TL;DR
- Hullcracker dominates ARC combat but lacks PvP effectiveness
- Anvil and Ferro offer precision power with significant handling tradeoffs
- Bettina provides superior magazine capacity for sustained engagements
- Match weapon selection to your playstyle: precision, suppression, or versatility
- Always pair specialized weapons with complementary sidearms for balanced loadouts
Your weapon selection in Arc Raiders determines survival odds when facing relentless ARC machines and hostile human opponents. While initial loadouts feature basic firearms, progression unlocks superior weapon blueprints through crafting, marketplace purchases, or rare drops. Strategic weapon choice becomes critical whether you’re building your arsenal through manufacturing, acquiring through commerce, or obtaining via fortunate discoveries. This comprehensive Arc Raiders armament ranking evaluates every available firearm from elite performers to situational specialists.
Among the 20 distinct Arc Raiders weapons, certain models excel against mechanical threats while others prove superior in player-versus-player encounters. Our assessment methodology examines comprehensive weapon performance across multiple combat scenarios before establishing definitive rankings.
The S-tier category represents the pinnacle of weaponry that delivers exceptional performance in most combat situations, whether confronting ARC units or human adversaries. When these premium options remain unavailable, A or B-tier alternatives provide reliable performance. We strongly recommend avoiding D-tier firearms due to their consistent underperformance across all engagement types.
Below you’ll discover our meticulously crafted Arc Raiders weapons hierarchy showcasing the game’s most effective armaments:
Our weapon evaluation framework assesses multiple performance dimensions including damage output, armor penetration capability, effective range, magazine capacity, fire rate, handling characteristics, and situational effectiveness. This multi-faceted approach ensures our recommendations account for various playstyles and combat situations.
Key Evaluation Metrics:
- Damage Per Second (DPS): Combined damage and fire rate effectiveness
- Armor Penetration: Effectiveness against armored ARC components
- Versatility: Performance across different engagement ranges
- Skill Ceiling: Learning curve and mastery potential
- Resource Efficiency: Ammunition consumption and maintenance requirements
Understanding these metrics will help you make informed decisions about which weapons align with your preferred combat approach and current progression stage.
| Rank Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S Tier | Hullcracker, Anvil, Ferro, Bettina, Torrente |
| A Tier | Jupiter, Osprey, Venator, Tempest, Renegade, Vulcano |
| B Tier | Il Toro, Hairpin, Bobcat |
| C Tier | Apreggio, Rattler, Stitcher, Equalizer |
| D Tier | Burletta, Kettle |
The S-tier represents weapons that deliver exceptional performance with minimal drawbacks. These firearms should be prioritized whenever available through your progression path.
| Weapons | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Hullcracker | + Unmatched damage output against all targets + Superior armor penetration capabilities |
– Exclusive effectiveness against mechanical opponents |
| Anvil | + Devastating impact at extended engagement ranges + Exceptional armor-defeating performance |
– Limited ammunition capacity requiring frequent reloads |
| Ferro | + Massive per-shot damage potential + Outstanding long-distance effectiveness |
– Manual reloading after each discharge |
| Bettina | + Fully automatic operation with generous magazine + Balanced range and rate of fire characteristics + Impressive armor-defeating capability |
– Reduced individual projectile damage |
| Torrente | + Massive ammunition reservoir with excellent stability + High cyclic rate with dual-projectile discharge + Respectable armor penetration performance |
– Diminished per-shot damage and increased weight |
Pro Tip: The Hullcracker’s specialized anti-ARC design makes it essential for machine-heavy engagements, but always carry a complementary weapon for PvP scenarios. The Anvil and Ferro demand precision aiming skills but reward mastery with elimination efficiency.
A-tier weapons deliver consistently strong performance across most combat situations. While not quite reaching S-tier dominance, these firearms remain excellent choices that won’t disadvantage you in engagements.
| Weapons | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | + Catastrophic damage potential at any range + Excellent stability with formidable armor penetration |
– Limited magazine capacity and single-shot operation |
| Osprey | + Significant damage output at extreme distances + Respectable armor-defeating capability |
– Restricted initial ammunition supply |
| Venator | + Dependable secondary weapon with solid damage + Good operational range with dual-shot capability + Lightweight design with moderate armor penetration |
– Constrained magazine size |
| Tempest | + Adequate range with moderate armor penetration + Automatic assault rifle with consistent fire rate and accuracy |
– Reduced projectile damage and increased mass |
| Renegade | + Solid damage output at extended ranges + Outstanding stability with respectable armor penetration |
– Limited magazine capacity and bolt-action mechanism |
| Vulcano | + Substantial damage with wide projectile dispersion + Semi-automatic operation with decent firing speed |
– Close-quarters shotgun specialization – Severe damage drop-off at distance |
Common Mistake: Players often underestimate the Vulcano’s effectiveness in tight urban environments. While its range limitations are significant, it dominates in close-quarter building clearances and corridor defense situations.
