The Frozen Trail 2.0 patch brings major balance shifts, two brand-new firearms, and changes to how many classic weapons perform in both PvP and PvE. This ARC Raiders tier list ranks every usable weapon from the best to worst, based on practical combat performance after all nerfs, buffs and reworks. Each entry covers its stats, strengths, weaknesses, and recommended use. After the ranked gunbreakdown, we will walk through key weapon changes, new weapons, and extra weapon-related mechanics added in 2.0.
ARC Raiders 2.0 Best Weapons Tier List & Ranking
This new ARC Raiders weapon tier list evaluates shotguns, SMGs, rifles, pistols, and more ammo for both PvP (fighting enemy Raiders) and PvE (fighting ARC units). Some weapons shine in only one category. For example, Equalizer is dominant for PvE boss fights, while Vulcano and Bobcat are built for close PvP duels. Weapon performance also shifts with upgrades and attached mods. A base-level gun will not perform the same as a fully upgraded variant with optimized mod slots.
1. Vulcano - S Tier
Vulcano is a semi-automatic shotgun that fires Shotgun Ammo, with 49.5 damage, a fire rate of 26.3, and a range of 26. Available mod slots include Shotgun Muzzle, Underbarrel, Shotgun Magazine, and Stock. It holds the top spot for close-range PvP, with the best theoretical time-to-kill of all weapons. After Il Toro’s nerfs and easier blueprint access, Vulcano has become extremely popular, and many players expect future balance changes. If an enemy closes in with this shotgun, you have very little room to react.
2. Bobcat - S Tier
The Bobcat is a fully automatic SMG using Light Ammo. It deals 6 damage, with a fire rate of 66.7 and a range value of 44. It supports Muzzle, Underbarrel, Light Magazine, and Stock mod slots. This close-range weapon is one of the deadliest PvP guns in the game. If you land the first shot against enemies without proper defensive tools, they rarely survive. Its main flaws are poor long-range performance and a small base magazine, which you can fix by using an extended magazine mod and keeping fights tight. It has heavy bloom and recoil, but its raw close-range stopping power makes it fearsome against other Raiders.
3. Tempest - S Tier
The Tempest is a fully automatic assault rifle with Medium Ammo. It outputs 10 damage, has a fire rate of 36.7, and a range of 55.9. It accepts Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Medium Magazine mods. A flexible mid-range weapon that performs decently in both PvP and PvE, its time-to-kill beats Venator 4. It shines most at medium distances. Up close, Bobcat, Torrente, and Vulcano outmatch it. For PvE, it handles weaker ARC enemies well but struggles against large heavy ARC targets. It is a jack-of-all-trades weapon that many Raiders pick for its versatility.
4. Canto - S Tier
Canto is a fully automatic SMG chambered for Medium Ammo, with 6.5 damage, 56.7 fire rate, and 51 range. It has Muzzle, Underbarrel, Light Magazine, and Stock mod slots. This weapon has a fast time-to-kill, but heavy recoil and bloom are major downsides. You will need upgrades and weapon mods to control its kick. Getting its blueprint is tedious, yet the reward is high for players who want to melt Raiders in fast close-quarters bursts. It is not recommended for fighting ARC enemies, as other guns handle PvE much better.
5. Dolabra - S Tier
Dolabra uses Energy Clip ammo and fires semi-automatically. It deals 50 damage hip-fired or 40 when aiming down sights, and its max charged range reaches 80, with no available mod slots. This unique hybrid weapon acts like a shotgun from the hip, switching into an accurate mid-range railgun when aiming. In PvP, two hip-fire shots can take down Raiders at close range, while aimed shots offer solid damage further out. While it hits hard, Dolabra falls behind Jupiter and Equalizer when fighting the largest ARC foes.
