-LQ-: forum

📚 Thread Index

Scroll down the thread to find the specific guides. This library covers everything from basic combat to advanced economy modeling.

• Loadout roles, Meta bases & Bonus mechanics
• Melee, Secondary & Primary tier lists
• Synergies (Hair Salon, Pub, Gun Shop) & Shopping rules

Post #2: General Sales Ledger & Basics

• Coverage vs Armor Value (Why Riot Body is elite)
• Riot vs Assault vs Mixed cache setups
• Utility helmets (Tear Gas/Pepper Spray) & Budget paths

Post #3: RW Buyer’s Math (Advanced Weapons)

• The 6-part buyer scoring model
• Base weapon damage/accuracy visualizations
• Avoiding the "Luxury Tax" & Price vs Combat Value

Post #4: Armor EV Appendix (Advanced Defense)

• Math behind Gun % vs Melee % damage
• When to stay full-set vs when to helmet-swap
• The massive mathematical impact of PSF 7*

Post #5: Best Companies by Measurable Value

• The 5-Axis Framework (Combat, Armor, Weapons, Utility, ROI)
• The Revive myth debunked
• The ultimate directory for all 40+ companies

Post #6: Tools, Calculators & Resources

• Damage Bonus Calculators (Busta_Chrymes)
• Market Filtering tools (TornW3B)

RW Guide for Newer Players

How to choose weapons, bonuses and loadouts without wasting money or playing against yourself

This guide is mostly for newer players and confused mid-game players like me, not for people who can identify half the market from memory and price-check an Arma in their sleep. If you already live in ranked wars and speak fluent spreadsheet, you may still find something useful here, but the real goal is much simpler: help people understand what to buy, why to buy it, and how to actually use it once they own it.

RWs are a huge topic, and there is no honest way to compress everything into five lines without turning it into nonsense. A weapon is never just its color, never just its bonus, and never just its base. It is always the combination of base weapon, bonus, your build, your company perks, your education, and the role that weapon plays inside a full loadout.

Do not buy a weapon because it is colored. Buy it because it makes sense in your loadout.

A yellow weapon can absolutely be stronger than a red or orange one if the base is better, the bonus is more useful, or the weapon actually fits your build and how you fight.

Also, and this cannot be said enough, one great weapon is better than three mediocre ones. A strong main gun, a good finisher or opener, and one melee piece that actually has a job will take you much further than a pile of “looks cool in inventory” RW purchases. RW can empty your wallet very quickly if you shop with your eyes instead of your brain. Or, to put it another way, some weapons are not an investment — they are a very expensive cry for help.

1. How to think about a loadout

A good loadout is not a random collection of nice items. It is a set of roles.

Melee vs Primary for Starters: A common debate is whether to start with melee or a primary rifle. Melee is budget-friendly because it does not require attachments, special ammo, or reloads. However, keep in mind that Riot armor (melee mitigation) is often the cheapest and most common armor early on. At equal levels, a primary rifle will often outperform melee by bypassing that common protection. My personal take is that melee is best used as a specialized opener (Assassinate) or utility tool rather than your main workhorse.

Your primary is usually your main damage engine. This is the weapon that does the bulk of the work in many fights. It normally has the best mix of good bases, useful bonuses, mods, and sustained value.

Your secondary usually gives you either a burst window, a finisher, or a specific special function. It is not always there to replace your primary. Often it exists to do one job better than your primary can.

Your melee is very often not your main damage dealer at all. It is commonly your opener, your defensive tool, your backup, your ammo-saving option, or your utility slot.

If you own a Macana Assassinate or DBK Assassinate, that weapon is an opener. You are supposed to start the fight with it. If you do not, you are throwing away the entire reason to own it. The same logic applies to a Cobra Assassinate in secondary.

If you own a strong ArmaLite or Enfield with something practical like Penetrate, Powerful, Focus or Sure Shot, then that weapon is very often your main worker. You usually begin with it and keep using it because it is the slot doing the heavy lifting.

If your secondary is USP Execute, that weapon is not there to start the fight. It is there to end it. If your melee is Parry or Eviscerate, it is often there to save ammo, improve defence, or give you utility once the fight becomes messy.

Not every weapon is meant to be used at the same point in the fight. Some weapons open the fight. Some carry the fight. Some finish the fight. Some keep you alive when the fight stops going according to plan.

2. How to read bonuses properly

A lot of people read a bonus name and stop there. That is not enough. You need to ask what kind of timing and what kind of role the bonus demands.

