Weapon Damage in CS2

In Counter-Strike 2 CS2, expanding your knowledge base with diverse weapon mechanics is key to gaining a competitive edge. For example, understanding each Counter-Strike 2 gun’s damage potential can give you the upper hand, allowing you to choose the most effective loadout to rack up kills. Beyond raw damage, knowing each gun’s strengths and weaknesses—such as price, spray control, and armor penetration—helps you make smarter decisions every round. This guide on Counter-Strike 2 weapon damage analysis also dives into weapon damage mechanics, hitboxes, damage multipliers, and the danger from grenades. Understanding all these aspects will help you choose the right weapon and dominate your opponents.

Understanding Weapon Damage Mechanics

Pressing “Tab” to check total damage (DMG) or average damage per round (ADR) or checking the overall damage delivered to every opponent after a round only scratches the surface. The CS2 weapon damage is a far more intricate characteristic, relying on various factors like hitboxes, bullet penetration, and environmental interaction. Moreover, not all the elements are related to the weapon characteristics and their derivatives—some are about player models and the environment. Let’s break down the most crucial stats to help you grasp the nuances of CS2 weapon damage better.

Hitboxes & Obstacles

Like in most modern games, in CS2, every player model is made up of multiple hitboxes, where the CS2 gun damage is determined by the interaction of bullets with this virtual net. While this system isn’t perfect, it’s continually improving and provides a reliable framework for gameplay.

Compared to Counter-Strike 1.6, CS2 offers a far more realistic interaction between bullets and environmental textures. For example, brick walls will block bullets entirely, regardless of the weapon's caliber, while plastic, wooden, or thin-metallic obstacles only reduce the damage, allowing bullets to partially penetrate.

Weapon Base Damage

At the heart of every weapon's performance is its base damage, which is the foundation for all further damage calculations and understanding. This stat rarely appears in a straightforward form, as numerous parameters—such as range, armor penetration, and hitbox multipliers—can either boost or diminish its effectiveness. Of course, Valve continually fine-tunes weapon damage in CS2 in diverse ways, but if the developers need to nerf an imbalance gun, they typically begin by adjusting its start with base damage.

Body Parts & Damage Multipliers

A comprehensive CS2 weapon damage guide wouldn’t be complete without addressing how different body parts affect damage multipliers. Thus, even newcomers understand that headshots are the quickest way to eliminate opponents. This is because a headshot multiplies the damage by 4, with only the Desert Eagle and M4A1-S having slightly lower headshot multipliers of 3.9 and 3.48, respectively. Since every gun has more than 25 base damage, each weapon can one-shot an opponent at close range if they’re unarmored.

The stomach and pelvis are also favorable zones to hit with certain weapons, thanks to a 1.25 multiplier. For example, a shot to the stomach from a Scout (with 88 basic damage) will instantly kill an enemy if they’re unarmored.

Legs, on the other hand, are the worst area to hit, as the damage there is reduced. This is why even an AWP shot to the leg won’t be lethal, and experienced players tend to jump when they know a gap or exit is under sniper control. At the same time, legs are the only body part that can’t be protected by a kevlar and helmet.

Armor Penetration

Next, let’s explore armor penetration, a key factor in understanding Counter-Strike 2 weapon damage. Only SG 553 offers 100% armor penetration, which means that bullets will deliver the same amount of damage to both armored and unarmored opponents. In contrast, the Glock-18 offers just 47% penetration, resulting in over a 50% reduction in the damage against armored opponents. Other weapons fall somewhere in between these two extremes.

Damage Falloff

While professional players don’t often focus on this parameter, damage falloff can frequently determine whether an opponent is killed or merely heavily wounded. Thus, all guns lose damage with distance, with shotguns experiencing the greatest reduction. Sniper rifles are the least affected by distance, with a maximum loss of just 2%, while SMGs and pistols can lose between 10% to 30%. In practical terms, this means that the Five-SeveN can one-shot a helmeted opponent at close range with a single bullet but will require two shots if the distance exceeds 10 meters.

Fire Rate & Recoil (Accuracy)

Although these parameters don’t directly affect gun damage in CS2, they play a crucial role in its effectiveness. Thus, Fire Rate (RPM) reflects the weapon's firing speed, while the Recoil parameter impacts the accuracy. Why is this important for damage discussion? If it’s harder to control the gun shooting precisely, you might prefer a different gun, even if the one in question delivers more damage.

For instance, the UMP-45 is rarely seen in the professional match despite having higher base damage than other SMGs, because its low fire rate and significant recoil make it less effective. This is why considering a weapon’s fire rate and recoil/accuracy is just as essential as evaluating its raw damage.

