Arc Raiders: Expedition Weapons List and Loadout Guide

Arc Raiders is a tactical third-person shooter from Embark Studios that blends cooperative combat, exploration, and high-stakes extraction gameplay. Success on expeditions — the game’s key endgame activity — hinges on preparing a combat loadout optimized for both hostile wildlife and mechanized ARC enemies. Central to that preparation is understanding the full roster of weapons available and how they function in various combat scenarios.

Below, we present a detailed breakdown of Arc Raiders weapons that players bring with them into Expeditions — from foundational firearms to legendary rifles capable of changing the tide of battle.

Arsenal Overview: Weapon Categories

Arc Raiders weapons fall into distinct categories, each suited to different tactical roles:

• Assault Rifles — Versatile, mid-range weapons for general combat.

• Battle Rifles — High-precision rifles with strong impact at longer ranges.

• Submachine Guns (SMGs) — High rate of fire for close-quarters combat.

• Sniper Rifles — Extreme range and precision.

• Light Machine Guns (LMGs) — Sustained fire for suppression.

• Shotguns — Devastating at close range.

• Pistols — Sidearms for utility or secondary firepower.

• Special Weapons — Launchers and unique designs with specialized roles.

Complete Expedition Weapons List

The following list comprises weapons documented in the game database that players can acquire, craft, or bring into expeditions:

Assault Rifles

• Kettle — Light ammo, semi-automatic; reliable beginner assault rifle.

• Rattler — Medium ammo, automatic; balanced volume fire. 

• Arpeggio — Medium ammo, burst; accurate mid-range option. 

• Tempest — Medium ammo, automatic; strong all-around performer. 

• Bettina — Heavy ammo, automatic; serious damage output. 

Battle Rifles

• Ferro — Heavy ammo bolt-action rifle with significant armor penetration.

• Renegade — Medium ammo lever-action rifle with excellent accuracy at range. 

• Aphelion — Energy battle rifle with burst fire — often acquired through elite encounters or boss drops. 

Submachine Guns

• Stitcher — Light ammo, automatic; efficient in close combat.

• Bobcat — Light ammo, higher fire rate SMG with strong mobility. 

Sniper Rifles

• Osprey — Medium ammo, bolt-action sniper rifle for long-range engagements. 

Light Machine Guns

• Torrente — Medium ammo LMG with a large magazine for sustained suppression.

• Equalizer — High-capacity energy LMG with a long effective range. 

Pistols and Sidearms

• Venator — Medium ammo pistol; balanced and versatile. 

• Anvil — Heavy ammo sidearm with serious damage per shot. 

• Hairpin — Suppressed pistol for stealth approaches. 

• Burletta — Semi-automatic light ammo pistol with improved agility. 

Shotguns

• Il Toro — Pump-action shotgun with high close-range burst damage. 

• Vulcano — Semi-auto shotgun with faster follow-up shots and better handling.

Special Weapons

• Hullcracker — Grenade launcher capable of explosive damage against clustered targets.

Legendary Weapons

Two weapons stand out at the top of the rarity and power curve:

• Jupiter — Legendary sniper rifle known for exceptional range and armor penetration. 

• Equalizer (Legendary variant) — Energy beam weapon with sustained fire potential. 

These legendary weapons, highly sought after in late-game expeditions, offer strategic advantages against both NPC ARC machines and rival Raider teams.

How to Use This List for Expeditions

Combat Role Considerations

• Long-Range Engagements: Prioritize battle rifles like Ferro or sniper rifles like Osprey for engaging targets before they close the distance.

• Close-Quarters: SMGs (Bobcat, Stitcher) and shotguns (Il Toro, Vulcano) excel in tight corridors and indoor sections of expedition maps.

• Versatility: Mid-range assault rifles (Tempest, Bettina) balance mobility and firepower for unpredictable encounters.

• Special Situations: Weapons like Hullcracker deliver area damage, useful against clusters of mechanical foes. 

Tactical Loadouts

When preparing for an Expedition, players typically select a mix of:

• Primary weapon — suited to expected engagement ranges.

• Secondary weapon — covering weaknesses of the primary (e.g., SMG for close range if primary is a sniper).

• Special or utility weapons — items like launchers or highpenetration guns for hard targets.

Ensuring loadouts are balanced helps mitigate threats across a range of environmental and enemy types encountered beyond Speranza.

Final Notes

Weapon balance and performance can shift with patches and updates. Players are encouraged to check up-to-date tier lists and community meta discussions for changes in weapon viability, crafting availability, and Expedition contributions. Invest your ARC Raiders coins and ARC Raiders items into the weapons that best suit you.

Whether you’re preparing for your first Expedition or aiming to refine your combat role, mastering the weapons above — understanding their stats, ammo types, and ideal engagements — will significantly improve your effectiveness and survival in Arc Raiders.

MMOexp ARC Raiders Team