Berserk: How to Unlock Sub-Weapons & Use Them

Sub-Weapons: Berserk and the Band of the Hawk

Sub-Weapons are recharging, usable items that you have equipped in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk. They come in several different forms such as arm cannons, crossbows, bombs, and even special attacks like kicks and roars. Each character in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk can only use specific ones, and you’ll start out with just a few simple ones, so we’ll walk you through how to unlock sub-weapons and how to use them.

To unlock sub-weapons, you’ll have to unlock each characters’ various outfits. This is because sub-weapons are actually tied to specific sets of armor rather than being items you can just swap out. For instance, Guts can only use throwing knives with his early armor, but if you switch to the Black Swordsman outfit, then you can use explosives, a powerful cannon, and even a rapid-firing crossbow. Not every character will have access to the same sub-weapons, though there is a bit of crossover. This is to keep things fresh and varied.

As far as using sub-weapons goes, you equip them by pressing left and right on the d-pad while you have these powerful items on deck. If you have regular items like healing or armor boosts, just press up or down on the d-pad to switch. Once you have the one you want locked in (it’s icon will appear above your health bar), press R1 to use it.

Do note that some take time to use and some will lock you in place for a moment. Keep that in mind when dealing with more powerful enemies and bosses.