How to Get the Laser Cannon in 99 Nights in the Forest (and Is the Cyborg Worth 600 Diamonds?)
Where the Laser Cannon drops, the exact Cyborg class cost, its 70 AoE damage and ~8-second recharge, and the honest answer to whether the 600-diamond Cyborg is the only reliable way to get it.
The Laser Cannon is the gun every late-game loadout wants, and almost every "how to get it" guide stops at the same sentence: "buy the Cyborg class." That answer is true but incomplete. The real questions are whether the Cyborg is the only reliable path, and what you are actually paying 600 diamonds for.
Last verified: 2026-09-29. For the full ranking of every gun, see Best Weapons.
What the Laser Cannon Actually Does
The Laser Cannon is an alien-tech ranged weapon with a single, devastating trick: one shot fires an instant projectile that detonates on impact and damages every enemy caught in the blast.
- Damage: 70 per direct hit (about 87.5 if you are a Cyborg — see below).
- Area of effect: yes. The blast hits multiple targets at once, which is why it is the best "delete a pack" button in the game.
- Infinite ammo: it draws from your Alien Tech energy, not bullets. No reload, no ammo pickups.
- The catch: each shot drains roughly 75% of the energy bar, and a full recharge takes about 8 seconds. So it is one shot, then an ~8-second downtime where you need a sidearm.
- Hit detection: instant. The beam lands the moment you click — no travel time to lead.
That trade (huge blast, long cooldown) is the whole weapon. Used sparingly on a clustered group, it is S-tier. Spam-fired, it leaves you defenseless.
The Comparison Nobody Makes
Most tier lists just rank the Cannon "S" and move on. Here is how it actually stacks up against the other ranged options you will choose between:
| Weapon | Damage | Ammo | AoE | How you get it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser Cannon | 70 (≈87.5 w/ Cyborg) | Infinite (energy) | Yes | Cyborg class (600D) / UFOs / Alien Chest |
| Tactical Shotgun | High close-range burst (3-shell, 43 start) | Shells | No (spread) | Ruby Chest (Cultist Stronghold) |
| Laser Sword | 25–232 | Infinite (energy) | No | Broken UFO / Mothership / Alien Chest |
| Rifle | 60–90 (6-shot) | Rounds | No | Pelt Trader / chests |
The Cannon's edge over the Tactical Shotgun (its closest S-tier rival) is range + AoE + no ammo management. The Shotgun wins on raw close-quarters burst. The Laser Sword hits harder on paper but only shows up during alien events, while the Cannon is available every run if you own the class. For the complete list, see Best Weapons.
How to Get It: Three Ways
1. The Cyborg Class — guaranteed. Buy the Cyborg from the Classes shop for 600 diamonds and it spawns in your inventory every run. This is the only deterministic source. (Class-shop availability may rotate — see our Best Class page for the current state, since a reported "always-available" revamp is unconfirmed.)
2. Broken UFOs and the Mothership. During alien invasion events these crash sites can drop the Cannon as loot. Random, not guaranteed.
3. Alien Chests. Another random drop from alien-themed chests.
(Past source: it was also a Trick-or-Treat reward in the 2025 Halloween event, which is now over.)
The honest read: ways 2 and 3 are dice rolls. If you want the Cannon reliably, the Cyborg is the path — which is exactly why the next question matters.
The Stats
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Base damage | 70 per direct hit |
| With Cyborg class | ≈87.5 (a 25% alien-tech bonus) |
| Area of effect | Yes — multi-target blast |
| Ammo | Infinite (Alien Tech energy) |
| Energy per shot | ~75% of the bar |
| Recharge | ~8 seconds |
| Travel time | None (instant hit) |
| Headshot multiplier | None |
| Effective range | Medium to long |
The Overheat Catch (Cyborg-Specific)
The Cannon itself just has an 8-second recharge. The scary "overheat damages you" penalty is a Cyborg class perk, not the gun's:
- At Cyborg Level 1, if your Alien Tech overheats, you take damage and your armor is temporarily lowered.
