You learn pretty quickly in ARC Raiders that PvE guns aren't picked for style points. A weapon has to pay for the ammo it eats, especially when every loud fight can drag another squad into your back. If you're setting up boss runs, farming parts, or checking ARC Raiders BluePrints before a serious raid, the real question is simple: what job does this gun do, and does it do that job better than a cheaper option.
Quick guide for choosing PvE weapons
Before arguing over tiers, it helps to split weapons by purpose. Some guns break armor. Some punish weak spots. Others are just regular PvP weapons being forced into robot work, and yeah, you'll feel that in your ammo pouch. Here's the short version most players actually need.
- Bring Hullcracker or Jupiter when the plan is to kill big ARCs, not just scare them.
- Use Equalizer when your squad wants to strip armor and open weak points.
- Take Anvil if you want a sensible everyday PvE gun that won't ruin your stash.
- Run Aphelion when you expect both machines and players to be a problem.
- Avoid wasting Bobcat, Stitcher, or shotgun ammo on heavy ARCs unless you're trapped.
Practical PvE tier table
The best PvE weapons are the ones that solve a raid problem cleanly. Hullcracker is loud and awkward at first, but it hits ARCs like it means it. Jupiter gives safer long-range pressure. Equalizer looks weak until you watch it peel armor off a huge target. Anvil is the boring hero. It works, it's affordable, and it can still make a player think twice.
| Tier | Weapons | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| S | Hullcracker, Jupiter, Equalizer, Anvil, Aphelion | Boss damage, armor stripping, part breaking, hybrid raids |
| A | Ferro, Torrente | Early farming or close-range ARC pressure |
| B | Venator, Arpeggio, Tempest, Renegade, Osprey, Bettina | Small ARC fights when you've no cleaner option |
| C | Stitcher, Bobcat, Il Toro, Vulcano, Kettle | Mostly PvP tools, poor machine value |
| D | Rattler, Hairpin, Burletta | Best avoided for serious PvE |
What each top weapon is really for
Hullcracker is the straight boss killer. You'll miss shots while learning the travel time, but once it clicks, big machines start losing chunks fast. Jupiter is better if you'd rather stay back and pick weak spots without standing under a boss's chin. Equalizer is a squad weapon. Don't judge it by its damage number; judge it by how fast it lets the team hit exposed parts. Anvil is the safe pick for normal farming, especially solo. Aphelion is the fancy all-rounder, good in PvE and still useful when another Raider appears at the worst possible time.
Loadout habits that save raids
Solo players shouldn't over-specialise. Anvil plus a PvP backup is usually smarter than dragging a rare boss weapon into every match. Squads can afford roles: one Equalizer user, one Hullcracker or Jupiter user, and one player watching for third parties. Ferro is fine early on, while Torrente can melt targets up close if you've got enough ammo and nerve. Just don't turn every patrol into a full fight. Noise travels, ammo disappears, and extraction games love punishing ego.
What I'd actually bring
For regular ARC farming, I'd take Anvil and keep things clean. For bosses, I'd move up to Hullcracker or Jupiter. For huge targets with armor plates, I'd want Equalizer in the squad even if nobody brags about using it. Aphelion is great when you can afford the risk. If you're trying to gear up faster, checking cheap ARC Raiders BluePrints can help with preparation, but the weapon still has to match the raid plan, or you're just donating expensive kit to the map.
