# How to Attack Enemies on Water: Weapons, Pals, and Mounts

Every way to hit a target out on the water in Palworld — ranged weapons from technology level 3 to 80, the Pals with 7,500-range skills, sphere launchers for capturing swimmers, and the mounts that close the gap.

Source: https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-attack-enemies-on-water
Updated: 2026-08-13

Wading in after something that is already shooting at you is the worst possible way to open a fight — the moment you are swimming your weapons are gone, your stamina bar starts draining, and the target keeps hitting you for free. This guide covers everything that reaches a target out on the water instead: the ranged weapons and the technology levels that unlock them, the Pals with the longest-reaching attacks in the game, the launchers that capture something you can't throw a sphere at, and the flying and swimming mounts that delete the distance entirely.

## Three Ways to Reach a Target on the Water

Which approach you pick comes down to one question: is the water between you and the target, or is the target actively swimming away? A gun handles the first case from dry land and costs you nothing but ammo. A Pal handles it without ammo at all, and a mount handles the second case by taking the chase to them. Most players default to the gun and never unlock the other two, which is why fights against anything out past the shoreline drag on.

| Method | What It Needs | Best For |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ranged weapons | Technology level 3 and up, plus ammo | Target sitting in water with land on your side |
| Pals with ranged skills | A Pal in your team, no unlock at all | Free damage while you reload or reposition |
| Pal gear that shoots | Technology level 11 and up, 1-5 points | Early game, before you own a real gun |
| Sphere launchers | Technology level 26 and up | Capturing a Pal that is out of throwing range |
| Flying mount | Saddle unlock from level 15 up | Hovering over the target and firing down |
| Water mount | Saddle unlock from level 16 up | Chasing something that keeps swimming away |

## Use a Ranged Weapon From Shore

This is the answer for the vast majority of water fights, and Palworld hands you a ranged option at technology level 3 — long before anything else on this page is available. The table below is the full craftable ranged ladder, sorted by unlock level, with the technology point cost and the ammo each one eats. One warning before you read the Attack column: those numbers are only comparable **inside a class**. The [Mechanical Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyBow) at 20,000 Attack is not fourteen times better than the [Heavy Assault Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyAssaultRifle) at 1,615 — a bow fires one heavy arrow while a rifle empties a 30-round magazine, so compare bows to bows and rifles to rifles.

| Weapon | Class | Attack | Tech Lv. (Cost) | Ammo |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Old Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/WeakerBow) | Bow | 65 | 3 (1 pt) | Arrow |
| [Crossbow](https://palworld-db.com/item/BowGun) | Crossbow | 280 | 13 (2 pts) | Arrow |
| [Musket](https://palworld-db.com/item/Musket) | Assault Rifle | 1,000 | 21 (3 pts) | Coarse Ammo |
| [Makeshift Handgun](https://palworld-db.com/item/MakeshiftHandgun) | Handgun | 320 | 24 (3 pts) | Handgun Ammo |
| [Handgun](https://palworld-db.com/item/HandGun_Default) | Handgun | 250 | 28 (3 pts) | Handgun Ammo |
| [Old Revolver](https://palworld-db.com/item/OldRevolver) | Handgun | 600 | 33 (3 pts) | Handgun Ammo |
| [Single-Shot Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SingleShotRifle) | Assault Rifle | 1,100 | 36 (3 pts) | Rifle Ammo |
| [Semi-Auto Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SemiAutoRifle) | Assault Rifle | 1,150 | 41 (3 pts) | Rifle Ammo |
| [Compound Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/CompoundBow) | Bow | 1,100 | 42 (3 pts) | Reinforced Arrow |
| [Laser Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/LaserRifle) | Assault Rifle | 1,250 | 51 (5 pts) | Energy Cartridge |
| [Guided Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/GuidedMissileLauncher) | Rocket Launcher | 5,900 | 56 (5 pts) | Missile Ammo |
| [Advanced Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/SFBow) | Bow | 5,800 | 57 (3 pts) | Advanced Arrow |
| [Laser Gatling Gun](https://palworld-db.com/item/LaserGatlingGun) | Gatling Gun | 530 | 59 (5 pts) | Laser Gatling Cartridge |
| [Charge Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/ChargeLaserRifle) | Assault Rifle | 12,500 | 65 (5 pts) | Charge Rifle Ammo |
| [Rocket Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/Launcher_Default) | Rocket Launcher | 10,000 | 65 (5 pts) | Rocket Ammo |
| [Mechanical Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyBow) | Bow | 20,000 | 67 (4 pts) | Mechanical Bow Ammo |
| [Prototype Shotgun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyShotgun) | Shotgun | 1,167 | 69 (4 pts) | Prototype Shotgun Ammo |
| [Heavy Assault Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyAssaultRifle) | Assault Rifle | 1,615 | 70 (5 pts) | Heavy Assault Rifle Ammo |
| [Plasma Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/ElectricArcAssaultRifle) | Assault Rifle | 1,860 | 78 (5 pts) | Plasma Rifle Ammo |
| [Beam Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/BeamLauncher) | Rocket Launcher | 14,000 | 80 (5 pts) | Beam Launcher Ammo |

