Best Weapons

2:14 The Anvil is the safest answer to "best gun in ARC Raiders": it sits in S tier on all five press lists read here, and Embark itself said in update 2.0 (Oct 8, 2026) that it was "outperforming weapons both within and above its own level of rarity." Beyond it, the lists split by mode: for fighting Raiders they favor the Renegade, Tempest, Venator and Dolabra, and for fighting ARC the Hullcracker, Jupiter, Osprey and Ferro. Vi.ki ranks nothing itself. Every list below predates update 2.0 or carries no date, and no allowed list found on Oct 31, 2026 ranks the Bantam, the Stiletto or amplified weapons. Treat them as dated opinions, not as the state of the game on update 2.3.0. The clip is from Apr 21, 2026, when the Anvil was still Uncommon.

Quick facts

Sources: the five lists tabled below, Embark's 2.3.0 notes.

The tier lists, side by side

Dexerto's two pages show no date; both include the Dolabra and Canto, so they postdate update 1.22.0 (Mar 31, 2026). Both were read on Oct 31, 2026.

Best weapons for PvP

5:23 Four guns recur at the top for fighting Raiders. The Anvil and Renegade are S on Beebom, Dexerto PvP, Game Rant and Insider Gaming. The Venator is S or better on three of the four, but Beebom has it at B, and Embark nerfed it twice for dominating PvP, so older praise should be discounted. The Tempest is S or better on three and A on Insider Gaming. The Dolabra is S on both lists that place it with a clear PvP or overall view, Beebom and Dexerto PvP. In the clip, Fallout Plays says the Venator stays strong despite its nerfs (Apr 21, 2026).

TheGamer's Nov 20, 2025 PvP picks are an outlier worth seeing as launch-era history: Torrente, Jupiter, Equalizer, Rattler and Il Toro. More on fighting Raiders is on PvP Guide.

Best weapons for PvE

7:13 Only Dexerto publishes a separate PvE list, and it opens with the Anvil, Ferro, Hullcracker, Jupiter and Osprey. Embark's own data backs part of that: in update 1.7.0 (Dec 16, 2025) it called the Bettina the highest-performing PvE weapon at its rarity, "not counting the Hullcracker", and it has buffed the Bettina against ARC armor since. Update 2.0 then raised explosive damage on ARC armor plates by over 50%, which helps the Hullcracker on heavily armored targets but cuts around 30% on fragile parts. Game Rant's per-map loadouts (Dec 29, 2025) run an Anvil and Stitcher on Dam Battlegrounds and The Blue Gate and an Osprey and Anvil on Buried City; see Best Loadouts and ARC Enemies.

Best budget weapons

1:26 Game Rant's budget build (date not shown on the page, read Oct 31, 2026) is a Ferro and Stitcher on a Looting Mk. 1, about 13,000 Coins. The Ferro's high placement on Dexerto's PvE list fits that. The Stitcher has been cut since Feb 24, 2026, so check any older advice on it. Since update 2.0, the Anvil is Rare, so older notes that call it a cheap Uncommon pick are out of date. The Beginner's Guide covers what to carry in your first raids. In the clip, Fallout Plays swaps from the Ferro to a Stitcher (Apr 21, 2026).

What the lists miss

These changes came after some or all of the lists:

1:33 Dexerto's lists may or may not include the 1.26.0 and 1.29.0 changes, since they are undated. For the amplified versions, the nearest to a recommendation is on Weapon Amplification. In the clip, Crazymrpipz names the amplified Jupiter his top PvE pick (Oct 14, 2026), a creator's view and not a press list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best weapon in ARC Raiders? No single gun is official, but the Anvil is S tier on all five ARC Raiders press lists read here, including Beebom's (Oct 1, 2026). All five predate update 2.0, which moved the Anvil to Rare on Oct 8, 2026.

What is the best PvP weapon in ARC Raiders? The Anvil, Renegade and Tempest are the most consistent PvP picks in ARC Raiders, S on Dexerto's PvP list (undated, read Oct 31, 2026), which also has the Venator and Dolabra in S.

What is the best PvE weapon in ARC Raiders? Dexerto's PvE list (undated, read Oct 31, 2026) puts the Anvil, Ferro, Hullcracker, Jupiter and Osprey in S tier for ARC Raiders.

Is there an ARC Raiders tier list for update 2.0 or later? No reliable outlet found on Oct 31, 2026 ranks the post-2.0 ARC Raiders guns; the newest dated list is Beebom's of Oct 1, 2026. Lists on shop and boosting sites are not used here.

What is the worst gun in ARC Raiders? The Hairpin is D tier on all five ARC Raiders lists read here, such as Insider Gaming's (Jan 14, 2026), though Embark gave it amplified options in update 2.0.

Are the Bantam and Stiletto good in ARC Raiders? No allowed list ranks them as of Oct 31, 2026. Embark pitches the Stiletto as an early alternative to the Renegade and the Bantam as effective against ARC and Raiders (Oct 8, 2026).

Sources

• FROZEN TRAIL - 2.0 Update, Embark Studios, Oct 8, 2026
• Frozen Trail, Embark Studios, Oct 8, 2026
• Live Update 2.3.0, Embark Studios, Oct 27, 2026
• Patch Notes 1.29.0, Embark Studios, May 19, 2026
• Riven Tides Patch Notes 1.26.0, Embark Studios, Apr 28, 2026
• Flashpoint Patch Notes 1.22.0, Embark Studios, Mar 31, 2026
• Patch Notes 1.20.0, Embark Studios, Mar 17, 2026
• Shrouded Sky Patch Notes 1.17.0, Embark Studios, Feb 24, 2026
• Cold Snap Patch Notes 1.7.0, Embark Studios, Dec 16, 2025
• Arc Raiders Weapon Tier List, Beebom, Oct 1, 2026
• Weapon tier list (PvP), Dexerto, undated, read Oct 31, 2026
• PvE weapons tier list, Dexerto, undated, read Oct 31, 2026
• Top ARC Raiders Weapons Meta Guide for 2026, Game Rant, Mar 11, 2026
• Best Arc Raiders meta guns tier list, Insider Gaming, Jan 14, 2026
• Complete Guide to Weapon Amplification, Game Rant, Oct 14, 2026
• Best Loadout For Each Map, Game Rant, Dec 29, 2025
• Best Cheap Arc Raiders Loadout, Game Rant, undated, read Oct 31, 2026
• What Are The Best PvP Guns In Arc Raiders?, TheGamer, Nov 20, 2025
• EVERY Arc Raiders Weapon Explained & Ranked in 30 Seconds (2026 Edition!), Fallout Plays, Apr 21, 2026 (video)
• Arc Raiders - I AMPLIFIED EVERY WEAPON... HERE ARE THE 7 BEST AMPLIFIED WEAPONS, Crazymrpipz, Oct 14, 2026 (video)