsh world. Don't neglect this vital mechanic; a well-upgraded weapon can be the difference between life and death. Now get out there, scavenge, upgrade, and dominate the Aberrant hordes! Remember to always check your weapon durability and disassemble unwanted weapons for resources. Your survival depends on it.