• Assassinate is an opener bonus. Its value sits in the first turn. If you buy Assassinate and do not open with it, you are using the weapon incorrectly.
• Execute is a finisher. It shines when the target is already low. Warning: In the Yellow tier, the % is often too low to be useful. If an opponent is low enough for a low-roll yellow Execute to work, they are usually dead anyway. Look for higher tiers/rolls for this bonus.
• Penetrate is one of the safest and most practical main-gun bonuses because it works against armor without needing a lot of special conditions.
• Expose is a crit amplifier. If you are building around offense and crit rate, Expose becomes much more attractive.
• Parry is a defensive melee bonus. It is not flashy, but sometimes you want your melee to help you survive, not to make a montage.
• Eviscerate is excellent as pressure, defensive utility, and longer-fight support.

S-tier for what?

3. What is actually meta right now?

If someone wants the shortest possible answer, the practical meta bases look like this:

• Melee: Macana, Diamond Bladed Knife, Kodachi
• Secondary: USP, Cobra Derringer
• Primary: ArmaLite M-15A4, Enfield SA-80

That does not mean other weapons are worthless. It means these are the bases that repeatedly make sense across real buying decisions.

A yellow ArmaLite with the right bonus can be a much smarter buy than a red rifle with the wrong role, bad value, or bad fit for your account. Same for a yellow Kodachi versus a flashy but poorly matched melee. Color is not a build.

4. Melee bonuses

The most important thing to understand here is that Macana and DBK are not trying to be Kodachi, and Kodachi is not trying to be Macana.

Macana and DBK are phenomenal because they are accurate, stealthy piercing bases that fit opener roles beautifully.

Kodachi is phenomenal because it is an excellent slashing base that also counts as a Japanese Blade, which means it benefits from extra synergies.

Kodachi receives the +10% damage bonus from Ancient Japanese History, and all slashing weapons get +20% slashing weapon damage from Hair Salon 10*. Slashing melee also benefits from +10% melee weapon damage at Pub 3* or Restaurant 3*.

For a detailed description of bonuses, I highly recommend checking out cake's post here: cake's RW guide.

5. Secondary bonuses

The key insight here is that secondary is usually either a specialist or a finisher. It is not just “my smaller gun.” USP is so strong because it combines outstanding accuracy with flexibility. Cobra Derringer is almost the opposite kind of excellence: it is not the universal practical king, but it is a brilliant opener when paired with Assassinate because it hits hard and knows exactly what job it is there to do.

6. Primary bonuses

When people ask, “Okay, but seriously, what rifle should I buy?”, the most honest answer is still:

ArmaLite or Enfield.

7. Base weapon tiers

Melee bases

Secondary bases

Primary bases

8. Synergies that genuinely change weapon value

• Hair Salon 10* gives +20% slashing weapon damage, which is enormous for Kodachi, Yasukuni, Samurai Sword and other slashing picks.
• Ancient Japanese History gives +10% damage to Japanese Blades, which directly boosts Kodachi and similar weapons.
• Pub 3* and Restaurant 3* each give +10% melee weapon damage.
• On the firearm side, Gun Shop 7* gives +1 extra clip, while Gun Shop 10* gives +10% primary and secondary weapon damage.
• There is also weapon experience. At 100% weapon experience, the weapon gains +10% damage and +2 accuracy. A weapon you grow with becomes measurably better than the same weapon fresh out of the market.

9. Common mistakes

• The first big mistake is buying a nice-looking bonus on a weak or awkward base. The bonus cannot always rescue the weapon.
• The second big mistake is buying multiple medium RW instead of one excellent RW. This is probably the most common money leak in the whole system.
• The third big mistake is using weapons in the wrong order. Buying Assassinate and then opening with your rifle is a classic example. Buying Execute and trying to use it like a main firearm is another.
• The fourth mistake is ignoring synergies.
• The fifth mistake is overpaying because the weapon “looks rare.”
• And finally, one of the funniest mistakes: buying a red weapon and then discovering your plain yellow Enfield quietly does more real work. This happens because base + bonus + fit beats color. A lot.

10. Budget progression

If your budget is limited, do not try to build the perfect everything-loadout immediately. Buy roles in the right order.

