Meta Weapons in Arc Raiders 2026

In Arc Raiders, your weapons are your lifeline. Every expedition to the topside puts you at risk, facing deadly ARC machines and other players eager to steal your loot. Choosing the wrong weapon can turn a promising mission into a total disaster in seconds. Not all weapons are created equal. In Arc Raiders, rarity doesn’t always determine power; sometimes a common weapon can outperform legendary options depending on the situation.

That’s why understanding the meta weapons is crucial for survival. In this guide, we break down the top-performing weapons, analyzing their effectiveness in PvE and PvP, firepower, ammo efficiency, and overall impact, so you can dominate both ARC machines and rival players.

You maybe interested our Guide:

• Every Weapon in ARC Raiders 2026
• Complete ARC Raiders Enemy Guide

How Weapons were Evaluated in Arc Raiders

For this ranking, the following key factors were taken into account:

• Damage per second (DPS)
• Ammo type
• Effectiveness against ARC armor
• PvP performance
• Crafting and upgrade cost
• Topside versatility
• Ammo consumption
• Weapon control and stability

This approach allows for a balanced evaluation suitable for both casual and competitive players.

Anvil

Few weapons in Arc Raiders remain relevant from early progression all the way into late-game content, but the Anvil is a clear exception. This powerful hand cannon fires high-damage heavy ammo, making it one of the most reliable and deadly weapons you can carry topside.

The Anvil features a six-round magazine, a slower fire rate, and moderate reload speed, but every shot delivers massive impact. As you upgrade the weapon, you can significantly improve its fire rate and dispersion recovery, turning it into an even more consistent damage dealer. These upgrades make the Anvil feel smoother and far more lethal in sustained encounters.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Heavy
• Weapon Type: Hand Cannon
• Damage: High
• Magazine Size: 6 rounds
• Fire Rate: Slow, but upgradeable
• Reload Speed: Moderate

Best Mods for the Anvil

The Anvil offers strong mod compatibility. One notable option is the Anvil Splitter, which converts the weapon into a short-range shotgun-style sidearm. While this increases close-range damage, it also reduces effective range due to pellet spread. Because of this trade-off, many players prefer a different setup.

A silencer is widely considered the best attachment for the Anvil. It allows you to eliminate ARC enemies quietly, avoid unnecessary aggro, and maintain stealth while looting or farming high-risk zones.

PvE Performance

When it comes to PvE, the Anvil truly shines. Heavy ammo is extremely effective against ARC armor plating, allowing you to break through defenses much faster than light or medium weapons. Unlike single-shot rifles such as the Pharaoh, the Anvil gives you six consecutive shots, which is more than enough to eliminate Wasps and Hornets, even when targeting their front propellers.

What truly separates the Anvil from other weapons is its performance against large ARC enemies. It deals excellent damage to Leapers, Bastions, and Rocketeers, making it one of the best choices for high-level ARC farming. This versatility opens up more opportunities to engage tougher enemies safely and efficiently.

PvP Potential

In PvP combat, the Anvil remains a strong but skill-dependent option. Its heavy rounds can deal massive damage at medium range and are also useful for opening engagements before switching to a close-range weapon. However, missed shots are punishing due to the slower fire rate, so accuracy is essential.

Even with this limitation, the Anvil can still hold its ground against other raiders when used properly.

Renegade

The Renegade is one of the most versatile and powerful battle rifles in Arc Raiders, offering an excellent balance between damage, fire rate, and magazine capacity. While it shares some similarities with high-damage rifles like the Osprey, the Renegade clearly outperforms them in real topside combat.

This weapon fires medium ammo rounds with high base damage, but what truly makes it stand out is its faster fire rate and larger magazine compared to heavy single-shot rifles such as the Pharaoh or Anvil. When fully upgraded, the Renegade gains improved accuracy per shot and a noticeable boost to fire rate, especially at level four.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Medium
• Weapon Type: Battle Rifle
• Damage: High
• Magazine Size: Larger than Anvil or Pharaoh
• Fire Rate: Faster than similar rifles
• Reload Speed: Moderate, improves with upgrades

PvE Performance

Against ARC units, the Renegade performs extremely well. Although medium ammo is slightly weaker per shot than heavy ammo, the higher rate of fire and larger clip size easily compensate for it. This makes the Renegade highly effective against drones, flying ARC, and even larger enemies when sustained fire is applied.

It feels especially strong at medium and long range, allowing players to safely eliminate threats without getting too close.

PvP Performance

In PvP, the Renegade is equally impressive. It delivers consistent damage to other raiders and performs well in mid-range gunfights. Thanks to its forgiving magazine size, missing a few shots is not as punishing as with slower heavy weapons. Even in close-range encounters, skilled movement and positioning allow the Renegade to remain competitive.

Best Mods for Renegade

Adding a silencer is highly recommended, as it improves stealth during long-range engagements and helps avoid unnecessary attention while farming or rotating across the map.

Venador

The Venador is one of the most deadly pistols in Arc Raiders and remains a top-tier weapon even after balance changes. This semi-automatic sidearm fires medium ammo in two-round bursts, delivering impressive damage output for a pistol.

