The Imperial Lasgun: From Flashlight to Thermal Melter
The standard Imperial Guard Lasgun is often jokingly called a "flashlight" in lore, and in the early minutes of a Warhammer Survivors run, its low base damage can make surviving tight Tyranid chokepoints challenging. However, once upgraded to Level 8 and paired with the Gauntlet passive relic, the Lasgun evolves into the Meltagun—one of the highest burst-damage weapons in the entire game.
For a full comparison of how the Meltagun stacks against other endgame weapons, check out our Weapons Tier List and complete Evolution Recipes List.
Evolution Requirements & Step-by-Step Path
To complete the Lasgun evolution:
- Draft the Lasgun: Start with Trooper Kozlowski or select the Lasgun on an early level-up.
- Level to Rank 8: Invest levels into the Lasgun to increase its beam count, firing rate, and critical strike chance until max rank.
- Acquire the Gauntlet Relic: Select the Gauntlet passive relic when offered. The Gauntlet provides valuable damage reduction (+2 Armor per rank), keeping squishier champions alive while you kite.
- Defeat an Elite Boss: Open a Golden Chest dropped by a wave boss after reaching the rank cap to receive the Meltagun.
Lasgun vs. Meltagun Stat Comparison
| Stat Attribute | Base Lasgun (Level 8) | Evolved Meltagun | Strategic Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damage Type | Kinetic Laser | Thermal Incineration | Meltagun bypasses enemy armor thresholds |
| Projectile Count | 4 Rapid Beams | Continuous Thermal Jet | Melts persistent high-HP targets |
| Pierce Value | 1 Enemy | Infinite Linear Pierce | Cuts through meat-shields directly to bosses |
| Cooldown | 1.2 Seconds | 0.8 Seconds | Faster attack cycle for sustained DPS |
| Critical Chance | 5% Base | 20% Base | Massive damage spikes when paired with relics |
Optimal Loadout Synergies
The Meltagun excels at burning down single targets, but requires supplementary crowd-clearing weapons to prevent weaker swarms from swarming your champion:
- Secondary AoE Support: Pair the Meltagun with the Chainsword Evolution or Boltgun Evolution to handle 360-degree perimeter protection.
- Relic Synergy: Combine the Gauntlet with the Dice Cube & Passives to maximize the Meltagun's 20% base critical strike multiplier.
- Boss Tactic: When confronting the Norn Emissary Boss, position yourself to align the thermal beam with the boss while strafing its telegraphed psychic attacks.