• The best first step is usually a strong main firearm, because that slot will do the most work most of the time. The obvious practical answers are ArmaLite and Enfield.
• The second step is usually a secondary with a clear job. For most players, that means either USP Execute if you want a finisher, or Cobra Assassinate if you want a proper opener sidearm.
• The third step is strong melee, and this is where your build starts to branch. If you are going stealth and opener-heavy, buy Macana or DBK. If you are building around slashing and account synergies, buy Kodachi.

11. Best first 5 RW purchases

1. ArmaLite Penetrate or Enfield Penetrate / Sure Shot / Focus
   This is your foundation. You need a sensible main firearm before you start getting clever.
2. USP Execute
   This gives you a clean finishing role immediately. It is one of the easiest “good purchases” to understand and use well.
3. Kodachi Expose/Eviscerate (if slashing) or Macana/DBK Assassinate (if opener/stealth)
   This is where you begin specializing instead of just stabilizing your account.
4. Cobra Assassinate or USP Specialist / Deadeye
   At this point your loadout starts feeling like a real system instead of a pile of parts.
5. A specialist or support piece
   This could be a second rifle, a defensive melee like Parry, a utility option like Disarm, or a main-gun upgrade.

12. How to shop for RW without buying pretty trash

The first rule is to search for a role, not a color.

Before you look at listings, decide whether you are shopping for an opener, a finisher, a main damage weapon, or utility. Then decide the base.

Do not search for “some red rifle.” Search for ArmaLite, Enfield, USP, Cobra, Macana, DBK, or Kodachi depending on the role you need.

Here is a perfect example of why newer players should not buy RW with their eyes. A very expensive high-roll weapon can still be a worse practical purchase than a cheaper one with a more useful bonus.

For example, an ArmaLite Achilles 97% may look impressive because of the big roll and the huge price tag, but for most players a much cheaper ArmaLite Sure Shot is likely the better real-use weapon. Sure Shot has a cleaner job, a more practical use case, and makes far more sense in normal fights against evasive targets.

In other words: expensive does not always mean better, and high-roll does not always mean smarter.

Tools like TornW3B / weav3r.dev are genuinely useful here because they aggregate ranked weapon and armor listings and let you filter them instead of manually wandering through the market like a lost tourist.

And always, always negotiate if the seller is open to it. RW pricing often has room in it, especially on bigger-ticket items. The market is not a sacred temple. It is a bazaar. Behave accordingly.

13. Final practical recommendations

Melee targets:

• Macana Assassinate
• DBK Assassinate
• Kodachi Expose
• Kodachi Berserk
• Kodachi or Yasukuni Eviscerate

Secondary targets:

• USP Execute
• USP Specialist
• Cobra Assassinate
• Fiveseven Execute
• Ruger 57 Execute

Primary targets:

• ArmaLite Penetrate
• ArmaLite Powerful / Deadeye / Expose
• Enfield Penetrate
• Enfield Sure Shot / Focus
• Gold AK Demoralized (only if you genuinely know why you are buying it)

14. TL;DR

• Meta melee bases: Macana, DBK, Kodachi
• Meta secondary bases: USP, Cobra
• Meta practical rifle bases: ArmaLite, Enfield
• Assassinate opener = start the fight with that weapon
• Execute = finisher
• Parry = defence
• Penetrate = one of the safest all-round main firearm bonuses
• Hair Salon makes a huge difference for slashing
• A yellow weapon can absolutely be stronger than a red or orange one
• Use TornW3B / weav3r.dev to shop smarter
• Negotiate prices
• Buy one great weapon before you buy three mediocre ones

Sources / references / thanks

Main references used for this post:

• Torn Wiki — Weapon Bonus
• Torn Wiki — Weapon Mod
• Torn Wiki — USP
• Torn Wiki — Macana
• Torn Wiki — Kodachi
• Torn Wiki — ArmaLite M-15A4
• Torn Wiki — Enfield SA-80
• Torn Wiki — Perks
• Torn Wiki — Company Special List
• Boonie’s Weapon Supermarket (+Guide)
• weav3r.dev

Special thanks to BoonieSteep [2947669] for the conversations and for the inspiration from his RW posts. His way of thinking about slot roles, practical weapon value, and filtering out trash RW helps make this whole subject much easier to understand. Boonie is, in my opinion, one of the best weapon dealers and traders in Torn. He knows the market extremely well, gives honest advice, and is great at matching weapons to the player instead of just trying to push a sale. I can genuinely recommend him.