Damage by Weapon Type

There are 34 weapons in the game, each with unique characteristics. The G3SG1 and SCAR-20 are the only comparable auto-sniper rifles for Ts and CTs, respectively. We’ve grouped the weapons by type and included key characteristics based on the previous section. Thus, you’ll see CS2 weapon damage per shot, price, armor penetration, damage falloff, fire rate, and recoil for each weapon. Below, you’ll find short explanations that highlight the specifics of each weapon type.

Pistols

Despite being praised as the most powerful pistol in the game, the R8 Revolver can be even deadlier in the hands of a skilled player. However, the Desert Eagle's superior fire rate and effectiveness at close range still make it a strong contender. Additionally, the armor penetration of the Tec-9 and Five-SeveN makes them excellent choices for eco rounds or 2k buys. The Dual Berettas shine against unhelmeted enemies at close range, especially in pistol rounds, while the P250 strikes a good balance of all characteristics at an affordable price.

SMGs

Despite the UMP-45 boasting the highest base weapon damage stats in CS2 in the SMG category, it’s rarely seen in use due to its higher recoil, significant damage falloff, and slower fire rate. Fire rate is typically a crucial factor when choosing submachine guns, which is why the Mac-10 and MP9 are the go-to options for Ts and CTs, respectively. While the P90 offers impressiveRPM, armor penetration, and a large 50-round magazine, its higher price compared to the FAMAS or Galil makes it an uneconomical decision.

Shotguns

Shotguns are rarely chosen in the game due to their limited applicability. Each one fires shrapnel, a set of mini bullets that delivers substantial CS2 damage dealt in close-quarters. However, their high recoil and significant damage falloff make even the Glock-18 more effective at long distances.

Machine Guns

The comparison between the Negev and M249 is quite striking, as both guns have similar stats, except for the price. Overall, both weapons are most effective on the Counter-Terrorists' side, particularly if you're holding a position with a single path, like the B Tunnels Exit on Dust 2.

Assault Rifles

Looking at the CS2 weapon damage chart for assault rifles, it’s clear why they dominate the game. All of their parameters highlight their effectiveness, with the only downside being the price. However, considering they help secure rounds, the investment is well worth it.

Notably, the SG 553 stands out with its 100% armor penetration, while the AUG shines for its close-range one-shot potential. When comparing the most popular rifles, the M4A1-S has a reduced headshot multiplier (3.47), which diminishes its edge in damage per shot over the AK-47 despite its overall superior accuracy. Also, the comparison of Galil vs. AK-47 shows that the former is among the most underrated weapons, with most characteristics similar to M4s, while being twice as cheap.

Sniper Rifles

Nothing is surprising in the scoped weapon department, as players at higher ranks rarely use auto sniper rifles due to the need to land two bullets for a kill. With basic math understanding, it’s easy to see why the AWP cannot kill with a leg shot (115*0.75=86.25) or why the SSG 08 can kill an unarmored opponent in the pelvis (88*1.25=110).

Utility Damage

Most discussions about CS2 weapons damage overlook grenades, but these tools can definitely cause injuries and even death. For instance, did you know that every grenade in CS2 can deal damage? Yes, even flashbangs, smokes, and decoys can subtract 2–3 HP when they hit an opponent directly. The latter causes an even extra 4-5 damage when it explodes under the enemy, which sometimes becomes a kill.

However, the most significant damage comes from Molotovs/Incendiaries and HE grenades. The latter can deal up to 97 health points for the unarmored opponent, potentially killing them if it hits him before the explosion. An interesting note about HE grenade damage is that it’s more potent when it explodes near the head. This means that when you see an explosive utility flying toward your position, it’s wise to jump and reduce the damage by about 30%. Additionally, armor reduces the damage taken from HE grenades by 40%.

Molotovs and Incendiaries were identical in CS2, except for their prices ($400 and $600, respectively), until the “Fire Sale” update on 23.05.2024. Now, the CT flame grenade lasts 1 second less than the Molotov, burning for 6 seconds. It also has a reduced height and area but costs $500. CS2 flames deal 8 damage per second, with every tick increasing by another 8 up to 40. Remember, they aren’t as painful in the first second, but after some time, they can cut 40 HPs per second.

Conclusion

Now you know everything important about CS2 guns damage and grenade injury potential. Remember, basic damage isn’t the only aspect of a weapon to rely on. You should also consider fire rate, price, armor penetration, damage falloff, and accuracy. At the same time, spend time testing every weapon in your hands because some parameters may be crucial. For instance, beginners often prefer guns with more bullets in the magazine over those with higher power (M4A4 over M4A1-S, or P90 over Galil), and that’s perfectly fine.