Although its base magazine size is relatively small, upgrading the Venador significantly improves fire rate, reload speed, and weapon durability, making leveling this weapon almost mandatory for peak performance. Using an extended magazine mod is strongly recommended to maximize sustained damage during combat.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Medium
• Weapon Type: Pistol
• Damage: Moderate per shot
• Magazine Size: Small, upgradeable
• Fire Rate: Moderate, increases with upgrades
• Reload Speed: Low, upgradeable

PvE Performance

In PvE, the Venador shines as a close-range ARC killer. Its medium ammo combined with solid fire rate allows players to quickly eliminate most ARC enemies, especially in indoor areas and tight spaces. It can also handle drones effectively as long as they stay within medium to close range.

PvP Performance

Where the Venador truly dominates is in PvP combat. This pistol can melt enemy raiders with extremely fast time-to-kill, making it one of the strongest sidearms in the game. Even after its fire rate nerf, it remains a top pick thanks to its reliability and damage efficiency.

As players progress, other raiders become the biggest threat, and the Venador provides the perfect balance between ARC clearing and PvP dominance. Many experienced players confidently go topside using only this weapon.

Tempest

The Tempest is one of the strongest assault rifles in Arc Raiders, combining high fire rate, solid damage, and excellent stability. It fires fast medium ammo rounds at high velocity and delivers more damage than most ARs, only being surpassed by weapons like the Betatina.

Upgrading the Tempest improves horizontal recoil control, reload speed, and durability, making it significantly more accurate and comfortable to use during extended combat sessions.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Medium
• Weapon Type: Assault Rifle
• Damage: Moderate-High
• Magazine Size: Moderate
• Fire Rate: High
• Reload Speed: Moderate, improves with upgrades

PvE Performance

In PvE, the Tempest performs extremely well against ARC enemies. Thanks to its large magazine capacity, fast rate of fire, and good effective range, it allows players to clear groups of enemies quickly without constant reloading. This makes ARC encounters feel much easier and more manageable.

However, the Tempest consumes durability faster than some other rifles, so it is not ideal as a dedicated weapon for hunting large ARC bosses. Instead, it excels as a general-purpose weapon for eliminating standard enemies and unexpected threats.

PvP Performance 

In PvP combat, the Tempest shines as a mid-range powerhouse. Its solid magazine size allows players to apply continuous pressure without worrying about frequent reloads, while the high fire rate helps secure fast eliminations.

Although it may not dominate extreme long-range or close-quarters encounters, it performs consistently well across all distances, giving players an advantage in most engagements.

Kettle

The Kettle is a semi-automatic light ammo weapon in Arc Raiders that has gained recognition for its high fire rate and versatility, especially after some upgrades. Initially underestimated, the Kettle has proven to be a strong choice for both PvE and PvP scenarios.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Light
• Fire Rate: Extremely fast semi-auto
• Damage: Lower than the Hairpin, but consistent
• Reload: Long base reload, improved with upgrades
• Leveling Up: Enhances fire rate, reload speed, and overall handling
• Mods: Extended mags for more bullets, muzzle brakes for recoil control

Although its bullet velocity is lower, this mostly affects long-range performance. Leveling the Kettle to max level significantly improves usability, and its upgraded appearance makes it visually striking in combat.

PvE Performance

The Kettle shines in topside combat against smaller ARC enemies. Its fast fire rate allows players to quickly eliminate enemies like wasps and other lightly armored targets. However, against larger ARC enemies like hornets or fireballs, players need to target weak points such as back propellers or open shields to maximize damage.

Upgrades and mods, such as extended magazines, make sustained fire much more manageable, while muzzle brakes help control recoil during high-speed firing.

PvP Performance

In PvP, the Kettle can be devastating when used correctly. Its semi-automatic firing allows for precise aiming, and skilled players can take down enemy raiders quickly, outperforming many higher-tier guns. Extended mags further enhance its survivability in fights, although the slower reload can still be a minor drawback.

Stitcher

The Stitcher is a light ammo SMG in Arc Raiders that remains a reliable choice even in late-game play. While its damage is lower than heavier weapons, its fast fire rate makes it highly effective in both PvP and PvE scenarios.

Weapon Overview

• Ammo Type: Light
• Weapon Type: SMG
• Damage: Low, but consistent
• Fire Rate: Very high, perfect for close-range combat
• Recoil: Significant horizontal recoil; pulse firing recommended for long-range
• Upgrades: Improve horizontal recoil, reload speed, and durability

Even at moderate upgrade levels, the Stitcher is highly usable, with level four upgrades being optional but beneficial.

PvE Performance

In topside combat, the Stitcher is less effective against heavily armored ARC enemies due to its light ammo. However, targeting weak points allows it to remain useful against smaller ARC units. It is excellent for close-range skirmishes, but struggles at longer ranges because of recoil.

Upgrades, such as extended magazines, improve sustained damage output, while kinetic converters can increase the fire rate, making it even more versatile.

PvP Performance

The Stitcher truly shines in PvP scenarios. Its fast semi-auto fire allows players to quickly eliminate enemy raiders, especially in close-range combat. Adding mods like extended mags or kinetic converters further enhances its lethality, making it comparable to higher-tier SMGs such as the Bobcat.