### The Earliest Options

Nobody needs to wait for a gun to fight across water. The [Old Bow](https://palworld-db.com/item/WeakerBow) costs a single technology point at level 3 and Arrows unlock at the same level for another point, so you can be plinking things in a lake within the first hour. The [Crossbow](https://palworld-db.com/item/BowGun) at level 13 is more than four times the Old Bow's Attack for 2 points and uses the same Arrows, which makes it the real early-game water weapon. If you would rather skip both, the [Musket](https://palworld-db.com/item/Musket) at level 21 is the first proper firearm and the full route to it is broken down in our [How to Get a Gun Fast and Early guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-get-a-gun-early).

### Which Class Holds Up at Water Range

Bows and rifles are what you want here. Both fire a tight single projectile, so hitting a Pal bobbing 40 metres offshore is a matter of leading the shot rather than praying. Shotguns are the opposite — the [Prototype Shotgun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkyShotgun) is a monster at 1,167 Attack and 12 shells a magazine, but pellet spread means most of that damage lands in the water rather than the target. Launchers are the wildcard: the [Guided Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/GuidedMissileLauncher) tracks what you aim at, which makes it the most forgiving thing on the list against a swimmer that keeps changing direction, and the [Beam Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/BeamLauncher) at level 80 has enough splash that near-misses still hurt. Every unlock level on the ladder is mapped out in our [Best Weapons at Every Tech Level guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/best-weapons-by-tech-level).

## Capture Pals You Can't Reach

Killing a water Pal is easy. Catching one that is floating well past your throwing arc is the actual problem, and the answer is a sphere launcher — a weapon that fires Pal Spheres instead of ammo. Three exist, and the cheapest one arrives at level 26. The single-shot version is the accurate pick for one target, the scatter version is for a cluster of Pals sitting together on the surface, and the homing version removes aiming from the equation entirely, which is the one you want when the target is drifting. All three fire the spheres you already carry, so weaken the Pal first exactly as you would on land — the odds work the same way, and our [How to Catch Pals guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-catch-pals) has the full capture rate breakdown.

| Launcher | Tech Lv. (Cost) | What It Does |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Single-Shot Sphere Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SphereLauncher_Once) | 26 (4 pts) | Fires one sphere far past normal throwing distance |
| [Scatter Sphere Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SphereLauncher) | 38 (5 pts) | Fires a spread of spheres, built for catching a group at once |
| [Homing Sphere Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/HomingSphereLauncher) | 55 (5 pts) | Fired spheres track the Pal, so a moving swimmer still gets hit |

## Bring Pals With Long-Range Attacks

Your Pal keeps fighting while you reload, reposition, or run out of ammo, and it does not care that the target is standing in water. What matters is the reach of its skills, and almost every long-range skill shares the same 5,000 cap. Only three things break it. The outright record is [Astralym](https://palworld-db.com/pal/astralym) and **Paldium Rain** at 9,999 range; after that, [Hartalis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/hartalis) reaches 7,500 with **Sacred Rain** at 800 power, and [Panthalus](https://palworld-db.com/pal/panthalus) reaches 6,000 with four separate Water skills. Everything below those is tied on range, so pick on Shot Attack instead — [Neptilius](https://palworld-db.com/pal/neptilius) and [Necromus](https://palworld-db.com/pal/necromus) lead the rest of the table at 145.

