ARC Raiders Best Weapons: Tier List, PvP, ARC, Amplified

The best weapons in ARC Raiders right now are the Anvil, Bettina, Renegade and Vulcano: they sit at or near the top of most published tier lists, and their stats explain why. The Anvil and Bettina pair high damage with strong ARC armor penetration, the Renegade wins mid-range Raider fights, and the Vulcano dominates close quarters. For pure ARC hunting, the Jupiter, Hullcracker and Equalizer are still the best tools. This tier list covers all 26 guns, the best picks for PvP and for ARC, budget weapons, what Frozen Trail changed, and whether Amplified weapons are worth the grind.

Checked against the official Frozen Trail 2.0 and Live Update 2.3.0 notes and the ARC Raiders Wiki weapon tables on November 12, 2026.

Embark Studios does not publish a tier list. Tiers here reflect where published tier lists agree (two written after Frozen Trail, one before it), checked against weapon stats from the community wiki and the official balance notes. Where lists disagree sharply, the table says so.

What is the best weapon tier list in ARC Raiders?

S tier is the Anvil, Bettina, Renegade and Vulcano. A tier holds strong but more specialized weapons, including the anti-ARC trio of Jupiter, Hullcracker and Equalizer.

Tier	Weapons	Why
S	Anvil, Bettina, Renegade, Vulcano	Top damage in their range bands; Anvil and Bettina also crack ARC armor
A	Jupiter, Hullcracker, Equalizer, Ferro, Tempest, Venator, Osprey, Dolabra	Excellent in a role: anti-ARC, long range or a strong sidearm
B	Bantam, Stiletto, Canto, Il Toro, Torrente, Rascal, Arpeggio, Aphelion, Bobcat	Solid picks with a clear weakness (range, penetration or ammo)
C	Kettle, Stitcher, Rattler, Burletta	Starter guns; replace them once you can craft better
D	Hairpin	Quiet but weak against armor and Raiders

The biggest disagreement between lists is over the cheap guns. One fan-run database ranks the Kettle, Stitcher and Ferro in S tier on damage per second, while editorial lists put the Kettle and Stitcher near the bottom because Light Ammo has very weak ARC armor penetration. The Jupiter also ranges from S to C depending on whether a list is scored for ARC or for Raider fights.

What are the stats of the best ARC Raiders weapons?

Damage per shot, headshot multiplier and ARC armor penetration explain most of the tier list. Heavy Ammo and energy weapons penetrate ARC armor well; Light Ammo barely does.

Weapon	Class and rarity	Ammo	Damage	Headshot	ARC armor penetration
Anvil	Hand cannon, rare	Heavy	40	2.5x	Strong (1.5x)
Bettina	Assault rifle, epic	Heavy	16, full-auto	2x	Strong (2x)
Renegade	Battle rifle, rare	Medium	35	2.25x	Moderate (0.8x)
Vulcano	Shotgun, epic	Shotgun	49.5	1x	Weak (0.5x)
Jupiter	Sniper rifle, legendary	Energy Clip	60	2x	Very strong (3x)
Hullcracker	Launcher, epic	Launcher	100	None	Very strong (2.5x)
Equalizer	Beam, legendary	Energy Clip	8, full-auto	2x	Very strong (2.5x)
Ferro	Battle rifle, common	Heavy	40, single shot	2.5x	Strong (1.5x)
Tempest	Assault rifle, epic	Medium	10, full-auto	1.5x	Moderate (0.8x)
Venator	Pistol, rare	Medium	16 (two 8-damage shots)	2x	Moderate (0.8x)

Damage values are the wiki's Level IV figures where the weapon can be upgraded. Upgrades at the Gunsmith improve reload, fire rate, magazine size and durability, depending on the gun.

What is the best weapon for PvP in ARC Raiders?

For Raider fights, the Renegade and Anvil are the most consistent picks, with the Vulcano for buildings and tight interiors. All three reward headshots.

• Renegade: lever-action, 35 damage, 2.25x headshots and more range than the Ferro or Stiletto. Its Medium Ammo is only moderate against ARC, so it is a PvP-first rifle.
• Anvil: 40 damage with a 2.5x headshot multiplier and a 6-round cylinder. It is slow, so pair it with an automatic primary.
• Vulcano: a semi-auto shotgun at 49.5 damage per shot that wins close fights quickly, but its ARC penetration is weak.
• Bettina: the only non-legendary full-auto gun with strong penetration. It hits hard at 16 damage per bullet, though it is epic rarity and heavy.
• Venator: fires two shots per trigger pull and makes the best sidearm for players who prefer a fast follow-up over the Anvil's single big hit.

The Hullcracker and Rascal only detonate on ARC, so they do nothing in Raider fights. Don't bring one as your only gun into a contested area.

