ARC Raiders: The Real Weapon Rankings for All 21 Guns
If you've watched any ARC Raiders ranking video or skimmed a fan-made tier list, you've probably been misled-and it's not your fault. A lot of creators rely on outdated wiki numbers, and many of those stats are flat-out wrong. Fire rates? Wrong. Damage? Sometimes wrong. Time-to-kill? Almost nobody tests it properly.
But today, we're fixing that.
Using real data-measured DPS, true fire rate, frame-accurate time-to-kill, and practical in-raid performance-we're building the official, objectively biased MMOexp tier list for all 21 ARC Raiders weapons, separated into PvP and PvE (ARC-fighting). Because combining them would make no sense.
Some guns punch way above their rarity. Others are expensive disappointments. And a few? Absolutely broken.
Let's break down each weapon one by one.
Stitcher-The Dollar Store SMG That Slaps (Sometimes)
The Stitcher is one of the biggest surprises in ARC Raiders. On paper it looks like garbage, but in practice it only needs 19 bullets to crack a medium shield raider, and once you add a magazine upgrade, you're firing 25-30 rounds per reload. Add a muzzle brake and it becomes a cheap, close-range monster.
Verdict:
PvP: A-Tier-dominates close quarters with consistency.
PvE: C-Tier-awful against ARC enemies.
A reliable SMG-just don't take it anywhere near ARC mechs.
Hairpin-Doodoo. Dog-Water. Trash.
Some players swear the Hairpin is secretly good: "It's stealthy," "It hits hard," "It's fun for ninja roleplay!" Sure-but being a ninja is not viable in ARC Raiders.
With the slowest time-to-kill of any non-Pharaoh weapon, terrible range, and a manual slide that kills your tempo, the Hairpin is a meme gun.
Verdict:
PvP: D-Tier-"D" for dog water.
PvE: D-Tier-even worse.
It gets its own trash tier, and it earned it.
Rattler-The Budget Tempest
The Rattler's reload is painfully slow, but everything else? Impressive. It only needs 15 bullets to down a raider, meaning a tier-3 or tier-4 Rattler can reliably one-mag enemies. It has better range than you'd expect, and it plays like a discount assault rifle.
Compared to the ultra-rare Tempest, the Rattler is shockingly close in performance-just vastly cheaper.
Verdict:
PvP: High B-Tier-king of mid-budget loadouts.
PvE: C-Tier-middling and outclassed.
Kettle-The Coolest Potato Launcher Alive
The Kettle has style, charm, and a unique projectile feel. It fires air-propelled junk that rewards skill and timing-and 20 rounds per mag with only 13 needed to kill a medium raider means it's functional even at base tier.
But as soon as you progress, it becomes outclassed by nearly everything.
Verdict:
PvP: Upper C-Tier-versatile but not exceptional.
PvE: Mid C-Tier-just okay.
A fun weapon, not a strong one.
Pharaoh-The Walmart Sniper That Works
Cheap, accessible, and reliable, the Pharaoh is everyone's first "wow" moment in ARC Raiders: that first crack-shot from 30 meters, the sound of a shield shattering-it hooks you instantly.
But while it's satisfying, its 11-second time-to-kill is by far the slowest in the game. It's a support tool, not a primary.
Verdict:
PvP: High B-Tier-a great opener but bad finisher.
PvE: A-Tier-extremely effective versus ARC.
A budget sniper that earns its keep.
Anvil-Pharaoh's Pricey Big Brother
A fully upgraded Pharaoh is cheaper than crafting a single base Anvil, but the Anvil scales harder. At tier 3-4, it fires noticeably faster, hits harder, and crushes raiders up close.
Verdict:
PvP: Low A-Tier-extremely strong but expensive.
PvE: Top of A-Tier-one of the best non-legendary ARC killers.
If you can afford it, you'll love it.
Berletta-The Kettle's Overpriced Cousin
The Berletta looks great on paper-accurate, lightweight, stable-but the Kettle outperforms it in magazine size and fire rate. The Berletta simply doesn't offer anything special.
Verdict:
PvP: C-Tier-outclassed by cheaper guns.
PvE: C-Tier-mid and forgettable.
Arpeggio-Once Loved, Now Forgotten
Once the community favorite, now the ugly duckling nobody wants to pull from a case.
But statistically? It has the fastest TTK of all uncommon weapons if you land every burst. With upgrades and attachments, it becomes a lethal, versatile rifle.
The problem: it's not worth the investment for most players.
Verdict:
PvP: Low B-Tier-skill-dependent but viable.
PvE: Low B-Tier-handles drones well but still niche.
