Choose your starting weapon from the first Reward Pod
Your opening weapon choice comes from the initial Reward Pod. In the October GRAVHOUNDS demo, that pod offers all the weapons you have unlocked, so an unlocked weapon can be selected for your next expedition instead of waiting for a favorable later offer. The important preparation happens before the run: unlock the weapon you want to bring into that first selection.
The developer introduced this change in its October 7 demo devlog. Older playthroughs showing a smaller opening selection should not be treated as the complete rule for the updated demo.
Follow the opening pod sequence
The narrated tutorial demonstrates the basic process:
- Set up the operation as directed and wait for the opening Reward Pod to be authorized.
- Call in the pod and keep clear of its landing area.
- Open it to see the weapon choices available for that mission.
- Select the weapon you want to use as your main weapon.
That is the supported selection flow. The materials do not establish a separate pre-launch equipment menu that replaces the pod, so there is no reason to search for an invented loadout selector.
The official GRAVHOUNDS demo devlog explains the updated unlocked-weapon pool. It also describes weapon tuning, so an older player's favorite should not be read as a permanent balance verdict.
Unlocking a weapon and selecting it are different steps
A permanent weapon unlock expands what the initial pod can offer. Choosing an option from that pod determines your main weapon for the expedition. Unlocking something does not mean the game silently equips it before you make that choice.
Player experience in Gohjoe's narrated run shows weapon research in the ship hub and different weapons being chosen on later expeditions. The October developer update supplies the clearer selection rule: the opening pod now offers the unlocked set.
If a weapon you expected is missing, first distinguish an actual completed unlock from something you merely inspected in research. Beyond that, the obtained material does not support a guaranteed fix for missing offers, a save-editing method or a precise unlock-cost table.
Make the choice fit the mission
A useful starting choice is one whose handling you already understand. Gohjoe's player experience favored the pulse rifle's more consistent ranged performance over the shotgun in his recorded run, but that is a limited comparison rather than proof of a universal best weapon.
Consider the jobs you expect to perform: protecting infrastructure, moving between objectives and handling enemies while your defenses develop. Then try a different unlocked weapon on another expedition if you want a practical comparison. The new opening selection makes that experimentation more deliberate.
FAQ
Where do I choose my starting weapon?
From the initial Reward Pod during the expedition's opening sequence.
Does the October demo include all unlocked weapons in that pod?
Yes. The October 7 developer devlog explicitly describes that change to the initial Reward Pod.
Does unlocking a weapon automatically equip it?
The supported flow still involves selecting a weapon from the opening pod. Unlocking expands that selection.
Should an older two-weapon recording override the developer update?
No. Keep the recording's build context in mind. The later developer statement explains the October demo rule.