If you're looking for gear that actually fits the math I described in my guide, I’ve curated a few practical pieces in my shop. No 'luxury tax', just combat efficiency. Feel free to check my RW shop here.

If you spot anything outdated, matchup-specific, or worth improving, feel free to reply. The goal of this guide is to help newer players buy smarter, not shinier.

🛒 The Dark Web RW Supply

Dark Web Bazaar   •   RW Buyer's Guide   •   Revive Services

Stop overpaying for your daily energy and stop buying shiny weapons that don't win fights.

💊 Wholesale Xanax

Over $2,000,000,000 worth of Xanax moved to the streets. Consistently listed below market average. No buy limits. Daily restocks. If it’s in the bazaar, it’s a steal.

🔫 Practical RW Gear

I sell roles, not colors. Every weapon listed below is priced based on actual combat math from my forum guides. No "luxury tax" on useless bonuses.

✚ Revive Contracts

Professional, discreet revive services. Faction-wide RW contracts, individual bulk requests, and competitive pricing.

🏆 Elite Stock

DM to negotiate or claim an item.

[ Primary Weapons ]

[ Secondary Weapons ]

[ Melee Weapons ]

[ Armor & Defense ]

🕵️‍♂️ Target Acquisition & Sourcing Service

Can't find exactly what you need in my current stock or on the Trade Chat? Stop wasting time and let me find it for you.

[ Open Market Request ]

Reply to this thread with the specific type of weapon and bonus you are looking for (e.g., "Looking for an ArmaLite with Expose"). Do NOT post your budget – keep that private so competitors don't try to snipe or overcharge you. Once I see your request, I will check my extended network and DM you directly if I can match it.

[ Private Sourcing (DM Only) ]

For high-value targets or if you prefer total discretion, send me a DM with your full requirements and budget. I will act as your private broker, scan the market quietly, and secure the right gear for you without drawing attention.

[ Combat Consulting (Free) ]

Not sure what weapon or bonus fits your faction role or stats? Drop a question in the thread or send a DM. I'll help you figure out the optimal loadout based on the math, free of charge.

* Identities protected. Post updated regularly.

1.2B OBO

Hey everyone! 👋

I've created a free Discord bot to help you (and your faction members) maximize your Torn City bank investments. If you've ever wondered which bank duration is currently the most profitable for your specific amount, or exactly how long it will take you to reach the $2B cap using compound interest, this bot does all the heavy lifting for you in seconds.

🆕 Changelog (Latest Update):

• Added the massive /adv_calc command based on community feedback! It calculates the fastest route to $2B if you regularly add external money (from plushies, trades, bounties) to your investments.
• Added a detailed step-by-step timeline showing profit and total balance per cycle for your best compounding route.
  
  

🌟 Key Features:

• /calc: Simply input your amount, merits, and whether you have the TCI stock block. The bot compares all durations (1w, 2w, 1m, 2m, 3m) and highlights the most profitable one based on Profit/Day. It also calculates your true Effective APR%.
• /adv_calc: Make money on the side? Input your monthly extra income (e.g., 100m), and the bot calculates which bank duration gets you to the $2B cap the fastest by injecting that cash into shorter cycles. Includes a full growth timeline!
• /simulate: Want to see the snowball effect in action? Input your starting amount and target duration, and the bot will simulate cycle-by-cycle compound interest until you hit the $2,000,000,000 cap!

📸 Previews:

🔗 How to add the bot:
You can invite the bot to your faction or personal Discord server using this secure link:
👉 Click here to Invite the Bot

⚙️ Good to know:

• The bot uses modern Slash Commands (/), so it’s easy to use and won't read your other messages.
• It automatically creates a dedicated #torn-bank-calc channel when joining a new server.
• It’s hosted 24/7.

☕ Support & Feedback:
The bot is 100% free to use. However, if you find it helpful and want to show some love, I will happily accept a virtual Xanax or a beer in Torn! 🍻💊

Suggestions, ideas, and feedback for future updates are always highly appreciated!

Cheers,
-LQ- (Profile 3840752)

Armor Guide for Newer Players

How to build smarter defense: coverage, weak spots, value, set logic and real-use examples

This second post is meant to complement the RW guide, because armor gets misunderstood almost as often as weapons do. A lot of newer players buy armor the same way they buy bad RW: by looking at rarity, price, or general reputation first, and only thinking about function later. That usually leads to overspending, weak coverage in the wrong places, and very expensive confidence.

