SHORT ANSWER
Start with the route anchor
Best starting anchor for the extra-shot and first-shot rhythm.
Load Marcus's route in PlannerWeapon choices that match the run you have
Best starting anchor for the extra-shot and first-shot rhythm.
Tradeoff: Five rounds means reload downtime is the first problem to solve.
A physical fallback when the Musket does not appear and Hemorrhage still fits the route.
Tradeoff: Do not swap just for rarity if the current gun is firing more reliably.
A crowd-control pivot when the run has already lost its Physical support.
Tradeoff: Changing element abandons Hemorrhage progress; treat it as a real pivot.
How to choose the weapon during a run
- Keep the active element. Switching away from the element your relics and Tarot reference costs more than a higher rarity label usually gives back.
- Check the event rhythm. Reload, first shot, final shot, skill use, and companion triggers only matter when the weapon produces them often enough.
- Match the room. Use the crowd guidance for packs and the boss guidance for a long single-target phase; one weapon does not have to win both jobs equally.
- Switch for a reason. Move when the new weapon fixes a real failure, such as reload downtime, missing room coverage, or an element the rest of the build has already abandoned.
Use reload support and crit payoff once the target stays alive long enough for repeated first-shot windows. Keep firing discipline; a burst that spends half the fight reloading is not a boss plan.
Extra shots, fire rate, and a weapon that spreads pressure are the priority. If packs are the failure point, Bullet Attack and volley effects beat a greedy single-target card.
If the recommended weapon never appears
Geminate Shot+ or the Musket never appears by the middle of the run.
Keep the physical element, choose Fire Rate and Reload Speed, and use Demonhunter Crossbow or any reliable physical family.
Do not: Do not hold empty slots for one exact skill while the current weapon has no uptime support.