CONTENTS
// Weapon Tier List
This tier list reflects the current Escalation season meta based on a combination of raw DPS, versatility, ARC armor penetration, and effectiveness in both PvE and PvP encounters. Weapon rarity matters in ARC Raiders since rarity is fixed per weapon type and higher rarity guns cannot be found in duplicate.
| Tier | Weapon | Class | Ammo | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Bettina | Assault Rifle | Heavy | Highest AR damage at 14 per shot with full-auto. Heavy ammo gives strong ARC armor pen. The best all-rounder. |
| S | Renegade | Battle Rifle | Medium | Lever-action with 35 damage per shot and a massive 735 relative DPS. Best range in class at 68.8. Devastating in PvP. |
| S | Anvil | Hand Cannon | Heavy | Single-action powerhouse. 40 damage with heavy ammo pen. Accepts a Tech Mod slot for unique builds. |
| S | Tempest | Assault Rifle | Medium | Full-auto with 367 relative DPS, highest among ARs. Medium ammo is abundant. Great mod flexibility. |
| A | Ferro | Battle Rifle | Heavy | Break-action with 40 damage per shot. Heavy ammo shreds ARC armor. Slow fire rate demands accuracy. |
| A | Hullcracker | Special | Launcher | 100 damage per shot with 2,030 DPS. Melts ARC bosses like Queens and Bombardiers. Ammo is rare. |
| A | Jupiter | Sniper Rifle | Energy Clip | 60 damage bolt-action. One-shots most Raiders to the head. No mods but raw power is unmatched at range. |
| A | Bobcat | SMG | Light | 66.7 fire rate with 400 DPS. Fastest TTK up close. Full mod support. The PvP rush weapon. |
| B | Vulcano | Shotgun | Shotgun | Semi-auto shotgun with insane 1,302 DPS at close range. Outclasses Il Toro in sustained fights. |
| B | Stitcher | SMG | Light | Solid full-auto SMG with better range than Bobcat. Good starter weapon. 317 DPS. |
| B | Osprey | Sniper Rifle | Medium | Bolt-action, 45 damage, accepts mods unlike Jupiter. Best moddable sniper. 80.3 range. |
| B | Torrente | LMG | Medium | 58.3 fire rate LMG for sustained ARC suppression. 466 DPS but slow handling. |
| C | Kettle | Assault Rifle | Light | Semi-auto AR. Low pen with light ammo. Recently nerfed in Update 1.11.0. |
| C | Rattler | Assault Rifle | Medium | Full-auto but lowest AR damage at 9. Outclassed by Tempest and Bettina. |
| C | Arpeggio | Assault Rifle | Medium | 3-round burst. 173 DPS is the lowest in class. Hard to use effectively. |
// Assault Rifles
Assault Rifles are the most versatile weapon class in ARC Raiders, effective at medium range with decent damage and manageable recoil. There are five ARs in the game, each using different ammo types and firing modes.
Bettina
The Bettina is the highest-damage assault rifle in the game. Its heavy ammo gives it strong ARC armor penetration, making it equally effective against armored plating and Raiders. The tradeoff is that heavy ammo is less abundant than light or medium rounds. The Bettina accepts Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Stock mods, giving you control over recoil and stability.
Tempest
The Tempest fires faster than the Bettina with better range but lower per-shot damage. Medium ammo is abundant throughout the Rust Belt, making the Tempest a reliable primary weapon that you can sustain across long raids. The Medium Magazine mod slot lets you extend your capacity for sustained firefights.
Rattler
The Rattler is a solid early-game assault rifle. Its stats sit below the Tempest across the board, but it spawns more frequently in early loot areas. Use it until you find a Tempest or Bettina.
Kettle
The Kettle is a semi-automatic rifle that uses light ammo. It was recently nerfed in Update 1.11.0. Light ammo has the weakest ARC armor penetration, making the Kettle best for early-raid PvP before enemies have armored targets. It has the most mod slots of any AR.
Arpeggio
The Arpeggio fires in 3-round bursts. Accurate at range but its DPS is the lowest among assault rifles. Best for players who value precision over volume of fire.
// Battle Rifles
Battle Rifles bridge the gap between assault rifles and sniper rifles. They deliver high damage per shot with slower fire rates, rewarding accuracy and punishing missed shots.
Renegade
The Renegade is one of the best weapons in the entire game. Its lever-action mechanism delivers 35 damage per shot with a relative DPS of 735, the highest of any non-special weapon. The range of 68.8 lets you compete with snipers. Medium ammo keeps it sustainable. This is the go-to weapon for experienced Raiders in both PvP and PvE.
Ferro
The Ferro hits harder per shot than any non-special weapon at 40 damage, but its break-action mechanism means extremely slow follow-up shots. Heavy ammo gives it excellent ARC armor penetration. Best used as an opening shot weapon: land the first hit, then swap to a faster weapon to finish the fight.
Aphelion
The Aphelion is a Legendary energy weapon that fires 2-round bursts. As a Legendary, it cannot be upgraded at the Gunsmith. Its exact stats are estimated from its stat bars. The Aphelion has the longest range of any battle rifle but its burst-fire pattern and limited mod support make it more niche than the Renegade.
// Submachine Guns
SMGs dominate close-range encounters with high fire rates and fast handling. Both use Light Ammo, which has the weakest ARC armor penetration but is the most common ammo type found topside.
Bobcat
The Bobcat has the highest fire rate in the game at 66.7. It melts Raiders up close with 400 DPS and has the full complement of mod slots. The tradeoff is 6 damage per shot, which means light ammo struggles against ARC armored plating. Best used for PvP and clearing unarmored ARC units like Ticks and Wasps.