B-tier weapons serve specific combat roles effectively but lack the versatility of higher-tier options. These firearms excel in particular situations but may underperform outside their optimal engagement parameters.
| Weapons | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Il Toro | + Devastating close-range shotgun damage + Reliable stability characteristics |
– Limited ammunition capacity – Inadequate armor penetration capability |
| Hairpin | + Integrated suppressor with respectable damage + Good operational range with excellent stability |
– Severely limited armor-defeating performance |
| Bobcat | + Massive magazine capacity with high rate of fire | – Extremely poor armor penetration – Minimal per-shot damage output |
Optimization Tip: The Hairpin’s integrated suppressor makes it ideal for stealth approaches and flanking maneuvers. Its quiet operation allows you to eliminate targets without alerting nearby enemies, though you’ll need to target unarmored areas for maximum effectiveness.
C and D-tier weapons generally serve as early-game options or highly specialized tools for specific scenarios. Most players will want to replace these as soon as better alternatives become available.
| Weapons | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Apreggio | + Burst-fire assault rifle with adequate range + Moderate armor penetration capability |
– Reduced damage output and firing speed |
| Rattler | + Respectable armor penetration performance + Balanced range, stability, and rate of fire |
– Minimal damage potential – Dependency on upgrade progression for stat improvements |
| Stitcher | + Excellent cyclic rate and stability characteristics + Generous magazine capacity |
– Severely limited armor-defeating capability – Low individual projectile damage |
| Equalizer | + Exceptional armor penetration performance + Outstanding stability and firing rate |
– Reduced damage output – Energy cell ammunition requirement |
| Weapons | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Burletta | + Reliable stability and operational range + Lightweight construction with adequate magazine capacity |
– Extremely poor armor penetration capability – Minimal damage output |
| Kettle | + Adequate stability and magazine size | – Severely limited armor-defeating performance – Low damage potential – Single-shot firing mechanism |
Advanced Insight: While generally inferior, the Equalizer’s energy-based ammunition provides unique advantages against specific ARC weak points that conventional firearms cannot exploit. Consider keeping one available for boss encounters.
Mastering Arc Raiders requires more than just selecting top-tier weapons—you need to understand how to leverage their strengths in various combat scenarios.
Weapon Synergy Combinations:
- Anti-ARC Specialist: Hullcracker + Venator (covers all range scenarios)
- Balanced Loadout: Bettina + Hairpin (versatility + stealth capability)
- Aggressive Assault: Torrente + Il Toro (maximum close-range firepower)
- Precision Dominance: Anvil/Ferro + Burletta (long-range power + lightweight backup)
Map-Specific Loadout Recommendations:
- Open Terrain: Osprey/Jupiter + Venator (dominate sightlines)
- Urban Combat: Vulcano/Il Toro + Bettina (close-quarters dominance + mid-range coverage)
Progression Optimization: Focus early resources on acquiring Bettina or Torrente blueprints, as these provide the most versatile performance for progressing through mid-game content.
That concludes our comprehensive Arc Raiders weapon hierarchy. Which armaments are you prioritizing for your upcoming operations? Share your loadout strategies in the discussion section.
Hullcracker stands as the premier weapon for dismantling ARC units in Arc Raiders.
Hullcracker, Anvil, Ferro, Bettina, and Torrente comprise the elite S-tier weapon category in Arc Raiders.
Action Checklist
- Prioritize acquiring S-tier weapon blueprints through missions and crafting
- Master 2-3 complementary weapons covering different engagement ranges
- Practice weapon-specific techniques: precision aiming with Anvil/Ferro, suppression firing with Torrente, stealth takedowns with Hairpin
- Develop situational awareness for weapon switching between ARC-focused and PvP-oriented firearms
- Optimize loadouts based on mission objectives and map characteristics
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