- Practically: one Cannon shot leaves you ~25% energy. Firing again before it recharges overheats. So you pace shots and carry a sidearm for the gap.
- A non-Cyborg player who finds the gun in a chest gets the same 8-second recharge but no self-damage on overheat — the gun just will not fire until it is ready.
This is the single biggest skill gap between "Cyborg is OP" and "Cyborg killed me": manage the heat.
Is the Cyborg Worth 600 Diamonds?
Reframe the purchase. You are not buying "a gun" — you are buying a package:
- the Laser Cannon (the gun),
- Alien Armor (strong defense that regenerates alien-tech energy when you take hits),
- night vision (a real exploration and combat advantage after dark),
- and the class itself, which levels into energy-restore perks.
Yes, if:
- you want the Cannon reliably instead of gambling UFOs and Alien Chests;
- you raid the Cultist Stronghold or fight grouped enemies a lot — the AoE deletes packs;
- you want a tanky frontline that sustains itself.
No, if:
- you would rather roll the dice on UFO/Alien Chest drops, or you prefer a different class. At 600 diamonds the Cyborg is the most expensive class in the game.
- You can get ranged AoE without it: the Tactical Shotgun (Ruby Chest in the Stronghold) or the Infernal Crossbow (Infernal Chest — infinite ammo and a burning effect) both fill a similar role.
How to afford it: 600 diamonds is a grind. The repeatable core is the Cultist Stronghold loop — see How to Get Diamonds Fast for the farming route. And whatever you do, do not spam the Cannon: the overheat damage penalty can finish you at low HP.
Where Sources Disagree
Energy per shot. Two structured guides say ~75% of the bar; two others say ~60%. We used 75% as the majority reading — but your HUD is the source of truth, and the difference only changes how long your downtime is.
Cyborg damage bonus. Most sources quote ~87.5 (a clean ×1.25). One cites ~77 at tier 2. The base 70 is undisputed across every source we checked.
Ignore the "farm 600 diamonds by hitting strongholds 120 times" advice. That figure comes from a low-quality SEO post with no corroboration. Use the diamond guide above instead.
FAQ
How do you get the Laser Cannon in 99 Nights in the Forest? Buy the Cyborg class for 600 diamonds (guaranteed starter), or find it as a random drop in Broken UFOs, the Mothership, or Alien Chests.
What damage does it do? 70 per hit at base, about 87.5 if you are a Cyborg (a 25% alien-tech bonus). The blast hits multiple enemies.
Is it better than the Tactical Shotgun? Different jobs. The Cannon wins at range and against groups (AoE, infinite ammo); the Shotgun wins up close. Both sit in the S-tier for ranged.
Does it need ammo? No. It runs on Alien Tech energy — infinite, with an ~8-second recharge after each shot.
Is the Cyborg worth 600 diamonds just for this gun? Not "just" the gun — you also get Alien Armor, night vision, and the class. If you want the Cannon without RNG, it is the only reliable buy. See "Is the Cyborg Worth 600 Diamonds" above.
Related Pages
- Best Weapons — the full tier list and where every gun drops
- Best Class — Cyborg cost, perks, and class-shop availability
- How to Get Diamonds Fast — farm the 600 for the Cyborg
- Cultist Stronghold — the Ruby Chest (Tactical Shotgun) alternative and alien-event context
- Alien Class — shares the Alien Tech energy system with the Ray Gun
Keep Reading
How to Get the Rifle in 99 Nights in the Forest
Every way to get the Rifle: the Gunsmith Shed, Iron and Legendary Chests, and the Pelt Trader's third trade. Plus what it actually does for damage, and how it compares to the Revolver.
How to Get the Tactical Shotgun in 99 Nights in the Forest
Where the Tactical Shotgun comes from (Ruby Chests in the Cultist Stronghold, or a Workshop recipe), its real stats (8 pellets, up to 150 close-range damage, 3-shell mag), how to manage its rare ammo, and when it beats the Rifle.
Best Weapons in 99 Nights in the Forest
Which weapons are worth carrying: the consensus top tier across published tier lists, the only damage numbers anyone has published, where each weapon actually drops, and the early-game ladder that gets you there.