| Pal | Shot Attack | Longest-Reaching Skill | Power | Range |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Astralym](https://palworld-db.com/pal/astralym) | 200 | Paldium Rain (Lv. 3) | 500 | 9,999 |
| [Hartalis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/hartalis) | 130 | Sacred Rain (Lv. 40) | 800 | 7,500 |
| [Panthalus](https://palworld-db.com/pal/panthalus) | 120 | Aqua Tornado (Lv. 60) | 800 | 6,000 |
| [Neptilius](https://palworld-db.com/pal/neptilius) | 145 | Thalassonic Laser (Lv. 60) | 700 | 5,000 |
| [Necromus](https://palworld-db.com/pal/necromus) | 145 | Rock Lance (Lv. 30) | 400 | 5,000 |
| [Frostallion](https://palworld-db.com/pal/frostallion) | 140 | Holy Burst (Lv. 55) | 700 | 5,000 |
| [Jetragon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/jetragon) | 140 | Beam Comet (Lv. 30) | 700 | 5,000 |
| [Shaolong](https://palworld-db.com/pal/shaolong) | 135 | Meteorain (Lv. 70) | 700 | 5,000 |
| [Blazamut Ryu](https://palworld-db.com/pal/blazamut-ryu) | 130 | Meteorain (Lv. 70) | 700 | 5,000 |
| [Bastigor](https://palworld-db.com/pal/bastigor) | 130 | Double Blizzard Spike (Lv. 70) | 700 | 5,000 |

### Electric Pals Punish Anything in the Water

Most of what you end up fighting on open water is Water-element, and Water is weak to exactly two things: Electric and Grass. Electric is the one that comes with long-range skills. **Thunderstorm** is the pick of the bunch at 600 power and 5,000 range, and five of the Pals below learn it. [Orserk](https://palworld-db.com/pal/orserk) is the standout — 130 Shot Attack, and its signature **Polykeraunos** matches Thunderstorm on both power and range while landing in its kit at level 55. If you are still levelling, [Relaxaurus Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/relaxaurus-lux) is the cheat pick: **Spark Blast** is only 50 power, but it is available from level 1, reaches the full 5,000, and fires fast enough to lead the whole list on sustained damage.

| Pal | Shot Attack | Best Electric Skill | Power | Range |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Neptilius](https://palworld-db.com/pal/neptilius) | 145 | Thunderstorm (Lv. 70) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Orserk](https://palworld-db.com/pal/orserk) | 130 | Polykeraunos (Lv. 55) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Helzephyr Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/helzephyr-lux) | 125 | Thunderstorm (Lv. 50) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Relaxaurus Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/relaxaurus-lux) | 120 | Spark Blast (Lv. 1) | 50 | 5,000 |
| [Azurmane](https://palworld-db.com/pal/azurmane) | 120 | Thunderstorm (Lv. 70) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Beakon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/beakon) | 115 | Thunderstorm (Lv. 70) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Fenglope Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/fenglope-lux) | 115 | Thunderstorm (Lv. 50) | 600 | 5,000 |
| [Grizzbolt](https://palworld-db.com/pal/grizzbolt) | 105 | Lethal Laser (Lv. 70) | 600 | 5,000 |

## Pal Gear That Shoots for You

This is the module almost nobody unlocks, and it is the cheapest ranged damage in the game. Pal gear turns a team Pal into a weapon you fire with the partner skill button — no ammo, no durability loss on your own gun. [Lifmunk's Submachine Gun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Carbunclo) costs a single technology point at level 11, a full ten levels before the Musket, and [Lifmunk](https://palworld-db.com/pal/lifmunk) is a starting-area catch. At the other end, [Jetragon's Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_JetDragon) is both the saddle and the weapon: mount up and Jetragon fires missiles at whatever you are looking at. The four rideable entries — Mossanda, Grizzbolt, Relaxaurus, and Jetragon — are the strongest picks for water because they solve the range problem and the positioning problem in one unlock.

