Arc Raiders Weapon Tier List: Best Guns Ranked for PvP & PvE (2024)

In the unforgiving world of Arc Raiders, your weapon isn't just a tool; it's your lifeline. Since its launch in October 2025, Embark Studios' free-to-play cooperative third-person shooter has challenged players to master a diverse arsenal where every choice matters. Whether you're clearing PvE raids or dominating PvP skirmishes, picking the right firearm can mean the difference between victory and respawn.

This comprehensive tier list breaks down every weapon in Arc Raiders, from versatile Assault Rifles to hard-hitting Shotguns, precision Sniper Rifles, suppressive LMGs, and reliable Pistols. We've evaluated each option across critical metrics including damage output, fire rate, accuracy, and dual-mode utility to give you the definitive ranking. No fluff, no filler; just the data you need to build the perfect loadout for any scenario.

S-Tier: Meta-Defining Weapons

S-tier weapons in Arc Raiders represent the pinnacle of combat effectiveness. These meta-defining tools dominate both PvP and PvE with minimal drawbacks, making them essential for any serious player.

Viper Assault Rifle - Best Overall

The Viper assault rifle stands as the best overall weapon in the game. Its S-tier status comes from high damage output, excellent accuracy, and versatility in both PvP and PvE scenarios.

Meta-defining: Weapons that shape the current competitive landscape and set the standard for performance.

The Viper features balanced rate of fire and manageable recoil for consistent damage. This exceptional design makes it excel in mid-to-long range engagements while remaining competent in close-quarters combat situations.

The Viper's large magazine size and reliable damage make it ideal for sustained PvE fights. You can confidently tackle extended encounters without frequent reloads, maintaining constant pressure on enemy forces throughout lengthy missions.

Reaper Sniper Rifle - PvP Dominator

The Reaper sniper rifle dominates S-tier for PvP with one-shot kill potential to the head. This devastating power makes it the ultimate choice for skilled marksmen who can consistently land precision shots.

The Reaper has exceptional range and high magnification scope with bullet penetration. It rewards skilled players with fastest time-to-kill in PvP when landing headshots, creating unmatched lethality on the battlefield.

The Reaper can quickly eliminate high-value targets like enemy snipers or heavy units. This tactical advantage can swing entire matches in your favor by removing key threats before they can impact your team.

Attachments and Optimization:

• Both weapons benefit greatly from attachments like extended magazines and stability mods. These upgrades enhance their already impressive performance and minimize any remaining weaknesses.

These S-tier weapons are meta-defining with minimal drawbacks. Mastering the Viper and Reaper will give you a significant edge in any combat scenario, whether you're facing AI hordes or skilled human opponents.

A-Tier: Strong & Reliable Choices

The A-tier weapons in Arc Raiders represent strong, reliable choices that perform exceptionally well in their intended roles but come with specific limitations. These firearms won't let you down when used correctly, though they require a bit more situational awareness than their S-tier counterparts.

Warden LMG - All-Rounder

The Warden LMG stands as a solid A-tier option praised for its massive magazine size and suppressive fire capability. This weapon truly shines when you need to hold down positions in PvE scenarios, thanks to its high rate of fire and large ammo capacity.

Suppressive Fire: The practice of using continuous fire to pin down enemies and restrict their movement.

The Warden excels in several key areas:

• Sustained engagements against multiple enemies
• Defensive scenarios where players can pre-aim and control choke points
• Disrupting enemy movements and providing covering fire for teammates

However, the Warden does have trade-offs. It suffers from slower aim time and significant recoil, though it delivers substantial damage at medium range.

Scattergun Shotgun - Specialized Powerhouse

The Scattergun shotgun sits in A-tier as a specialized powerhouse that excels in close-quarters combat. Its devastating burst damage and wide pellet spread make it forgiving for close-range shots, requiring less precision than other shotguns.

Burst Damage: High damage dealt in a very short timeframe, often decisive in quick engagements.

The Scattergun's advantages include:

• Fast fire rate for a shotgun allows quick follow-up shots
• Increased lethality in close-quarters PvP
• Forgiving spread pattern for less precise aiming

The main drawback is its limited effective range. The Scattergun becomes ineffective beyond 10-15 meters, forcing you to pick your battles carefully.