The first thing to understand is simple: armor is not just “bigger number = better.” Armor only helps if it meaningfully protects the area that gets hit, and the game uses the most relevant armor for that location rather than magically stack everything into one defensive wall. That is why coverage matters so much.

Do not buy armor because it is expensive or prestigious. Buy armor because it protects the parts that matter and because it fits the kinds of fights you actually take.

A smart mixed setup can absolutely be stronger than a full premium set if the base coverage is better, the utility is more useful, or the pieces actually fit your build, your company, and how you fight.

Also, and this cannot be said enough, one great practical setup is better than a flashy one with huge gaps. A strong body piece, a utility or high-coverage helmet, and pants that actually do their job will take you much further than a pile of “looks cool in inventory” premium purchases.

1. How armor actually works

There are five things that matter when judging armor:

• armor value
• coverage
• which body parts are protected
• whether the set bonus helps in your real fights
• how much you are paying for that result

The easiest trap is to focus only on armor value and ignore coverage. This is also why mixed setups can be stronger than full sets. A full set may give a strong bonus, but if one slot in that set is weak for your needs, mixing is smarter.

2. The single biggest armor lesson: coverage beats hype

A perfect place to see this is in the body slot.

• Riot Body has outstanding practical coverage and especially strong groin protection.
• Delta Body is a very strong premium body piece, but its groin coverage is much lower.
• Assault Body is strong in firearm-heavy logic, but it also gives up a lot of groin coverage compared with Riot Body.

Riot Body remains elite because its practical protection is excellent in places that matter. Newer players often see “premium orange set” and assume the answer is obvious. It often is not.

3. Riot vs Assault — the real answer is “it depends”

Why Riot is strong: Riot reduces incoming melee damage. Riot Body is a monster because of its coverage, and Riot Helmet offers high head coverage and pepper spray immunity.

Why Assault is strong: Assault reduces bullet damage, which is extremely relevant as most PvP damage comes from guns.

The practical meta: Many players find the Assault Helmet to be the weak point of the set due to lower coverage. A very common pro move is to swap to a Riot Helmet for better head protection, or a Delta Gas Mask for utility.

4. A real example: why armor is contextual

Comparison using 50% gun usage:

• Assault Set (NO PSF) = 1390.37 damage EV
• Assault + Riot Helmet (NO PSF) = 1434.7 damage EV
• Riot Set (NO PSF) = 1371.025 damage EV
• Assault Set (PSF) = 1151.565 damage EV
• Riot Set (PSF) = 1131.03 damage EV

The lesson: there is no universal answer. The right setup depends on what is hitting you and what company bonus you have.

5. Company bonuses matter

• Private Security Firm 7*: +25% armor mitigation ONLY if you wear a full set. This makes full sets mandatory for PSF employees.
• Clothing Store 10*: +20% armor bonus. Makes mixed setups and practical pieces much stronger.

6. Full-set bonuses —piece bonus range

7. Slot-by-slot priorities

Pro-Tip: Buy a Helmet First
Most factions will loan you standard Combat chest/pants. Since headshots deal massive damage, buying a high-quality personal Helmet (Riot or Assault) is the smartest first investment for your protection.

Body slot — the most important slot

Head slot — protection or utility?

Delta Gas Mask is utility-first. For raw damage protection against headshots, Riot Helmet is much safer.

Utility Matters

8. Practical setups

Mixed cache starter: Riot Body / Riot Helmet / Delta Pants. Taking the best practical slots from different sets.

Gun-heavy environment: Assault Body / Riot Helmet / Assault Pants. Swapping the helmet for better coverage while keeping bullet mitigation.

9. Best mixed setups by budget

10. Common mistakes

• Buying a full set just for the sake of it (unless in PSF).
• Looking only at armor range and ignoring Coverage.
• Undervaluing throat and groin protection.
• Buying expensive gloves/boots while having weak body/head protection.

11. Budget progression

• Early game: Full Body Armor / Combat pieces.
• Cache priority: Body piece first, then Helmet, then Pants.

12. TL;DR

• Coverage matters as much as armor value.
• Body and Head slots are the most important.
• Buy a high-quality Helmet first.
• PSF changes the math — sets only for PSF employees.

13. Sources

• Torn Wiki — Armor
• Torn Wiki — Riot Armor

If you have better matchup-specific examples or EV models, feel free to share them.

5* trade! Fair price, fast transaction! 

1.2B OBO

My first JLT. Can’t wait! 