| Pal Gear | Pal | Tech Lv. (Cost) | What It Does |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Lifmunk's Submachine Gun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Carbunclo) | [Lifmunk](https://palworld-db.com/pal/lifmunk) | 11 (1 pt) | Lifmunk lays down automatic fire on your target |
| [Tanzee's Assault Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Monkey) | [Tanzee](https://palworld-db.com/pal/tanzee) | 12 (1 pt) | Rifle fire from your partner, no ammo cost |
| [Tanzee Ignis's Assault Rifle](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Monkey_Fire) | [Tanzee Ignis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/tanzee-ignis) | 13 (2 pts) | Fire-element version of the same trick |
| [Pengullet Rocket Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Penguin) | [Pengullet](https://palworld-db.com/pal/pengullet) | 17 (2 pts) | Launches Pengullet itself as the projectile |
| [Pengullet Lux's Rocket Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_Penguin_Electric) | [Pengullet Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/pengullet-lux) | 18 (2 pts) | Electric version — the element water enemies hate |
| [Tocotoco's Gloves](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_ColorfulBird) | [Tocotoco](https://palworld-db.com/pal/tocotoco) | 18 (2 pts) | Hold and throw Tocotoco as a grenade |
| [Mossanda's Grenade Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_GrassPanda) | [Mossanda](https://palworld-db.com/pal/mossanda) | 32 (2 pts) | Ride and fire grenades — Grass also beats Water |
| [Mossanda Lux's Grenade Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_GrassPanda_Electric) | [Mossanda Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/mossanda-lux) | 34 (2 pts) | Electric grenades from the same mount |
| [Grizzbolt's Minigun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_ElecPanda) | [Grizzbolt](https://palworld-db.com/pal/grizzbolt) | 40 (4 pts) | Sustained Electric minigun fire while mounted |
| [Relaxaurus' Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_LazyDragon) | [Relaxaurus](https://palworld-db.com/pal/relaxaurus) | 45 (4 pts) | Missiles from a mount, ideal against distant swimmers |
| [Relaxaurus Lux's Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_LazyDragon_Electric) | [Relaxaurus Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/relaxaurus-lux) | 48 (4 pts) | Electric missiles, the best anti-water mount weapon |
| [Nyafia's Shotgun](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_BadCatgirl) | [Nyafia](https://palworld-db.com/pal/nyafia) | 52 (3 pts) | Nyafia unleashes a shotgun barrage on command |
| [Jetragon's Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/SkillUnlock_JetDragon) | [Jetragon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/jetragon) | 79 (5 pts) | The fastest mount in the game, firing missiles |

## Use a Flying Mount

A flying mount turns a water fight into a shooting gallery: hover above the target, out of reach of anything that can't fly, and fire down with whatever you are holding. The cost is stamina, and it is a hard timer — when the bar empties you drop, and dropping into deep water is exactly the situation you were avoiding. That is why the stamina column below matters as much as the speed one. [Jetragon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/jetragon) is the fastest at 3,300 sprint, but it carries only 110 stamina; [Frostallion](https://palworld-db.com/pal/frostallion) and [Selyne](https://palworld-db.com/pal/selyne) fly at roughly half that speed with 300 stamina, which is nearly three times the hover time. For a long fight over open water, the slower bird is the smarter one. Full rankings live on our [Palworld mount speed rankings](https://palworld-db.com/mount-speeds) and the [Best Flying Mounts guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/best-flying-mounts).

| Pal | Sprint Speed | Stamina | Saddle Tech Lv. | Why Bring It |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Jetragon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/jetragon) | 3,300 | 110 | 79 | Fastest in the game, and the saddle is a missile launcher |
| [Shaolong](https://palworld-db.com/pal/shaolong) | 2,800 | 100 | 77 | Second-fastest flier, 135 Shot Attack of its own |
| [Eidrolon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/eidrolon) | 2,750 | 130 | 68 | Nearly Shaolong's speed with more air time |
| [Frostallion](https://palworld-db.com/pal/frostallion) | 1,800 | 300 | 62 | 300 stamina — the hover-and-shoot pick |
| [Selyne](https://palworld-db.com/pal/selyne) | 1,600 | 300 | 53 | Same 300 stamina, unlocks nine levels earlier |
| [Faleris](https://palworld-db.com/pal/faleris) | 1,400 | 230 | 60 | 230 stamina at a mid-tier saddle cost |
| [Ragnahawk](https://palworld-db.com/pal/ragnahawk) | 1,300 | 150 | 33 | Fastest flier available before level 40 |
| [Beakon](https://palworld-db.com/pal/beakon) | 1,200 | 160 | 29 | Electric flier, strong against water targets |
| [Helzephyr](https://palworld-db.com/pal/helzephyr) | 1,100 | 170 | 25 | Most stamina you can get in the twenties |
| [Nitewing](https://palworld-db.com/pal/nitewing) | 750 | 100 | 15 | Earliest flying saddle in the game |

