Arc Raiders weapons tier list: best guns for PvP and ARC
Arc RaidersA practical, upgrade-aware ranking of all 20 guns, plus early-game picks.
Every raid in Arc Raiders is a risk. Lose a fight and your gear is gone, so your primary and sidearm need to punch above their weight, handle cleanly, and make sense for both rival raiders and ARC machines. The ranking below balances raw performance, handling, ammo type, upgrade dependence, and how often each weapon actually solves problems you face in PvP and PvE.
Arc Raiders weapons tier list (all 20 guns)
| Tier | Weapon | Type | Ammo | What it’s best at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Anvil | Pistol | Heavy | Hand cannon burst damage; reliable armor cracking with precise headshots |
| S | Vulcano | Shotgun (semi-auto) | Shotgun | Close-quarters dominance; fast follow-up shots, forgiving spread and range for a shotgun |
| S | Bettina | Assault Rifle | Heavy | High-damage full-auto that scales into late game; versatile across ranges |
| S | Renegade | Battle Rifle (lever-action) | Medium | High-impact, accurate mid-long duels; upgrades meaningfully improve fire rate |
| S | Jupiter | Sniper Rifle (bolt-action) | Energy | Colossal per-shot damage and ARC armor break potential; slower, skill-demanding handling |
| A | Tempest | Assault Rifle | Medium | Exceptionally stable and accurate full-auto; easy recoil, dependable main gun |
| A | Osprey | Sniper Rifle (scoped) | Medium | Consistent long-range picks in PvP and safe ARC part farming at distance |
| A | Venator | Pistol (double-tap) | Medium | Flexible backup sidearm; moderate ARC armor damage with quick follow-ups |
| A | Bobcat | SMG | Light | Hyper‑aggressive play; high RPM melts players at short range (avoid vs heavy ARC armor) |
| A | Ferro | Battle Rifle (break‑action) | Heavy | Early armor shreds and burst picks; pair with a faster primary to cover reload gaps |
| A | Rattler | Assault Rifle (full‑auto) | Medium | Beginner‑friendly workhorse; upgrade for bigger mag to stabilize PvP reliability |
| B | Il Toro | Shotgun (pump-action) | Shotgun | Corner‑peeking and tight spaces; big pellet dump trades speed for stopping power |
| B | Arpeggio | Assault Rifle (3‑round burst) | Medium | Accurate, controllable bursts; upgrade scaling helps, but average vs ARC |
| B | Equalizer | Special (beam) | Energy | ARC armor melter at range; awkward vs players and highly visible while firing |
| B | Hullcracker | Special (launcher) | Launcher | Explosive payloads that only damage ARC; excellent PvE tool, useless in PvP |
| B | Burletta | Pistol (semi-auto) | Light | Decent emergency backup; falls off fast once stronger sidearms are available |
| C | Stitcher | SMG | Light | Early full‑auto option with tough recoil; serviceable until you craft better |
| C | Torrente | LMG | Medium | Big mag for suppression; mediocre damage and handling keep it niche |
| C | Kettle | Assault Rifle (semi‑auto) | Light | Reload and damage profile underwhelm; quickly outclassed by other ARs |
| D | Hairpin | Pistol (suppressed) | Light | Quiet for small ARC picks; poor armor penetration and PvP lethality |
How this ranking maps to real raids
This isn’t a pure stat sheet. The tiers reflect how each gun performs in common situations: ambushing in tight interiors, trading at mid‑range sightlines, and deleting ARC armor without wasting resources. Several weapons rise or fall based on upgrade investment (for example, raising Rattler’s magazine size dramatically improves reliability), and some picks are powerfully specialized. If you’re going topside to farm ARC parts, a beam or launcher that’s mediocre in PvP can still be the right call.
Best early-game weapons (Common rarity)
- Ferro (Heavy BR): One‑shot punch and strong ARC armor damage. Build around deliberate peeks and bring a faster secondary.
- Rattler (Medium AR): The most forgiving early full‑auto. Prioritize upgrades that increase magazine size to stabilize time‑to‑kill.
- Hairpin (Light Pistol): Useful only for quiet picks on small ARC. Swap off as soon as you secure a better sidearm.
High-impact picks and when to use them
- Anvil: Treat it like a pocket shotgun with better reach. Aim for heads; it breaks armor cleanly and ends fights in a few hits.
- Vulcano: Owns stairwells, corridors, and doorways. Semi‑auto cadence lets you chain shots without overexposing.
- Bettina: Late‑game auto rifle that simply wins fair fights. Stable handling and damage floor make it a raid anchor.
- Renegade: Precision wins. If you hit your shots, its mid‑range time‑to‑kill is oppressive, and upgrades only push it further.
- Jupiter: Bring it when ARC armor is the mission. Bolt‑action tempo is slow, but every shot matters.
- Tempest: If you want consistency without drama, this is the AR you craft and keep modded.
- Osprey: Punishes peeks and lets you dismantle ARC targets from safety. Pairs well with a close‑range secondary.
- Equalizer / Hullcracker: Both are PvE specialists. Plan your route and fights so their drawbacks don’t cost you your kit.
The best loadout is the one that matches your objective. If you’re extracting through contested zones, lean on reliable autos (Tempest, Bettina) and a decisive sidearm (Anvil). If the goal is ARC parts, slot a dedicated armor breaker (Jupiter, Equalizer, Hullcracker) and shape your engagements around it. Upgrade the guns you actually like firing—handling confidence ends more fights than a few extra points on a stat line.
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