Stitcher
The Stitcher trades the Bobcat's raw fire rate for slightly higher per-shot damage and marginally easier recoil control. It is a more forgiving SMG for players still developing their tracking aim.
// Shotguns
Shotguns use dedicated Shotgun Ammo and deliver devastating damage at point-blank range. Both have dedicated Shotgun Muzzle and Shotgun Magazine mod slots.
Il Toro
Il Toro is the pump-action shotgun with the highest per-shot damage of any conventional weapon at 67.5. Devastating at point-blank but the pump-action cycling is slow. Missing a shot at close range can cost you the fight.
Vulcano
The Vulcano trades per-shot damage for a much faster semi-automatic fire rate. Its relative DPS of 1,302.9 is the highest of any non-special weapon in the game. It also has better range than Il Toro at 26 vs 20. For most players, the Vulcano is the better shotgun because it is more forgiving if you partially miss.
// Sniper Rifles
Osprey
The Osprey is the moddable sniper rifle. Its 80.3 range is the highest in the game, and it accepts four mod slots for customization. Medium ammo means adequate ARC armor penetration. The go-to choice for long-range overwatch.
Jupiter
The Jupiter is a Legendary bolt-action sniper with the highest single-shot damage of any ranged weapon at 60. It uses Energy Clips and cannot accept mods or upgrades. Despite lower DPS than the Osprey due to its slow fire rate, the Jupiter's raw damage per shot makes it the premier PvP sniper for one-shot potential.
// Light Machine Guns
Torrente
The Torrente is the only LMG in the current build. Its 58.3 fire rate and medium magazine capacity allow sustained suppressive fire that excels against ARC swarms. The DPS of 466.4 is competitive with assault rifles. The tradeoff is slow handling and ADS speed. Best used from a stationary position covering teammates during ARC encounters or holding extraction points.
// Pistols & Hand Cannons
Sidearms serve as backup weapons or specialized tools. Pistols use Light Ammo while the Anvil hand cannon uses Heavy Ammo for serious stopping power.
Anvil
The Anvil is a hand cannon that hits as hard as the Ferro battle rifle at 40 damage per shot. The Tech Mod slot is unique to the Anvil and enables special build synergies. Heavy ammo penetrates ARC armor effectively. This is no sidearm; it is a primary weapon disguised as a pistol.
Venator
The Venator is a semi-auto pistol with surprisingly high DPS at 660.6, driven by its fast fire rate combined with decent 18 damage per shot. Medium ammo gives it moderate ARC penetration. A solid secondary or even primary for skilled trigger fingers.
Burletta
A basic semi-auto pistol. Serviceable as an emergency sidearm but outclassed by every dedicated weapon in its range bracket.
Hairpin
A slide-action pistol with high per-shot damage for a sidearm but extremely slow fire rate. A niche choice.
// Special Weapons
Hullcracker
The Hullcracker is a launcher that fires explosive projectiles dealing 100 damage per shot with a relative DPS of 2,030, the highest in the game by a massive margin. It is the premier weapon for destroying large ARC machines like Queens, Bombardiers, and Bastions. Launcher ammo is extremely rare, so every shot needs to count. Save the Hullcracker for boss-tier ARC encounters.
Equalizer
The Equalizer is a Legendary energy weapon with excellent range at 68.6. Its full-auto fire delivers consistent damage at distance. As a Legendary it cannot be modded or upgraded. The DPS is modest, but the range and energy clip make it useful against specific ARC weakpoints.
// Upgrades & Mods
Most weapons can be upgraded at the Gunsmith up to four times (levels I through IV). Each upgrade permanently improves the weapon's handling stats. Legendary weapons cannot be upgraded. Weapon mods are attachments that fit into designated slots on each weapon. Unlike upgrades, mods can be freely removed and swapped. Common mod types include Muzzle attachments for recoil and sound, Underbarrel grips for stability, Magazine extensions for capacity, and Stock attachments for ADS stability. The Anvil's unique Tech Mod slot accepts special modifications not available to other weapons. Visit Tian Wen's Gun Shop in Speranza to purchase weapons and mods, or find them topside in caches and ARC drops. Visit the Practice Range to test different mod combinations before committing to a loadout.
// Solo Loadout Builds
Solo raiders need to cover multiple ranges and handle both ARC machines and hostile Raiders without backup. Your loadout needs to be self-sufficient with strong ARC armor penetration for PvE and fast TTK for PvP encounters.
The All-Rounder
The Bettina covers mid-range engagements and has heavy ammo penetration for ARC armor. The Bobcat provides close-range PvP lethality with its extreme fire rate. Carry Hornet Drivers or Showstoppers as gadgets to stun large ARC like Surveyors. Pack Med Kits and a Shield from Lance's Clinic.
The Long-Range Specialist
The Renegade dominates at range with 35 damage per shot and 735 DPS. Pair it with the Vulcano for close-range emergencies or the Bobcat for PvP rush situations. This build excels on open maps like Spaceport and Blue Gate.
// Squad Loadout Builds
In squads of two or three, Raiders can specialize. Coordinate ammo types so the squad does not compete for the same ammo pool. One Raider should run heavy ammo weapons for ARC armor, one should run medium for sustained fire, and one can specialize in close-range or sniper support.
ARC Hunter Squad
Player 1 carries the Hullcracker for boss ARC (Queens, Bombardiers, Bastions) and the Bettina for general combat. Player 2 runs the Renegade for mid-range dominance and the Bobcat for PvP defense. Player 3 provides overwatch with the Osprey and close-quarters backup with the Vulcano. Bring Wolfpack Grenades and Deadline Mines from Apollo's shop for ARC boss weak points.