In Grounded 2, there are 4 distinct weapon sets based on the type of character using the weapon. Each Masked Stranger Weapon has a variety of effects; they will help shape specific kinds of builds and these weapons, when upgraded at smithy stations, may also have additional effects. Here is everything you need to know about acquiring all 4 weapons: their locations, how to upgrade them, and the unique characteristics of each.
Masked Stranger Weapon 1: Wither Sting
You can find the Wither Sting in a newly added trash can located in the Yard’s Fire Pit area. It is not the same old trash can located in the southern entrance area though. The correct trash can is found next to the park bench.
After you enter the cave, take the path going right until you reach an opening that leads further into the cave. As you continue along this route, you will find multiple passages that branch off toward both sides but you’ll need to keep to the right. You may find yourself encountering rust beetles on your way through; there are two options for dealing with them: fight them off or skirt around them.
After some time, you will arrive at another location, and in order to proceed, you will need to step on a path blocked by a leaf with a sour candy blocking your next passage. In order to remove this obstacle, you will need a Tier 3 Omni Tool Hammer, an item that is hard to acquire early in the game since it takes a long time to reach deep levels of progression within the newly introduced areas of the game.
Once you break through the sour candy barrier, the Wither Sting staff will be revealed behind the barrier.
Weapon Effects
Wither Sting is a staff that was changed from the Acid Rune staff. Wither Sting still has the ability called Tang Attack which diminishes a foe’s defense and increases the damage they take; Wither Sting’s special effect simultaneously reveals how effective an enemy’s healing will be while it is puckered and reduces the amount of health the enemy regains from using its healing powers.
Crafting & Upgrades
Once you have unlocked the weapon, crafting additional Wither Stings will require:
- 3 Key Lime Chunks
- Acid Ruin
- Pucker Charm
Because of these requirements, this is one of the hardest Masked Stranger weapons to craft. Even upgrading it to a level five will not unlock any new abilities for you.
Masked Stranger Weapon 2: Crimson Reapers
The Crimson Reapers are located on the lower right part of the map, in the Greenhouse section, right next to the large bag of fertilizer.
There’s a pumpkin at this location with the Masked Stranger label on it. The weak point of this pumpkin is best accessed with a Tier 3 Axe. What you’ll need to do is use the axe to break and enter through the weak point. Inside the pumpkin, there are pools of acid. You may use either a Ladybug Buggy or walk through the acid pools carefully.
You will need to go up towards the top of the area. Once you’re there, the Crimson Reapers could be found stuck at the side of a bench.
Weapon Effects
The Dusk Blades has been modified to create the Crimson Reaper. When using this weapon, players will gain 10% of their total health back after each enemy they kill. This makes the weapon extremely valuable for players who prefer a more survivor type build.
Crafting & Upgrades
When crafting the Crimson Reapers, you will need the following items:
- Dusk Blades
- 3 Mosquito Blood Sacks
- Pincer Pincher
When upgraded to level 4, players will receive the Desperate Criticals ability, which increases your chance of critical hit when your health is low.
Masked Stranger Weapon 3: Boom Stick
You’ll find the Boom Stick buried in the Veggie Garden on the far western side of the property, hidden beneath a substantial basket of vegetables positioned next to the brick wall.
You will need to find the opening that leads into a large cave, just keep walking along the same line as the brick wall. The cave is vast, with numerous branches and offshoots, so it’s advisable that you stay on the main trail. The first place you will probably come across is an underwater area before continuing deeper inside.
At the end, when you reach a screwdriver, you will be able to climb the screwdriver, turn around and access the higher ledge via a brick platform. From that location, you can follow the Masked Stranger symbol into a cave that has a purple paint scheme.
Once inside the cave, you will discover that there is an O.R.C Wolf Spider watching over the weapon. After you defeat the spider, you will find a Boom Stick, which is a mixed and improved version of Wallopeño from Grounded 1.
Weapon Effects
With this weapon, you get high-damage and charge blast waves with damage over an area. That’s one reason this weapon ranks among the highest of all spicy weapons. It’s also excellent for those who want a different spicy build.
Crafting & Upgrades
To craft additional Boomsticks, you’ll need:
- 3 Spicy Globs
- 1 Blistering Boiler
- 3 Pinecone Pieces
- 3 Gunpowder Clumps
When this weapon is upgraded to level four, the Broomstick will gain Battering Ram which causes enemies to take increased smashing damage once their guard is broken.
Masked Stranger Weapon 4: Discord
The last Masked Stranger weapon, Discord, is in the Pumpkin Patch area near the large trellis at the solar panels. Once you get to the top of the trellis, you’ll need to drop down to a certain point in order to find the Discord lying there.
Weapon Effects
The Discord is a variant of the Cricket Lute Bow but it differs from the weapon due to its effect Song of Discord where it generates random negative effects on the opponent with every critical hit.
- Reduced enemy attack damage
- Reduced movement speed
- Stun applied over time
The ability to generate multiple effects on your opponent makes Discord an ideal weapon to use for crowd controlling and debuff focused builds.
Crafting & Upgrades
To craft the Discord, you’ll need:
- Cricket Lute Bow
- Fabulous Femur
- 3 Gloom Sap
Upgrading the Discord to level five does not unlock any additional abilities.
Other New Weapon
Sour Katanga
The Sour Katanga becomes available once you reach the area that is tied to the Broodmother boss fight. To get all the information regarding the Broodmother fight, you can read this article: New Broodmother Location in Grounded 2 Toxic Tangle Update
After you have defeated the Broodmother, you’ll need to collect the item it drops and scan it at any of the outposts; doing this will unlock the Sour Katanga, which is a Tier 3 weapon. It deals slashing damage to the enemies and features a sour attack that has a tang effect, which results in the enemies’ defenses getting weakened. The Sour Katanga is a strong choice for the more difficult encounters, which are great for late-game combat.
