The best Arc Raiders weapons and tier list

Bringing along the best Arc Raiders weapons is what will determine whether or not you’ll safely make it back to Speranza. There are currently 19 different gun to choose from, not all of which are available to you right from the start. Raiders must gather materials from the surface and slowly level up to be able to craft better guns. Each weapon is fit for a certain playstyle, but that doesn’t mean that there’s no meta.

To help you figure out which guns are better than the rest, I’ve made a best weapons tier list so you can jump into Arc Raiders without worrying about failing combat encounters. I've also compiled a guide to the best skills in Arc Raiders which won't help you directly with weapons, but will help just about every other facet or survival.

Arc Raiders weapons tier list

• S Rank: Tempest, Anvil, Bobcat, Rattler, Vulcano
• A Rank: Renegade, Osprey, Jupiter, Venator, Ferro
• B Rank: Stitcher, Burletta, Equalizer, Il Toro, Hullcracker, Arpeggio
• C Rank: Hairpin, Kettle, Torrente

S Rank Arc Raiders weapons

• Tempest: Epic, Assault Rifle, Medium Ammo
  • This Epic assault rifle is your classic, well-rounded weapon that has smooth-as-butter recoil and great accuracy. It’s a step-up from the Rattler, and it may take some time until you can craft it, but it’s well worth it in the end. The Tempest also boasts a decent range and three weapon mod slots, and it can easily become one of your main weapons to bring on a trip to the surface.
• Anvil: Uncommon, Pistol, Heavy Ammo
  • The Anvil is the pistol you’ll always want to bring with you as your backup gun. It’s a single-action hand cannon that deals impressive damage, especially with headshots. It almost feels like a shotgun in a tiny pistol’s body with how hard its impact is. Pull the Anvil out if you want a gun that can shatter ARC enemies’ armor with ease. 
• Bobcat: Epic, SMG, Light Ammo
  • Once you learn how to control the Bobcat, it may become one of your strongest weapons against enemy Raiders. Its accuracy can be tricky to pin down, but it has a rapid fire rate to make up for it. If you like the Stitcher, this is an upgraded version of that gun. Just don’t try it against ARC enemies, as its Light Ammo won’t make a dent in their armor. 
• Rattler: Common, Assault Rifle, Medium Ammo
  • For something so easy to come by, you wouldn’t think the Rattler had so much power behind it. This fully automatic assault rifle is a beginner’s best gun, as its damage, range, and recoil are well-rounded and suitable for all playstyles. Although it reloads two bullets at a time, you don’t have to wait for it to fully reload to start shooting again.
• Vulcano: Epic, Shotgun, Shotgun Ammo
  • The Vulcano is a semi-automatic shotgun with a swift fire rate, surprisingly forgiving range, and decent damage output. Although it has a small magazine size, it’s fast and strong, so much so that it had to be nerfed before launch. Still, despite the balance changes, you can tear through enemy Raiders, and you don’t have to rely on being in close quarters to do so. 

A Rank Arc Raiders weapons

• Renegade: Rare, Battle Rifle, Medium Ammo
  • Compared to other rifles like the Ferro, the Renegade is easier to handle and is just as intense. This is a lever-action battle rifle that dishes out high damage, even more so with headshots. It’s a fair weapon to use against ARCs to damage their armor, and it packs a decent eight bullets in the magazine.
• Osprey: Rare, Sniper Rifle, Medium Ammo
  • Nothing beats the Osprey when it comes to sniper rifles. It’s scoped for long-ranged sniping, and it doesn’t lack in accuracy and damage. Although there are only two sniper rifles in Arc Raiders so far, the Osprey is the best starter sniper for its versatility and balance.
• Jupiter: Legendary, Sniper Rifle, Energy
  • The Jupiter is currently one of the only weapons that use energy ammo, making it a unique choice of rifle for players who have mastered the Osprey and are looking for something fresh. It’s a bolt-action sniper rifle that deals higher damage and accuracy than the Osprey, but it’s much slower and more difficult to handle. Jupiter is a perfect weapon to use for breaking ARC armor, but not so much other Raiders.
• Venator: Rare, Pistol, Medium Ammo
  • The Venator may not be as good as the Anvil, but it’s a step-up from the Burletta. It fires two shots at a time and is a semi-automatic pistol. The damage output is reasonable, especially since it can moderately tear away at ARC armor, as well as human Raiders. 
• Ferro: Common, Battle Rifle, Heavy Ammo
  • It may not be as powerful as the Renegade, but the Ferro is an acceptable choice of shotgun for a beginner player. The Ferro uses heavy ammo and is a break-action rifle that is amazing during close combat. Not only that, but it’s best at shattering ARC armor despite its long reload time and one-bullet magazine. 

B Rank Arc Raiders weapons

• Stitcher: Common, SMG, Light Ammo
  • The Stitcher is one of the first weapons you can get your hands on in Arc Raiders, and you may not stick with it for long. It’s a fully-automatic SMG that looks small, but still packs a punch. The downside is that it’s hard to control the recoil. It has an adequate magazine size, but it will run out quickly.
• Burletta: Uncommon, Pistol, Light Ammo
  • For such a small weapon, the Burletta hits harder than you may think. It’s a semi-automatic pistol with a quick fire rate and fair accuracy. This isn’t something you’ll want to use against ARCs, but it can pair well as a backup to a stronger gun.
• Equalizer: Legendary, Special, Energy
  • The Equalizer sticks out like a sore thumb compared to all the other weapons in this game, but use it in the right way and you can come out of fights alive. It shoots out an energy beam that boasts an incredible range, allowing you to stand far away as you’re lasering the enemy. You’ll want to use this against ARCs to decimate their armor, as it’s harder to aim at enemy Raiders.
• Il Toro: Uncommon, Shotgun, Shotgun Ammo
  • If you’re looking for a shotgun with a large bullet spread, pick Il Toro. It’s a pump-action shotgun with high damage output, but it’s slow when firing. Il Toro shines when it’s used against close-up enemies, but it fails at damaging ARC armor. 
• Hullcracker: Epic, Special, Launcher Ammo
  • Launcher Ammo is only used with the Hullcracker, and it’s wonderful when up against ARC enemies. It fires explosive projectiles that detonate when hitting ARC, but it doesn’t do much against other Raiders. This situational weapon is fun to use, but you shouldn’t bring it along all the time.
• Arpeggio: Uncommon, Assault Rifle, Medium Ammo
  • The Arpeggio is an interesting, three-round burst rifle with okay damage output. It excels in its stability, and it has four weapon mod slots for various upgrades. Nevertheless, it’s painfully average in fighting against ARCs. 

C Rank Arc Raider weapons

• Hairpin: Common, Pistol, Light Ammo
  • Despite it having a built-in silencer, it doesn’t help the Hairpin stand out that much in a game that isn’t stealth-focused. This single-action pistol also barely scratches ARC armor, making the Hairpin a bad competition against other pistols.
• Kettle: Common, Assault Rifle, Light Ammo
  • There’s nothing special about the Kettle, and it’s not even worth picking up as a beginner. It’s a semi-automatic rifle that takes forever to reload and is horrible against ARC enemies. The Kettle’s only redeeming quality is its magazine size, but the Rattler outshines this gun in every way.
• Torrente: Rare, LMG, Medium Ammo
  • The Torrente is Arc Raiders’ only LMG, and unfortunately, it’s not worth picking up. It can adequately take down ARC enemies, but its recoil is difficult to tame, and it’s not up to par in close combat. 

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