B-Tier: Solid Situational Weapons

Punisher Pistol - Beginner Friendly

The Punisher pistol is a B-tier weapon that serves as a reliable sidearm with good handling, making it particularly beginner-friendly. Its main strength lies in its accessibility, as it's available early in the game and requires minimal skill to use effectively.

• Fast draw time and decent damage
• Effective backup when primary ammunition runs low
• Minimal skill requirement for effective use

This pistol truly shines when finishing off weakened enemies, thanks to its quick handling and reasonable damage output. The Punisher is a solid choice for players still learning the game's mechanics.

Ravager Assault Rifle - Niche Performer

The Ravager assault rifle is a B-tier, solid situational weapon that performs well in mid-range engagements but is ultimately outclassed by meta options. It features moderate damage and controllable recoil, though its rate of fire is slower than top-tier assault rifles.

• Moderate damage with controllable recoil
• Slower rate of fire compared to meta assault rifles
• Accuracy shines at medium range

While the Ravager remains a viable option for players who prefer its handling characteristics, its slower time-to-kill compared to meta assault rifles is its primary limitation in competitive PvP play. It excels in specific scenarios like defending objectives where its medium-range accuracy can be fully leveraged.

Both weapons are considered niche performers that can be effective in the right hands but aren't universally strong choices.

C-Tier: Below Average Options

Crusher Shotgun - Requires Mastery

Crusher Shotgun: A C-tier pump-action shotgun that demands serious mastery to use effectively. Its slow fire rate and narrow effective range create a steep learning curve, and while it deals high damage per shot, the slow pump-action mechanism punishes you severely if you miss that first shot.

• Requires precise positioning and timing, making it a high-skill weapon with limited reward
• Gets outclassed by the Scattergun, which delivers similar close-range power with a much faster fire rate

Outlaw Pistol - Outclassed by Meta

Outlaw Pistol: A C-tier sidearm that's generally outclassed by other sidearms in the current meta. It struggles with inconsistent damage output and poor accuracy at range when compared to pistols like the Punisher.

• Suffers from slow reload speed and limited magazine capacity, hindering effectiveness in extended fights
• Damage falloff makes it unreliable beyond very close distances, limiting versatility

Both weapons are below average options that need specific buffs or high player skill to compete with meta weapons. They can be situationally useful but require you to overcome significant limitations to find success.

D-Tier: Avoid These Weapons

These weapons have major flaws that make them the worst choices.

Rustler SMG - Severely Underpowered

The Rustler SMG is D-tier due to severely underpowered damage and poor accuracy. It has the worst time-to-kill among all automatic weapons, making it ineffective in both PvP and PvE.

• Massive recoil and spread cause most shots to miss even at close range
• Small magazine size means frequent reloads

Desperado Revolver - Buggy/Unreliable

The Desperado revolver is D-tier because of buggy reload mechanics and unreliable performance. It suffers from frequent animation glitches during reloading.

• Damage output is inconsistent, sometimes failing to register hits properly
• Iron sights are misaligned, making accurate aiming difficult

Both are the worst in their categories and should only be used for challenge runs.

Weapon Type Breakdown

Understanding each weapon category is crucial for building effective loadouts in Arc Raiders. Each weapon type has distinct strengths and weaknesses that complement different playstyles and team compositions. The weapon type balance encourages players to experiment with different loadouts based on mission objectives and enemy types.

Assault Rifles - Versatile All-Rounders

Assault rifles are versatile all-rounders in Arc Raiders, effective at various ranges and suitable for both new and experienced players. They typically feature balanced stats with moderate damage, rate of fire, and accuracy, making them reliable primary weapons. This combination of traits ensures you'll always have a capable tool regardless of whether you're fighting up close or at a distance.

Shotguns - Close Quarters Dominance

Shotguns dominate in close-quarters combat but suffer from significant damage falloff at longer ranges. They excel at clearing tight spaces and are particularly effective against fast-moving enemies that get too close. When you need to lock down confined areas, shotguns deliver the stopping power necessary to eliminate threats before they overwhelm your position completely.

Sniper Rifles - Long-Range Specialists

Sniper rifles are long-range specialists that require good positioning but offer high reward with precise shots. They are essential for taking out high-priority targets from a safe distance but leave users vulnerable to flanking attacks. Mastering these weapons demands patience and map awareness to maximize their devastating potential while protecting yourself from enemy flanks.