El Toro-King of Indoor Combat
Inside hallways, loot rooms, or buildings, nothing beats El Toro. With upgrades to fire rate, this pump shotgun can two-tap light shield raiders and punish corner-peeking with ruthless burst damage.
Verdict:
PvP: Solid A-Tier-monstrous indoors.
PvE: Low B-Tier-serviceable but inconsistent.
If you like ambushing players, this is your gun.
Renegade-The True Rifle Champion
Think of it as a Pharaoh that's faster, deadlier, longer-ranged, and… doesn't force you to re-cock after every shot.
The Renegade can land two or three shots before a Pharaoh user can fire again. Fully upgraded, it rivals legendary rifles and becomes one of the strongest all-purpose guns in the game.
Verdict:
PvP: God-Tier-arguably the best rifle in ARC Raiders.
PvE: A-Tier-very strong.
A classy, devastating marksman rifle that dominates at every range.
Ventor-The Most Broken Gun in the Game (Right Now)
This thing will absolutely be nerfed.
The Ventor weighs only 2 embarks (the lightest weapon in the game) yet has range comparable to snipers, damage comparable to battle rifles, and a time-to-kill equal to the Torrent LMG when both are maxed.
It has no meaningful weaknesses besides magazine size-and you can fix that with attachments.
Verdict:
PvP: God-Tier-completely overtuned.
PvE: B-Tier-fine but not amazing.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Torrent-The Hallway Shredder
The Torrent LMG is heavy, clunky, and slow-but good lord does it melt anything in front of it. With up to 80 bullets and only needing 17 hits to kill a raider, it locks down hallways like nothing else.
Verdict:
PvP: Top of A-Tier-unmatched suppression.
PvE: B-Tier-decent burst, but movement penalties hurt.
A beautifully balanced heavy weapon.
Osprey-A Sniper for Team Players
The Osprey forces you to un-scope after every shot, which is… annoying. But in squad fights, it shines by cracking shields and weakening enemies for your team to finish.
Verdict:
PvP: B-Tier-supportive but not lethal alone.
PvE: B-Tier-fine but unspectacular.
A real sniper, for better or worse.
Volcano-King of the Close-Range Jungle
Some claim the El Toro is better, but the Volcano has the fastest TTK in the entire game-under one second. Heavy shield enemies evaporate at point-blank.
Verdict:
PvP: A-Tier-unmatched within 10 meters.
PvE: B-/C-Tier-struggles versus ARC enemies.
If someone pushes you with a Volcano, start dodge-rolling.
Hullcracker-Easy Mode for Fighting ARC
The Hullcracker is intentionally powerful versus ARC units and intentionally useless in PvP. It destroys Bastions solo, deletes drones, and trivializes mech encounters.
Which is why it's the only epic weapon in the shop: Embark wants every player to have it.
Verdict:
PvP: D-Tier-useless.
PvE: God-Tier-best ARC killer in the game.
This is your PvE carry weapon.
Betatina-The Anti-Drone Specialist
The Betatina spits heavy rounds faster than anything else in its class, making it excellent for suppressing drones and airborne ARC enemies. Not great in PvP, but surprisingly strong in PvE.
Verdict:
PvP: C+/B-Tier-usable but not preferred.
PvE: A-Tier-excellent anti-ARC utility.
One of the most useful niche weapons.
Bobcat-The High-Fire-Rate SMG That Barely Edges Out Stitcher
With 20 bullets per magazine and needing 22 to kill a medium raider, attachments are mandatory. Its range and accuracy are better than the Stitcher, but it's only slightly faster at killing.
Verdict:
PvP: A-Tier-deadly as a finisher weapon.
PvE: High C-Tier-falls off hard.
A strong but ammo-hungry SMG.
Tempest-The True All-Rounder Assault Rifle
This rifle just works. It has sniper-like range, SMG-like time-to-kill, and unmatched versatility. Entire squads running Tempests can control any engagement from medium range.
Verdict:
PvP: God-Tier-the M16 of ARC Raiders.
PvE: High B-Tier-strong but ammo-intensive.
If you can find one, use it.
Final Thoughts
ARC Raiders' weapon balance is wild-rarity doesn't equal power, cost doesn't equal value, and "low-tier" guns like the Stitcher or Rattler can outperform expensive rifles in the right hands.
But as of now, the God-Tier PvP weapons are:
Renegade
Ventor
Tempest
And the God-Tier PvE weapon is:
Hullcracker
Everything else falls somewhere between "surprisingly good" and "absolute dog water." If you need various ARC Raiders items, blueprints, weapons, and ARC Raiders Coins, MMOexp can help you. Happy game!
MMOexp ARC Raiders Team