Recommended Seller! Nice Weapons, perfect trade!

Major update: the calculator now pulls live bank rates directly from the Torn API, ensuring accurate, real-time investment calculations.

Changelog:

• /adv_calc (Advanced Strategy): Do you make regular money from plushie running, trading, or bounties? You can now input your monthly extra income (e.g., 100m) alongside your starting amount. The bot will calculate the absolute fastest route to the $2B bank cap by injecting that cash into your investment cycles!
• Detailed Timeline: The new command also generates a step-by-step timeline so you can see exactly how your wealth snowballs cycle after cycle.

Update:

Post 1: Updated the Thread Index with direct links and added a section on why Melee is often a smarter starter than a Primary for players on a budget.

Post 3: Added the mathematical difference between Powerful and Empower (logarithmic diminishing returns of stats). Included warnings about the low-percentage "Yellow Execute" trap.

Post 4: Added the "Helmet First" rule due to headshot multipliers. Clarified that Vanguard and Sentinel provide passive stat boosts and that armor does not roll random modifiers like evasion.

Post 5: Added Gentlemen's Strip Club to the top-tier companies for Dexterity-based builds.

Post 6: Added a new section for community tools, featuring Busta_Chrymes' Damage Bonus Calculator to help compare weapons side-by-side.

Yes right simply overlooked this one mistake. Want to reply too fast. Anyway Like I mentioned in my previous reply, I did not really focus on Vanguard armor or those specific endgame dexterity sets when putting this together, mostly because I was looking at things from a different budget and playstyle perspective.

Changelog 

Hey everyone! 👋

I've created a free Discord bot to help you (and your faction members) maximize your Torn City bank investments. If you've ever wondered which bank duration is currently the most profitable for your specific amount, or exactly how long it will take you to reach the $2B cap using compound interest, this bot does all the heavy lifting for you in seconds.

🆕 Changelog (Latest Update):

• Added the massive /adv_calc command based on community feedback! It calculates the fastest route to $2B if you regularly add external money (from plushies, trades, bounties) to your investments.
• Added a detailed step-by-step timeline showing profit and total balance per cycle for your best compounding route.
  
  

🌟 Key Features:

• /calc: Simply input your amount, merits, and whether you have the TCI stock block. The bot compares all durations (1w, 2w, 1m, 2m, 3m) and highlights the most profitable one based on Profit/Day. It also calculates your true Effective APR%.
• /adv_calc: Make money on the side? Input your monthly extra income (e.g., 100m), and the bot calculates which bank duration gets you to the $2B cap the fastest by injecting that cash into shorter cycles. Includes a full growth timeline!
• /simulate: Want to see the snowball effect in action? Input your starting amount and target duration, and the bot will simulate cycle-by-cycle compound interest until you hit the $2,000,000,000 cap!

📸 Previews:

🔗 How to add the bot:
You can invite the bot to your faction or personal Discord server using this secure link:
👉 Click here to Invite the Bot

⚙️ Good to know:

• The bot uses modern Slash Commands (/), so it’s easy to use and won't read your other messages.
• It automatically creates a dedicated #torn-bank-calc channel when joining a new server.
• It’s hosted 24/7.

☕ Support & Feedback:
The bot is 100% free to use. However, if you find it helpful and want to show some love, I will happily accept a virtual Xanax or a beer in Torn! 🍻💊

Suggestions, ideas, and feedback for future updates are always highly appreciated!

Cheers,
-LQ- (Profile 3840752)

Love it 🥰 

Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed response. I definitely take it as constructive criticism and it is a really good read. You make a lot of fair points, and I think a lot of the gaps in the guide come from me writing it through the lens of my own personal playstyle and the specific path I took.

Your logic about the armor progression makes a lot of sense. Buying a high-quality helmet first because most factions will just loan out standard combat chest and pants is a very smart approach that I honestly just overlooked.

I am a bit torn on the melee versus primary debate for starters though. I will have to think about that one a bit more. While melee is definitely cheaper to run, I feel like rifles might still be better at equal levels. Riot armor is usually cheaper and more common early on, so relying on melee means you might be hitting exactly what beginners are best protected against. But I can certainly see both sides of that argument.

As for the USP, that is definitely just my personal preference. I like it because it is highly accurate and the base stats are very solid all around. Though I agree there are other options to consider, and the QSZ-92 is another pistol that players should probably look into.

