FTL: Faster Than Light / Weapons guide
FTL: Faster Than Light weapons guide: volleys, beams, missiles and shield timing
Coordinate FTL weapons instead of letting a strong loadout fire out of order.
Edition covered
The 2012 FTL campaign with the official Advanced Edition update. Hacking, Mind Control, the Clone Bay and Lanius require Advanced Edition content; mods such as Multiverse are outside this guide. Pictures are Subset’s Steam promotional captures.
2 items · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Weapons & Shields
More weapons & shields
- Beam — Traces damage through rooms · Lasers or ion that suppress shields
- Missile — Bypasses normal shields · Targeted system disruption
- Flak (Advanced Edition) — Fires a cluster with variable spread · Close timing with accurate damage weapons
Quick notes
- Hold a volley together. Lasers reduce shield layers when they hit.
- Aim at the system that threatens the run. Weapons are often a useful first target because suppressing an incoming volley prevents hull damage.
- Use missiles with a purpose. Missiles bypass ordinary shields but consume ammunition and can be intercepted.
- Sweep a beam through rooms. Beam damage depends on its path through the enemy hull and remaining shield protection.
Aim at the system that threatens the run
| Enemy condition | Target or timing | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Weapons about to fire | Disable weapons if possible | Avoids the incoming damage |
| Shields fully powered | Coordinate shield-breaking hits | A beam alone may be wasted |
| Defense drone active | Reconsider missile use | The drone can intercept shots |
| Oxygen and crew vulnerable | Consider a crew-kill plan | Hull destruction is not the only victory |
Useful tip
A beam arriving one moment before the shield-breaking volley can turn an excellent loadout into wasted damage.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| FTL: Faster Than Light publisher listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Subset Games official FTL FAQ | subsetgames.com |