Complete weapons tier list with detailed stats, rarity rankings, pros/cons, and meta loadouts for Update 1.13.0 (Headwinds). Find the best guns for PvP, PvE, and ARC enemies.
Weapons ranked by effectiveness in Update 1.13.0 (Headwinds) for PvP and PvE. Click any weapon to see detailed stats, ammo types, and best use cases.
Weak against ARC armor but economical and common. Best for PvP.
Balanced option for most encounters. Sufficient for raiders in PvP.
Best for fighting ARC enemies with superior armor penetration.
Specialized explosive ammunition for anti-ARC operations.
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Proven loadout combinations dominating competitive play. Each build includes optimal primary and secondary weapons for specific playstyles.
Flexible setup for solo raiders. Renegade for mid-range control paired with Bobcat for close-range bursts gives strong survivability and versatility.
Best PvE loadout since Hullcracker's price increase. Bettina has the highest confirmed PvE damage output at its rarity (dev confirmed), paired with Ferro for cheap heavy-ammo precision shots. Cost-effective and devastating.
Meta PvP loadout. Bettina as main gun for all situations with strong penetration and DPS. Venator for close-range burst damage. Versatile and deadly.
Best budget loadout using common weapons. Ferro is incredibly powerful despite low rarity. Stitcher has excellent cost per shot. Perfect for learning and low-risk runs.
Best long-range setup. Osprey has superior range (80.3) and uses medium ammo making it more sustainable than Jupiter. Anvil covers close-range with devastating per-shot damage.
Aggressive close-quarters loadout. Vulcano for instant deletion with highest burst damage. Venator for follow-up and mobility. Dominates indoor combat.
This ARC Raiders weapons tier list ranks all 21 weapons available in Update 1.13.0 (Headwinds), including assault rifles, battle rifles, SMGs, shotguns, sniper rifles, pistols, and special weapons. Each weapon has been tested extensively in both PvP and PvE scenarios and ranked based on effectiveness against raiders and ARC enemies.
Best Overall: The Ferro remains the king despite being Common rarity. With 40 damage per shot and exceptional ARC armor penetration, it's incredibly powerful and dirt cheap. The Anvil matches its damage in a pistol form factor for close-range dominance.
Best for PvP: Bettina assault rifle offers the best all-around performance with strong armor penetration and solid DPS. Venator (post-nerf) still dominates close range with its double-shot mechanic, while Vulcano shotgun provides instant deletion potential.
Best for PvE/ARC Enemies: Bettina has the highest confirmed PvE damage output at its rarity (dev confirmed), paired with Ferro for heavy ammo penetration. Hullcracker still hits hardest at 100 damage but its 15,000₡ price tag makes it less cost-effective than heavy ammo options.
Best Budget: Ferro and Stitcher form the ultimate budget loadout. Both are Common rarity with excellent cost-per-shot efficiency. Perfect for learning the game and low-risk runs.
Best Long Range: Osprey is now the go-to sniper with 45 damage, the longest range (80.3) in the game, and sustainable medium ammo. Jupiter (Legendary, 60 damage) hits harder but is too rare and expensive for most players.
Update 1.7.0 (Cold Snap): Bettina received major buffs — magazine increased to 22, reload reduced to 4.5s, and durability massively improved (26 full mags vs 12 before). Rattler magazine increased from 10 to 12. Aphelion blueprint moved from Matriarch drops to Stella Montis world loot.
Update 1.11.0: Kettle fire rate nerfed from 600 RPM to 450 RPM because the old rate was "only realistically reachable by players using macros." Trigger 'Nade detonation delay increased from 0.7s to 1.5s.
Update 1.13.0 (Headwinds): No direct weapon stat changes, but weapon cases now drop higher-tier weapons more frequently. Venator fire rate was accidentally changed but restored in hotfix 1.13.1. New augments like Safekeeper and Revival added. Solo vs Squads mode and Bird City map area introduced.
ARC Raiders features a five-tier rarity system: Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary. Interestingly, rarity doesn't always correlate with effectiveness—the Common-rarity Ferro is S-tier, proving that weapon stats and mechanics matter more than rarity. Higher rarity weapons typically offer more mod slots and upgrade potential but come with higher replacement costs.
Heavy ammo is king for ARC enemies, offering superior armor penetration. Medium ammoprovides a balanced option sufficient for PvP raiders. Light ammo is the most economical but struggles against ARC armor plating. Launcher ammo is exclusively for the Hullcracker and devastatingly effective but very expensive since the 1.3.0 price increases.
New raiders should focus on the Ferro + Stitcher combination. Both are Common rarity and incredibly cost-effective. Ferro handles medium-to-long range with devastating 40-damage shots, while Stitcher provides close-range defense with excellent DPS. This loadout costs almost nothing to replace and teaches fundamental gunplay mechanics.
Last Updated: February 8, 2026 (Update 1.13.0 (Headwinds)) | Data based on community feedback, competitive play statistics, and official patch notes.