ARC Raiders Weapon Tier List
July 2026 — Post-Patch 1.36 Meta (Fourth Expedition)
Rankings based on community consensus from GamesRadar, ArcStatus, SkyCoach, SCUF, Beebom, and coe.gg. Covers PvP and PvE performance through the Fourth Expedition and Trials Season 5 launch on July 7, 2026.
Meta Shifts Since Riven Tides
- Bettina moves A → S: patch 1.26.0 buff pushed base damage 14→16, ARC armor damage +33%, per-shot dispersion −40%, and dispersion recovery +30%. Community consensus now rates it the best PvE boss weapon in the game.
- ARC Turbine loot buff (patch 1.36.0): Turbines now drop significantly more loot and are the sole source of Turbine Compressors — Couriers no longer drop them.
- Weapon mods visible on dropped guns (1.36.0): you can now see installed mods on ground weapons before picking them up.
- Four Riven Tides weapon families still in the pool: Aphelion (Legendary energy battle rifle), Bettina (Epic heavy AR), Arpeggio (Uncommon burst AR), and Burletta (Uncommon pistol).
- Aphelion still C-tier — dual-shot energy bursts are interesting but outclassed by Renegade and Vulcano at most engagement ranges.
- Anvil, Renegade, Dolabra, Venator, and Vulcano remain consensus S-tier alongside the buffed Bettina.
Massive single-shot damage, strong armor pen. 2 headshots to kill. Consensus S-tier.
DMG
40
DPS
10.9
Ammo
Heavy
Post-1.26 buff: base damage 14→16, +33% ARC armor damage, dispersion cut 40%. Now the top PvE boss weapon and a strong all-rounder.
DMG
14
DPS
7.5
Ammo
Heavy
Lever-action battle rifle. 2.25x headshot multiplier, 69m range. Chunk-reload.
DMG
35
DPS
12.3
Ammo
medium
Flashpoint energy shotgun. Hipfire for crowds, ADS for focused beam. Still the best PvE shotgun.
DMG
0
Ammo
energy
Fires 2 bullets per shot. 2.5x headshot multiplier. Best hand cannon for PvP.
DMG
18
DPS
11
Ammo
medium
Semi-auto shotgun. Highest burst damage in game. 3 body shots to kill.
DMG
49.5
DPS
21.7
Ammo
Shotgun
0.6s TTK close range. Still excellent but light ammo punished by Shredder meta.
DMG
6
DPS
6.7
Ammo
light
Full-auto AR. Greatly improved recoil, damage, and ARC armor pen in Flashpoint.
DMG
10
DPS
6.1
Ammo
medium
Riven Tides medium-ammo SMG. Better raid sustainability than Bobcat.
DMG
0
Ammo
medium
Budget king. Craftable battle rifle. Excellent armor pen for the price.
DMG
40
DPS
4.4
Ammo
heavy
Budget SMG. Rapid fire, craftable or 800 coins. Nerfed but still viable.
DMG
7
DPS
5.3
Ammo
light
Pump shotgun. Nerfed in 1.20 but still strong with precise positioning.
DMG
67.5
DPS
16.1
Ammo
shotgun
LMG. Large magazine, great for ARC clearing. Surprise attack specialist.
DMG
8
DPS
7.8
Ammo
medium
Burst rifle. Can kill with 2 chest + 1 headshot in a single burst.
DMG
9.5
DPS
1.4
Ammo
medium
Light pistol. Underrated consistency, quick reload. Poor armor pen.
DMG
10
DPS
4.7
Ammo
light
Energy railgun. High single-shot damage. Energy clip recharges. PvE only.
DMG
60
DPS
7.7
Ammo
energy
Sniper rifle. 80m range, 2.5x headshot multiplier. Outclassed by Renegade.
DMG
45
DPS
13.3
Ammo
medium
Formerly S-tier AR. Nerfed with fire-rate cap + damage reduction. Budget option.
DMG
10
DPS
4.7
Ammo
Light
Legendary energy rifle. Strong penetration for PvE but not meta-defining.
DMG
8
DPS
4.4
Ammo
Energy
Launcher. S-tier PvE anti-ARC but bounce mechanics too unreliable for PvP.
DMG
100
DPS
33.8
Ammo
launcher
Legendary dual-shot battle rifle. Solid burst but outmatched on value.
DMG
25
DPS
3.8
Ammo
energy
Pistol. Small magazine, unusual 2-bullet reload. Generally underperforms.
DMG
9
DPS
5
Ammo
medium
ARC Raiders Weapon Tier List Guide
This tier list is current through Live Update 1.36.0 (July 7, 2026) — the patch that shipped the Fourth Expedition, Trials Season 5, and the ARC Turbine loot buff. It also reflects the two prior live-service patches since Riven Tides: 1.26.0 (April 28, 2026 — Bettina buff, Riven Tides launch) and 1.33.0 (Forgotten Relics event).
The biggest single-weapon change since April was the Bettina buff in patch 1.26.0: base damage rose from 14 to 16, damage against ARC armor increased 33%, per-shot dispersion dropped 40%, and dispersion recovery improved 30%. Fire rate was lowered from 285 to 235 to compensate, but the net effect is a much stronger weapon per shot. Community consensus now places Bettina firmly in S-tier alongside the pre-existing meta picks.
The Anvil remains the consensus best weapon in ARC Raiders, with its massive single-shot damage and strong armor penetration making it effective in both PvP and PvE. The Renegade lever-action battle rifle, Dolabra energy shotgun, Venator hand cannon, and Vulcano semi-auto shotgun round out the top of the meta.
For budget players, the Ferro is still the best value weapon in the game. It can be crafted with just 2 rubber and 5 metal parts, yet offers excellent armor penetration comparable to weapons costing ten times as much. The Stitcher is another strong budget option for close-range PvP.
Embark is on a bi-annual cadence for major content drops, with the next full meta reset expected at Frozen Trail in October 2026. Between now and then, expect additional live-service balance passes every two to three weeks. This page will be revised for each patch.
Rankings are based on community consensus from GamesRadar, ArcStatus, SkyCoach, SCUF Gaming, Beebom, coe.gg, and Eldorado. Where sources disagree, weapons are placed at the tier most commonly assigned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best weapons in ARC Raiders?
The July 2026 S-tier picks are: Anvil (hand cannon), Bettina (heavy AR, buffed in 1.26), Renegade (battle rifle), Dolabra (energy shotgun), Venator (hand cannon), and Vulcano (semi-auto shotgun). For budget builds, the Ferro battle rifle and Stitcher SMG still offer the best performance per coin.
What changed in the weapon meta between Riven Tides and Patch 1.36?
The biggest single change was the Bettina buff in patch 1.26.0: base damage 14→16, ARC armor damage +33%, per-shot dispersion −40%, dispersion recovery +30%, fire rate 285→235. This moves Bettina from A-tier to S-tier and reshapes the heavy-ammo PvE picture. Patch 1.36.0 (July 7, 2026) buffed ARC Turbine loot and moved Turbine Compressor drops exclusively to Turbines, but did not directly change weapon stats.
When is the next ARC Raiders balance patch?
Smaller live-service balance passes are expected every two to three weeks through the summer. The next major weapon shake-up is the Frozen Trail update in October 2026, which is the first major release under Embark's new bi-annual schedule. See our bi-annual update guide for the full roadmap.