6. Renegade - S Tier
Renegade is a lever-action rifle using Medium Ammo. It has 35 damage, a fire rate of 21, and a range of 68.8. Its mod slots include Muzzle, Medium Magazine, and Stock. This bolt-action long-range rifle works well against low-level and flying ARC, and excels at picking off Raiders from medium to long distances. Its raw time-to-kill is not flashy on paper, but its pinpoint accuracy makes it lethal for outdoor maps. Upgrading Renegade costs a large amount of resources, yet the investment pays off for players focused on long-range PvP.
7. Stitcher - A Tier
Stitcher is a fully automatic SMG using light ammo, with 6.5 damage, a fire rate of 45.3, and a range of 42.1. It supports Muzzle, Underbarrel, Light Magazine, and Stock mods. Once a dominant green-tier PvP weapon at launch, Embark reduced its damage and increased firing bloom. Even after the nerfs, it stays an affordable, respectable PvP option, with a slightly faster time-to-kill than Kettle. It remains a solid pick for close fights against Raiders.
8. Anvil - A Tier
Anvil is a single-action heavy ammo hand cannon, dealing 40 damage with a fire rate of 16.3 and range of 50.2. It only has a Muzzle mod slot. In 2.0 Frozen Trail, Anvil’s rarity changed from green to blue. The dev team adjusted its rarity because it outperformed weapons at or above its old rarity tier, while keeping its core power. It handles low and mid-tier ARC very well and puts out strong damage against Raiders at close and medium ranges. It is still an all-around reliable weapon for both PvE and PvP. The Anvil Splitter is no longer a usable mod; it has become an upgrade path for Amplified Anvil, and the Anvil lost its Tech Mod slot. Old Splitter items can be sold or recycled into Amplified Fragments.
9. Il Toro - A Tier
Il Toro is a pump-action shotgun using Shotgun Ammo, with 67.5 damage, a fire rate of 14, and a range of 20. It has Shotgun Muzzle, Underbarrel, Shotgun Magazine, and Stock mod slots. At launch, this green-tier shotgun was arguably the best Raider-killing weapon in the game, so it received multiple nerfs. Its fire rate dropped, damage falloff started sooner, and it now needs three shots to defeat medium-shielded enemies instead of two. Even with these changes, Il Toro remains an affordable elite weapon for killing Raiders.
10. Osprey - A Tier
Osprey is a bolt-action sniper rifle with Medium Ammo, 45 damage, a fire rate of 17.7, and a range of 80.3. Its available mods are Muzzle, Underbarrel, Medium Magazine, and Stock. It is the only weapon with a first-person scope. It suffers from low durability and a slow fire rate, but it is very fun for long-range pickoffs. Skilled players can land incredible shots, though consistent long-range hits require heavy practice. Most players use Osprey to harass Raiders from extreme distances.
11. Burletta - A Tier
Burletta is a semi-automatic Light Ammo pistol, with 10 damage, a fire rate of 28, and a range of 41.7. It accepts Muzzle and Light Magazine mods. This semi-auto pistol has a competitive time-to-kill. Even its base version can down Raiders faster than Venator 3. To get the most from Burletta, you need to rapidly tap the trigger. It is an affordable close-range Raider killer, but watch out for enemy shotgun users.
12. Jupiter - A Tier
Jupiter is a bolt-action Energy Clip anti-ARC rifle, with 60 damage, fire rate of 7.7 and range of 71.7. It has no mod slots. Each shot requires charging before firing. Jupiter received buffs to zoom magnification and handling since its release. It hits extremely hard and excels at piercing heavy armor on large ARC targets, especially the tough flying Vaporizer enemy. The 2.0 patch fixed a bug where its damage hit ARC parts twice behind the intended target. The result: Jupiter now works better against armor, but slightly worse when hitting weak points.
13. Bantam - A Tier
Bantam is the new double-action heavy ammo hand cannon added in Frozen Trail 2.0. It has 24 damage, a fire rate of 23.3, and a range of 32.4, with no mod slots. Bantam fills the old role of the uncommon hand cannon previously held by the original green-rarity Anvil. It has balanced stats built for this niche, acting as a budget heavy sidearm for close fights.