LMGs - Suppressive Fire Power

LMGs provide excellent suppressive fire with large ammo capacities but trade mobility for sustained damage output. They are ideal for holding defensive positions and providing covering fire due to their sustained damage capability. When your team needs to control a zone or pin down enemies, LMGs deliver relentless firepower that actively shapes the battlefield in your favor.

PvP vs PvE Weapon Analysis

Understanding weapon effectiveness requires recognizing how PvP and PvE demand entirely different priorities. Competitive play rewards instant lethality and mobility, while raiding success depends on sustained firepower and efficiency.

Best PvP Weapons for Competitive Play

In PvP, weapons with fast time-to-kill (TTK) like the Reaper sniper rifle and Scattergun shotgun are prioritized for their duel effectiveness. The Reaper sniper rifle's one-shot kill potential makes it a top choice for competitive PvP play, especially in objective-based modes.

Time-to-kill (TTK): The speed at which a weapon can eliminate an opponent.

Mobility is crucial in PvP, making lightweight weapons that allow for quick strafing and repositioning more valuable. In PvP, the ability to win quick duels often outweighs considerations like total ammo capacity or long-range accuracy.

• Reaper sniper rifle: Dominant one-shot potential
• Scattergun shotgun: Excellent for close-quarters duels

Top PvE Weapons for Raiding Efficiency

PvE content favors weapons with good sustained damage and ammo economy, such as the Viper assault rifle and Warden LMG. For raiding efficiency in PvE, weapons that can handle large groups of enemies without frequent reloading are essential.

Sustained damage: Consistent damage output over extended periods. Ammo economy: Efficiency of ammunition usage over time.

The Warden LMG's large magazine size makes it ideal for PvE scenarios where players face waves of robotic enemies. Weapons with high burst damage but poor ammo economy are generally less effective in extended PvE engagements.

• Warden LMG: Large magazine for crowd control
• Viper assault rifle: Versatile option that works in both modes

The Viper assault rifle's versatility makes it a strong choice for both PvP and PvE, though it excels differently in each mode. Successful loadouts often balance a primary weapon optimized for the game mode with a secondary that covers its weaknesses.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the best weapon for beginners in Arc Raiders?

Choosing the right weapon as a new player can significantly impact your learning experience. Several weapons stand out for their forgiving mechanics and accessibility.

• Punisher pistol: Recommended as the best weapon for beginners due to its easy handling, forgiving accuracy, and availability early in the game
• Viper assault rifle: Considered beginner-friendly for its balanced performance across all combat ranges
• Scattergun shotgun: Another good beginner option due to its forgiving pellet spread in close-quarters combat

How often does the weapon meta change in Arc Raiders?

The weapon meta in Arc Raiders evolves regularly through official updates. The game receives balance patches approximately every 2-3 months that can significantly shift which weapons dominate the battlefield.

These meta changes are typically driven by developer balance adjustments rather than player discovery of new strategies. Patches often address weapon performance outliers by adjusting damage values, recoil patterns, or handling characteristics.

Are there any hidden or secret weapons in the game?

Yes, Arc Raiders includes several hidden weapons that reward exploration and achievement. These secret items require completing specific challenges or finding secret locations to unlock.

Some of the most exclusive secret weapons demand reaching maximum reputation with specific factions or completing high-difficulty raid challenges. These requirements ensure only dedicated players can access the game's most unique armaments.

What weapon attachments are most important?

Weapon attachments play a crucial role in optimizing your loadout for combat effectiveness. Prioritizing the right mods can transform a decent weapon into a powerhouse.

• Extended magazines: These provide increased ammo capacity, allowing you to engage enemies longer without reloading
• Stability mods: Essential for better recoil control, helping you maintain accuracy during sustained fire
• Optics and sight attachments: Crucial for improving accuracy, especially on sniper rifles and assault rifles used at longer ranges

Conclusion

Final Thoughts

The Viper and Reaper currently dominate as S-tier weapons in both PvP and PvE, offering exceptional power with minimal drawbacks. A-tier options like the Warden and Scattergun remain solid choices, though they come with specific limitations that require more tactical consideration.

Weapon effectiveness varies significantly between game modes, and the meta evolves every 2-3 months with regular balance patches. Different weapons serve different tactical purposes, and no single loadout excels at everything.

We strongly encourage you to experiment with various combinations based on your personal playstyle and mission objectives. Use this tier list as a guide, but find what works best for you.