Every raid in Arc Raiders feels different, but one thing stays the same: if your guns are weak, you are not getting out with much. You drop in, spot a squad across the valley, and you instantly know who did their homework by the weapons they pull out and how many ARC Raiders Items they have already sunk into upgrades. Right now the Ferro sits at the top for a reason. It is a heavy ammo bolt‑action that rips through ARC armor and still wins those long sightline duels against other players. If you cannot get your hands on a Ferro, the Anvil is the backup that never really feels like a backup; calling it a pistol is a joke when it hits that hard at close to mid range.
Current Meta Picks
Once you move past the absolute top dogs, you start looking at the A‑tier stuff that just works even on a bad day. The Bettina is the main example here. It has that mix of recoil control and damage that lets you stay on target without fighting your mouse the whole time. The Tempest is in a similar spot, not flashy, but it puts rounds where you need them and does not punish you too hard if you whiff a burst. On the other side you have guns like the Kettle, Stitcher, and Equalizer that sound cool on paper but fall behind when the lobby gets sweaty. Their damage and flexibility just are not there, so most players leave them on the floor once they have tried them a few times.
PvE And PvP Loadout Ideas
Your loadout should match what you are actually trying to do in that run, because going in with a random mix of guns usually ends with you staring at the respawn screen. If you are farming machines and focusing on PvE, running a Ferro with a Hullcracker makes a lot of sense. The Ferro deletes priority targets, while the Hullcracker covers you when drones and lighter units start rushing from every angle. If the goal is player hunting, you want something more flexible. A Bettina handles mid‑range fights around ridges and rooftops, then you swap to a Vulcano shotgun when you push into buildings and need people off the map in one or two shots. If you want something that can do a bit of everything, a Tempest plus a Bobcat SMG can carry you, but the recoil patterns take some time to learn.
Attachments And Resource Planning
One thing newer players forget is that a base gun is only half the build. You really want extended mags and a solid vertical grip on almost anything that is not a sniper. Running dry in the middle of a push or watching your gun climb into the sky while the other guy beams you is the fastest way to lose a raid you should have won. The catch is that unlocking and upgrading these pieces costs a lot, so you end up planning routes around loot and currency. Some players grind events, others trade or pick safer paths just to bank enough to keep upgrading. If you do not feel like spending all evening on that part of the grind, sites like RSVSR offer a shortcut for picking up game currency or items so you can focus more on the actual fights instead of the long farm.