14. Stiletto - A Tier
Stiletto is another new Frozen Trail weapon, a semi-automatic battle rifle firing Light Ammo. It has 19 damage, a fire rate of 11.2, and a range of 51.8, with Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Stock mod slots. This mid-range marksman gun rewards controlled, precise shots. It works best for players with steady aim who want to fight enemies at medium to long distances without carrying a full sniper rifle.
15. Ferro - B Tier
Ferro is a break-action heavy ammo weapon with 40 damage, a fire rate of 6.6, and range of 53.1. It supports Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Stock mod slots. It fires heavy ammo in a break-action format, delivering high single-shot damage. Its slow fire rate limits its use cases, making it situational for ambushes and carefully planned engagements.
16. Arpeggio - B Tier
Arpeggio is a three-round burst rifle using Medium Ammo. It has 9.5 damage, a fire rate of 18.3, and a range of 55.9. It can take Muzzle, Underbarrel, Medium Magazine, and Stock mods. Level four Arpeggio has a surprisingly fast time-to-kill, beating Venator 3. Lower level versions feel clunky and perform poorly at range. Unless you fully upgrade it to level four, most players avoid using this gun for PvE or PvP.
17. Venator - B Tier
Venator is a semi-automatic Medium Ammo pistol with 16 damage, a fire rate of 36.7, and a range of 48.4. It has Underbarrel and Medium Magazine mod slots. At launch, Venator was the dominant PvP weapon, but multiple nerfs reduced its power. Even so, a fully upgraded Venator remains reliable and efficient in close and medium fights. It is no longer unbeatable, but still a strong hand cannon choice.
18. Kettle - B Tier
Kettle is a semi-automatic rifle using Light Ammo, 8.5 damage, a fire rate of 30, and a range of 42.8. Its mod slots include Muzzle, Underbarrel, Light Magazine, and Stock. Players could previously use macros to fire it at maximum speed, so devs capped its fire rate. It can still down Raiders, but much slower than before. It remains usable, yet it lost its former dominance.
19. Aphelion - C Tier
Aphelion is a two-round burst rifle using Energy Clip ammo. It deals 25 damage, has a fire rate of 9, and a range of 76. It supports Underbarrel and Stock mods. Aphelion received multiple 2026 buffs, including reduced recoil, faster reloads, improved handling, and quicker aim stability. These changes made the gun less awkward and more lethal for PvP. Still, its time-to-kill is only average, and other mid-range weapons outshine it. It has good ARC armor penetration, yet Jupiter hits harder per shot, leaving Aphelion as a legendary weapon needing further improvements.
20. Bettina - C Tier
Bettina is a fully automatic heavy ammo rifle with 16 damage, a fire rate of 28.7, and a range of 52.3. It accepts Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Stock mods. Heavy ammo lets Bettina handle small and large ARC targets well at medium to long range. It got buffs to magazine size, durability, and reload speed, which pleased PvE players. Level four Bettina has a decent time-to-kill, yet most players pick other weapons for mid-range PvP fights.
21. Torrente - C Tier
Torrente is a fully automatic Medium Ammo heavy machine gun. It deals 8 damage, has a fire rate of 58.3 and a range of 49.9, with Muzzle, Medium Magazine, and Stock mod slots. This heavy machine gun fires at a high rate, but it is clunky and heavy with poor handling. Even at level one, it has a top-tier time-to-kill. It puts heavy medium ammo damage onto tougher ARC units, but most players bring it to melt Raiders at close range. It is elite if you learn to manage its awkward handling.
22. Rattler - C Tier
Rattler is a fully automatic Medium Ammo rifle, 9 damage, fire rate of 33.3, and range of 56.2. It has Muzzle, Underbarrel, and Stock mod slots. The base version of Rattler struggles; it needs 14 shots to down a fully shielded Raider, while its base magazine only holds 12 rounds. Upgrading increases magazine capacity. Its time-to-kill beats the nerfed Kettle, making it passable but not outstanding overall.