## Or Follow Them In on a Water Mount

Sometimes the target simply swims away and no amount of range fixes it. Mounting a water Pal solves that: you swim at mount speed instead of player speed, and you keep your weapons instead of losing them the way you do while swimming unmounted. [Surfent](https://palworld-db.com/pal/surfent) is the one to aim for early — its saddle unlocks at technology level 16, which is before most players own a gun, and 1,440 sprint is fast enough to run down anything you'll meet in the starting seas. [Neptilius](https://palworld-db.com/pal/neptilius) is the endgame answer at 2,000 sprint and a huge 410 stamina, though its saddle sits at level 64. Note that eight of the nine below carry the Water element themselves — [Azurobe Cryst](https://palworld-db.com/pal/azurobe-cryst) is the Ice and Dragon exception — so your swimming mount eats the same Electric damage you are using on everything else. Don't park it inside your own Thunderstorm.

| Pal | Swim Sprint | Stamina | Saddle Tech Lv. | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Neptilius](https://palworld-db.com/pal/neptilius) | 2,000 | 410 | 64 | Fastest swimmer, 145 Shot Attack, 410 stamina |
| [Jormuntide](https://palworld-db.com/pal/jormuntide) | 1,800 | 150 | 40 | Second-fastest, and the saddle is only 2 points |
| [Surfent](https://palworld-db.com/pal/surfent) | 1,440 | 100 | 16 | Earliest water saddle — the early-game pick |
| [Ghangler](https://palworld-db.com/pal/ghangler) | 1,350 | 320 | 31 | 320 stamina at a level-31 saddle |
| [Ghangler Ignis](https://palworld-db.com/pal/ghangler-ignis) | 1,350 | 320 | 42 | Same speed and stamina, Fire element instead |
| [Solmora](https://palworld-db.com/pal/solmora) | 1,300 | 220 | 65 | Late saddle, comfortable 220 stamina |
| [Solmora Lux](https://palworld-db.com/pal/solmora-lux) | 1,300 | 220 | 66 | Electric variant of Solmora |
| [Azurobe](https://palworld-db.com/pal/azurobe) | 1,000 | 160 | 24 | Slower, but the saddle costs just 2 points |
| [Azurobe Cryst](https://palworld-db.com/pal/azurobe-cryst) | 1,000 | 160 | 27 | Ice variant with identical swim numbers |

> **Tip.** Height beats range. Skills have a vertical reach as well as a horizontal one, and 52 of the 184 ranged Pal skills can't climb as high as they can shoot far — the worst offenders by more than five times. That is why standing on a cliff over a bay and firing down is so reliable: plenty of what is in the water below simply cannot answer. Pair the high ground with a Pal whose own skill reaches 5,000 and you can clear a whole shoreline without ever getting wet.

## The Short Answer

Stay on land and shoot. Before level 21 that means the [Crossbow](https://palworld-db.com/item/BowGun) plus a Pal that already knows a 5,000-range skill; after level 36 it means a rifle, and after level 56 a [Guided Missile Launcher](https://palworld-db.com/item/GuidedMissileLauncher) that tracks a moving swimmer for you. Bring Electric damage against Water-element enemies, use a sphere launcher instead of your arm if you actually want to catch the thing, and only mount up if the target is running — a flier for hovering above the fight, a swimmer for the chase.

## Related Guides

Hubs and deeper reading on everything above:
- [Palworld Weapons Database](https://palworld-db.com/weapons) — every weapon, attack value, and recipe
- [All Active Skills](https://palworld-db.com/active-skills) — sortable by range, power, and damage per second
- [Best Guns Tier List](https://palworld-db.com/guides/all-guns-ranked) — all guns ranked with their real numbers
- [Best Weapons at Every Tech Level](https://palworld-db.com/guides/best-weapons-by-tech-level) — the full upgrade path
- [How to Get a Gun Fast and Early](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-get-a-gun-early) — the four routes to your first firearm
- [How to Catch Pals and Capture Rates](https://palworld-db.com/guides/how-to-catch-pals) — sphere tiers and the odds behind them
- [Best Flying Mounts](https://palworld-db.com/guides/best-flying-mounts) — speed, stamina, and the saddle upgrade path
- [Strongest Attack Skills](https://palworld-db.com/guides/strongest-attack-skills) — the hardest-hitting Pal skills in the game
- [Palworld Fishing Guide](https://palworld-db.com/guides/fishing-guide) — what else the water is good for


---
Palworld Database — every number on this page comes from the game's own data files.