Regarding assassinate, I might not have explained my angle well enough in the guide. I do not see it as a main weapon to rely on for consistent damage. I just really enjoy using it as an opener to try and land one massive first strike before switching. It is a gamble, but it fits how I like to initiate fights rather than being a reliable main weapon.

You are completely right about the jobs being highly build-dependent, and someone else also just pointed out my blind spot with strip clubs for dexterity builds. I also agree that low percentage yellow execute weapons are a trap since the opponent is basically dead by the time it triggers anyway.

 At the end of the day, everything in Torn really just depends on your level, your specific playstyle, where you are in the game, and your faction's playstyle. The game's mechanics and synergies are just too complex to define one single perfect path for everyone. I appreciate you pointing out these nuances, it really helps balance out the thread.

You are 100% right! I'm completely open about it.

The core of the guide—the combat math, the strategies, the Torn mechanics, and the actual advice—is entirely mine. I wrote the raw foundation based on my own gameplay and market research.

However, I am not a native English speaker. Writing a guide this massive, formatting complex HTML tables, structuring the layout, and making sure the grammar actually flows naturally is a huge challenge for me. So, I rely heavily on AI as an advanced editor and translator. I feed it my raw thoughts, data, and math, and it helps me structure the thread and polish the English so it's actually readable for you guys.

I know that 'AI cadence' can be noticeable sometimes, but my main goal was just to make sure the raw knowledge was easy to understand without my broken English getting in the way

Fast, well stocked, fair priced. 100% recommended. 

Thanks for the detailed breakdown! You bring up some fantastic points and I really appreciate the constructive feedback. Let’s unpack this:

The Armor & RW Modifiers:
You are absolutely right that the Delta Mask alone is enough to nullify Tear Gas and Pepper Spray. And good catch on the RW modifiers—that was a slip of the tongue on my part in a previous reply. Ranked War modifiers (like Evasion or Elusive) only drop on Riot, Marauder, Assault, Dune, and EOD sets, not Delta or Vanguard.

For an endgame DEX whore, your advice is spot on: a high-quality Vanguard set is the ultimate goal for raw stats if you aren't using RW gear. If someone does want RW modifiers for dodging (like Evasion), they would need to look at Marauder armor.

The PSF vs. Strip Club Jobs:
Completely agree here too. PSF's flashbang boost is great utility, but for a pure DEX main, the Gents Strip Club is undeniably the king. That 25% passive DEX boost, the massive 250% needle boost, and the passive dodge chance are just too good to pass up.

The Guide's Perspective:
I should also add some context: when I originally wrote this guide, I was writing it very much from a beginner/intermediate perspective — someone like myself who can't exactly afford to drop billions on elite endgame RW armor and weapons just yet! :) So my main focus was on getting the absolute best protection and stats on a tighter budget. But you are 100% correct about what players should be aiming for in the long run.

I’m going to update the 'Best Jobs' section of the guide asap to highlight Strip Clubs much more prominently for DEX builds based on your comment, and I'll clarify the armor progression as well.

Thanks again for keeping the guide sharp and accurate. Feedback like this is exactly what makes the community resources better <3

+1

3 orange on auction house. 

Fair point! You're absolutely right – since 10 merits is the ultimate goal for everyone anyway, keeping it simple makes sense. Those who really need to check other values can always tweak the formula themselves, just like I did. :)

Thanks again for the explanation and for maintaining such a great tool for the community!

I’ve been using your spreadsheet for Torn and I have to say – it’s absolutely brilliant! The way it calculates ROI for different stocks and even factors in the Firewalk virus production is a game-changer for planning investments. Incredible work!

While using it, I came up with a small "quality of life" suggestion regarding the Bank Interest calculations. Currently, most people manually edit the formula to switch between 0 merits (1.0) and 10 merits (1.5).

I thought it would be great to make this dynamic by adding a small VLOOKUP or a math multiplier based on a "Merits" cell.

The idea:

Users could simply type their current Bank Merits (0-10) into a cell (e.g., column C), and the formula would automatically adjust the profit.

The formula I’ve been using to test this:

=F4*(ROUND((MAX(API!H2:H6)*(1 + C6*0.05))*((INDIRECT(ADDRESS(ROW();COLUMN()+1;4)))/365);2)/100)

(Where C6 is the number of merits).

This way, as players progress and add more merits, they don't have to rebuild the formulas – the sheet grows with them!

Thanks again for providing such an amazing tool to the community. Keep up the great work!

Bump