23. Equalizer - C Tier
Equalizer is a fully automatic heavy machine gun using Energy Clip ammo. It has 8 damage, fire rate of 33.3 and range of 68.6, with no mod slots. It has seen very few changes since release. Equalizer strips armor from the tankiest ARC enemies easily. It is one of the best PvE weapons for fighting Queen and Matriarch, widely considered the most consistently powerful PvE gun in ARC Raiders. Be careful carrying it, as other Raiders will hunt you down to steal this coveted heavy weapon.
24. Hairpin - C Tier
Hairpin is a slide-action Light Ammo gun with a built-in silencer. It deals 20 damage, has a fire rate of 9 and a range of 38.6, and only supports Light Magazine mods. It must be manually cocked after each shot. It stays one of the weakest weapons in the game. A skilled user can get kills, but it works as a meme gun at best, a throwaway weapon at worst. It fills the low-tier starter weapon slot.
25. Hullcracker - C Tier
Hullcracker is a pump-action launcher using Launcher Ammo, 100 damage, a fire rate of 20.3, and a range of 38.9. It has Underbarrel and Stock mod slots. At launch, Hullcracker was overpowered, so devs nerfed its damage against large ARC and raised ammo costs. Even with these downsides, it still excels at smashing big ARC enemies. It is a dependable endgame PvE workhorse. The 2.0 patch also fixed a visual bug where the weapon appeared incomplete in inspection menus, and corrected an issue that stopped it from destroying yellow weak points on the Harvester.
26. Rascal - C Tier
Rascal is a break-action launcher using Launcher Ammo. It has 75 damage, a fire rate of 13.7, a range of 28.3, and no mod slots. This launcher has lower raw damage than Hullcracker. It works in limited niche scenarios, yet Hullcracker is almost always the better pick when fighting large ARC targets.
ARC Raiders 2.0 Weapon Changes & New Weapons
The Frozen Trail 2.0 update adds two brand-new weapons: Bantam and Stiletto. Bantam takes over the uncommon hand cannon role that the Anvil previously occupied. Stiletto is a semi-automatic light ammo rifle built for medium-range engagements.
The Anvil has moved from green (Uncommon) to blue (Rare) rarity. The developers adjusted its rarity because its versatility made it outperform many weapons of equal or higher rarity, while keeping its core combat power intact. The Anvil Splitter can no longer be equipped as a regular mod. It is now an upgrade choice for the Amplified Anvil. The Anvil lost its Tech Mod slot. Old Anvil Splitter items will stop dropping, but players can still sell or recycle existing copies for Amplified Fragments used for Amplified Weapon repairs.
Jupiter received a bug fix. Previously, its damage would incorrectly hit ARC parts twice behind the main target. After the fix, Jupiter deals more damage to armor but slightly less damage to weak points.
The Hullcracker visual bug is fixed; it no longer shows an incomplete model in the inspection menu.
Dolabra’s bug is resolved. It can now destroy the yellow weak points inside the Harvester.
A separate bug was patched so weapons picked up from the ground correctly show their attached mods and parts.
Additional Weapon Related Features in ARC Raiders 2.0
1. Weapon Stencils
Weapon Stencils are a new cosmetic system in 2.0. They add visual patterns to your weapons. Remember that stenciled weapons can still be looted when you go down; other Raiders can take your weapon and keep its applied stencil. There are 14 total stencils. Five are exclusive to the Frozen Trail Premium Pass, one belongs to the Collector DLC, and eight spawn Topside. Stencils work like blueprints: once learned, you can apply them to compatible weapons. Applying a stencil consumes Stencil Parts, which you collect while exploring Topside.
2. Amplified Weapons
The 2.0 patch introduces Amplified Weapons as a new upgrade system. The Anvil Splitter is tied into this system as an Amplified Anvil upgrade. Amplified Fragments, gained from recycling old Anvil Splitter items, are used to repair Amplified Weapons.
