What the Shotgun is good for
The Shotgun is a close-range burst weapon. All 25 pellets on target make 75 damage per shot, which is why it is the standard Giant Piranha weapon.
The spread also clears small piranhas, and in point-blank boss fights it outpaces every early gun.
Where to buy the Shotgun
Buy it for $150 at the Forest gift shop; later shops sell it too.
It has no Extended Mag slot, so only the two-shell magazine. The Laser Sight ($140) helps hip fire; bullet upgrades raise each pellet up to 28 damage at tier 12, about 700 per point-blank blast.
Shotgun vs SMG and Pistol
Shotgun vs Pistol: about 340 damage per second while both shells last against the Pistol's 170, but the Pistol reaches further and reloads less often.
Shotgun vs SMG: the SMG ($650, Island 3) fires about 480 per second with a 30-round magazine, so it replaces the Shotgun for the Pufferfish. The Shotgun cannot carry a full attachment set, so it never counts for Fully equipped.
| Price | Damage | Fire rate | Magazine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Pistol | $50 | 25 per bullet (160 at bullet tier 12) | 0.15 s between shots, semi-automatic | 10 rounds (17 with Extended Mag) |
 SMG | $650 | 24 per bullet (70 at tier 12) | 0.05 s between shots, automatic | 30 rounds (40 with Extended Mag) |
 Sniper Rifle | $3,800 | 200 per bullet (500 at tier 12) | 1.00 s between shots | 5 rounds (8 with Extended Mag) |
 Assault Rifle | $20,000 | 40 per bullet (100 at tier 12) | 0.07 s between shots, automatic | 30 rounds (40 with Extended Mag) |
Tier letters are an opinion from a published tier list, shown with the numbers that back or contradict them.