What is the best weapon against ARC?

The Jupiter is the best single gun for big ARC, and the Hullcracker is the most forgiving. Both have very strong penetration, and Frozen Trail made explosives better against armor.

• Jupiter: 60 damage per bolt-action shot at 3x armor penetration. Frozen Trail fixed a bug where its damage passed twice to ARC parts behind the target; the rifle is now stronger against armor and slightly weaker against weak spots.
• Hullcracker: 100 damage per shot. Since Frozen Trail, explosive weapons deal over 50% more damage to ARC armor plates and about 30% less to fragile parts, so aim at plating, not exposed weak points.
• Equalizer: a legendary energy beam with a 50-round capacity that melts armor at range, but it is visible and awkward against players.
• Dolabra: an energy shotgun; Frozen Trail fixed it so it can now destroy the yellow weak points inside the Harvester.

What are the best budget and early-game weapons?

The Ferro is the best cheap gun: it is common, uses Heavy Ammo, deals 40 damage and has strong ARC penetration. Its weakness is a single-round magazine, so carry a faster weapon next to it.

• Stiletto (new): uncommon semi-auto battle rifle on Light Ammo, 19 damage, 1.8x headshots and a 10-round magazine that grows to 16 at Level IV. Penetration is weak (0.4x), so it suits lightly armored ARC and mid-range Raider fights.
• Bantam (new): uncommon double-action revolver on Heavy Ammo, 24 damage and strong penetration (1.5x), with low accuracy and range. It took over the uncommon hand cannon slot when the Anvil moved up to rare.
• Rattler and Arpeggio: Medium Ammo rifles with moderate penetration; the Rattler's magazine grows from 12 to 24 through upgrades.

Both new guns craft at Gunsmith level 1 from 4 Mechanical Components and 4 Simple Gun Parts once you learn their blueprints. The blueprint guide lists where to find them.

How did Frozen Trail change ARC Raiders weapons?

Frozen Trail 2.0 added two guns, reworked explosives and promoted the Anvil. Later patches mostly changed where weapon blueprints drop.

Change	Patch	Effect on the meta
Stiletto and Bantam added	Frozen Trail 2.0	Two new uncommon options for early loadouts
Anvil moved from uncommon to rare; its Tech Mod slot removed; Anvil Splitter became an Amplified upgrade	Frozen Trail 2.0	Harder to obtain, but the Splitter lives on in the Amplified version
Explosives: over 50% more damage to armor plates, about 30% less to fragile parts	Frozen Trail 2.0	Hullcracker and Rascal better against armored ARC
Jupiter damage fix	Frozen Trail 2.0	Stronger vs armor, slightly weaker vs weak spots
Anvil and Hullcracker removed from Tian Wen, moved to the weekly Nomadic Envoys rotation	Frozen Trail 2.0	Buying them from a trader depends on the week
Dolabra, Bobcat, Equalizer, Jupiter, Tempest and Vulcano blueprints drop in any major map condition	2.3.0	Top weapons are easier to unlock

Are Amplified weapons worth it?

Yes, for players who have finished the Outpost. Amplified Weapons are a fifth level for 15 guns that adds Amplification slots, which change how the weapon works, plus more durability.

• Requirements: Gunsmith level 4 and Research Station level 4, then an Amplification Module matching the weapon's rarity (Mk. I for common up to Mk. V for legendary).
• Where modules come from: the Fallen Emperor on Pendola Pass, opened with an Emperor Gateway Conduit, and the cargo inside the ARC Frigate during the Frigate condition.
• Durability: +70 maximum durability, or +100 on legendary weapons. A downed Raider drops their Amplified weapon at 10% durability, and repairs use Amplified Fragments.
• Choices are permanent: once an Amplification is activated it can't be removed, and some lock others out.

Examples from the wiki: X Rounds on the Anvil add 5 base damage and 33% more damage to ARC armor at the cost of more recoil and slower bullets; the Anvil Splitter turns each shot into four weaker projectiles; Slug Rounds give the Il Toro a single heavy projectile. The full unlock path is in the Outpost and Amplified weapons guide.

What is the best loadout combination?

Pair one PvP weapon with one ARC weapon, ideally on different ammo types so one resupply problem doesn't empty both guns.

• All-rounder: Bettina plus Anvil, both on Heavy Ammo for simple resupply and strong penetration.
• Raider hunter: Renegade plus Vulcano for range and close quarters.
• Boss runs: Jupiter or Hullcracker plus a Venator or Anvil for self-defense.
• Budget: Ferro plus Stiletto or Rattler.

Related guides

• ARC Raiders blueprints: full list and how to farm them
• ARC Raiders beginner guide
• ARC Raiders Outpost guide: Amplified Weapons, skill tree
• ARC Raiders game hub